Florence LawrenceFlorence Lawrence (January 2, 1886 (her birth date has also been reported as 1890) - December 28, 1938) was an inventor and actress, who was referred to as "The First Movie Star." Born Florence Annie Bridgwood in Hamilton, Ontario, she was the child of Charlotte Bridgwood, a vaudeville actress who went by the name Lotta Lawrence. Florence's surname was changed at age four to her mother's stage name. She was one of several Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood who made their way to Hollywood, attracted by the rapid growth of the fledgling motion picture business. In 1907, at twenty-one years of age, she made her first motion picture. The next year, she appeared in 38 movies for the Vitagraph film company. In 1908 she met and married film director, Harry Solter. During these formative years in Hollywood, silent screen actors were just faces because studio owners refused to list the names of the film's cast members, fearing that fame might lead to demands for higher wages. D.W. Griffith, the head of Biograph Studios, saw one of Vitagraph's films with a beautiful blonde-haired girl whose screen presence captured his interest. Because the film's actors received no mention, Griffith had to make discreet enquiries to learn she was Florence Lawrence and a meeting was arranged. With the Vitagraph Company, she had been earning $20 a week but over and above acting, she was required to work as a costume seamstress. Griffith offered her a job acting only and with a raise to $25 a week that Florence jumped at. Ms. Lawrence quickly gained much popularity but because her name was never publicized, fans began writing the studio asking for her name. But, even when her "anonymous" face had gained wide recognition, particularly after starring in the highly successful Resurrection, Biograph Studios only labeled her as "The Biograph Girl." In 1910, Carl Laemmle, who later founded Universal Pictures, started his own motion picture company. Needing a star, he lured Lawrence away from Biograph by promising to give her a marquee, making her the first performer to be identified by name on screen and in film advertising. First though, Carl Laemmle organized a publicity stunt by starting a rumor that Lawrence had been killed by a street car in New York City. Then, after gaining much media attention, he placed ads in the newspapers that included a photo of Ms. Lawrence, declaring she was alive and well and was making The Broken Oath, a new movie for his IMP Film Company to be directed by Harry Solter. Laemmle then had Ms. Lawrence make a personal appearance in St. Louis, Missouri with her leading man to show her fans that she was very much alive. As a result of Laemmle's ingenuity, the "star system" was born and before long, Florence Lawrence became a household name. However, her fame was such that the studio executives who had concerns over wage demands soon had their fears proved correct. By late 1910, Lawrence left IMP to work for Lubin Studios, advising her fellow young Canadian, the 16-year-old Mary Pickford, to take her place as IMP's star. In 1912 she and husband Harry Solter created the Victor Film Company. They established a film studio in Fort Lee, New Jersey and made a number of films starring Lawrence and Owen Moore before selling out to the new Univeral Pictures in 1913. During her lifetime, Lawrence appeared in more than 270 films for various motion picture companies. Nicknamed "The Girl of a Thousand Faces", at the height of her career, she was earning a great deal of money and could afford an automobile, something that at the time was still a luxury for most people. Born with a curious mind, she invented the first turn signal, a device attached to a motor vehicle's rear fender. Dubbed as the "auto signaling arm", when a driver pressed a button, an arm raised or lowered, with a sign attached indicating the direction of the intended turn. Following this, she developed a brake signal based on the same concept where an arm with a sign reading "STOP" was raised up whenever the driver stepped on the brake pedal. However, Ms. Lawrence's inventions were not patented, and others in the rapidly expanding auto industry developed their own versions. In 1915, she was badly burned in a studio fire after an attempt to rescue someone from the flames. Although still only 29 years old, after her recovery, she never regained her stature as a leading film star. In 1920, her husband, Harry Solter died. The following year she married Charles Byrne Woodring, but he