MARY PICKFORD RETIRES FROM FILM-MAKING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18451, 30 April 1928, Page 5

MARY PICKFORD RETIRES FROM FILM-MAKING.

CANNOT CONTINUE IN FAVOURITE ROLE OF CHILD PARTS, IN WHICH SHE WANTS TO RE REMEMBERED

HOLLYWOOD, April 12. Mary Pickford, the film star, has announced her retirement from the screen. Press agents give the recent death of Mary's mother as the chief reason, but there are other reasons, including her physical difficulty to avoid stoutnes* and the realisation that she cannot continue successfully to play the juvenile or ingenuine parts with which the public is so familiar, and that is how she wishes to be remembered. Miss Pickford and her husband, Douglas Fairbanks, will leave on May 5 lor Rome, where they will charter a ’plane and fly to Cairo and Algiers. The problem of growing up has fcr some years been bothering Mary Pickford. and the question of her retirement has often come to her mind. Abcut. two years ago it was reported that, after appearing in four more films, Mary Pickford intended to retire from the screen, and interest herself solelv in the business side of film production. This she neither confirmed nor contradicted. but said that her present plans were to continue making pictures. Mary Pickford possesses a genius for the actual business of film production, in which, both as regards her own pictures and those of her husband (Douglas Fairbanks), she has for many years taken an active part. Mary Pickford is always visualised as the little girl with the curls down her back. When she decided to grow up and play adult parts, such as those in “ Rosita ” and “ Dorothy Vernon,” she w r as not very popular. She was still a great box office attraction, but, there was a feeling that this w r as not the real Mary Pickford, the appealing little figure that was unique. “ There aren’t enough little girl stories for me.” said Miss Pickford. plaintively, to an interviewer. “ What can I do?” She put the matter to the vote of American film fans, and the decision was overwhelmingly in favour of the curls. So there was general rejoicing when the little actress became a little girl again in “ Little Annie Rooney.” In this, Mary was a with long plaits, queening it magnificently. if sometimes without regal dignity, over a gang of young ragamuffins. When Mary left the stage some sixteen or seventeen years ago, she was much admired by the second propertyboy, who idolised the pretty child actress ; so did everybody else, for tha - * matter.

Mary often played a maid’s part one day and a leading lady the next, and she preferred the maid’s part, because she received £1 a day just the same, and went home early. But, whether playing maid or princess, the “ property ” boy’s eyes were always on her. “ Some day she may be a great star, and I may be her director,” he said. And the dreams of that property boy came true. William Baudine was that boy. He directed “ Littie Annie Rooney.” When Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks visited London in 1924, they were besieged by crowds wherever they went. In Europe also it was the same. Doug, and Mary are known the world over, not only as film stars who have won and kept for years the public's affection, but as personalities, human and lovable. There has never been a rumour of scandal in their household, and their good fellowship has been the secret of their long success. Mary’s keenness for work is as remarkable as that of her athletic of , the personal risks he is prepared to take in the making of a picture. No effort in the studio is too much for him. During the making of one picture she went to the studio at 8.30 in the morning and did not return home until 9 30 the next morning. Iler mother, who died a few days ago, has said: “You cannot stop Mary when ones she has begun a picture.”