Gladys Marie Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979),  known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American stage and screen actress and producer with a career that spanned five decades. A pioneer in the US film industry, she co-founded Pickford–Fairbanks Studios and United Artists, and was one of the 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  Pickford is considered to be one of the most recognisable women in history.