Mary Gish

Mary Robinson McConnell Gish (September 16, 1876 – September 16, 1948) was an American actress and the mother of screen stars Lillian and Dorothy Gish.

Mary Gish
Born
Mary Robinson McConnell

(1876-09-16)September 16, 1876
Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
DiedSeptember 16, 1948(1948-09-16) (aged 72)
New York City, U.S.
OccupationActress
Spouse(s)
James Leigh Gish
​
​
(m. 1893; died 1912)​
ChildrenLillian Gish
Dorothy Gish

Life

Mary Gish was born on September 16, 1876, in Dayton, Ohio, as Mary Robinson McConnell. On January 8, 1893 she married James L. Gish (son of David Edwin Gish and Diana Caroline Waltz) in Clark County, Ohio.[1] They were the parents of actresses Lillian and Dorothy.[2] The girls' father, James Leigh Gish, died in January 1912, when his daughters were 18 and 13 years old.[3] (According to his christening record dated November 29, 1872 however, his full name was James Leonidas Gish.[4]) Around the 1890s Mary would operate a concession stand in Fort George Amusement Park in New York City.[5]

In 1917 Mary and her daughters were traveling to England and France as members of D. W. Griffith's film company,"Biograph Studios", to make a film at the behest of the British Government. This film was almost certainly Hearts of the World (1918), which featured all three Gishes, rising star Bobby Harron, British Prime Minister Lloyd George, and Griffith himself. The purpose of this film was to change the neutral mindset of the American public regarding World War I.

Films

References
  1. "Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDCQ-WZ7 : 10 February 2018), James L. Gish and Mae Mcconnell, 08 Jan 1893; citing Clark County, Ohio, reference 2:3LNXX8Q; FHL microfilm 465,394.
  2. Mary Robinson McConnel Gish; findagrave.com Retrieved September 11, 2017
  3. James Gish; findagrave.com Retrieved September 11, 2017
  4. "Pennsylvania Births and Christenings, 1709-1950," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2NJ-LPH : 11 February 2018), Jas. Leonidas Gish, 11 Dec 1873; Christening, citing ZION EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH,HUMMELSTOWN,DAUPHIN,PENNSYLVANIA; FHL microfilm 845,111.
  5. Gottlock, B.; Gottlock, W. (2013). Lost Amusement Parks of New York City: Beyond Coney Island. Lost. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-62584-556-6.
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