None of their family was present and their only witness was Thomas Meighan. Pickford and Thomas eloped on October 25, 1916, in New Jersey. Both were talented, but they were much more interested in playing the roulette of life than in concentrating on their careers. Two innocent-looking children, they were the gayest, wildest brats who ever stirred the stardust on Broadway. I had seen her often at the Pickford home, for she was engaged to Mary's brother, Jack. Screenwriter and director Frances Marion later commented on the couple's lifestyle: Pickford met actress and Ziegfeld girl Olive Thomas at a beach cafe on the Santa Monica Pier. Pickford's image was that of the All-American boy, with his sister being “America’s Sweetheart.” In all, Pickford appeared in more than 130 movies between 19. Most of his films, especially those in the late 1910s, were both commercial and critical successes, making a highly regarded name for himself. Through the years, he dabbled in screen writing and directing however, he never pursued either form further. In 1928, he finished his last film, acting as Clyde Baxter in Gang War. By 1923, his roles had gone from several a year to one. In early 1918, after the United States entered World War I, Pickford joined the United States Navy as an enlisted sailor and was stationed at the Third Naval District in Manhattan, New York. In 1917, he starred in one of his first major roles as Pip in the adaptation of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations as well as the title role in Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer and the follow-up Huck and Tom in 1918. Though Pickford was considered an excellent actor, he was seen as someone who never lived up to his potential. Vignola's Seventeen (1916)īy the time he signed with First National, Pickford had played bit parts in 95 shorts and films. As part of her contract, Mary saw to it that her family was brought along, giving the now-named Jack Pickford a lucrative contract with the company as well.
Mary soon became a well-known star, and by 1917 had signed a contract for $1 million with First National Pictures. The company arrived in Hollywood, where Jack acted in bit parts during the stay. Much to Mary's protest, Charlotte threw him on the train as it left the station. When the Biograph Company headed West to Hollywood, only Mary was to go until Jack pleaded to join the company as well. Soon after signing with Biograph, Mary secured jobs for all the family, including the then-14-year-old Jack.
Following suit, the Smiths changed their stage names to 'Pickford'.
By this time, his sister Gladys Smith had been transformed into Mary Pickford (Marie was her middle name, and Pickford an old family name). This proved a good source of income and, by 1900, the family had relocated to New York City and the children were acting in plays across the United States.ĭue to work the family was constantly separated until 1910 when Gladys signed with Biograph Studios. Out of desperation, Charlotte allowed Jack and his two sisters Gladys and Lottie to appear onstage, beginning with Gladys, the eldest.
His alcoholic father deserted the family while Pickford was a young child, leaving the family impoverished. John Charles Smith was born in 1896 in Toronto, Ontario, to John Charles Smith, an English immigrant odd-job man of Methodist background, and Charlotte Hennessy Smith, who was Irish Catholic.