In 1920, four years after they met and one yearafter establishing United Artists with Charles Chaplin and D.W. Griffith.MARY PICKFORD and DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS were married. Havingbecome the toast of Hollywood, the couple emharked on a storybook honeymoonbefore setting up a home at Pickfair. The estate soon became the elitesocial center for themovie world and visiting dignitaries. Aside from poolparties, an evening at Pickfair might include dinner and the screeningof a new film in the living room followed by a plate of peanut brittleas a snack., "Canoe runs" were also a popular activity amongHollywood's elite, so the pool at Pickfair included a series of speciallybuilt canoe ponds as well as a sandy beach along one of its sides.
| JACKIE COOGAN, seen here with a group of friendsinvited to his house for a pool party, (Coogan is the smallest one) wasalready a precocious young vaudeville attraction when Charlie Chaplin sawhis act and decided to cast him to co-star in the film The Kid (1921).The role catapulted Coogan, age seven, into instant stardom. While earningmillions, even receiving a half-million-dollar bonus for switching studios,the little boy was given a meager allowance by his parents, At age twenty-one,his career as a child star over and forgotten, Coogan tried collectinghis earnings, only to discover that his mother and new- stepfather hadspent most of his trust fund, After a lengthy court battle Jackie emergedwith just $127,000 to start life with his new bride, Betty Grable. Theinfamous case prompted the passage of the Child Actors Bill in California,also known as the Coogan Act, which was created to protect the fortunesof young actors. Ironically, Coogan is best known for his adult portrayalof Uncle Fester in the TV series The Addams Family (1964-1966). |
