In her childhood neighborhood, close to where her family house once stood, stands a bronze bust and a blue plaque honoring the Toronto native Mary Pickford.
Pickford was born in 1892 (later, she claimed she was born in 1893 or 1894) as Gladys Marie Smith, the eldest of three children. At four, her father passed away, and her mother struggled to provide for the family. At seven (some sources claim at the age of five), she started playing at Toronto’s Princess Theatre to help with the family income. She became a full-time actress, traveled, and performed in the US and Canada without ever having a childhood. In 1907, she received a role at a Broadway play and, following the advice of producer David Belasco, changed her name to Mary Pickford.
1909 was the beginning of her career as a silent film actress. She became America’s sweetheart and the first American celebrity. As one of the first film actresses, she was among the pioneers who developed acting techniques in this medium. Over the years, she became a producer and a businesswoman. She co-founded Pickford–Fairbanks Studios and United Artists and was one of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences founders.
Even though she lived most of the time in the United States, Toronto was always in her heart; she occasionally visited the city and her childhood home, even after it was demolished and Hospital for Sick Children stood instead.
On May 16, 1983, Pickford’s widower, Buddy Rogers, and Toronto mayor, Art Eggleton, unveiled her bust and plaque that the Mary Pickford Foundation commissioned.
Nearby points of interest include the Textile Museum of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the South African War Memorial, and the Queen’s Park.
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