We're so used to watching the beginning of movies listing who are the actors during the credits. But it wasn't always that way. Until 1911, film studios hadn't fully recognized the star power influencing viewers habits. They felt the story was the main selling point. Plus they didn't want to pay their performers more money than they could get on the stage where they mainly worked.
By the time Florence Lawrence and Mary Pickford proved the public would be more attracted to films they appeared in, the studios decided to "advertise" their appearances by listing their names in the front credits with the title of the film before the story unfolded. One of cinema's first screen credits was IMP Studio's March 1911 film "Sweet Memories. " The beginning credits stated "Mary Pickford America's Sweetheart Sweet Memories." So began a trend that continues today.
By the time Florence Lawrence and Mary Pickford proved the public would be more attracted to films they appeared in, the studios decided to "advertise" their appearances by listing their names in the front credits with the title of the film before the story unfolded. One of cinema's first screen credits was IMP Studio's March 1911 film "Sweet Memories. " The beginning credits stated "Mary Pickford America's Sweetheart Sweet Memories." So began a trend that continues today.