Margarita Fischer
Encyclopedia
Margarita Fischer was an American actress in silent motion pictures and stage productions.
, was widely regarded in stock company groups of the Pacific Coast. Her father, John, was a noted minstrel. Fischer made her stage debut in Portland, Oregon
, in the famous child role of Adrienne in The Celebrated Case. Her rapidly growing popularity led to her father forming the Margarita Fischer Stock Company. The theatrical group toured up and down the Pacific Coast for a number of years. She met her eventual husband, film director Harry A. Pollard
, when they played opposite each other in San Francisco, California
, stock. Some years later the two met again, as actors with the Selig Polyscape Company, with the Imp Company in New York, New York, and even later, with Universal Pictures
.
three reel epic Uncle Tom's Cabin
. She was co-featured with Harry Pollard in this Universal feature. It was in this role, as Eliza, that Fischer won a long-term contract with the American Film Company in Santa Barbara, California
. She received international acclaim as the American Beauty of the screen. Her face was pictured in the heart of a rose, which became one of the movie's trade marks. Pollard directed the Universal superproduction of Uncle Tom's Cabin which was released in 1927. This time Margarita was cast in the more mature role of Eliza. Aside from this film, the actress' motion pictures of note include Lost: A Union Suit (1914), A Joke On Jane (1914), The Quest (1915), Robinson Crusoe (1917), Impossible Susan (1918), Trixie From Broadway (1919), The Thirtieth Piece of Silver (1920), and Any Woman (1925). In April 1916 Fischer and her husband launched the Pollard Picture Plays Corporation. Pollard directed, Margarita acted, and director/producer George W. Lederer was their protege. Their initial production was The Pearl of Paradise. It was staged in Los Angeles, California
, Honolulu, Hawaii
, and the South Sea Islands.
During World War I
Fischer changed her last name to Fisher because of the anti-German sentiment in America. She is sometimes credited as Margarieta Fisher, Margarite Fisher, and Margurita Fisher.
She died in Encinitas, California
of heart disease in 1975.
Formative Years As A Theatrical Stock Player
As a child performer, and later as an ingenue star of the stage, Fischer, from Missouri Valley, IowaMissouri Valley, Iowa
Missouri Valley is a city in Harrison County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,992 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Missouri Valley's longitude and latitude coordinatesin decimal form are 41.558912, -95.893926...
, was widely regarded in stock company groups of the Pacific Coast. Her father, John, was a noted minstrel. Fischer made her stage debut in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, in the famous child role of Adrienne in The Celebrated Case. Her rapidly growing popularity led to her father forming the Margarita Fischer Stock Company. The theatrical group toured up and down the Pacific Coast for a number of years. She met her eventual husband, film director Harry A. Pollard
Harry A. Pollard
Harry A. Pollard was an American silent film actor, director, and screenwriter who in total was involved in over 300 film productions...
, when they played opposite each other in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, stock. Some years later the two met again, as actors with the Selig Polyscape Company, with the Imp Company in New York, New York, and even later, with Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
.
Silent Movie Leading Lady; Uncle Tom's Cabin
Fischer was in Hollywood silent films from at least 1910 until 1927. Her first screen experience began with the American Company. There followed 3 years as a leading woman for Universal. In 1913 she starred in "How Men Propose" written and directed by Lois Weber for Universal which at the time was still based on the east coast. When the American Beauty Company was organized she was engaged for each of the star feminine roles. She is well-known for her role as an African-American slave girl in the Harriet Beecher StoweHarriet Beecher Stowe
Harriet Beecher Stowe was an American abolitionist and author. Her novel Uncle Tom's Cabin was a depiction of life for African-Americans under slavery; it reached millions as a novel and play, and became influential in the United States and United Kingdom...
three reel epic Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly is an anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Published in 1852, the novel "helped lay the groundwork for the Civil War", according to Will Kaufman....
. She was co-featured with Harry Pollard in this Universal feature. It was in this role, as Eliza, that Fischer won a long-term contract with the American Film Company in Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
. She received international acclaim as the American Beauty of the screen. Her face was pictured in the heart of a rose, which became one of the movie's trade marks. Pollard directed the Universal superproduction of Uncle Tom's Cabin which was released in 1927. This time Margarita was cast in the more mature role of Eliza. Aside from this film, the actress' motion pictures of note include Lost: A Union Suit (1914), A Joke On Jane (1914), The Quest (1915), Robinson Crusoe (1917), Impossible Susan (1918), Trixie From Broadway (1919), The Thirtieth Piece of Silver (1920), and Any Woman (1925). In April 1916 Fischer and her husband launched the Pollard Picture Plays Corporation. Pollard directed, Margarita acted, and director/producer George W. Lederer was their protege. Their initial production was The Pearl of Paradise. It was staged in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
, and the South Sea Islands.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Fischer changed her last name to Fisher because of the anti-German sentiment in America. She is sometimes credited as Margarieta Fisher, Margarite Fisher, and Margurita Fisher.
She died in Encinitas, California
Encinitas, California
Encinitas is a coastal beach city in San Diego County, California. Located within Southern California, it is approximately north of San Diego in North County and about south of Los Angeles. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 59,518, up from 58,014 at the 2000 census. Encinitas is...
of heart disease in 1975.
