First Child actress, Diana Serra Cary, turns 90 on October 29, 2008. She became “Baby Peggy” at 19 months. “Baby Peggy” made 150 films including "The Darling of New York"
The Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum announces a special weekend of films and activities on November 8th and 9th.
First Child actress, Diana Serra Cary, turns 90 on October 29, 2008. Born Peggy-Jean Montgomery, Diana became “Baby Peggy” at 19 months. She was discovered when she accompanied her mother to visit the Century Studios lot on Sunset Boulevard. Her father, Jack Montgomery, was a career cowboy who got into the acting business as a stunt double and extra. “Baby Peggy” made nearly 150 short and feature length films, including hits The Darling of New York (Universal, 1923), Helen’s Babies (Sol Lesser Productions, 1924) and Captain January (Sol Lesser Productions, 1924).
Baby Peggy’s only rival in popularity was Jackie Coogan. Both were world famous child stars of the early 1920’s, predating Shirley Temple by 10 years. They both made fortunes as child stars, and both had parents who spent those fortunes. As is typical of many child stars, both had short careers and were never really successful on the big screen as teenagers or adults.
Diana Serra Cary has gone on to become a film historian as the author of books like The Hollywood Posse (1975), Hollywood’s Children (1978), What Ever Happened to Baby Peggy (1996) and Jackie Coogan: The World’s Boy King (2007)
The Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum has gathered rare Baby Peggy films from the world over for this special weekend. Highlights include a newly preserved print of As You Like It from the Netherlands Film Museum, The Kid Reporter from the British Film Institute and Captain January and Helen’s Babies from the Library of Congress. On Sunday, November 9, Diana will be discussing life on the movie set in the early 1920’s in a panel discussion with noted authors David Stenn and Larry Telles.
Films and the discussion will be held at the Niles Edison Theater, 37417 Niles Blvd, Fremont, CA, 94536. For a complete schedule of events, including a Saturday evening banquet dinner at the Essanay Cafe, please visit our web site, www.nilesfilmmuseum.org . Advance tickets may be purchased in person during the Museum’s open hours noon to 4:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays; Saturday evenings during our regular film shows; by mail order no later than October 25 (print down form from web site); or by PayPal no later than November 1 on our web site. Seating is very limited; we suggest you get your tickets early.
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