Life in the Film Industry

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In 1914, Margery Wilson traveled to Los Angeles to pursue a career in Hollywood. Wilson finished her work as a film director by her late twenties. Her career as a film writer, director, and producer was short lasting from 1920-1923. Those three years did not include the few that she toured with her films. She is best known for her portrayal of Brown Eyes which was a D.W. Griffith film called Intolerance. She was in a very wide range of motion picture films

Early Life and Education

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According to Margery Wilson, she was born as Sara Barker Strayer in Gracey, Kentucky. Going by the Twelfth Census of the U.S. of the 1900 she was Sarah B. Strayer in Tennessee. She received a higher education in both philosophy and literature while also pursuing social service work. Starting out, Wilson gave public performances in Cincinnati at clubs, schools and churches. Later, she then was able to tour Ohio to Atlanta with the John Lawrence players as the leading lady. By the age of sixteen, she founded her own theatre company. She then left for London with her sister on a world tour as musical entertainers. Then, in 1914, Margery Wilson traveled to Los Angeles and launched her Hollywood career. 

Later in Life

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Wilson was married more than once with two children. Both of her children passed away before she. She lived in nice homes on both coasts.

Professional Achievements

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Although Wilson had clearly stated in an interview in 1982 that she did not wish to be called a feminist many who analyzed her work has called her one. Wilson was one of the few woman filmmakers to defeat the odds against her projects in the industry. Wilson wrote guidance books that coached husbands on how to protect and treat their wives. In 1951, How to Make The Most of Wife was published. These books could also be considered inspirational non-fiction. After leaving the film industry, Wilson began writing radio scripts for her own charm program in Los Angeles. Her autobiography was published in 1956, I Found My Way.

After her achievements of being a filmmaker, she was a successful speech coach for actors and gave lectures to the public through radio and in person.