Born in Iowa in 1886, Margaret Fischer made her stage debut at the tender age of eight. By 1910, now called Margarita, she had embarked on a new and daring occupation—as an actress in the fledgling industry of motion pictures. Hugely popular through the following decade, she retired from the screen in 1921 but returned to make three more films in the mid-1920s. Her career has remained largely unknown to film buffs of a later age—until now. This biography details Fischer's life and career, examining not only her work in front of the camera but also the broader issues—including her devotion to family and her shrewd management of her public image—which informed her decisions. It follows her sometimes difficult marriage to fellow performer Harry Pollard and her work with Pollard Picture Plays, a production company founded by the couple. Never-before-published photographs and a filmography listing over 170 projects complete this story of one of America's earliest film stars.