Mary Pickford - Hartsook Photos

In Hayden Talbot’s “My Life - As Told By Mary Pickford,” Mary said, “And don’t imagine for a moment that because one is a motion picture actress it makes posing at a photographer’s less an ordeal. Really, for me at any rate, it is the task I dread most. And more than once I have posed for portraits 15 hours without interruption.” 

From about 1915 to 1919, Fred Hartsook (read that as the Hartsook Studios) captured some of the most well-known and well-used portraits of Mary Pickford ever to be taken by the still camera. It almost seems that during that stretch of time, not a movie magazine could be printed without at least one Hartsook Mary Pickford photo appearing somewhere within its pages. There were a great many taken, in a variety of settings and costume, but they all undeniably captured the intrinsic allure of Mary Pickford.

Mary Pickford in a somewhat interesting, non-typical portrait by Hartsook. Stamped Signature. This photo was taken at Mary's one-time leased home (1917-1918) at 1519 N. Western in Hollywood. Gifted from the Pamela Short Collection.


Mary Pickford in closing shot dress from the Fanchon the Cricket. While that's my favorite Pickford film, I'd hardly called this Fanchon the Cricket-related, but... Photo by Hartsook. 1915.


Mary Pickford in closing shot dress from the Fanchon the Cricket. While that's my favorite Pickford film, I'd hardly called this Fanchon the Cricket-related, but... Photo by Hartsook. 1915. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Portrait of Mary Pickford by Hartsook incidentally wearing a dress and hat that can be seen in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1917.) 1917. Gifted from the Pamela Short Collection.

Trimmed Mary Pickford portrait by Hartsook. Very nice quality. 1915. 


Mary Pickford portrait with flowers by Hartsook. 1915. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford portrait with flowers by Hartsook. 1915. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford portrait by Hartsook. 1915. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford portrait with flowers by Hartsook. 1915. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford portrait with flowers by Hartsook. Incidentally, Mary must have really liked this dress as she wears it in a good many portraits as well as in the film How Could You, Jean? (1918, even though she hated the film.) This photo was taken at Mary's one-time leased home (1917-1918) at 1519 N. Western in Hollywood. Part of NZ Photo Album


Mary Pickford portrait with flowers by Hartsook. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford portrait with flowers by Hartsook. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford portrait with flowers by Hartsook. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford portrait with flowers by Hartsook. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford portrait with flowers by Hartsook. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford portrait by Hartsook. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford portrait (2) by Hartsook. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford portrait by Hartsook. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford in white dress photo by Hartsook. ca. 1918. This photo was taken at Mary's one-time leased home (1917-1918) at 1519 N. Western in Hollywood. Gifted from the Pamela Short Collection.


Mary Pickford in white dress photo by Hartsook. ca. 1918. This photo was taken at Mary's one-time leased home (1917-1918) at 1519 N. Western in Hollywood. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford in white dress photo by Hartsook. ca. 1918. This photo was taken at Mary's one-time leased home (1917-1918) at 1519 N. Western in Hollywood. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford in A Little Princess costume with kittens photo by Hartsook. NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford in A Little Princess costume with kittens photo by Hartsook. NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford in a slightly modified A Little Princess costume. Photo by Hartsook. ca. 1917.
Mary Pickford in a slightly modified A Little Princess costume. Photo by Hartsook. ca. 1917.



Mary Pickford in a slightly modified A Little Princess costume. Photo by Hartsook. ca. 1917.


Mary Pickford in a slightly modified A Little Princess costume. Photo by Hartsook. ca. 1917.


Mary Pickford in A Little Princess costume photo by Hartsook. c. 1917


Mary Pickford in A Little Princess costume photo by Hartsook. Curiously missing the Hartsook Studios mark. c. 1917. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford in A Little Princess costume photo by Hartsook. c. 1917. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford in A Little Princess costume photo by Hartsook. c. 1917. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford in A Little Princess costume photo by Hartsook. c. 1917. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford in A Little Princess costume photo by Hartsook. This particular print is interestingly on semi-glossy stock as opposed to the matte stock often used by Hartsook Studios. c. 1917. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford in grass. 1917. This photo was taken at Mary's one-time leased home (1917-1918) at 1519 N. Western in Hollywood. Photo by Hartsook.


