Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood facts for kids

Motion pictures, also known as films, have been an important part of Canada's culture since the very beginning of the movie industry. Many talented Canadians have played a huge role in shaping Hollywood and the world of cinema.

Early Days of Hollywood

Around 1910, filmmakers on the East Coast started moving to California. They liked the mild winter weather there. A Canadian named Al Christie built the first permanent movie studio in Hollywood for his company, Nestor Studios. After this, many other movie companies also moved to Hollywood or grew their operations there.

At the same time, movies didn't have sound yet. This meant that many French films could be shown in the United States, as language wasn't a barrier.

Canadian Film Pioneers in Hollywood

Many Canadians helped build Hollywood into what it is today. Here are some of the pioneers who made a big impact:

• Allakariallak (1890s–1924?): An Inuit actor who starred in the famous film "Nanook of the North".
• Charles Arling (1880–1922): An actor.
• Earl W. Bascom (1906-1995): An actor and artist who worked with famous stars like Roy Rogers.
• William Bertram (1880–1933): An actor and director.
• Ben Blue (1901–1975): An actor and comedian.
• Raymond Burr (1917–1993): A well-known actor, famous for playing Perry Mason and Ironside.
• Jack Carson (1910–1963): An actor.
• Peggy Cartwright (1912-2001): An actress who appeared in the Our Gang comedy series.
• Al Christie (1881–1951): A co-founder of the Christie Film Company, and a director, producer, and screenwriter.
• Charles Christie (1880–1955): Al Christie's brother, also a co-founder of Christie Film Company. He built Hollywood's first luxury hotel.
• Berton Churchill (1876–1940): An actor.
• Yvonne De Carlo (1922–2007): An actor.
• Joe De Grasse (1873–1940): A director.
• Sam De Grasse (1875–1953): An actor.
• Fifi D'Orsay (1904–1983): An actress.
• Marie Dressler (1869–1934): An actress who won an Academy Award for Best Actress.
• Douglass Dumbrille (1889–1974): An actor in movies and television.
• Deanna Durbin (1921–2013): A popular actress and singer.
• Allan Dwan (1885–1981): A director, producer, and screenwriter.
• Edward Earle (1882–1972): An actor.
• Rockliffe Fellowes (1883–1950): An actor.
• Glenn Ford (1916–2006): A famous actor.
• John Harvey Gahan (1888–1958): Also known as Oscar Gahan or Arvé, he was an actor, musician, and composer, known as Canada's child prodigy violinist.
• Huntley Gordon (1887–1956): An actor.
• Lorne Greene (1915–1987): A well-known actor, famous for playing Ben Cartwright in Bonanza and Commander Adama in Battlestar Galactica.
• June Havoc (1912-2010): An actress.
• Harry Hayden (1882–1955): An actor.
• Del Henderson (1883–1956): An actor, director, and writer.
• Walter Huston (1884–1950): An Academy Award-winning actor.
• May Irwin (1862–1938): An actor, known for the first screen kiss in 1896.
• Victor Jory (1902–1982): An actor.
• Ruby Keeler (1909–1993): A dancer and actress.
• Barbara Kent (1907–2011): An actress.
• Florence La Badie (1888–1917): An actress.
• Florence Lawrence (1886–1938): Known as "America's first movie star."
• Rosina Lawrence (1912-1997): An actress.
• Beatrice Lillie (1894–1989): An actress.
• Gene Lockhart (1891–1957): An actor.
• Del Lord (1894–1970): A comedy director.
• Wilfred Lucas (1871–1940): A director, screenwriter, and actor.
• Henry MacRae (1876–1944): A director, producer, screenwriter, and actor.
• David Manners (1900–1998): An actor.
• Raymond Massey (1896–1983): An actor.
• Louis B. Mayer (1885–1957): A co-founder of the famous Metro Goldwyn Mayer Motion Picture Studios.
• Bob Nolan (1908–1980): A singer and actor in western musicals, he led the group "The Sons of the Pioneers".
• Sidney Olcott (1872–1949): A director.
• Jack Pickford (1896–1933): An actor and Mary Pickford's younger brother.
• Lottie Pickford (1893–1936): An actress and Mary Pickford's sister.
• Mary Pickford (1892–1979): Known as "America's Sweetheart," she won an Academy Award for Best Actress and co-founded United Artists.
• Walter Pidgeon (1897–1984): An actor.
• Marie Prevost (1896–1937): An actress.
• John Qualen (1899-1987): An actor.
• William Quinn (1884–1965): An actor.
• Mack Sennett (1880–1960): A director known as the "King of Comedy."
• Athole Shearer (1900–1985): An actress and the wife of director Howard Hawks.
• Douglas Shearer (1899–1971): A sound director and designer who won seven Academy Awards.
• Norma Shearer (1902–1983): An actress who won an Academy Award for Best Actress.
• Nell Shipman (1892–1970): An actress, writer, and producer.
• Jay Silverheels (1912–1980): An actor famous for playing Tonto, the sidekick to the Lone Ranger.
• Alexis Smith (1921–1993): An actor.
• Ned Sparks (1883–1957): An actor.
• Richard Travers (1885–1935): An actor.
• Jack L. Warner (1892–1978): A co-founder of Warner Brothers studios.
• Marjorie White (1904–1935): An actress.
• Joseph Wiseman (1918–2009): An actor.

Canadians in Hollywood

In his book Stardust and Shadows: Canadians in Early Hollywood, writer Charles Foster shared his experiences meeting some of these Canadians. During World War II, while on leave from the Royal Air Force, Foster visited Hollywood. There, he met Canadian director Sidney Olcott. Through Olcott, he learned about the strong community of Canadians in Hollywood. Even though they were strangers, young Foster was welcomed warmly by this group of "Canucks" (a friendly nickname for Canadians). This social group included stars like Walter Pidgeon, Deanna Durbin, and Fifi D'Orsay.

Many of these Canadian pioneers became very successful and famous worldwide. For example, Louis B. Mayer and Mary Pickford were two of the most powerful people in Hollywood during their time. From the late 1920s to the mid-1930s, Canadian actresses were among the biggest box office stars. In fact, Canadian women won the Academy Award for Best Actress three years in a row:

• 1929: Mary Pickford for Coquette
• 1930: Norma Shearer for The Divorcee
• 1931: Marie Dressler for Min and Bill

While many found great success, some Canadian pioneers also faced challenges in their careers or had shorter lives. For instance, Florence La Badie passed away at age 29 due to injuries from a car accident in 1917. Jack Pickford, Mary Pickford's younger brother, passed away at age 36, and his sister Lottie passed away at age 43.