Lillian Gish
Acting
Lillian Diana Gish (October 14, 1893 – February 27, 1993) was an American stage, screen and television actress whose 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, including her leading role in Griffith's seminal Birth of a Nation (1915). Her sound-era film appearances were sporadic, but included memorable roles in the controversial western Duel in the Sun (1946) and the offbeat thriller Night of the Hunter (1955). She did considerable television work from the early 1950s into the 1980s, and closed her career playing, for the first time, opposite Bette Davis in the 1987 film The Whales of August. The American Film Institute (AFI) named Gish 17th among the greatest female stars of all time. She was awarded an Honorary Academy Award in 1971, and in 1984 she received an AFI Life Achievement Award.
Known for
Acting153
movieThe Flapper
2021
(archive footage)
movieI Am Not a Racist
2019
Elsie (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieThe Women Who Run Hollywood
2016
Self (archive footage)
movieSigrid Holmquist
2010
Sigrid Holmquist (archive footage)
movieMary Pickford: The Muse of the Movies
2008
Self (archive footage)
movieStar Power: The Creation Of United Artists
1998
Lucy - The Girl (archive footage)
movieThe First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
1995
Self (archive footage)
movieThe Making of 'The Birth of a Nation'
1993
Self (Archive footage)
movieLillian Gish: The Actor's Life for Me
1988
Herself, Archive footage
movieThe Whales of August
1987
Sarah Webber
movieSweet Liberty
1986
Cecelia Burgess
movieGreta Garbo: The Temptress and the Clown
1986
Self (archive footage)
movieHobson's Choice
1983
Miss Molly Winkle
movieHambone and Hillie
1983
Hillie Radcliffe
movieThin Ice
1981
Grandmother
tvHollywood
1980
Self
movieA Wedding
1978
Nettie Sloan
tvThe Love Boat
1977
Mrs. Williams
movieTwin Detectives
1976
Billy Jo Haskins
movieBlack Shadows on a Silver Screen
1975
Self (archive footage)
movieLetter to Jane: An Investigation About a Still
1974
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieArsenic and Old Lace
1969
Martha Brewster
tvThe Dick Cavett Show
1968
Self - Guest
movieThe Comedians
1967
Mrs. Smith
movieThe Comedians in Africa
1967
Self (uncredited)
movieWarning Shot
1967
Alice Willows
movieLionpower from MGM
1967
Self - Mrs. Smith (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieFollow Me, Boys!
1966
Hetty Seibert
movieMrs. Winchester's House
1963
Narrator
tvMr. Novak
1963
Maude Phipps
tvThe Alfred Hitchcock Hour
1962
Bessie Carnby
movieThe Spiral Staircase
1961
Mrs. Warren
tvThe Defenders
1961
Louisa Clarendon / Mrs. Cooper
movieThe Legend of Rudolph Valentino
1961
Self (archive footage)
movieThe Unforgiven
1960
Mattilda Zachary
movieOrders to Kill
1958
Mrs. Summers
tvTony Awards
1956
Self - Award Accepter / Self - Presenter
tvThe Alcoa Hour
1955
Esther Crampton
Film Fun
1955
(archive footage)
movieThe Night of the Hunter
1955
Rachel Cooper
movieThe Cobweb
1955
Victoria Inch
tvSchlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
Grandma Moses
moviePortrait of Jennie
1948
Mother Mary of Mercy
tvThe Philco Television Playhouse
1948
Abby / Narrator / Carrie Watts
movieDuel in the Sun
1946
Laura Belle McCanles
movieMiss Susie Slagle's
1946
Miss Susie Slagle
movieTop Man
1943
Beth Warren
movieCommandos Strike at Dawn
1942
Mrs. Bergesen
movieHis Double Life
1933
Alice Chalice
movieThe Movie Album
1932
(archive footage)
movieOne Romantic Night
1930
Princess Alexandra
movieThe Wind
1928
Letty
movieThe Enemy
1927
Pauli Arndt
movieAnnie Laurie
1927
Annie Laurie
movieThe Scarlet Letter
1927
Hester Prynne
movieBen-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
1925
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
movieRomola
1924
Romola
movieThe White Sister
1923
Angela Chiaromonte
movieFrom Farm to Fame
1922
Lillian Gish
movieOrphans of the Storm
1921
Henriette Girard
movieWay Down East
1920
Anna Moore
movieThe Greatest Question
1919
Nellie Jarvis
movieTrue Heart Susie
1919
Susie May Trueheart
movieA Romance of Happy Valley
1919
Jennie Timberlake
movieThe Greatest Thing in Life
1918
Jeannette Peret
movieThe Great Love
1918
Susie Broadplains
movieHearts of the World
1918
The Girl - Marie Stephenson
movieSouls Triumphant
1917
Lillian Vale
movieThe Children Pay
1916
Millicent
movieIntolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
1916
The Woman Who Rocks the Cradle
movieAn Innocent Magdalene
1916
Dorothy Raleigh
movieDaphne and the Pirate
1916
Daphne La Tour
movieThe Lily and the Rose
1915
Mary Randolph
movieEnoch Arden
1915
Annie Lee
movieThe Lost House
1915
Dosia Dale
movieThe Birth of a Nation
1915
Stoneman's Daughter Elsie
His Lesson
1915
Participant in Mob Scene (uncredited)
movieThe Tear That Burned
1914
Anita - the Truant
Man's Enemy
1914
Grace Lisle
movieThe Angel of Contention
1914
Nettie - the Angel
movieThe Rebellion of Kitty Belle
1914
Kitty Belle
Lord Chumley
1914
Eleanor Butterworth
movieHome, Sweet Home
1914
Payne's Sweetheart
The Hunchback
1914
The Orphan - as an Adult
movieThe Battle of the Sexes
1914
Jane Andrews, the daughter
movieJudith of Bethulia
1914
The Young Mother
The Conscience of Hassan Bey
1913
The Rugmaker's Daughter
movieThe Battle at Elderbush Gulch
1913
Melissa Harlow
So Runs the Way
1913
Fred's Wife
movieAn Indian's Loyalty
1913
The Ranchero's Daughter
During the Round-Up
1913
The Ranchero's Daughter
movieThe Mothering Heart
1913
The Wife
movieA Timely Interception
1913
The Farmer's Daughter
Just Gold
1913
The First Brother's Sweetheart
movieThe House of Darkness
1913
The Nurse
movieThe Lady and the Mouse
1913
The First Sister
The Left-Handed Man
1913
The Old Soldier's Daughter
A Misunderstood Boy
1913
The Daughter
movieThe Little Tease
1913
Girl in bandana
movieThe Unwelcome Guest
1913
At Auction (uncredited)
movieOil and Water
1913
In First Audience (uncredited)
movieA Cry for Help
1912
The Maid
movieThe Burglar’s Dilemma
1912
Birthday Wellwisher
movieThe New York Hat
1912
Customer in Shop / Outside Church
movieBrutality
1912
At Theatre
movieThe Informer
1912
Walk on role
movieGold and Glitter
1912
The Young Woman
movieThe Musketeers of Pig Alley
1912
The Little Lady
movieThe Painted Lady
1912
Belle at Ice Cream Festival
movieIn the Aisles of the Wild
1912
The Younger Daughter
movieSo Near, Yet So Far
1912
A Friend
movieTwo Daughters of Eve
1912
In Theatre Crowd
movieAn Unseen Enemy
1912
Eldest Sister
Writing2
movieRemodeling Her Husband
1920
Scenario Writer, Story
Crew1
Directing1
movieRemodeling Her Husband
1920
Director