Home > Jack Pickford

After Biograph opened its studios in Hollywood, California, the Pickford clan moved west. Jack, a small, fragile boy, grew up in an 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.

Despite his on-screen image as the winsome boy-next-door, Jack Pickford's private life was one of alcohol, drugs and womanizing. 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. He spent money like water 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 income.

In early 1918, after the United StatesThe United States of America also referred to as the United States U. America ¹ or the States is a federal republic in central North America, stretching from the Atlantic in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west. It shares land borders with Canada in joined World War IWorld War I (also known as the First World War , the Great War the War of the Nations and the "War to End All Wars") was a world conflict occurring from 1914 to 1918. No previous conflict had mobilized so many soldiers, or involved so many in the field of, Jack Pickford joined the United States NavyThe United States Navy USN is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. Navy consists of slightly fewer than 300 ships and over 4,000 operational aircraft. It has over a half million men and women on active or ready re. 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 stepped in and arranged for him to give evidence to the authorities in exchange for a medical discharge.

His first marriage, in 1916, to Olive ThomasOlive Thomas born October 20, 1894 in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, United States died September 10, 1920 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, was an actress. Born Oliva Elaine Duffy into a working class family in a Pittsburgh suburb, her father died when she was you (né 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 the love of his life. However, while filming in ParisEiffel Tower has become the symbol of Paris throughout the world. Paris is the capital and largest city of France. The city is built on an arc of the River Seine, and is thus divided into two parts: the Right Bank to the north and the smaller Left Bank to, FranceThe French Republic or France ( French: Republique francaise or France is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents., they went out for a night of entertainment at the famous bistros in MontparnasseMontparnasse Tower, which at 209m was the tallest building in Western Europe when it was built. Montparnasse is an area of Paris, in France, on the left bank of the river Seine, centered on the intersection of the Boulevard de Montparnasse and the Bouleva. Returning to their room in the Hotel 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.

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 sister Mary 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.

Pickford has a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1523 Vine Street.

During his career, Jack Pickford appeared in more than 70 films.

See also: Other Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood