Lillian Gish
Biography
Lillian Gish was an American actress who became the leading heroine of the silent era, working for years with director D. W. Griffith. Born in Springfield, Ohio, she began performing as a child and made her film debut in 1912, after a decade on the stage. Griffith gave her starring roles in Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages (1916), Broken Blossoms (1919), Way Down East (1920), and Orphans of the Storm (1921). At MGM she had near-total creative control on The Scarlet Letter (1927) and The Wind (1928). Back on the stage in the 1930s, she returned to films in supporting roles, earning an Academy Award nomination for Duel in the Sun (1946) and appearing in The Night of the Hunter (1955). She received an Academy Honorary Award in 1971 and, late in life, starred in The Whales of August (1987).
99years old at death
- Born Springfield
- Died New York City
- Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
- Lillian Diana Gish (birth name)Also credited as First Lady of American Cinema, Lillian De Guiche and Lilian Gish
Movie Career
- Films
- 20
- Career span
- 71 years1916 to 1987
Genres
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Behind the award
Gish was given an American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award in 1984. She was only the second female winner, after Bette Davis in 1977, and the sole winner who was a major silent era figure.
Lillian Gish movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- The Night of the Hunter1955 Crime, Drama, Film-Noir, Thrilleras Rachel Cooper
IMDb rating 7.9110K votes
- Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages1916 Drama, Historyas The Woman Who Rocks the Cradle / Eternal Mother
IMDb rating 7.618K votes
Most often with
D.W. Griffith directed four of these films, William Dieterle two and Victor Sjöström two. Nine actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Joseph Cotten's page
Charles Bickford's page
Montagu Love's page
Creighton Hale's page
Jennifer Jones's page
Richard Barthelmess's page
D.W. GriffithDirector, 4 films, 1916 to 1921
All films by D.W. Griffith
William DieterleDirector, 2 films, 1946 to 1948
All films by William Dieterle
All films by Victor Sjöström
Also two films together3 more actors
- Kate BruceOrphans of the Storm (1921) and Way Down East (1920)
- Lars HansonThe Wind (1928) and The Scarlet Letter (1927)
- Margaret LaddThe Whales of August (1987) and A Wedding (1978)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Lillian Gish's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$36.0 million
7 of the 20 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 20 films: 7 worldwide figure; 3 us gross only; 10 figure not found.
- 7Worldwide figure
- 3US gross only
- 10Figure not found
Highest grossing
The seven biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$20M56.6% of the total
- 2$5.2M14.4% of the total
- 3$4.5M12.5% of the total
- 4$2.4M6.7% of the total
- 5Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages1916as The Woman Who Rocks the Cradle / Eternal Mother$1.8M4.9% of the total
- 6$1.5M4.2% of the total
- 7$296K0.8% of the total
Awards
Nine awards and honors from 1970 to 1987, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | |||
| 1970 | Honorary Award | Honorary | |
| Other honors | |||
| 1987 | National Board of Review Award for Best Actress | The Whales of August | Won |
| 1984 | AFI Life Achievement Award | Won | |
| 1982 | Kennedy Center Honors | Won | |
| 1980 | Ohio Women's Hall of Fame | Won | |
| 1979 | Crystal Award | Won | |
| Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres | Won | ||
| Ordre des Arts et des Lettres | Won | ||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.