Silent Stars
Cobblestone American History Magazine for Kids|July/August 2023
Early motion pictures, with their short stories and their .silence, could be enjoyed by almost anyone, anywhere.
Gina DeAngelis
Silent Stars

It didn't matter what country you lived in or what language you spoke. The physical beauty of early film actors and actresses drew large and adoring fans. As the fictional silent film star in the classic movie Sunset Boulevard (1950) says, "We didn't need dialogue. We had faces."

Douglas Fairbanks (1883-1939) began acting at age 12 and touring at 15. He reached the Broadway stage in 1902 and broke into films just as Hollywood began its rapid growth. He starred in allAmerican roles that had a comedic touch. Today, Fairbanks is remembered for his swashbuckling action films such as The Mark of Zorro (1920) and Robin Hood (1922). He performed his own stunts, becoming the "action hero" of his day. He also wrote many of his own screenplays. Fairbanks's son, Douglas Jr., followed in his father's footsteps as an actor.

Theda Bara (1885-1955) was born Theodosia Goodman. She landed her first leading role, as a vampire, in the 1914 film A Fool There Was. Bara was an exoticlooking woman. Popular fan magazines of the day helped spread a rumor that she was the daughter of an Arab sheik and an artist. The stories made Bara a huge box office draw for William Fox's film company. She moved with the company to Hollywood in 1918, where she starred in Cleopatra. It was a studio hit. Bara never made the transition to sound. She made her last silent film in 1926.

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