Lillian Gish
Biography
Lillian Gish was an American stage, screen, and television actress. Her film acting career spanned 75 years, from 1912 to 1987. She was a prominent film star of the 1910s and 1920s, particularly associated with the films of director D.W. Griffith. Gish did considerable television work from the early 1950s into the 1980s. She was known for her performances in various films, including Duel in the Sun and Night of the Hunter. Gish was also recognized for her pioneering work in film performance techniques. She was born on October 14, 1893, in Springfield, Ohio, and died on February 27, 1993, in New York, New York.
Career overview
Lillian Gish's acting career spanned 75 years, from 1912 to 1987. She was a prominent film star of the 1910s and 1920s, particularly associated with the films of director D.W. Griffith. Her film acting career included appearances in the seminal film Birth of a Nation, a western film Duel in the Sun, and the offbeat thriller Night of the Hunter.
Gish's film appearances were sporadic in the sound era, but she continued to work in the film industry. She also did considerable television work from the early 1950s into the 1980s. Her career included a wide range of film and television roles, showcasing her versatility as an actress.
Gish's acting career was marked by her pioneering work in fundamental film performance techniques. She was recognized as a prominent figure in the film industry, with her career spanning multiple decades and various mediums. Her contributions to the field of acting are notable, and she remains a significant figure in the history of film and television.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
162 titles- The Flapper (2021) as (archive footage)
- I Am Not a Racist (2019) as Elsie (archive footage) (uncredited)
- The Women Who Run Hollywood (2016) as Self (archive footage)
- Night Hunter (2011)
- Sigrid Holmquist (2010) as Sigrid Holmquist (archive footage)
- Early Directors on Directing (2009) as Self
- Mary Pickford: The Muse of the Movies (2008) as Self (archive footage)
- D.W. Griffith - Years of Discovery 1909-1913 (2002)
- Star Power: The Creation Of United Artists (1998) as Lucy - The Girl (archive footage)
- Moving Pictures: 'The Night of the Hunter' (1995) as Self
- The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies (1995) as Self (archive footage)
- The Making of 'The Birth of a Nation' (1993) as Self (Archive footage)
- The Silent Feminists: America's First Women Directors (1993) Thanks
- Lillian Gish: The Actor's Life for Me (1988) as Herself, Archive footage
- The Whales of August (1987) as Sarah Webber
- Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood (1987) as Self
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1986) as Mrs Loftus
- Sweet Liberty (1986) as Cecelia Burgess
- Greta Garbo: The Temptress and the Clown (1986) as Self (archive footage)
- Night of 100 Stars II (1985) as Self
- Lillian Gish (1984) as Self
- Hobson's Choice (1983) as Miss Molly Winkle
- Hambone and Hillie (1983) as Hillie Radcliffe
- Night of 100 Stars (1982) as Self
- Thin Ice (1981) as Grandmother
- Hollywood (1980) as Self
- The Kennedy Center Honors (1978) as Self
- Sparrow (1978) as Widow
- A Wedding (1978) as Nettie Sloan
- The Love Boat (1977) as Mrs. Williams
- Twin Detectives (1976) as Billy Jo Haskins
- Black Shadows on a Silver Screen (1975) as Self (archive footage)
- Letter to Jane: An Investigation About a Still (1974) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- The American Film Institute Salute to ... (1973) as Self
- Film '72 (1971) as Self
- Langlois (1970) as Self
- Arsenic and Old Lace (1969) as Martha Brewster
- The Dick Cavett Show (1968) as Self - Guest
- Lionpower from MGM (1967) as Self - Mrs. Smith (archive footage) (uncredited)
- The Comedians (1967) as Mrs. Smith
- Warning Shot (1967) as Alice Willows
- The Comedians in Africa (1967) as Self (uncredited)
- Follow Me, Boys! (1966) as Hetty Seibert
- Mr. Novak (1963) as Maude Phipps
- Mrs. Winchester's House (1963) as Narrator
- The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962) as Bessie Carnby
- The Great Chase (1962)
- The Defenders (1961) as Louisa Clarendon
- The Defenders (1961) as Mrs. Cooper
- The Legend of Rudolph Valentino (1961) as Self (archive footage)
- The Spiral Staircase (1961) as Mrs. Warren
- The Unforgiven (1960) as Mattilda Zachary
- Orders to Kill (1958) as Mrs. Summers
- Tony Awards (1956) as Self - Award Accepter
- Tony Awards (1956) as Self - Presenter
- The Night of the Hunter (1955) as Rachel Cooper
- Playwrights '56 (1955)
- The Alcoa Hour (1955) as Esther Crampton
- Film Fun (1955) as (archive footage)
- The Cobweb (1955) as Victoria Inch
- The Trip to Bountiful (1953) as Carrie Watts
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951) as Grandma Moses
- Robert Montgomery Presents (1950)
- The Philco Television Playhouse (1948) as Abby
- The Philco Television Playhouse (1948) as Narrator
- The Philco Television Playhouse (1948) as Carrie Watts
- The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) as Self
- Portrait of Jennie (1948) as Mother Mary of Mercy
- Duel in the Sun (1946) as Laura Belle McCanles
- Miss Susie Slagle's (1946) as Miss Susie Slagle
- Top Man (1943) as Beth Warren
- Commandos Strike at Dawn (1942) as Mrs. Bergesen
- His Double Life (1933) as Alice Chalice
- The Movie Album (1932) as (archive footage)
- One Romantic Night (1930) as Princess Alexandra
