Baby Peggy
Born
October 29, 1918
Died
February 24, 2020 (101 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
San Diego, California, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Diana Serra Cary (born Peggy-Jean Montgomery, October 29, 1918 – February 24, 2020), known as Baby Peggy, was an American child film actress, vaudevillian, author and silent film historian. At the time of her death, she was the last living film star of the Silent Era of Hollywood.
Montgomery, as she then was, was one of the three major American child stars of the Hollywood silent film era along with Jackie Coogan and Baby Marie. Between 1921 and 1923 she made over 150 short films for the Century Film Corporation. In 1922 she received over 1.2 million fan letters, and by 1924 she had been dubbed The Million Dollar Baby for her $1.5 million annual salary ($22 million in 2018). Despite her childhood fame and wealth, she found herself poor and working as an extra by the 1930s.
Having an interest in both writing and history since her youth, Montgomery found a second career as an author and silent film historian in her later years under the name Diana Serra Cary. She was the author of several books including her historical novel, The Drowning of the Moon, and was an advocate for child actors' rights.
Cary died at her home in Gustine, California at the age of 101.
Showbiz Kids
Self (as Diana Serra Cary)
2020
Clara Bow: Hollywood's Lost Screen Goddess
Herself
2012
Baby Peggy: The Elephant in the Room
Herself
2012
Fragments: Surviving Pieces of Lost Films
Herself
2011
Girl 27
Self
2007
Clara Bow: Discovering the It Girl
Self - Clara's Co-Star in 'Helen's Babies'
1999
When We Were Young: Growing Up on the Silver Screen
Self (as Diana Serra Cary)
1989
Hollywood’s Children
Self
1982
Having Wonderful Time
(uncredited)
1938
True Confession
Autograph Hunter (uncredited)
1937
Souls at Sea
Bit Role (uncredited)
1937
Ah, Wilderness!
Girl at Graduation (uncredited)
1935
A Girl of the Limberlost
Schoolgirl
1934
The Return of Chandu
Judy Allen
1934
Eight Girls in a Boat
Hortense
1934
Off His Base
Peggy
1932
Hollywood on Parade
Self
1932
Life in Hollywood No. 3
Self
1927
April Fool
Irma Goodman - a Child
1926
Helen's Babies
Toddie
1924
The Family Secret
Peggy Holmes
1924
Captain January
Captain January
1924
The Flower Girl
1924
The Law Forbids
Peggy
1924
Peg o' the Mounted
Peg
1924
Such Is Life
The Little Match Girl
1924
Our Pet
1924
Hansel and Gretel
Gretel
1923
The Darling of New York
Santussa
1923
Miles of Smiles
The Twins (dual role)
1923
Carmen, Jr.
1923
Hollywood
Baby Peggy Montgomery
1923
The Kid Reporter
Peggy
1923
Sweetie
The Little Newspaper Vendor
1923
Fools First
Little girl
1922
The Little Rascal
Baby Peggy
1922
Circus Clowns
1922
Peggy, Behave!
Baby Peggy
1922
Get-Rich-Quick Peggy
1921
Brownie's Little Venus
1921
Playmates
Baby Peggy
1921
Her Circus Man
1921
Sea Shore Shapes
1921