Mary Pickford (1892-1979) – Actress, Producer & Screenwriter
Mary Pickford was a Canadian-American motion picture actress, cofounder of the film studio United Artists and one of the original 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Known to many in the U.S. as “America’s Sweetheart” and “Little Mary,” she was one of the Canadian pioneers in early Holly wood and a significant figure in the development of film acting. In consideration of her contributions to American cinema, the American Film Institute ranked Ms. Pickford as 24th in its 1999 list of greatest female stars of all time.
Ms. Pickford revised her will in 1971 to leave the bulk of her estate to a foundation and she authorized three named directors to form a nonprofit corporation upon her death. When her estate was probated in 1982, instead of creating a new foundation, the directors activated the long dormant “Mary Pickford Foundation,” originally formed by Pickford in the 1950s. The Mary Pickford Foundation received $8 million from the Pickford estate, most of it coming from the sale of Pickfair and the $3 million she reinvested from the sale of United Artists. The Foundation cooperates with film archives worldwide on joint preservation projects, implements educational outreach programs in universities nationwide, and works to bring restored and rare films to theaters. Since then the Mary Pickford Foundation has disbursed almost $20 million in charitable giving and currently has assets more than $15 million.
We honor Mary Pickford for her philanthropic work which makes her a Legacy Champ. If you want to be a Legacy Champ in your own special way, then contact The Mendel Law Firm, L.P. for a free initial consultation on estate planning, trust planning, and/or probate issues.
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