John Charles Smith (August 18, 1896 - January 3, 1933) was a Canadian-born American actor. Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, he was the younger brother of Mary Pickford. Like her, Jack Pickford's mother had him acting on stage as a very young boy. In 1910, he was only 14 years old when, with the help of his sister, he was signed to perform in motion pictures with Biograph Studios. August 18 is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... January 3 is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Template:Hide = Motto: Template:Unhide = Diversity Our Strength Image:Toronto, Ontario Location. ... Mary Pickford Mary Pickford (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979) was a Canadian-born motion picture star and co-founder of United Artists, known as Americas Sweetheart and the girl with the curls. ... -1... The American Mutoscope and Biograph Company (also known as the Biograph Company) was founded in 1895 and is the oldest movie production company in the United States. ...

Jack Pickford

pre 1923 image not subject to copyright. ... pre 1923 image not subject to copyright. ...

Career Rise

After Biograph opened its studios in Hollywood, California, the Pickford clan moved west. Jack, a small, fragile boy, grew up in the adult world, one that suddenly became full of money far beyond anything imaginable for the time when Mary Pickford signed a contract in 1917 for $1 million with First National Pictures. Jack got a lucrative contract with First National as part of the deal but that year, he gained respect for his acting abilities after starring as Pip in the adaptation of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations and in the same year for playing the title role in Mark Twain' s Tom Sawyer. Greetings from Hollywood Hollywood is a district of the city of Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., that extends from Vermont Avenue on the east to just beyond Laurel Canyon Boulevard above Sunset and Crescent Heights Boulevards on the west; the north to south boundary east of La Brea Avenue... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... Charles Dickens was a prolific writer who was almost always working on a new installment for a story and rarely missed a deadline. ... Great Expectations Great Expectations is a Bildungsroman (a novel tracing the life of the protagonist) by Charles Dickens and first serialized in All the Year Round from December 1860 to August 1861. ... Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was a famous American humorist, novelist, writer and lecturer. ... For Tom Sawyer, British politician and trade unionist, see Tom Sawyer, Baron Sawyer Tom Sawyer is the protagonist of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and a character in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, two Mark Twain novels. ...

Lavish Lifestyle

Despite his on-screen image as the winsome boy-next-door, Jack Pickford's private life was one of alcohol, drugs, and womanizing, culminating in the severe alcoholism and syphilis that would eventually kill him. With significantly less actual talent than his now famous sister, Pickford mostly lived off of funds from her. In those days, the movie studios were able to cover up almost all of their stars' misbehavior, but within the Hollywood crowd Jack Pickford's behind-the scenes antics made him a legend in his own time. Alcoholism (rel. ... Depression-era U.S. poster advocating early syphilis treatment Syphilis (historically called lues) is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that is caused by a spirochaete bacterium, Treponema pallidum. ...

He spent money frivolously and frequently had to suffer the humiliation of asking his mother or sister for help. As his reckless lifestyle worsened, the number of movies he made declined and therefore his own personal income.

In early 1918, after the United States joined World War I, Jack Pickford joined the United States Navy. Using the famous Pickford name, he soon became involved in a scheme that allowed rich young men to pay bribes to avoid military service, as well as reportedly procuring young women for officers. For his involvement, Jack Pickford came close to being dishonorably discharged but speculation has it that his sister (by that time and from then on a powerhouse worldwide due to her fame) stepped in and arranged for him to give evidence to the authorities in exchange for a medical discharge. 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Combatants Allies: • Serbia, • Russia, • France, • Romania, • Belgium, • British Empire and Dominions, • United States, • Italy, • ...and others Central Powers: • Germany, • Austria-Hungary, • Ottoman Empire, • Bulgaria Casualties 5 million military, 3 million civilian (full list) 3 million military, 3 million civilian (full list) World War I, also known as the First World... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ...

His first marriage, in 1916, to Olive Thomas (née Olive Duffy, ex-Mrs. Bernhard Krugh Thomas, 1894-1920), a beautiful Pennsylvania-born model turned showgirl turned film actress and reputed heroin addict, was stormy from the start but she was reportedly the love of his life. However, while filming in Paris, France, they went out for a night of entertainment at the famous bistros in Montparnasse. Returning to their room in the Hôtel Ritz at around 3:00 in the morning, his wife died after ingesting a large dose of the mercury biochloride which had been prescribed for her husband's ongoing venereal disease; infected in 1917, he had passed the disease onto Thomas, as well as the medicine used to treat it. The police investigation into her death centered on Pickford but no charges were ever laid. On the return trip home to America, film director Allan Dwan had to talk the distraught Pickford out of committing suicide. Olive Thomas (Charleroi, Pennsylvania, United States, October 20, 1894 – September 10, 1920 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France) was an American actress. ... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... The Montparnasse Tower, which at 209m was the tallest building in Western Europe when it was built. ... Hotel Ritz, Paris The Hôtel Ritz at 15 Place Vendôme in Paris, France. ... Sexually-transmitted infections (STIs), also known as sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs), are diseases that are commonly transmitted between partners through some form of sexual activity, most commonly vaginal intercourse, oral sex, or anal sex. ... Allan Dwan (April 3, 1885 – December 21, 1981) was a pioneering Canadian-born American motion picture director, producer and screenwriter. ... It has been suggested that Suicide and culture be merged into this article or section. ...

Married two more times unsuccessfully, including a 1922-1927 marriage to celebrated tap dancer Marilyn Miller, by 1932 Jack Pickford was alone again, his health deteriorating from the ravages of syphilis and the toll that years of alcohol and drug abuse had taken. Pickford died in the American Hospital in Paris, at age 36. His devastated sister, Mary Pickford, arranged for his body to be brought back to Los Angeles, California, where he was interred in the private Pickford plot in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. Marilyn Miller born Mary Ellen Reynolds September 1, 1898 Evansville, Indiana died April 7, 1936 New York, New York. ... 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will take you to a full 1932 calendar). ... Depression-era U.S. poster advocating early syphilis treatment Syphilis (historically called lues) is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that is caused by a spirochaete bacterium, Treponema pallidum. ... Mary Pickford Mary Pickford (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979) was a Canadian-born motion picture star and co-founder of United Artists, known as Americas Sweetheart and the girl with the curls. ... Nickname: City of Angels Motto: Official website: http://www. ... Gates of Forest Lawn Forest Lawn Memorial Park is a cemetery in Glendale, Los Angeles County, California. ... Nickname: The Jewel City Motto: Official website: http://www. ...

Jack Pickford has a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1523 Vine Street. An example of a Hollywood Walk of Fame star, for the film actress Carole Lombard. ...

During his career, Jack Pickford appeared in more than 70 films some of which are:

See also: Other Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood Motion pictures have been a part of the Canadians. ...