Florence Lawrence's film career began just as the cinema was being born. She recognized the wonder and appeal of the fledgling industry, and her early work with the Vitagraph company gained her a legion of fans and a reputation as a willing and hard working actress. In 1908 she appeared in Romeo and Juliet--America's very first screen Juliet. By 1909, she was working steadily for the Biograph studio-she was dubbed "the Biograph girl"--and was being praised for her "personal attractions" and "very fine dramatic ability." But just as Lawrence was the first movie star in the industry, she...