died in 1930, and in 1933 she married for the third time to Henry Bolton but this union lasted less than a year. When Lawrence's mother died in 1929, she had an expensive bust sculpted for her mother's tomb. By then, in her mid-forties, demand for her in films had long since disappeared and the stock market crash and the ensuing Great Depression saw Ms. Lawrence's fortune decline. Alone, discouraged, and suffering with chronic pain from a rare bone marrow disease, she committed suicide in Beverly Hills, California. Just nine years after she had paid for an expensive memorial for her mother, Florence Lawrence was interred in an unmarked grave not far from her mother in the Hollywood Cemetery, which is now Hollywood Forever Cemetery, in Hollywood, California. She remained forgotten until 1991, when an unnamed benefactor (actor Roddy McDowall) donated the funds for a proper gravestone to be placed in her memory that reads: "The First Movie Star." In 1999, a biography written by Kelly R. Brown was published under the title Florence Lawrence, the Biograph Girl: America's First Movie Star (ISBN 0786406275) Partial filmography
See also: Other Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood This page about Florence Lawrence includes information from a Wikipedia article. Additional articles about Florence Lawrence News stories about Florence Lawrence External links for Florence Lawrence Videos for Florence Lawrence Wikis about Florence Lawrence Discussion Groups about Florence Lawrence Blogs about Florence Lawrence Images of Florence Lawrence |
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Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood. Just nine years after she had paid for an expensive memorial for her mother, Florence Lawrence was interred in an unmarked grave not far from her mother in the Hollywood Cemetery, which is now Hollywood Forever Cemetery, in Hollywood, California. -- followed. Alone, discouraged, and suffering with chronic pain from a rare bone marrow disease, she committed suicide in Beverly Hills, California. Several TV movies -- including a portrayal of an anorexic in The Best Little Girl in the World , for which Leigh dieted down to 86 lbs. Lawrence's fortune decline. In 1977, she had her first credited role in an episode of the TV show Baretta. By then, in her mid-forties, demand for her in films had long since disappeared and the stock market crash and the ensuing Great Depression saw Ms. Leigh took acting classes with Lee Strasberg before she began acting professionally as a teenager. When Lawrence's mother died in 1929, she had an expensive bust sculpted for her mother's tomb. The name "Jason" is in honor of family friend Jason Robards. The following year she married Charles Byrne Woodring, but he died in 1930, and in 1933 she married for the third time to Henry Bolton but this union lasted less than a year. Born Jennifer Lee Morrow, she is the daughter of actor Vic Morrow and screenwriter Barbara Turner. In 1920, her husband, Harry Solter died. Jennifer Jason Leigh (born February 5, 1962) is an American actress. Although still only 29 years old, after her recovery, she never regained her stature as a leading film star. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). In 1915, she was badly burned in a studio fire after an attempt to rescue someone from the flames. Flesh & Blood (1985). Lawrence's inventions were not patented, and others in the rapidly expanding auto industry developed their own versions. The Hudsucker Proxy (1994). Following this, she developed a brake signal based on the same concept where an arm with a sign reading "STOP" was raised up whenever the driver stepped on the brake pedal. However, Ms. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994). Dubbed as the "auto signaling arm", when a driver pressed a button, an arm raised or lowered, with a sign attached indicating the direction of the intended turn. Mrs. Born with a curious mind, she invented the first turn signal, a device attached to a motor vehicle's rear fender. eXistenZ (1999). Nicknamed "The Girl of a Thousand Faces", at the height of her career, she was earning a great deal of money and could afford an automobile, something that at the time was still a luxury for most people. The Anniversary Party (2001). During her lifetime, Lawrence appeared in more than 270 films for various motion picture companies. Road to Perdition (2002). They established a film studio in Fort Lee, New Jersey and made a number of films starring Lawrence and