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Lillian Gish

Lillian Gish

Known For Acting
Birthday Oct 14, 1893
Died Feb 27, 1993 (99)
Birthplace Springfield, Ohio, USA
Popularity 0.7 (history)
Updated May 28, 2025
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
Biography

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, includ ... ing 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

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Filmography

The Flapper

The Flapper

2021

as (archive footage)

Star Power: The Creation Of United Artists

Star Power: The Creation Of United Artists

1998

as Lucy - The Girl (archive footage)

The Whales of August

The Whales of August

1987

as Sarah Webber

Sweet Liberty

Sweet Liberty

1986

as Cecelia Burgess

Hambone and Hillie

Hambone and Hillie

1983

as Hillie Radcliffe

Hobson's Choice

Hobson's Choice

1983

as Miss Molly Winkle

Thin Ice

Thin Ice

1981

as Grandmother

A Wedding

A Wedding

1978

as Nettie Sloan

Twin Detectives

Twin Detectives

1976

as Billy Jo Haskins

Arsenic and Old Lace

Arsenic and Old Lace

1969

as Martha Brewster

Warning Shot

Warning Shot

1967

as Alice Willows

The Comedians

The Comedians

1967

as Mrs. Smith

Follow Me, Boys!

Follow Me, Boys!

1966

as Hetty Seibert

The Love Goddesses

The Love Goddesses

1965

as (archive footage)

Mrs. Winchester's House

Mrs. Winchester's House

1963

as Narrator

The Spiral Staircase

The Spiral Staircase

1961

as Mrs. Warren

The Unforgiven

The Unforgiven

1960

as Mattilda Zachary

Orders to Kill

Orders to Kill

1958

as Mrs. Summers

Film Fun

Film Fun

1955

as (archive footage)

The Night of the Hunter

The Night of the Hunter

1955

as Rachel Cooper

The Cobweb

The Cobweb

1955

as Victoria Inch

The Trip to Bountiful

The Trip to Bountiful

1953

as Carrie Watts

Portrait of Jennie

Portrait of Jennie

1948

as Mother Mary of Mercy

Duel in the Sun

Duel in the Sun

1946

as Laura Belle McCanles

Miss Susie Slagle's

Miss Susie Slagle's

1946

as Miss Susie Slagle

Top Man

Top Man

1943

as Beth Warren

Commandos Strike at Dawn

Commandos Strike at Dawn

1942

as Mrs. Bergesen

His Double Life

His Double Life

1933

as Alice Chalice

One Romantic Night

One Romantic Night

1930

as Princess Alexandra

The Wind

The Wind

1928

as Letty

The Enemy

The Enemy

1927

as Pauli Arndt

Annie Laurie

Annie Laurie

1927

as Annie Laurie

The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter

1927

as Hester Prynne

La Bohème

La Bohème

1926

as Mimi

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ

1925

as Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)

Romola

Romola

1924

as Romola

The White Sister

The White Sister

1923

as Angela Chiaromonte

From Farm to Fame

From Farm to Fame

1922

as Lillian Gish

Orphans of the Storm

Orphans of the Storm

1921

as Henriette Girard

Way Down East

Way Down East

1920

as Anna Moore

A Romance of Happy Valley

A Romance of Happy Valley

1919

as Jennie Timberlake

Broken Blossoms

Broken Blossoms

1919

as Lucy Burrows

The Greatest Question

The Greatest Question

1919

as Nellie Jarvis

True Heart Susie

True Heart Susie

1919

as Susie May Trueheart

The Great Love

The Great Love

1918

as Susie Broadplains

The Greatest Thing in Life

The Greatest Thing in Life

1918

as Jeannette Peret

Hearts of the World

Hearts of the World

1918

as The Girl - Marie Stephenson

Souls Triumphant

Souls Triumphant

1917

as Lillian Vale

The Children Pay

The Children Pay

1916

as Millicent

An Innocent Magdalene

An Innocent Magdalene

1916

as Dorothy Raleigh

Diane of the Follies

Diane of the Follies

1916

as Diane

Daphne and the Pirate

Daphne and the Pirate

1916

as Daphne La Tour

Sold for Marriage

Sold for Marriage

1916

as Marfa

The House Built Upon Sand

The House Built Upon Sand

1916

as Evelyn Dare

Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages

Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages

1916

as The Woman Who Rocks the Cradle

Captain Macklin

Captain Macklin

1915

as Beatrice

The Lily and the Rose

The Lily and the Rose

1915

as Mary Randolph

The Lost House

The Lost House

1915

as Dosia Dale

The Birth of a Nation

The Birth of a Nation

1915

as Stoneman's Daughter Elsie

Enoch Arden

Enoch Arden

1915

as Annie Lee

His Lesson

His Lesson

1915

as Participant in Mob Scene (uncredited)

