One of the silent era’s most popular child stars, Baby Peggy was born Margaret (“Peggy Jean”) Montgomery on 26th October 1918 in Merced, California, to a show business family. Her father, Jack Montgomery, was not just a cowboy but also a stuntman in early films. He even served as the double for cowboy star Tom Mix. At the tender age of three, Peggy was signed by the Century Film Corporation to appear almost exclusively in their shorts and feature films. She was occasionally loaned out for other productions, such as Marshall Neilan’s “Penrod” and “Fools First” (both 1922), or to Universal for the successful feature “The Darling of New York” (1923). She passed away in Gustine, California, on February 24, 2020 aged 101.
Silent Film Formats: A Glimpse into the Past
During Baby Peggy's time, the most common film formats were 35mm and 16mm cine films. These formats were the backbone of the silent film industry, capturing the nuanced expressions and dramatic gestures that were the hallmark of silent cinema. Today, we at Digital Converters specialise in converting these vintage cine films into digital formats. This allows for the preservation and easy sharing of these invaluable pieces of history.
Baby Peggy and Shirley Temple: Echoes Through Time
Baby Peggy was the silent child star precursor to sound era child star Shirley Temple of the 1930s. For instance, Peggy made the first film version of “Captain January” in 1924, and Shirley appeared in the remake a decade later. Many of Baby Peggy’s popular comedies were parodies of movies which older stars had made. She imaginatively imitated such famous screen actresses as Mary Pickford and Pola Negri.
The Later Years: From Stardom to Authorship
After the advent of sound, Peggy appeared in several smaller roles during the 1930s and then retired from the screen in 1939. She was married twice and divorced once. Her second marriage took place in 1954 to Bob Carey, and she had a son named Mark. Most recently, she has written a number of interesting autobiographical and biographical books, under the pen name Diana Serra Cary. Her works focus on early Hollywood history and its child stars, including titles such as “The Hollywood Posse”, “Hollywood’s Children”, and a new biography on Jackie Coogan, entitled “Jackie Coogan: The World’s Boy King: A Biography of Hollywood’s Legendary Child Star”.
The Coogan Law: A Turning Point for Child Stars
Sadly, like Jackie Coogan, Peggy had most of her earnings depleted by her parents. This financial abuse was later addressed by the “Coogan Law”, passed in the 1930s. The law required that a trust fund be set up for every child actor in America, ensuring their earnings were protected. This was a significant milestone in the industry, and it's worth noting that today, we at Digital Converters also take meticulous care in preserving and converting family memories, ensuring they are safeguarded for future generations.
Preserving History: Digital Converters' Role
By converting old film formats like cine film or transferring your videos to DVD, we are preserving the rich history of cinema for future generations to enjoy. Whether it's a silent film masterpiece or a treasured family video, our services ensure that these invaluable pieces of history are not lost to time.
Baby Peggy’s Silent Films
April Fool (1926) …. Child
Little Red Riding Hood (1925/II)
Helen’s Babies (1924) …. Toddie
Family Secret, The (1924) …. Peggy Holmes
Jack and the Beanstalk (1924)
Captain January (1924) …. Captain January
Poor Kid (1924)
Stepping Some (1924)
Flower Girl, The (1924)Our Pet (1924)
Law Forbids, The (1924) …. Peggy
Peg o’ the Mounted (1924)
Such Is Life (1924)
Hansel and Gretel (1923)
Darling of New York, The (1923) (as Baby Peggy Montgomery) …. Santussa
Miles of Smiles (1923)
Hollywood (1923) …. Cameo appearance
… aka Joligud (1923)
Nobody’s Darling (1923)
Carmen, Jr. (1923)
Taking Orders (1923)
Kid Reporter, The (1923)
Sweetie (1923)
Peg o’ the Movies (1923)
Tips (1922)
Fools First (1922)
Penrod (1922)
Little Rascal, The (1922)
Peggy, Behave! (1922)
Little Miss Mischief (1922)
Circus Clowns (1922)
Straphanger, The (1922)
Chums (1921)
Teddy’s Goat (1921)
Get-Rich-Quick Peggy (1921)
Brownie’s Baby Doll (1921)
Muddy Bride, A (1921)
Week Off, A (1921)
Sea Shore Shapes (1921)
Brownie’s Little Venus (1921)
Golfing (1921)
Clean Up, The (1921)
Third Class Male (1921)
Pals (1921)
On Account (1921)
Playmates (1921)
Kid’s Pal, The (1921)
On with the Show (1921)
Her Circus Man (1921)
