2. David Griffith and the Stars of the Silent Films Era

One of the most popular producers of silent cinema was David York Griffith. David York Griffith shot 61 short films. He was one of the most promising american producers. He was called "Shakespeare of Screen". Now his films are demonstrated rearly, but Griffith went down in cinema history as a genius producer, a founder of new cinema language, which had been used by his colleagues up to 1960th. Besides, he was an innovator in the sphere of actor art. Griffith specialized in melodramas, he shot comedies, historical films, thrillers, westerns, filmings of Bible and different works of literature. Before 1913 there existed an opinion, that the spectator can not watch the film longer, than 15 minutes, but Griffith thought that it was not so. He shot a film "Yudif from Betulia" in 4 parts. It lasted 42 minutes. There was a great scandal at the studio

because of this film duration, after it Griffith left the campaign "American Biography" and began his work at full-length film "Birth of Nation". It appeared on screens in 1915. The film lasted 3 hours and told about the relationships of two American families during the Civil war. The film had grandiose success; the expenses for its creation were compensated in two months. But the film had racist character and was prohibited in many American towns. In 1916 Griffith released a complex film called "Intolerance". It didn't have commercial success and the audience didn't like it very much because of its complexity. After it Griffith finished his experiments, his works became more and more sentimental. In 1948 in 18 years after his last film Griffith died.

The brightest stars of the silent cinema Mary Pigford and Douglas Fairbanks belonged to the most highly paid actors in the world. After their marriage in 1920 they were reckoned among Hollywood aristocracy. Mary Pigford was called the favorite of America. Usually she played the roles of young girls. Douglas Ferbenks had athletic figure and played mainly in adventure films. One of his films is "Black Pirate" (1926). In 1919 Mary Pigford, Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin joined with W.Griffith and created a company "United Artists". The names of the first American actors and actresses were never mentioned. They were known by their nicknames, for example "Little Mary". In the 20th the system of film stars appeared. Film stars were the actors, whose names attached crowds of filmgoers to movie-houses. The stars were necessary for the cash success of the films. The most popular types of women were the vamp-woman like Teda Bara and Pola Negry, girls from high society like Colin Moor and Louise Brooks, simple women like Gloria Swenson and Greta Garbo, innocent girls like Lillian Gish and sexy women like Clara Bow. As for the man, the most popular at that time were the comics Charlie Chaplin and Baster Kiton, exotic lovers Rudolfo Valentino and Roman Navarro, simple boys Richard Bartelmess and Jin Gilbert, the king of horrors Lon Chaini and cowboys William Hart and Tom Mix. One of the greatest Hollywood actors was Charles Spenser Chaplin. In course of 40 years he had been a representative of the best creative forces of Hollywood. Charles Chaplin was born in 1889 and died in 1977. All his life he devoted to cinema. He worked as an actor, producer and scriptwriter. He had a constant image - an image of a little man in black bowler hat, with black moustaches, with a stick and in big boots. This image is known to the whole world. Chaplin's character is an openhearted, sentimental and unsuccessful man. He stirs up not only laughter but also sympathy. Chaplin is very much beloved by Russian people. During the World War II Chaplin called to the opening of the second front and to the help to Russian people in the war. In 1940 he created the film "The Great Dictator". It was darning anti-fascist satire. In 1928 and 1972 he received special ''Oscar'' prizes and in 1972 he received a golden prize at the International Film Festival in Venice. Comic and dramatic things were combined in Chaplin's creative work. The theme of human dignity is the main theme in Chaplin's art. Chaplin created his films, surrounded by worldwide glory and love of the millions of spectators. In 1927, when talking cinema appeared the interest to silent cinema disappeared practically instantly. Such quick decline of silent cinema has no analogous in the history of art. The idols of "great silent" have been almost forgotten and the films, excluding comedies, are rearly demonstrated. But some films, shot at that time in Hollywood belong to greatest masterpieces in the cinema history. The names of some great actors of that time are kept in the memory of people.