New York Clipper May 1904
See that little blue highlight on the left side? that's the only mention of Douglas Fairbanks, which is quite representative of his early Vaudeville career. It's safe to say that at this time he was the smallest afterthought in a long list of the names of aspiring actors, and this artifact represents that.
Bower, David. "World of Players" New York Clipper. May 7 1904. Archive
The Mark of Zorro 1920
Fast forward past his film debut in The Lamb 1915 and Douglas Fairbanks has fully arrived as Hollywoods most prolific leading man when he stars as Zorro in The Mark of Zorro 1920. Zorro is a vigilante in Colonial Spanish California who must fight for the rights of the people against the evil baron and rescue the lady in need from his grasp! Here he gains notoriety as a talented physical actor in addition to the relatable positive everyman qualities he exudes in his acting. Click below to watch the full film and see him in action!
Douglas Fairbanks, The Mark of Zorro, Fred Niblo. (1920, United Artists, silent film) Archive
"The Big Four" 1920
As he continues to grow larger in popularity Fairbanks ascends the identity of famous actor into a fixture of early Hollywood, especially when he helps found United Artists with other megastars pictured here from left to right, Mary Pickford Charlie Chaplin, and D.W. Griffith. This artifact is meant to show how quickly Fairbanks ascended to Hollywood royalty, how could you not love him just look at that smile! This photo is part of a larger collection called A Pictorial History of Silent Film released in 1953, click the button and take a look below to se other photos from the era for greater context!
Putman Sons LLC, A Pictorial History of the Silent Screen. ( G.P. Putman and Sons, Niles Essany Silent Film Museum) pg. 194 Archive
The Film Renter and Moving Picture News 1922
When a prominent magazine does an expose on you, you can be sure you've truly become a titan in your field. If the photo of Fairbanks among other film legends wasn't enough to convince you of his status, take a look at this story. The way Fairbanks is sensationalized rivals that of Babe Ruth in baseball or Ali in boxing, the industry truly saw him as a legend. "One of the Blood" is meant to depict Fairbanks as a blue blood everyman, this is essential to his image at the time. Take a look at the story by clicking below and read up on how his "blue blood" qualities made him one of the most attractive stars in Hollywood.
The Film Renter and Moving Picture NewsDouglas Fairbanks: One of the Blood. (London Allied Artists Corp. Sept. 23 1922) Archive
"Taming of The Shrew" 1929
Fairbanks really did seem to have it all as he married the most famous lady in early Hollywood Mary Pickford. You can read up more on their relationship in the Film Stardom section, but this artifact is here to show the lovers starred in a movie together! From an outside perspective the first talkie to adapt Shakespeare with two of the biggest stars of the time is a surefire success, but this era marks the downward arch of Fairbanks career. In fact the movie was not well received and cited as having clunky dialogue and silent film actors who weren't prepared to make the transition. Even early cinemas Jay-Z and Beyonce weren't immune to the critics, and this marks Fairbanks transition to a greater role behind the camera.
Fairbanks, Douglas. Pickford, Mary, Taming of The Shrew, Sam Taylor. (1929 United Artists Pressbook, Silent Film) Archive
A Family Affair: Fairbanks and Fairbanks Jr. 1936
Fairbanks would prove to be a force from a production standpoint, especially when he was producing movies starring his son! This artifact shows Douglas Fairbanks Jr. working with a large production staff all funded by his father and Untied Artists. Douglas Fairbanks Sr. has ascended past his acting days and pulls strings from the highest offices in the industry during this time. Fairbanks Jr. would carry on the legacy of his father with merit eventually stepping out from his fathers shadow and becoming a prominent figure in the industry in his own right!
Motion Picture Herald, Waterfront Interview, January 1936, Film camera, Archive
Career Collage of a Cinema Legend 1953
Fairbanks passed away at 56 from a heart attack in 1939 at his home in Santa Monica, but his memory lives on. Come 1953 in a photo collage of the most prominent figures of early cinema and Douglas Fairbanks is a usual suspect, his memory will always live on!
Putman Sons LLC, A Pictorial History of the Silent Screen. ( G.P. Putman and Sons, Niles Essany Silent Film Museum) pg. 194 Archive