HOLLYWOOD

Mary Pickford (1892-1979) was the first actress to achieve international super stardom. She was celebrated around the world for her remarkable acting ability, her string of hit films, and her pioneering behind-the-scenes achievements.

• The Hollywood we know today – both the business and the celebrity machine – has come to exist thanks to decisions Mary faced and made almost a century ago.

• Her popularity lasted more than 20 years during which she was voted the “Number One Actress of the Year” by Photoplay 15 times.

• Her romance with the first swashbuckler, Douglas Fairbanks captured the imaginations of the world.

• Together with her business partners - Charlie Chaplin, D.W. Griffith and Douglas Fairbanks – she took creative control from the studios and launched United Artists.

• She helped establish the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and won one of the first Oscars.

Throughout her career, Mary’s efforts defined an entire industry, all the while struggling to find love and an off-screen identity in the face of fame and fortune that had never before existed. And all this before women had the right to vote.

The Girl Behind Hollywood, depicting the birth and growth of film, centers around a strong female protagonist whose rags to riches triumph, world-famous love affair, and international influence is unmatched to this day.