The History of Silent Screen Film Stars
Silent films gained national popularity in the 1910s. One of the most popular films of the era was D.W. Griffith's "Birth of a Nation" in 1915 when movie booths called "nickelodeons" grew in popularity. Silent film stars were the first Hollywood celebrities, who usually appeared in touring "road shows" along with orchestras. By the mid-1920s "the big five" movie companies were Warner, Fox, RKO, MGM and Paramount. "The Jazz Singer" in 1927 used dialogue and marked the end of the silent film era. Early silent film stars included Gloria Swanson, Clark Gable, Harrison Ford, Ramone Navarro and Clara Bow.
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Charlie Chaplin
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Charlie Chaplin made his film debut in 1914 with "Making a Living." His film "Little Tramp" established his most famous character depicted with a heavy mustache, baggy pants, big shoes and a walking cane. Much of his work was considered slapstick comedy. He made 35 short films in 1914 for Keystone Studios then signed with Mutual Film Corporation in 1916 as his pay jumped from $125 per week to $10,000 per week. In 1919 he became a co-founder of United Artists as an attempt to control his own work.
Mary Pickford
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Mary Pickford was one of the highest paid stars of the film industry in the 1910s. Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks Sr., Charlie Chaplin and D.W. Griffith launched United Artists in 1919. She married Fairbanks in 1920. By the middle of the 1920s, United Artists was considered one of "the little three" movie companies along with Universal and Columbia.
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Douglas Fairbanks Sr.
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In 1919 Fairbanks starred in "The Mark of Zorrow," which became the first release of the company he co-founded, United Artists. Fairbanks produced and starred in the first popular full-length color film, "The Black Pirate" in 1926. He gained the nickname "The King of Hollywood." Some of his other films included "The Thief of Bagdad" and "Robin Hood."
Fatty Arbuckle
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The first Hollywood scandal broke in 1921 when silent film comedian Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle was accused of raping and murdering actress Virginia Rappe at a San Francisco hotel after he signed a $3 million contract with Paramount. He was ultimately acquitted, which ended a ban on his films, but his career was destroyed from the negative publicity.
Lon Chaney
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Lon Chaney starred in the first MGM production called "He Who Gets Slapped" in 1924. This film marked the first appearance of the famous MGM lion. The following year, Chaney starred in a film that established the horror movie genre, "Phantom of the Opera." One of his other noted films was "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." He was a showcase of Hollywood's most artistic makeup of the time.
Rudolph Valentino
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After making 14 notable films in seven years, including "The Shiek" and "The Son of the Sheik," Rudolph Valentino died at the age of 31 in 1926. He had been called "The Latin Lover." Other Valentino films included "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse," "Camille" and "The Conquering Power."
Buster Keaton
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Buster Keaton was considered a leading comedian of the silent film era, on the level of Charlie Chaplin. His nickname was "The Great Stone Face" and his work was filled with stunts and satire. One of his most noted films was "The General" in 1927. Some of his other popular films included "Our Hospitality," "The Navigator," "Sherlock, Jr." and "Steamboat Bill, Jr."
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