Florence Lawrence (born Florence Annie Bridgwood; January , â€"
December , ) was a Canadian-American stage performer and film actress.
She is often referred to as the "first movie star", and was thought to
be the first film actor to be named publicly until evidence published
in indicated that the first named film star was French actor Max
Linder. At the height of her fame in the s, she was known as the
"Biograph Girl" for work as one of the leading ladies in silent films
from the Biograph Company. She appeared in almost films for various
motion picture companies throughout her career.Born Florence Annie
Bridgwood in Hamilton, Ontario, she was youngest of three children of
George Bridgwood, an English-born carriage builder and Charlotte
"Lotta" Bridgwood (née Dunn), a vaudeville actress. Charlotte
Bridgwood had emigrated to Canada from Ireland after the Great Famine
with her family as a child. She was known professionally as Lotta
Lawrence and was the leading lady and director of the Lawrence
Dramatic Company. At the age of three, Lawrence made her debut onstage
with her mother in a song and dance routine. When she was old enough
to memorize lines of dialogue, she performed with her mother and other
members of the Lawrence Dramatic Company in dramatic plays. After
performing tear-jerking dramas like Dora Thorne and East Lynne began
to depress Lawrence, her mother dropped them from the company's
repertoire. While Lawrence performed on stage at the behest of her
mother, she recalled that she enjoyed the work but did not like the
traveling that all vaudeville performers were required to do. By the
age of six, Lawrence had earned the nickname "Baby Flo, the Child
Wonder".On February , , George Bridgwood died from accidental coal gas
poisoning at his home in Hamilton (Lawrence's parents had been
separated since she was four years old). Lotta Lawrence moved the
family from Hamilton to Buffalo, New York to live with her mother Ann
Dunn. She chose to stop bringing her children along for stage
performances and for the first time, Florence was enrolled in school.
After graduating, Lawrence rejoined her mother's dramatic company.
However, her mother disbanded the Lawrence Dramatic Company shortly
thereafter; the two moved to New York City around .
December , ) was a Canadian-American stage performer and film actress.
She is often referred to as the "first movie star", and was thought to
be the first film actor to be named publicly until evidence published
in indicated that the first named film star was French actor Max
Linder. At the height of her fame in the s, she was known as the
"Biograph Girl" for work as one of the leading ladies in silent films
from the Biograph Company. She appeared in almost films for various
motion picture companies throughout her career.Born Florence Annie
Bridgwood in Hamilton, Ontario, she was youngest of three children of
George Bridgwood, an English-born carriage builder and Charlotte
"Lotta" Bridgwood (née Dunn), a vaudeville actress. Charlotte
Bridgwood had emigrated to Canada from Ireland after the Great Famine
with her family as a child. She was known professionally as Lotta
Lawrence and was the leading lady and director of the Lawrence
Dramatic Company. At the age of three, Lawrence made her debut onstage
with her mother in a song and dance routine. When she was old enough
to memorize lines of dialogue, she performed with her mother and other
members of the Lawrence Dramatic Company in dramatic plays. After
performing tear-jerking dramas like Dora Thorne and East Lynne began
to depress Lawrence, her mother dropped them from the company's
repertoire. While Lawrence performed on stage at the behest of her
mother, she recalled that she enjoyed the work but did not like the
traveling that all vaudeville performers were required to do. By the
age of six, Lawrence had earned the nickname "Baby Flo, the Child
Wonder".On February , , George Bridgwood died from accidental coal gas
poisoning at his home in Hamilton (Lawrence's parents had been
separated since she was four years old). Lotta Lawrence moved the
family from Hamilton to Buffalo, New York to live with her mother Ann
Dunn. She chose to stop bringing her children along for stage
performances and for the first time, Florence was enrolled in school.
After graduating, Lawrence rejoined her mother's dramatic company.
However, her mother disbanded the Lawrence Dramatic Company shortly
thereafter; the two moved to New York City around .
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