The silent era was the first major period in cinematic history.

Some silent stars successfully transitioned to talkies, continuing their careers into the Golden Age of Hollywood.

However, others saw their fame decline with the arrival of sound and either retired or faded away.

Blended image showing Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton

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In later years, Orson Welles himself expressed regret over whatCitizen Kanehad done to Davies' legacy.

She remained by Hearst’s side until his death, but she never acted again after 1937.

However,Davies was a brilliant comedienne in her right, and her silent work proves it.

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans George O’Brien Janet Gaynor (2)

Image via Fox Film Corporation

In later years,Welles himself expressed regretover whatCitizen Kanehad done to Davies' legacy.

She found later success in Germany with films likePandora’s BoxandDiary of a Lost Girl.

Garbo suddenly and unexpectedly retired in the early 1940s,leaving a rich legacy in silent and sound films.

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Bara’s most successful projects include 1917’sCleopatraand 1918’sSalome.

Unfortunately, most of Bara’s films were lost during the infamous 1937 Fox vault fire.

With a filmography including over forty films, Bara wasone of the most prolific stars of the silent era.

Marion Davies on the cover of the documentary Captured on Film: The True Story of Marion Davies

Image via Milestone Films

As a partially lost film, Cleopatrais not available to stream or purchase.

Chaney is among the most important figures in horror.

Bow becamea seminal figure of the Roaring Twenties, personifying the flapper girl alongside others likeJoan Crawford.

Louise Brooks in Pandora’s Box

Image via Süd-Film

Clara Bow’s rich filmography includes some of the best silent films of the 1920s, includingDancing MothersandMantrap.

Like other silent-era stars, Bow retired in the early ’30s and became a rancher in Nevada.

However,her rich filmography includes some of the best silent films of the 1920s, includingDancing MothersandMantrap.

Greta Garbo and Robert Taylor as Marguerite and Armand talking at a party and looking somber in the film Camille

Image via Loew’s Inc.

Numerous scandalous rumors followed, and he has been fictionalized in shows likeAmerican Horror Story.

Gish starred in one of the most successful albeit controversial films of the silent era,D.W.

Griffith’s 1915 epicThe Birth of a Nation, cementing herself as a major box-office draw.

Theda Bara as Carmen looking into the camera in 1915’s ‘Carmen’

Image via Fox Film Corporation

With the arrival of sound, Gish returned to the stage and appeared sporadically in film.

Fairbanks has inspired many films and characters, most notablyJean Dujardin’s Oscar-winning roleinThe Artist.

The Phantom looking to his left in The Phantom of the Opera

Image via Universal Pictures

Clara Bow with her arm over her head looking to the side with sea behind her in 1927’s ‘It’

Image via Paramount Pictures

Rudolph Valentino petting a dog and looking into the distance

Image via AA Film Archive

The Sheik 1921 Film Poster

Douglas Fairbanks approaching a woman in The Thief of Bagdad

Image via United Artists

Charlie Chaplin