Editing Florence Lawrence (section)

===Biograph Studios===
[[File:Florence Lawrence in Ingomar the barbarian 1908.jpg|thumb|Florence Lawrence in [[Ingomar, the Barbarian]] (1908)]]
Also at Vitagraph was a young actor, [[Harry Solter]], who was looking for "a young, beautiful equestrian girl" to star in a film to be produced by the [[Biograph Studios]] under the direction of [[D. W. Griffith]]. Griffith, the most prominent producer-director at Biograph Studios, had noticed the beautiful blonde-haired woman in one of Vitagraph's films. Because the film's actors received no mention, Griffith had to make discreet inquiries to learn she was Florence Lawrence and to arrange a meeting. Griffith had intended to give the part to [[Florence Turner]], Biograph's leading lady, but Lawrence managed to convince Solter and Griffith that she was the best suited for the starring role in ''[[The Girl and the Outlaw]]''. With the Vitagraph Company, she had been earning $20 per week, working also as a costume seamstress over and above acting. Griffith offered her a job, acting only, for $25 per week.{{Citation needed |date=August 2024}}

[[File:Florence Lawrence Harry Solter Mack Sennett in the slave.jpg|thumb|left|Florence Lawrence, [[Harry Solter]] and [[Mack Sennett]] in ''The Slave'' (1909)]]
After her success in this role, she appeared as a society belle in ''[[Betrayed by a Handprint]]'' and as an Indian in ''[[The Red Girl]]''. In total, she had parts in most of the 60 films directed by Griffith in 1908. Toward the end of 1908, Lawrence married Harry Solter. Lawrence gained much popularity, but because her name never was publicized, fans began writing to the studio asking to know her identity. Even after she had gained wide recognition, particularly after starring in the comedy series ''[[Mr. and Mrs. Jones]]'' and the highly successful ''[[Resurrection (1909 film)|Resurrection]]'', Biograph Studios refused to publicly announce her name and fans simply called her the "[[Biograph Girl]]".<ref name=basinger>{{cite book |last=Basinger |first=Jeanine |title=Silent Stars |year=1999 |publisher=[[Alfred A. Knopf]] |isbn=0-679-43840-8 |page=7}}</ref> During cinema's formative years, silent screen actors were not named because studio owners feared that fame might lead to demands for higher wages and because many actors were embarrassed to be performing pantomime in motion pictures. She continued to work for Biograph in 1909. Her demand to be paid by the week rather than daily was met, and she received double the normal rate.{{Citation needed |date=August 2024}}

[[File:Arthur Johnson and Florence Lawrence in Resurrection 1909.jpg|thumb|[[Arthur V. Johnson]] and Florence Lawrence in [[Resurrection (1909 film)|Resurrection]] (1909)]]