Gish, Lillian Diana

Gish, Lillian Diana
▪ 1994

      U.S. actress (b. Oct. 14, 1893, Springfield, Ohio—d. Feb. 27, 1993, New York, N.Y.), was a fragile beauty whose film heroines projected a waiflike vulnerability and virginal innocence that was belied by an indomitable spirit; her dramatic and masterful use of gestures and her expressive eyes earned her accolades as "the First Lady of the Silent Screen." Gish, who made her stage debut at the age of five, was billed as Baby Lillian. Both she and her younger sister, Dorothy, were child stars, and the two made their bow with their mother in the film An Unseen Enemy the same day that their friend Gladys Smith (Mary Pickford) secured them bit roles with director D.W. Griffith. Gish vaulted to stardom when she was given the lead role of Elsie Stoneman in Griffith's box-office smash hit The Birth of a Nation (1915), which was followed by another blockbuster, Intolerance (1916). She became famous for her heartrending interpretations in such sentimental Griffith melodramas as Hearts of the World (1918), Broken Blossoms (1919), True Heart Susie (1919), Way Down East (1920), and Orphans of the Storm (1922), the latter with her sister, whom she had directed in Remodeling Her Husband (1920). After amicably leaving Griffith she made The White Sister (1923) for Inspiration Films before joining MGM. There she made some of her best films, including La Bohème (1926), under the direction of King Vidor, and The Scarlet Letter (1926) and The Wind (1928), both with the Swedish director Victor Sjöström. Gish returned to the New York stage and appeared in such plays as Camille, Uncle Vanya, Life with Father, and The Chalk Garden before making her talkie debut in One Romantic Night (1930) and starring in her last screen lead in His Double Life (1933). She earned an Academy Award nomination for her performance in Duel in the Sun (1947), and went on to appear in such films as Portrait of Jennie (1949), The Cobweb (1955), and The Night of the Hunter (1955). Her enduring career included such television films as The Day Lincoln Was Shot, The Sound and the Fury, and Arsenic and Old Lace, with Helen Hayes (q.v.). Gish made her final Broadway appearance in A Musical Jubilee (1975) and her last film appearance in The Whales of August (1987). She published two volumes of memoirs, Life and Lillian Gish (1932) and The Movies, Mr. Griffith & Me (1969). Gish received a special Academy Award in 1970 for her "superlative artistry," Kennedy Center honours in 1982, and a lifetime achievement tribute in 1984 from the American Film Institute.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Gish,Lillian Diana — Gish (gĭsh), Lillian Diana. 1893 1993. American actress best known for her roles in silent films, such as The Birth of a Nation (1915). Her sister Dorothy (1898 1968) was also a film actress. * * * …   Universalium

  • Gish, Lillian (Diana) — born Oct. 14, 1893, Springfield, Ohio, U.S. died Feb. 27, 1993, New York, N.Y. U.S. film and theater actress. She acted on Broadway and with touring companies from age five, often with her sister, Dorothy (1898–1968). Their screen careers began… …   Universalium

  • Gish, Lillian (Diana) — (14 oct. 1893, Springfield, Ohio, EE.UU.–27 feb. 1993, Nueva York, N.Y.). Actriz de teatro y cine estadounidense. A la edad de cinco años comenzó a actuar en Broadway y con compañías itinerantes, a menudo junto a su hermana, Dorothy (1898–1968).… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Gish, Lillian — ▪ American actress in full  Lillian Diana Gish  born Oct. 14, 1893, Springfield, Ohio, U.S. [see Researcher s Note] died Feb. 27, 1993, New York, N.Y.  American actress who, like her sister Dorothy (Gish, Dorothy), was a major figure in the early …   Universalium

  • Lillian Gish — en 1917 Nombre real Lillian Diana de Giche Nacimiento 14 de octubre de 1893 …   Wikipedia Español

  • Lillian Gish — Infobox actor name = Lillian Diana Gish imagesize = 150px caption = Lillian Gish, 1921 birthname = Lillian Diana Gish birthdate = birth date|1893|10|14|mf=y birthplace = Springfield, Ohio, U.S. deathdate = death date and age|1993|02|27|1893|10|14 …   Wikipedia

  • Diana — (Del ital. diana.) ► sustantivo femenino 1 MILITAR Toque militar de la mañana para que la tropa se levante: ■ la diana sonó en la madrugada. 2 Punto central de un blanco de tiro: ■ tienes que dar en la diana. 3 DEPORTES Gol, en el fútbol: ■ el… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Diana — /duy an euh/, n. 1. (Princess of Wales) (Lady Diana Spencer), 1961 97, former wife of Charles, Prince of Wales. 2. an ancient Roman deity, virgin goddess of the moon and of hunting, and protector of women, identified by the Romans with the Greek… …   Universalium

  • Lillian — /lil ee euhn/, n. a female given name. Also, Lilian. * * * (as used in expressions) Gish Lillian Diana Hellman Lillian Florence Russell Lillian * * * …   Universalium

  • Lillian — (as used in expressions) Gish, Lillian (Diana) Hellman, Lillian (Florence) Russell, Lillian …   Enciclopedia Universal

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