Born October 14, 1893 in the Irish Hill Neighborhood, Springfield, Ohio
Death February 27, 1993 in New York, New York

Not only was Lillian Gish born in the right era, but she was also born with the ethereal beauty and grace to make her a star in the silent film industry. If Mary Pickford was the silent cinema's greatest personality, Lillian was its greatest actress.

A consummate actress, Lillian seemed to take delight in suffering for the art form that became her obsession. In order to experiment, Lillian worked in extreme conditions such as starvation, intense heat and bitter cold. Soon, she became the quintessential silent screen heroine, lovely and open to suffering. However, despite her characters' apparent weakness, Lillian's performances also let their inner strengths shine through.

Her stage debut took place in 1902 when she performed at The Little Red School House in Rising Sun, Ohio. From 1903 to 1904, with her mother and her sister Dorothy, Lillian toured in Her First False Step. The following year, she danced with the Sarah Bernardt production in New York City. From 1908 to 1911 she moved around, staying with various relatives. She lived with her aunt in Massillon, Ohio, with her mother in East St. Louis and briefly with her father in Oklahoma.

Lillian's film debut came in 1912, when she and her sister starred in An Unseen Enemy under the direction of D.W. Griffith. In 1913, during the production of A Good Little Devil, Lillian collapsed from anemia during a run of the play.

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Used with permission from the Official Website of Lillian Gish www.lilliangish.com