Silent Films aren’t always everyone’s cup of tea. You have to read what is going on and there is no dialogue. However, if you find yourself wanting to go down the path of the Silent Film, then here are the 10 Silent film stars you should know about!
Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford was one of the first movie stars. She was known for playing innocent characters (even though she did sometimes play against type). She won an Oscar for her role in the movie Coquette. In 1919, she also joined together with D.W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplain, and Douglas Fairbanks to create United Artists. Pickford was not just an actress, but a businesswoman who wanted to create films her way.
Douglas Fairbanks
Douglas Fairbanks was best known for his action films. He was great at playing a swashbuckler! He was also very athletic, which made him perfect for his action roles. Fairbanks was named Hollywood’s most popular actor in 1918. In 1919, he joined Mary Pickford, D.W. Griffith, and Charlie Chaplin and created United Artists.
John Gilbert
John Gilbert was known as a leading man. Women couldn’t get enough of him on the screen. When Gilbert’s career was in decline, it was rumored that it was his speaking voice that was to blame, as the new invention of Talkies had just taken off. Gilbert’s voice wasn’t the issue, it was his issues with studio heads that made his career decline. Many might not know his name today, but John Gilbert was absolutely wonderful in the films he was in.
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo transitioned just fine into talking pictures, but she did get her start in Silent Films. The Swedish actress captivated audiences with her acting. She seemed to have an air of mystery to her and that made her very popular with fans. Garbo was never interested in going to press events, signing autographs, or returning fan mail, so that probably added to her mystery.
Buster Keaton
Buster Keaton was known for his slapstick comedy (there never seemed to be a limit to what he could do). Keaton seemed to be a rival of Charlie Chaplin for the Slapstick King. It’s not fair to put them against each other because both were geniuses in their own way. If you want to laugh, check out Buster Keaton’s films.
Clara Bow
Clara Bow was known as the “It” girl, partially because she was in a movie called It and also because she had something special that other actresses didn’t have. People could not get enough of Clara Bow. She had a star power that lasted until the 1930s.
Harold Lloyd
Harold Lloyd joins the comedy greats Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin of this era. Lloyd was known for his slapstick comedy and his signature glasses. Lloyd should be talked about more when it comes to comedy legends because he sure was a legend in his own right.
Louise Brooks
Louise Brooks had one of the most famous Bobs in the Silent Film era. But that is not why she was famous, she also had considerable talent too. Brooks was the perfect picture Flapper and it showed on the screen.
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Rudolph Valentino
Rudolph Valentino was known as Hollywood’s original Latin Lover (even though he was from Italy). He was a leading man who entranced audiences with his intense stares. He also died young, which made people mourn him and want to see his films over and over again.
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Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin had a character called “The Tramp.” This character was his persona in a lot of his films. Chaplin was a slapstick comedy star and is probably one of the best-known actors on this list. He could make people laugh with just a silly look or a funny walk.
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