The Tear That Burned

The Tear That Burned

1914

as Anita - the Truant

The Angel of Contention

The Angel of Contention

1914

as Nettie - the Angel

Man's Enemy

Man's Enemy

1914

as Grace Lisle

The Rebellion of Kitty Belle

The Rebellion of Kitty Belle

1914

as Kitty Belle

Lord Chumley

Lord Chumley

1914

as Eleanor Butterworth

The Sisters

The Sisters

1914

as May

The Green-Eyed Devil

The Green-Eyed Devil

1914

as Mary Miller

The Battle of the Sexes

The Battle of the Sexes

1914

as Jane Andrews, the daughter

The Hunchback

The Hunchback

1914

as The Orphan - as an Adult

Home, Sweet Home

Home, Sweet Home

1914

as Payne's Sweetheart

Judith of Bethulia

Judith of Bethulia

1914

as The Young Mother

An Indian's Loyalty

An Indian's Loyalty

1913

as The Ranchero's Daughter

The Left-Handed Man

The Left-Handed Man

1913

as The Old Soldier's Daughter

The Lady and the Mouse

The Lady and the Mouse

1913

as The First Sister

A Misunderstood Boy

A Misunderstood Boy

1913

as The Daughter

Madonna of the Storm

Madonna of the Storm

1913

as The Mother

A Woman in the Ultimate

A Woman in the Ultimate

1913

as Verda

The Mothering Heart

The Mothering Heart

1913

as The Wife

A Modest Hero

A Modest Hero

1913

as The Wife

So Runs the Way

So Runs the Way

1913

as Fred's Wife

A Timely Interception

A Timely Interception

1913

as The Farmer's Daughter

During the Round-Up

During the Round-Up

1913

as The Ranchero's Daughter

The Conscience of Hassan Bey

The Conscience of Hassan Bey

1913

as The Rugmaker's Daughter

The Battle at Elderbush Gulch

The Battle at Elderbush Gulch

1913

as Melissa Harlow

The House of Darkness

The House of Darkness

1913

as The Nurse

The Unwelcome Guest

The Unwelcome Guest

1913

as At Auction (uncredited)

The Little Tease

The Little Tease

1913

as Girl in bandana

In the Aisles of the Wild

In the Aisles of the Wild

1912

as The Younger Daughter

An Unseen Enemy

An Unseen Enemy

1912

as Eldest Sister

A Cry for Help

A Cry for Help

1912

as The Maid

The Musketeers of Pig Alley

The Musketeers of Pig Alley

1912

as The Little Lady

Brutality

Brutality

1912

as At Theatre

Gold and Glitter

Gold and Glitter

1912

as The Young Woman

The Burglar’s Dilemma

The Burglar’s Dilemma

1912

as Birthday Wellwisher

Two Daughters of Eve

Two Daughters of Eve

1912

as In Theatre Crowd

The New York Hat

The New York Hat

1912

as Customer in Shop / Outside Church

So Near, Yet So Far

So Near, Yet So Far

1912

as A Friend

The Painted Lady

The Painted Lady

1912

as Belle at Ice Cream Festival

The Informer

The Informer

1912

as Walk on role

Remodeling Her Husband

Remodeling Her Husband

1920

Director

No data available

Organization Category Movie
Academy Awards Best Supporting Actress Friendly Persuasion Nominated
BAFTA Awards Best Supporting Actress The Night of the Hunter Won
Television Credits

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

as Grandma Moses

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 05, 1951

The Philco Television Playhouse

as Abby

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 03, 1948

Mr. Novak

as Maude Phipps

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 24, 1963

The Defenders

as Louisa Clarendon

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 16, 1961

The Defenders

as Mrs. Cooper

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 16, 1961

The Alcoa Hour

as Esther Crampton

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 16, 1955

The Philco Television Playhouse

as Narrator

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 03, 1948

The Philco Television Playhouse

as Carrie Watts

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 03, 1948

The Love Boat

as Mrs. Williams

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 24, 1977

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

as Bessie Carnby

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 20, 1962

Hollywood

as Self

Episodes: 13

First Aired: Jan 08, 1980

Robert Montgomery Presents

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Jan 30, 1950

The American Film Institute Salute to ...

as Self

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Apr 02, 1973

The Ed Sullivan Show

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jun 20, 1948

Playwrights '56

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 04, 1955

The Kennedy Center Honors

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Dec 28, 1978

Tony Awards

as Self - Presenter

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 01, 1956

Tony Awards

as Self - Award Accepter

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 01, 1956

The Dick Cavett Show

as Self - Guest

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jun 06, 1968

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 14 18 9
2024 7 18 26 7
2024 8 19 55 10
2024 9 11 24 3
2024 10 8 12 4
2024 11 5 9 3
2024 12 9 14 5
2025 1 11 20 6
2025 2 5 9 1
2025 3 6 12 1
2025 4 0 1 0
2025 5 2 2 1
2025 6 1 1 1
2025 7 0 0 0
2025 8 2 10 0
2025 9 0 0 0
2025 10 0 0 0

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
2024 6 831 587
2025 3 592 544
2025 7 710 626

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