The Freethinker

An Unnoticed Fashion Icon?

Be Glad You're Not Gladys

You most likely can recall the names of Mel Gibson, Jennifer Aniston, Jim Carrey and Britney Spears. But if you would ask someone about the name Gladys Smith, most Americans will look at you with a dumbfounded look on their face and then proceed to ask: “Who?”

The paragraph you just read suggested in-between the lines that you should know of Mary Pickford if you know the names of those celebrities mentioned before, and maybe the names of their children, their husbands or wives, or ex husbands or wives, and you may even possibly know of the breed of dog these celebrities prefer. (And if you know their shoe size, you need a hobby!)

Here is what you should know if you like to follow all things Hollywood. Gladys Smith was born in Canada, a decade before the turn of the century. The 20th century, that is. She was the daughter of a British immigrant father and an Irish catholic mother. Her British father was basically just a shadow and a name attached to hers, and actually cast an eerie shadow upon the rest of her life. Gladys Smith showed special talent, in acting, at the young age of seven, and her aptitude to this certain field continued to blossom.

...So, what does this have to do with anything?

She traveled the country with her family, into the United States. She tirelessly poured her entire heart and soul into acting, and her mother became her spokesperson and somewhat of a manager. She was also an actress herself, but certainly not as devoted as Gladys.

During the same time, motion pictures were fast catching the countries’ attention. The most popular version of the primitive cinema, as we know it today, was the ‘Nickelodeon’. Thousands of people flocked to ‘nickelodeons’ to see the new fangled motion pictures. And suddenly, these nickelodeons were sprouting up across the nation. They were simply a sensation. (And as an odd note, nickelodeons were increasingly popular in the summer due to the recent invention of air conditioning!)

...And you once again ask, ‘So?’

Gladys Smith was temporarily out of work after being involved in Broadway, but the magical and mysterious world of motion pictures was soon opened up to her. It was a goldmine for the radiant young actress, although it was not easy treasure in the beginning. She wasn’t even initially chosen for a role in a motion picture, but the director had noticed a certain talent within Gladys and then did keep her within his company to produce motion pictures. She found it much simpler to act in motion pictures than in stage plays.

The reason she found motion pictures easier was for this: Most early motion pictures were only fifteen minutes long and had small, easy to follow plots. As such, as many as twenty motion pictures could be filmed in a regular day. You could learn the script in minutes, act out the part and you would have a motion picture ready for the masses to devour. Gladys Smith would be apart of this cycle, tirelessly creating these new and profitable moving pictures (Movies).

Within weeks of appearing in these moving pictures, nickelodeon viewers noticed Gladys right away, much like the director had personally noticed her. Credits did not scream who was who like most movies trumpet now to even sell tickets. All the audiences were able to identify at the time was, that they truly identified with Gladys Smith.

...And you continue to ask, ‘So?’

Her audience appeal was quite evident. So evident, that, in fact, she began earning privileges due to the money she raked in and began to make more demands in to how much she actually controlled these motion pictures (Which was not a hard thing to do at the time, since they didn’t even roll credits at the end of movies, indicating how small their staff was).

Since plots in these motion pictures were easy to guess and easy to follow, since they were silent, not a lot of lines were needed and longer motion pictures were actually frowned upon. Businessmen of the day thought, “Really, who would sit an hour and a half to see a motion picture? No one has the patience, or the money, for that.”

...And yet another resounding, ‘So?’

Gladys Smith had an eye for innovation, and she was slightly rebellious. The actress did not enjoy portraying the average damsel in distress, so with her new found producing and writing talents, she modified scripts and portrayed characters as she saw fit. One of her ‘Out of Gladys’ roles was a young wife posing as a male soldier in the Revolutionary war.

As another innovation, she proposed the first eighty-minute feature film. This film helped propel her to stardom, as she played a trodden maiden in poverty, with a deep intricate plot that most directors thought would fail. It was actually a success, due to the fame of Gladys’s name, the story itself and the new complicated storyline that most moviegoers were not accustomed to, but loved.

You’re probably going to ask (Once again), ‘So?’

One man noticed Gladys’s popularity with the masses, and he began to market her image to magazines, commercial businesses and newspapers. She was used to endorse a variety of products, and they sold primarily because of her face adorning the packaging. America had never seen anything like this before!

She led a charmed life. She traveled the world, as America’s unofficial ambassador to the world. Millions adored her, for her sweet child-like looks and her talent on the silver screen. Many would trample her just to touch her hair, and at one point she had to be put in a cage that was in a cart to see the people. And although Gladys was adored, horrendously rich and talented, her charmed life and face was a stale façade, which hid her real life that many did not know about.

