Florence Lawrence

A trailblazing Canadian-American actress rises to fame in the silent film era, becoming the enigmatic "Biograph Girl" and paving the way for Hollywood stardom in an industry desperate to hide its stars' identities.

Born

1886

Died

1938

Also:
Actress

Credits on file

Decades active

In short · Acted for 10 decades — 53 credits.

Remembered for

Ranked by community engagement + sustained interest across this person's credits in our database.

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Biography

Florence Lawrence was a Canadian-American stage performer and film actress, often credited as the "first movie star." Although she was long considered the first film actor to be publicly named, evidence published in 2019 suggested that French actor Max Linder may have been the first. In the 1910s, she became widely known as the "Biograph Girl" for her role as a leading lady in silent films produced by the Biograph Company. Over the course of her career, Lawrence appeared in nearly 300 films for various motion picture companies.

Filmography · 52 of 52

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