Margarita Fischer Papers

Margarita Fischer was born February 12, 1886, in Missouri Valley, Iowa. Her father, John Fischer, was Swiss, and her mother, Kate, was of Scots-Irish descent. In 1889, John, Kate, Margarita, and her five-year-old sister Dorothy moved to Silverton, Oregon. The Fischer’s managed a hotel, their daughters attended public elementary school, and Margarita Fischer studied dance several days a week.

Fischer’s acting career began when she was eight years old. A theatrical agent and manager convinced Mr. Fischer to let the child perform a small part in The Celebrated Case. A series of small parts and much praise from the press convinced Mr. Fischer that his daughter had a promising career as an actress. He sold his hotel and formed the Margarita Fischer Company, which later became the Fischer/Van Cleve Company. Fischer was billed as “Babe” Fischer -- America’s youngest actress. Her sister, Dorothy, using the name Mary Scott, performed with the company as well.

At fourteen, Fischer was playing the lead role in adult comedies and dramas and was no longer billed as “Babe.” Her repertoire covered every conceivable style and variety of play. The twenty-number troop toured the West Coast for seven years until Mr. Fischer died in Eureka, California in 1906.

Soon after her father’s death, Fischer joined Walter Sanford’s Dramatic Company in San Francisco. She also worked with theatre producer T. Daniel Frawley in Canada, and Grace George at the Grand Opera House in Chicago. While in Chicago she also starred in Joseph M. Patterson’s By Products.

While working as an actress in vaudeville, Fischer met a young actor named Harry Pollard. They worked together, performing a sketch entitled When Hearts are Trumps. They were secretly married on July 9, 1911 in Golden, Colorado and announced their union the following spring when they opened with the Lloyd Ingraham Stock Company at the Gayety Theatre in Omaha, Nebraska. Ingraham became a close family friend, and years later, directed Fischer in many of her films.

During her nine years in the theatre, Fischer starred in over fifty plays, but her movie career proved to be even more prolific. Her sister Dorothy and her niece Kathy were featured in many of her films.

Fischer and Pollard began their movie careers with the Selig Polyscope Company in Chicago in 1910. They remained with Selig for nine months and made at least 18 movies. Between 1910 and 1912, they made several films for the American Film Company. In 1913, they starred in the original film version of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, produced by IMP (Independent Motion Pictures), and The Turn of the Tide, produced by the Rex Film Company.

Fischer and Pollard moved to Arizona in 1914 and returned to American Studios. Fischer starred in over 30, one-reel pictures, many of which were directed by Pollard. Withering Roses (January 14, 1914), was the first “Beauty” film produced by American and was filmed at their Santa Barbara studio.

During the spring of 1914, Photoplay held a contest to determine America’s most popular star. Fischer was the winner of the 7,000,000 vote contest, which ranked her above such stars as Mabel Normand, Mary Pickford, and Mary Fuller.

In 1916, the Equitable Motion Picture Corporation hired Fischer and Pollard to make The Dragon (July 1916). However, they continued working for American Studios for several more years.

Although most films of that era dealt with the lighter side of life, several sought to confront more serious issues. The Miracle of Life (July 1916), endorsed by the National Congress of Mothers, was a melodrama made in protest of abortion and The Devil’s Assistant (1917) dealt with morphine addiction. The Pearl of Paradise (November 1916) was notable for Fischer’s nude scenes.

In 1918, Fischer legally dropped the “c” from her last name in response to the anti-German sentiment of World War I. She later would exhibit her patriotism during the Second World War by acting as a plane spotter and Red Cross instructor.

Fischer and Pollard were separated in 1919. Pollard lost his contract with American, probably due to a combination of alcoholism and artistic differences, and moved to New York. A year later, Fischer traveled to New York in hopes of a reconciliation and eventually, she and Pollard were reunited. The marriage lasted until Pollard’s death in 1934.

Payment Guaranteed (March 1921) was Fischer’s last picture for American. The company brought suit against her for breach of contract. Although the collection contains no information as to the disposition of the case, the lawsuit was instigated by American when Fischer refused to act in one of the “Flying A” pictures, The House of Toys.

From 1921 to 1927, Fischer made five movies. K the Unknown, produced by Universal in 1924, and her last film, the remake of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, another Universal film, were directed by Pollard. Beach of Dreams (May 1921) was produced by Haworth Studios and Any Woman (May 1925) was produced by the Famous Players-Lasky/Paramount.

After starring in over 90 movies, Fischer retired, but appeared in several plays in Hollywood and Pasadena. She traveled, and volunteered her time and services to many charities. She was an active member in the Dominos Club, which was an organization for actors.

Margarita Fischer died in 1973 and was buried in Forest Lawn cemetery in Glendale, California.

Publications about Margarita Fischer’s life and times include two by Theresa St.Romain, An American Beauty: The Life and Films of Margarita Fischer (2004) and Margarita Fischer: A Biography of the Silent Film Star (2008). Dana Driskel authored an article, “Margarita Fischer: First Lady of the Flying A” published in Noticias, Santa Barbara Historical Museum journal, Fall 2008.

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