Owen Moore before selling out to the new Univeral Pictures in 1913. The Machinist (2004). In 1912 she and husband Harry Solter created the Victor Film Company. By late 1910, Lawrence left IMP to work for Lubin Studios, advising her fellow young Canadian, the 16-year-old Mary Pickford, to take her place as IMP's star. However, her fame was such that the studio executives who had concerns over wage demands soon had their fears proved correct. As a result of Laemmle's ingenuity, the "star system" was born and before long, Florence Lawrence became a household name. Louis, Missouri with her leading man to show her fans that she was very much alive. Lawrence make a personal appearance in St. Laemmle then had Ms. Lawrence, declaring she was alive and well and was making The Broken Oath, a new movie for his IMP Film Company to be directed by Harry Solter. First though, Carl Laemmle organized a publicity stunt by starting a rumor that Lawrence had been killed by a street car in New York City. Then, after gaining much media attention, he placed ads in the newspapers that included a photo of Ms. Needing a star, he lured Lawrence away from Biograph by promising to give her a marquee, making her the first performer to be identified by name on screen and in film advertising. In 1910, Carl Laemmle, who later founded Universal Pictures, started his own motion picture company. But, even when her "anonymous" face had gained wide recognition, particularly after starring in the highly successful Resurrection, Biograph Studios only labeled her as "The Biograph Girl.". Lawrence quickly gained much popularity but because her name was never publicized, fans began writing the studio asking for her name. Ms. Griffith offered her a job acting only and with a raise to $25 a week that Florence jumped at. With the Vitagraph Company, she had been earning $20 a week but over and above acting, she was required to work as a costume seamstress. Because the film's actors received no mention, Griffith had to make discreet enquiries to learn she was Florence Lawrence and a meeting was arranged. Griffith, the head of Biograph Studios, saw one of Vitagraph's films with a beautiful blonde-haired girl whose screen presence captured his interest. D.W. During these formative years in Hollywood, silent screen actors were just faces because studio owners refused to list the names of the film's cast members, fearing that fame might lead to demands for higher wages. In 1908 she met and married film director, Harry Solter. The next year, she appeared in 38 movies for the Vitagraph film company. In 1907, at twenty-one years of age, she made her first motion picture. She was one of several Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood who made their way to Hollywood, attracted by the rapid growth of the fledgling motion picture business. Florence's surname was changed at age four to her mother's stage name. Born Florence Annie Bridgwood in Hamilton, Ontario, she was the child of Charlotte Bridgwood, a vaudeville actress who went by the name Lotta Lawrence. Florence Lawrence (January 2, 1886 (her birth date has also been reported as 1890) - December 28, 1938) was an inventor and actress, who was referred to as "The First Movie Star.". Flo's Discipline. A Good Turn. Her Two Sons. The Angel of the Studio. The Forest Ranger's Daughter. The Broken Oath. The Awakening. The Hessian Renegades. Jones' Lover. Mrs. The Slave. The Cardinal's Conspiracy. The Country Doctor. The Necklace. Eradicating Auntie. Eloping with Auntie. Two Memories. Jones and the Lady Book Agent. Resurrection. The Note in the Shoe. The Drive for Life. Lady Helen's Escapade. Confidence. The Road to the Heart. Jones and His New Neighbors. The Medicine Bottle. And a Little Child Shall Lead Them. The Deception. The Lure of the Gown. The Roue's Heart. His Wife's Mother. The Golden Louis. The Politician's Love Story. A Wreath in Time. The Girls and Daddy. Francis. The Fascinating Mrs. Jones Has a Card Party. Mr. The Sacrifice. The Honor of Thieves. One Touch of Nature. The Helping Hand. Jones at the Ball. Mr. An Awful Moment. The Test of Friendship. The Reckoning. Jones Entertains. Mrs. A Woman's Way. The Ingrate. The Song of the Shirt. The Taming of the Shrew. The Pirate's Gold. The Call of the Wild. The Planter's Wife. The Vaquero's Vow. Ingomar, the Barbarian. The Stolen Jewels. Where the Breakers Roar. The Heart of O'Yama. The Girl and the Outlaw. Betrayed by a Handprint. Antony and Cleopatra. Julius Caesar. Romeo and Juliet. Daniel Boone. |