United Artists Corporation – 1919

United Artists 1919 D.W Griffith Mary Pickford Charlie Chaplin (Seated) and Douglas Fairbanks Signing The Incorporation Papers Of United Artists On 5th February 1919

At the suggestion of B.P. Schulberg, Douglas Fairbanks pointed out to his wife “America’s Sweetheart” Mary Pickford and to friend Charlie Chaplin that the enormous salary rises they were successfully demanding were making the margin of profit on their films dangerously low, and that there might come a time when, despite their popularity, they would actually constitute liabilities to their employers. Why not form – with him and D.W. Griffith – a company to produce and distribute their own pictures, enabling them to keep all the profit for themselves. They were convinced and in 1919, the United Artists Corporation was formed.

United Artists was the logical conclusion the the star system. When he heard of it, Richard Rowland, head of Metro, commented, “The lunatics have taken charge of the asylum.” But the head keeper was no loony. Though Fairbanks, at first was the least powerful of the four, took the most active part in the affairs of the company. In the mid-twenties, he enticed Joseph M. Schenck to head the administrative affairs of the corporation, bringing with him Norma and Constance Talmadge, who were soon followed by Gloria Swanson, John Barrymore and Buster Keaton. As long as Fairbanks was alive. United Artists made a profit.

marypickfair

Charlie Chaplin

 

Charlie Chaplin, born 16th April 1889

Silent Review

Mary Pickford

The @NYTimes reported that Mary Pickford paid the most taxes of any American. In an effort to raise funds for WWI,

The Revenue Act of 1918 imposed an income-tax rate structure of up to 77 percent.

Look up Hannah………………

 

Hannah, can you hear me? Wherever you are, look up, Hannah. The clouds are lifting. The sun is breaking through. We are coming out of the darkness into the light. We are coming into a new world, a kindlier world, where men will rise above their hate, their greed and brutality.

Look up, Hannah. The soul of man has been given wings, and at last he is beginning to fly. He is flying into the rainbow — into the light of hope, into the future, the glorious future that belongs to you, to me, and to all of us. Look up, Hannah. Look up.

Mary Pickford – Happy Birthday

Mary Pickford born on 8^th April 1892, in Toronto, Canada. Pictured here when Douglas Fairbanks & Charlie Chaplin surprised her for her birthday on the set of ‘How Could You Jean?’ in 1918

 

Mary Pickford

Walking in the rain

 

“I always like walking in the rain, so no one can see me crying.”
Charlie Chaplin

Who lives in this house?

Michelle Facey