Mary Pickford in grass. 1917. This photo was taken at Mary's one-time leased home (1917-1918) at 1519 N. Western in Hollywood.  Photo by Hartsook. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford in grass. 1917. This photo was taken at Mary's one-time leased home (1917-1918) at 1519 N. Western in Hollywood. Photo by Hartsook.


Mary Pickford in grass. 1917 This photo was taken at Mary's one-time leased home (1917-1918) at 1519 N. Western in Hollywood. Photo by Hartsook. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford in grass. 1917. This photo was taken at Mary's one-time leased home (1917-1918) at 1519 N. Western in Hollywood.  Photo by Hartsook. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Portrait of Mary Pickford by Hartsook. Not that is means anything, but she wears this dress in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1917,) coincidentally with daisies affixed to it. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Portrait of Mary Pickford by Hartsook. Not that is means anything, but she wears this dress in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1917,) coincidentally with daisies affixed to it. Part of NZ Photo Album. My personal favorite photos by Hartsook. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Portrait of Mary Pickford by Hartsook. Not that is means anything, but she wears this dress in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1917,) coincidentally with daisies affixed to it. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Closeup portrait of Mary Pickford by Hartsook incidentally in an outfit that can be seen in Daddy Long Legs (1919.) Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary and her mother Charlotte Pickford. Photo by Hartsook c. 1918.  This photo was taken at Mary's one-time leased home (1917-1918) at 1519 N. Western in Hollywood. 


Mary Pickford in A Little Princess costume photo by Hartsook. NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford in A Little Princess costume photo by Hartsook. NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford in A Little Princess costume photo by Hartsook. NZ Photo Album.


Portrait of Mary Pickford by Hartsook incidentally wearing a dress with hat that can be seen in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1917.) 1917. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford photo by Hartsook ca. 1918. This photo was taken at Mary's one-time leased home (1917-1918) at 1519 N. Western in Hollywood.  Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford photo by Hartsook ca. 1918. This photo was taken at Mary's one-time leased home (1917-1918) at 1519 N. Western in Hollywood.  Gifted from the Pamela Short Collection.


Mary Pickford posing in Lady Duff-Gordon designed "fawn gabardine 3-piece suit" costume from The Little American (which was also worn during the Liberty Loan Campaign and probably other things.) Photo by Hartsook. 1917. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford posing in another costume from The Little American, which was designed by Lady Duff-Gordon or Madame Frances (I'm not sure which as apparently both supplied dresses for the film.) Photo by Hartsook. 1917. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford photo by Hartsook. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford photo by Hartsook with slight damage. 


Mary Pickford photo by Hartsook. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford portrait by Hartsook.


Mary Pickford portrait by Hartsook. Part of NZ Photo Album.


Mary Pickford portrait by Hartsook. Part of NZ Photo Album.

Tess of the Storm Country - Herald - 1914

Tess of the Storm Country / Famous Players herald. 1914. Additionally stamped for a West End Theatre [New York City] - Sunday April 19 screening.


The Eagle's Mate (1914) - Ira L. Hill - Princess Theatre Handout - 1919

4 1/8" x 7 1/4" Princess Theatre (city unknown at this time) handout featuring a painting of a portrait of Mary by Ira L. Hill and advertising a showing of The Eagle's Mate (1914) on Monday-Tuesday, March 10-11, 1919. It's interesting to see that film still making the rounds nearly 5 years later.

Real Photo Theatre Handout - Portrait by Moody - ca. 1916


 3 3/4" x  7 7/8" Real photo theatre handout featuring a portrait by Moody. Famous Players. ca. 1916. Unfortunately, not much information on this one though it seems to be a fairly unique piece.

Such a Little Queen - Tally's Theatre (Los Angeles) The Tallygram Program 1914

The Tallygram program--issued by Los Angeles' Tally's Broadway Theatre--for Such a Little Queen (1914) the week of Monday, September 28, 1914. The back cover features a nice, and often used, photo by Apeda (or at least, it seems to be Apeda.)

Fanchon the Cricket Weekly Welcome Photocard 1915

Mary in her greatest role (in my opinion) -- Fanchon the Cricket "A Little Bit of Sunshine" Weekly Welcome (UK magazine) photocard. 1915.

Fanchon the Cricket "You Promised to Dance with Me" Weekly Welcome (UK magazine) photocard. 1915.