Person Biography:
Jack Pickford was born on August 18, 1896, in Toronto, Canada, as John Smith. He was the youngest of three children, with his older sisters Mary Pickford, known as "America's Sweetheart," and Lottie Pickford. Both sisters were actresses and had started their careers in the film industry with their mother, Charlotte Smith, who had prompted them to follow in her footsteps after their father, an alcoholic, deserted the family.
Jack began his career as a child actor on the theatre stage and later transitioned to film, working with his sisters and other prominent film companies. He appeared in numerous short films, including "Wanted, a Child" (1909),"To Save Her Soul" (1909),"The Smoker" (1910),and "Home, Sweet Home" (1914). He also worked for other film companies, such as Reliance and Selig Polyscope.
In 1914, Jack followed his sister Mary to the Famous Players Film Company, where he became a personable light leading man. He appeared in films such as "A Girl of Yesterday" (1915) and "Poor Little Peppina" (1916),and starred on his own in films like "Seventeen" (1916) and "Great Expectations" (1917).
Despite his early success, Jack's life was marked by trouble. He was accused of accepting bribes from draftees in the Navy Reserve and was eventually discharged. He also struggled with addiction and was married three times to Ziegfeld girls, including Olive Thomas, who died after four years of marriage.
Jack's career declined in the late 1920s, and he died on January 3, 1933, at the age of 36, due to chronic alcoholism. He was buried in the Pickford family plot in Toronto.
