Origins & Early Life

Olive Thomas (born Olive R. Duffy; October 20, 1894 – September 10, 1920) was an American silent-film actress, art model, and photo model. Her birth certificate appears to list her name as Oliva, but this is widely thought to be an error. In the 1900 census, she is listed as Olive R.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Duffy. Thomas began her career as an illustrator's model in 1914, and moved on to the Ziegfeld Follies the following year. During her time as a Ziegfeld girl, she also appeared in the more risqué show The Midnight Frolic. In 1916, she began a successful career in silent films and would appear in more than 20 features over the course of her four-year film career. That year, she married actor Jack Pickford, the younger brother of fellow silent-film star Mary Pickford.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

On September 10, 1920 at 11:00 AM, Thomas died in Paris five days after ingesting mercury bichloride, which brought on acute nephritis. Although her death was ruled accidental, news of her hospitalization and subsequent death were the subject of speculation in the press. Thomas's death is considered one of the first major Hollywood scandals. Olive Duffy was born in Charleroi, Pennsylvania. She was the middle child of three born...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Amedeo Modigliani — Contemporary (Died in 1920) (1920): Italian painter and sculptor known for elongated, modern portraits and nudes.
• Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt — Shared historical date (10-20 · Born) (1877): American sportsman and businessman, known for his involvement in pioneering endeavors.
• Andrey Kolmogorov — Shared historical date (10-20 · Died) (1987): Pioneering Soviet mathematician central to modern probability, topology, and information theory.
• Agostinho Neto — Shared historical date (09-10 · Died) (1979): Angolan communist revolutionary, poet, and first President of Angola.
• Alonso de Guzmán y Sotomayor, 7th Duke of Medina Sidonia — Shared historical date (09-10 · Born) (1550): Spanish aristocrat and patron, famed for his role in the 1588 Spanish Armada.
• 1894 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1894
• October 20 (10-20) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on October 20
• 1920 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1920
• September 10 (09-10) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on September 10