Margarita Fischer: A Biography of the Silent Film Star [Hardcover]

Theresa St. Romain (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 5, 2008 | ISBN-10: 0786435526 | ISBN-13: 978-0786435524

Born on February 12, 1886, in Missouri Valley, Iowa, Margaret Fischer made her stage debut at the tender age of eight. Now called Margarita, by 1910, she had embarked on a new and daring occupation-as an actress in the fledgling industry of motion pictures. Although Margarita Fischer made an attempt to preserve her cinematic accomplishments shortly before her death in 1975, her career has remained largely unknown-until now. This biography details Fischer's life and career, examining not only her work in front of the camera but also the broader issues-including her devotion to family and her shrewd management of her public image-which informed her personal and professional decisions. It follows her sometimes difficult marriage to fellow performer Harry Pollard and examines her work with Pollard Picture Plays, a production company founded by the couple. Movies discussed include The Butterfly Girl, The Devil's Assistant, Impossible Susan and, her final film, Uncle Tom's Cabin. Through the lens of Fischer's life and career, the reader sees the changing mores and lifestyles of America, particularly those of the film industry itself. Never-before-published photographs and a filmography listing over 170 projects complete this story of one of America s earliest film stars.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Theresa St. Romain works as a project coordinator in medical research and lives in Wichita, Kansas. Her interests include silent film and community health, and she has published articles in both fields.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 207 pages
• Publisher: McFarland (March 5, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786435526
• ISBN-13: 978-0786435524
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,116,134 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very pleasant read, May 9, 2009

By 

Hans J. Wollstein (Denmark) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Margarita Fischer: A Biography of the Silent Film Star (Hardcover)

As a film historian I had heard of Margarita Fischer. Something about her dropping the "c" in her family name due to anti-German feelings during World War I (she was actually of Swiss not German ancestry we now learn). That and the fact that her final film, "Uncle Tom's Cabin" from 1927 was directed by her husband, Harry Pollard, and an unmitigated disaster. That was about it, and I was astonished to learn that someone had taken the trouble of actually publishing a full-length biography. Having now read "Margarita Fischer" I am grateful that Theresa St. Romain took that trouble, because she has crafted one of the best silent film biographies in recent memory. Despite very little scandal surrounding Miss Fischer, who married once and was widowed, and the usual parcity of surviving films, this biography is so well-written and with so much insight into Miss Fischer and her times that you will go to the end of the world to obtain a copy, any copy, of a surviving Margarita Fischer film. And isn't that exactly what any author dealing with this subject matter would wish? Highly recommended!