Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-11-24
F 10 w E r s.
For the Living
Mary Pickford
by TOM j. GERAGHTY,

Mary Pickford is the best known
woman in the world, and no doubt
her name and familiar face are
known by more people than any
woman that ever lived In ali his
tory. And yet, If you knew her inti-
mately you would think she was
timid young girl. struggling to get
along, and fearful Of making the
grade.
She has been working and in the
public's eye since she was five years
old. In quarter Of a century she,
has risen from the obscure Gladys
Smith. of Toronto, Canada, to Mary
Pickford, queen of the entire amuse-
ment world, who will never be de-
throned. Her name will be inscribed
upon a tablet, to go down through
all the ages.
Speaking of inscriptions. 1 have
thought several times of a fanciful,
picture, that of Mary Pickford
standing at the grave of Mary Pick
ford, reading her own name and
see her body CULVER with emotion.
great tears well in her eyes and
trickle down her cheeks as she shook
her head sadly and said:
"Poor thing. Isn't it too bad.
hope she didn't suffer much"
Because Mary Pickford is sabsc-
lutely that impersonal. The Mary
Pfckford of fame is another indi-
vidual to her. i am sure she only
knew her through what she has read
about her and from seeing her on
the screen. In fact, / have seen
Miss Pickford looking at her own
pictures when cutting and editing
them, and have heard her say such
things as: Look at her now! My,
but how she is putting on airs, she
ought to be ashamed of herself
she's entirely too fresh" Then she
would laugh. as II the figure on the
screen was another person entirely.
Then / have often seen her as self
conscious as a sheltered child; her
timidity, modesty and simplicity per-
fcctly charming and Joy forever.
Miss Pickford could never wear
clothes, or a hat, or shoes, acting be-
fore the camera, which she has used
in everyday life. She just wouldn't
be the other Mary Pickford, the
actress. l have never known any one
to display such a pronounced and
complete change OF character as Miss
Pickford does once she changes from
her street clothes" to the clothes
and makeup to be worn in scene.
The moment she is dressed for a part
she automatically dissolves into the
mood of the character in everything
she says or does, even though she is
not working in a scene. She has a
poise and an assurance that she never
otherwise possesses
Without a far stretch of magma
ton or facts, II might be said that
she possesses indeed a trinity OF per-
sonalities. The third is her business
self She can walk into a business
conference, composed otherwise en-
tirely of men. and fall right into dis
cussing hard headed, cold business
matters with the foresight. logic and
argument of a. seasoned hnancier.
But in her home and with her
friends, we find the real Mary Pick
ford. She has genuine solicitation
for every ones comfort and a sympa-
thetic ear for the most trivial thing.
Some one has wisely written that
genius is the infinite capacity for taking
pains. This might easily have been in
spired by Miss Pickford. Nothing is too
difficult to undertake and patiently
carry out to complete fruition. do
not think that any woman has put in
more active hours day after day and
year after year than has Miss Pickford.
1t is not uncommon for her to arise at
O'Clock and be at the studio. miles
away, and ready for work by 8. The
the camera would cause many another
woman to throw a temperamental At.
or at least complain and insist upon a
let-up But this Miss Pickford never
does.
And. in addition, she carries on all
her business, which amounts to a num-
Der of million dollars annually. Her
business manager and production man.
ager come upon the set with their books
- 81 l. 4 e.,
the first two hours of the day. while she
personally disposes of immediate prob
lens. Then there are often lawyers.
bankers, real estate men. exhibitors and
other outside interests to see and dis
pose OF. Hardly a day passes but from
one to a dozen prominent people call to
meet her. She is always gracious and
ready to discuss something new with
| them-usually them. The lunch period
is only called to allow other members
of the company to eat. 1t means very
little to her. usually a light collation.
and a half hour with her private secre-
tary, signing letters, papers and photo
graphs.
Dinner is usually an event with her
1t is given over to her husband Doug
| las Fairbanks. and guests who might be
at their home. Usually there are from
two to four guests at dinner, and Miss
SllS dt the neaQ or tne
table. perfect and highly interesting
| hostess.
Some time during the evening she
manages to squeeze in one or two
hours working on her story, either
the story she is doing or one she Is
preparing to do. With Douglas, she
manages to see all the important
pictures that other people are making
and these they run at their home;
one or two feature pictures every
night, together with news weekly,
educational subjects and comedies
There is one infallible rule she has
before she goes to sleep and that is
to call her mother on the telephone.
She calls, wherever she is, and no
matter how late the hour or whatever
| the circumstances. If her mother is
not with her when she goes to New
York, that means she will call her
mothers home in California And
| they chat over the phone like two
schoolgirls, all their conversation
marked with wonderful affection for
each other.
Since she has worked all her life,
Miss Pickford has never learned to
play. Her idea of diversion is more
work and added problems.
Her life has truly been that of the
poor, obscure Cinderella who won the
prince and riches. But she's so prac-
teal and thoughtful, I'm sure she
would insist upon cutting up the
pumpkin coach and making pie of 1t
for the less fortunate around her.
Copyright, 1924