Diana Serra Cary 1918 – 2020

Biography

Diana Serra Cary was born on October 29, 1918, in Merced, California. She became a notable figure in American cinema history, known for her work as a child film actress during the silent era and her later dedication to preserving and documenting that important period of filmmaking. Over the course of her life, she developed deep expertise in early cinema, becoming a respected silent film historian.

Her career spanned two distinct phases: first as a young performer on screen, and later as a scholar and chronicler of Hollywood’s earliest days. Through her work as a historian, she helped ensure that the stories and achievements of silent cinema would not be forgotten, serving as a living link between the pioneering days of motion pictures and modern audiences.

Diana Serra Cary passed away on February 24, 2020, in Gustine, California, at an advanced age. She was laid to rest at San Carlos Cemetery in Monterey. Her legacy endures through both her contributions to film history and her efforts to illuminate a transformative era in entertainment that shaped cinema for generations to come.