Born 14 Oct 1893 in Springfield, Clark County, Ohio

Ancestors

Died 27 Feb 1993 at age 99 in New York, New York

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Biography

Lillian Gish is Notable.

Lillian Gish was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Lillian Diana Gish (October 14, 1893 ? February 27, 1993) was an American motion picture icon, director, actress and screenwriter whose career spanned 75 years. She was said to have been called The First Lady of American Cinema . Gish is credited with pioneering film performance techniques delivering finely etched, nuanced turns carrying a stunning emotional impact.

Early Life

Lillian Gish in Her First False Step (1903)

Lillian Diana was born 14 October 1893 in Springfield, Ohio, the first child of actress Mary Robinson McConnell and James Leigh Gish ^{[1] [2]} Her father was an alcoholic and left the family. Mary took up acting to support them. Later, learning her father was gravely ill and living in Oklahoma in an institution, Lillian traveled to Oklahoma to stay with her aunt an uncle an re-establish connections with her father. She finished high school in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Later the family moved to New York, living next door to Gladys Smith, who took the stage name of Mary Pickford and who introduced Lillian to director D.W. Griffith . In 1912, Mary Pickford helped the Gish sisters get contracts with Biograph Studios. Lillian was 19 years old but lied about her age, telling the casting directors she was 16.

Rise to Stardom 1912-1926

Lillian starred in the acclaimed films of D.W. Griffith including The Birth of a Nation (1915), Intolerance (1916), Broken Blossoms (1919), Way Down East (1920), and Orphans of the Storm (1921). ^[3] He recognized her expressive talents and developed her into a suffering yet strong heroine. Having appeared in over 25 short films and features in her first two years as a movie actress, Lillian became a major star appearing in lavish productions, frequently of literary works such as Way Down East .

MGM Studio Work 1925-1928

Recently formed MGM Studios offered Lillian a six film contract in 1926 and gave her more creative control in her next films. The 1928 film, The Wind , was a commercial failure as one of the last silent films. The industry was in full swing to make movies with sound. Today "The Wind" is recognized as Lillian's most distinguished works of the silent film era. Her work in the new era of sound motion pictures was moderately successful, but the characters she played were viewed as outdated. In the 1930s and 40s, Lillian's work was mostly on stage which she loved!

Later Works, Awards & Trivia

Gish at 80 years of age, 1973

Lillian's works widened out into radio and television.

• In 1943 Lillian starred in an episode of CBS Radio's series Sunrise' .
• By 1946, Lillian had returned to the screen and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1946 for Duel in the Sun .
• Her television debut was in February, 1949 on NBC.
• Lillian was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 8, 1960.
• Gish received a Special Academy Award in 1971, "For superlative artistry and for distinguished contribution to the progress of motion pictures.
• In 1979, she was awarded the Women in film Crystal Award in Los Angeles.
• In 1984, she received an American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award
• Her last film role was appearing in The Whales of August in 1987 at the age of 93
• The last words of her long career were: "Good night".

Lillian D. Gish was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Her great-great-grandmother Clorinda (Taylor) Barnard was the daughter of Captain Taylor , DAR Patriot Ancestor #A112795. ^[4]

Death and Legacy

Lillian died 27 February 1993 at age 99 in Manhattan, New York County, New York, USA. She was cremated and her ashes were interred beside those of her sister Dorothy at Saint Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in New York City Saint Bartholomew's Episcopal Church Manhattan, New York County, New York, USA. ^[2]

"...the things...necessary in my profession are...Taste, Talent and Tenacity. I think I have had a little of all three." [5] Lillian Gish

Sources

1. ↑ 1893 Lillian Diana Gisle, citing "Ohio Births and Christenings, 1821-1962" "Ohio Births and Christenings, 1821-1962", database, FamilySearch ( https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XXQ1-Q9Q  : 19 January 2020), Lillian Diana Gisle, 1893.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Find a Grave, database and images ( https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/2020/lillian-gish : accessed 04 September 2023), memorial page for Lillian Gish (14 Oct 1893?27 Feb 1993), Find A Grave: Memorial #2020 , citing Saint Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, Manhattan, New York County, New York, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.
3. ↑ Wikipedia citing profile Lillian Gish: located here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lillian_Gish
4. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases , database online, ( http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 30 November 2023), "Record of Othniel Taylor Jr.", Ancestor # A112795.
   • DAR descendant record for Lillian D Gish (accessed 5 March 2024).
5. ↑ IMBD database with images citing "quotes" located here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001273/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

• 1920 Lillian D Gish in household of Mary R Gish, United States Census, 1920: "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch ( https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MV37-4H8  : Wed Aug 23 21:11:31 UTC 2023), Entry for Mary R Gish and Lillian D Gish, 1920. accessed by Dave Draper 9/4/2023

See also:

• Wikipedia: Lillian Gish
• Wikidata: Item Q104183 , en:Wikipedia