- The Wind (1928) as Letty
- The Scarlet Letter (1927) as Hester Prynne
- Annie Laurie (1927) as Annie Laurie
- The Enemy (1927) as Pauli Arndt
- La Bohème (1926) as Mimi
- Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925) as Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
- Romola (1924) as Romola
- The White Sister (1923) as Angela Chiaromonte
- From Farm to Fame (1922) as Lillian Gish
- Orphans of the Storm (1921) as Henriette Girard
- Screen Snapshots (Series 1, No. 20) (1921) as Herself
- Remodeling Her Husband (1920) Director
- Remodeling Her Husband (1920) Scenario Writer
- Remodeling Her Husband (1920) Story
- Way Down East (1920) as Anna Moore
- Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl (1919) as Lucy Burrows
- True Heart Susie (1919) as Susie May Trueheart
- The Greatest Question (1919) as Nellie Jarvis
- A Romance of Happy Valley (1919) as Jennie Timberlake
- Hearts of the World (1918) as The Girl - Marie Stephenson
- The Greatest Thing in Life (1918) as Jeannette Peret
- The Greatest Thing in Life (1918) Story
- The Great Love (1918) as Susie Broadplains
- Lillian Gish in a Liberty Loan Appeal (1918)
- Souls Triumphant (1917) as Lillian Vale
- Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages (1916) as The Woman Who Rocks the Cradle
- The Children Pay (1916) as Millicent
- An Innocent Magdalene (1916) as Dorothy Raleigh
- Sold for Marriage (1916) as Marfa
- Daphne and the Pirate (1916) as Daphne La Tour
- Diane of the Follies (1916) as Diane
- The House Built Upon Sand (1916) as Evelyn Dare
- Pathways of Life (1916)
- The Birth of a Nation (1915) as Stoneman's Daughter Elsie
- Captain Macklin (1915) as Beatrice
- The Lily and the Rose (1915) as Mary Randolph
- Enoch Arden (1915) as Annie Lee
- The Lost House (1915) as Dosia Dale
- His Lesson (1915) as Participant in Mob Scene (uncredited)
- The Sisters (1914) as May
- Judith of Bethulia (1914) as The Young Mother
- The Folly of Anne (1914) as Anne
- The Tear That Burned (1914) as Anita - the Truant
- A Duel for Love (1914)
- Home, Sweet Home (1914) as Payne's Sweetheart
- The Battle of the Sexes (1914) as Jane Andrews, the daughter
- Lord Chumley (1914) as Eleanor Butterworth
- The Rebellion of Kitty Belle (1914) as Kitty Belle
- The Angel of Contention (1914) as Nettie - the Angel
- The Green-Eyed Devil (1914) as Mary Miller
- The Quicksands (1914)
- Man's Enemy (1914) as Grace Lisle
- The Hunchback (1914) as The Orphan - as an Adult
- The Battle at Elderbush Gulch (1913) as Melissa Harlow
- The Stolen Bride (1913)
- Just Gold (1913) as The First Brother's Sweetheart
- So Runs the Way (1913) as Fred's Wife
- A Modest Hero (1913) as The Wife
- Oil and Water (1913) as In First Audience (uncredited)
- Madonna of the Storm (1913) as The Mother
- The House of Darkness (1913) as The Nurse
- The Unwelcome Guest (1913) as At Auction (uncredited)
- A Misunderstood Boy (1913) as The Daughter
- An Indian's Loyalty (1913) as The Ranchero's Daughter
- The Lady and the Mouse (1913) as The First Sister
- The Little Tease (1913) as Girl in bandana
- The Conscience of Hassan Bey (1913) as The Rugmaker's Daughter
- A Timely Interception (1913) as The Farmer's Daughter
- A Woman in the Ultimate (1913) as Verda
- The Blue or the Gray (1913)
- The Mothering Heart (1913) as The Wife
- The Left-Handed Man (1913) as The Old Soldier's Daughter
- During the Round-Up (1913) as The Ranchero's Daughter
- Brutality (1912) as At Theatre
- An Unseen Enemy (1912) as Eldest Sister
- The One She Loved (1912)
- Gold and Glitter (1912) as The Young Woman
- In the Aisles of the Wild (1912) as The Younger Daughter
- So Near, Yet So Far (1912) as A Friend
- My Baby (1912)
- The Musketeers of Pig Alley (1912) as The Little Lady
- The Burglar’s Dilemma (1912) as Birthday Wellwisher
- Two Daughters of Eve (1912) as In Theatre Crowd
- The New York Hat (1912) as Customer in Shop / Outside Church
- A Cry for Help (1912) as The Maid
- The Informer (1912) as Walk on role
- The Painted Lady (1912) as Belle at Ice Cream Festival
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Lillian Gish best known for?
Lillian Gish is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Hollywood (1980), The Kennedy Center Honors (1978), A Wedding (1978), The Love Boat (1977).
When and where was Lillian Gish born?
Lillian Gish was born on October 14, 1893 in Springfield, Ohio, USA. They passed away on February 27, 1993.
How many credits does Lillian Gish have?
Lillian Gish has accumulated over 162 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1920 to 2021.
What is Lillian Gish's background in cinema and television?
Lillian Gish was an American stage, screen, and television actress. Her film acting career spanned 75 years, from 1912 to 1987. She was a prominent film star of the 1910s and 1920s, particularly associated with the films of director D.W. Griffith. Gish did considerable television work from the early 1950s into the 1980...
Lillian Gish by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Hollywood (1980) as Self — aged about 86
- The Night of the Hunter (1955) as Rachel Cooper — aged about 61
- The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962) as Bessie Carnby — aged about 68
- The Kennedy Center Honors (1978) as Self — aged about 84
- Mr. Novak (1963) as Maude Phipps — aged about 69
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951) as Grandma Moses — aged about 57
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