Her first marriage was to a drunk, named Owen Moore, who she had acted with on stage before. Ironically, her father had also been a drunk. There have been rumors that she was pregnant with his child, but either a miscarriage or an abortion rendered her barren. She grew weary of this man, and, despite the advice of those around her that suggested her popularity would plummet if she did this, she divorced him when a new attractive actor entered her life.

This new attractive suitor was Douglas Fairbanks. The two married soon after she divorced Owen, and the two didn’t suffer in regards to their popularity. Strangely enough, the public roared with support when they found out about the happy couple. But alas, their happiness did not last, Douglas traveled abroad too much, and was found to be having an affair then they divorced. She later remarried to Charles Rogers, but never seemed to recover from the loss of Douglas Fairbanks, as she often called Charles ‘Douglas’ by mistake.

Gladys adopted two children, but they claim that they never felt much love from her, and she was far too self absorbed to care for them although they held admiration for her. She suffered from alcoholism, like her father, her brother and sister, her mother and her very first husband. At the same time, she held many honors and had many awards presented to her, despite the fact she became a hermit and would only speak to few select people. While her husband was giving tours of their lavish home, Gladys stayed confined to her chambers, in a deep depression.

At the end of her life, Gladys Smith was not the feisty and sweet idealized All-American girl in the world’s imagination, an image which they had grown to love very much. She was an average human being. Many were shocked to see the state she was in within her elderly years. She was feeble and broken down as she accepted the Academy Honorary Award. She had her troubles, and sadly, like most of America, she didn’t know how to deal with these issues that permeated her life.

It was almost as if Gladys Smith, most actually only known by her stage name as Mary Pickford, had laid the blueprint for the out of control life almost all celebrities today endure. Not only did she carry out acting in the movie theaters, she was a thespian in the public eye. Her stage make up was not wiped off at the end of a film shoot, and her costumes were not hung on their appropriate rung when the day came to an end. Her risqué romance roles were not left to the confines of paper, and the drama continued to unfold off the set.

She, along with others, fabricated the American celebrity, as we know it today, and yet, most Americans do not know who she is, and if they do know of her, they most certainly don’t know her life was not as pleasant as her name. Mary Pickford was the first American celebrity. And yet, she will be forgotten, as she already has begun the process of receding into the back of the worlds’ mind.

But you should know the story of Mary Pickford. Why? So you are not fed the same line as all other young and naïve roaring Twenties guys and dolls were fed, that celebrities have it all together. As the old saying goes, you can’t have everything. Mary did have more than most Americans could have ever imagined. But she paid a dear price for it.

What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? - Matthew 16:26

From An Asthma Sufferer

Hey everyone... Here is an important e-mail that every asthma sufferer needs to tune in to read. I wrote this personally to everyone in my address book, it's my personal plea to help asthma sufferers (Myself included!)

Please sign this petition for every American asthma sufferer being effected by this ban!

Hi, to my family and friends... This isn't just some generic e-mail forward I got from someone. I AM writing this to you, my family and my friends... This IS a personal e-mail. This isn't a generic-who-really-cares forward. But please, send this information to your friends and to other people you know what have asthma. If you don't want to read my entire email, PLEASE sign the petition, e-mail/call your lawmakers about this, please, please, please. I'm asking you all as my family and friends. If you don't have time to read all this, I understand, if you just want to look at the petition, scroll down to the highlighted part, please.
 
I am completely and utterly sick of global warming... Do you want to know why, specifically? It's already beginning to infringe upon my LIFE. Maybe some of you others have noticed this or have actually gone through this, but  Environmentalists (and others) are taking effective, life-saving, fast acting inhalers OFF THE SHELVES because they supposedly 'contribute to global warming' from the CFCs in them.

I'm a seasonal/allergy asthma sufferer, meaning I only use my fast-acting inhaler once or twice a month (Most my friends and family already know this), or when the air becomes very moist at night, I don't need daily drugs or therapies to control my asthma. Two nights ago, my inhaler was empty but I didn't know this, but I needed it because as SOON as that sleet-ice-snow storm started to come through (Quick and harsh atmospheric changes affect my breathing), I was wheezing and coughing. It was like clockwork. As soon as the clouds came, I was having trouble breathing. Since my rescue inhaler was empty, we tried coffee for a quick fix... It didn't work, although it has before. We had to settle for tablets, and they helped... They were the only alternative after my mom found out inhalers were on 'backorder' and 'recalled' SINCE FEBRUARY.

Sorry about the unannounced hiatus...

Hey folks, sorry that I flew the coop and didn't tell anyone. I have been very very busy this year. It really has only felt like a week since I last updated my blog. (Well, sort of.)

Check out my new photography website!

http://www.amenphotography.net

:)

Hello All

Hey everyone - It's gonna stay Christmas on this blog for a little while, I'm afraid to touch my template lest I lose all my nice little Javascript goodies. So in the mean time, I'll tell you I had a nice Christmas. I got a Wacom Graphire tablet! Woo hoo! CTE-440 if you're a techy nerd and would like to look it up. I'm in love! I've been working on this for the last few days since then: (Be forewarned, it's a work in progress.)

