A carpenter working in an old New Hampshire barn made a priceless discovery that is sure to delight film historians — seven nitrate reels of “Their First Misunderstanding“, a film starring silent film legend Mary Pickford. The 10-minute film, about a married couple’s domestic squabble, was previously thought to have been lost. Mary Pickford was 18 years old when she made the film; it was the first film where she was credited with her full name. The film was donated to Keene State College where after restoration, it has become a part of its film archives.
Mary Pickford was a highly successful movie star of the 1910s and 1920s who formed United Artists with Charlie Chaplin, D.W. Griffith and Pickford’s husband, Douglas Fairbanks. Check out the video below to see the story, and if you’re looking for more film history, read about the world’s first movie star here.