ABSTRACT

Mary Pickford went to work full time at Biograph Company in the spring of 1909, a key transitional period for the new entertainment business of moving pictures. In 1909, Pickford appeared in more than forty Biograph films in a range of roles, from extra to supporting to lead. These films ranged in length from about ten to twenty minutes as films grew longer with more coherent and complex narratives. Pickford always looked back fondly on her Biograph days for good reason: there she learned the art of filmmaking. Pickford's first role at Biograph was as an extra in Her First Biscuits, which featured Florence Lawrence, who also hailed from Canada. Pickford and Lillian Gish were among the many young female workers who experienced significant socioeconomic mobility thanks to the film industry. As the industry's cultural and economic significance grew, its attraction increased for performers like Pickford.