It's Vera Renae again. Still working on her and I still have things to fix, so don't judge based on what you see! :) I love my Wacom tablet!

That's all for now!

O Christmas Tree

I got bored last night and took a few photos of the Christmas tree. Enjoy!

Hey, even photographers are allowed to have a little fun!!

New Christmas Layout!

Hey everyone, it's that time of year, and here we have a new Christmas layout! Hope everyone likes it! I had trouble matching up colors and such.

Mini Hiatus!

It's the Holiday Season! And insert more of Andy William's wonderful-ness here... It's around Thanksgiving and as most of you should know, I get pretty busy around this time, so don't expect too many updates from me! I'll be as busy as Santa getting ready for Christmas! (Of course... If he crochets, that is...) I may post a few small things but again, don't expect anything too monstrous. Talk to ya'll later!

Have a happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Did you know...

Hey, if you're an adult and you pay taxes, here's something you may not know.Your hard earned money is funding abortions performed by Planned Parenthood.

Wanna do something about this? Sign a petition presented by the ACLJ (American Center for Law and Justice) to STOP this erronious use of our taxpayers' money.

(If you're under the age of 18, have your parents take a look at the petition and check if they are willing to sign.) Please spread the word! This petition needs support!

I've been featured!

What a pleasant surprise!

I've been featured on BlogoftheDay.org! I must say I never quite expected this. (Just another reason to love Autumn, I guess!)

Oh, I've also updated the link to Faces and Places Ministries. They have a new updated website. I urge you all to take a look. :)

The Starbucks Phenomenon

It's spreading.

"It's 7:30 in the morning! Where is my Starbucks?!!!"

Spiritual Gifts

Well folks, here's mine. (Italics = Ones I know I have for sure.)

Gift 1: Discernment 16
Gift 2: Creative Communications 14
Gift 3: Prophecy 13
Gift 4: Teaching 13
Gift 5: Wisdom 11
Gift 6: Leadership 10
Gift 7: Counseling 10
Gift 8: Knowledge 9
Gift 9: Craftsmanship 9
Gift 10: Shepherding 8

You guys can take this quiz right here.

I don't post these very often...

No reason why I shouldn't. John tagged me a month ago... Ouch. Guess it's better late than never.

1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, and find line 4 type what

it says: "was obvious that coming to the sunshine state was the biggest mis-" From "Whose Child is This" by Bill Wilson

2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What can you touch? Nothing

3. What is the last thing you watched on TV? The local news
 

4. Without looking, guess what time it is. 12 Am

5. Now look at the clock. What is the actual time? -- 12:02

6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear? -- Cindy Rushton blaring through Mom's iPod, pots and pans clanging together, my keyboard

7. When did you last step outside? What were you doing? An hour and a half ago, to come inside after being at Joseph practice.

8. before you started this survey, what did you look at? John's blog.

9. What are you wearing? Plaid pajama pants, polkadot socks, orange American Eagle shirt

10. Did you dream last night? I dreamt I met a new neighbor that owned a poodle, and that I tried to fly a plane and it crashed into a lake but someone rescued me. I also dreamt of a Bible.

11. When did you last laugh? A few hours ago.

 12. What is on the walls of the room you are in? A clock, a few certificates, a few pictures, some scounces.

13. Seen anything weird lately? We won't go there.

14. What do you think of this quiz? It's alright.

15. What is the last film or video you saw? Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
 

16. if you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy? Some new jeans and shirts (Particularly from American Eagle), books, iPod cases, yarn yarn yarn, knitting needles, crochet needles, pattern books, camera filters, shoes, a flat screen monitor... Oh dear. Too long of a list.

17. Tell me something about you that I do not know: I was born during a thunderstorm that caused the hospital to have to turn their backup lighting on.

18. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do? I would change how people get so bossy when they become stressed.
 

19. Do you like to dance? Yup!

20. Comment to George Bush: It's "Saving American lives", not "Saving American lifes", Mr. President, sir.

21. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her? Valyn

22. Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him? Something like Daniel, Nathaniel or Aaron.

23. Would you ever consider living abroad? No, unless abroad meant Italy.

24. What do you want God to say to you when you reach the pearly gate? Besides "Well done good and faithful servant"? "Welcome home", I guess!

25. 5 people who must also do this quiz on THEIR blog: Ah, I don't know.

New Blog Layout

It was promised three months ago and it didn't happen until now! Whoopsie. Well either way I guess its better late than never. Do you all like it? :)

Vita Blinka

Here's some "Blinkies" for those Italians out there. Just give a link back to my blog somewhere if you wish to use these :) More to come!