Early life Lillian Gish

dorothy , lillian gish actress helen ray, leading lady in first false step (1903)

gish born in springfield, ohio, mary robinson mcconnell (1875–1948) (an episcopalian) , james leigh gish (1872–1912) (who of german lutheran descent). had younger sister, dorothy, became popular movie star.

the first several generations of gishes dunkard ministers. great-great-great-grandfather came america on ship pennsylvania merchant in 1733 , claimed have received land grant william penn, had died in 1718 made grant suspect @ least. great-great-grandfather fought in american revolutionary war , buried in cemetery in pennsylvania such soldiers. letters between gish , pennsylvania college professor indicate knowledge of family background limited.

gish s father unreliable alcoholic. when left family, mother took acting support them. family moved east st. louis, illinois, lived several years lillian s aunt , uncle, henry , rose mcconnell. mother opened majestic candy kitchen, , girls helped sell popcorn , candy patrons of old majestic theater, located next door. girls attended st. henry s school, acted in school plays.

in 1910 girls living aunt emily in massillon, ohio, when notified uncle father, james, gravely ill in oklahoma. seventeen year old lillian traveled shawnee, oklahoma, james s brother alfred grant gish , wife, maude, lived. father, institutionalized in oklahoma hospital insane in norman, able travel 35 miles shawnee , 2 got reacquainted. stayed aunt , uncle , attended shawnee high school there. wrote sister dorothy thinking of staying , finishing high school , going college, missed family. father died in norman, oklahoma, january 9, 1912, had returned ohio few months before.

when theater next candy store burned down, family moved new york, girls became friends next-door neighbor, gladys smith. gladys child actress did work director d. w. griffith , later took stage name mary pickford. when lillian , dorothy old enough, joined theatre, traveling separately in different productions. took modeling jobs, lillian posing artist victor maurel in exchange voice lessons.

in 1912, friend mary pickford introduced sisters griffith , helped them contracts biograph studios. lillian gish become 1 of america s best-loved actresses. although 19, gave age 16 studio.