Jack Pickford was the younger brother of Hollywood icon Mary Pickford, but while his sister became one of the most famous women in the world, his own life was marked by a series of tragedies from which he never recovered. Though he never achieved his sister’s level of fame, Jack’s life was no less dramatic. The most tragic chapter came with his first marriage to actress Olive Thomas, whose sudden and horrifying death at age 25 sparked a major scandal. In 1920, while the couple was on vacation in Paris, Thomas reportedly drank mercury bichloride by accident and died five days later.
The incident was officially ruled an unfortunate accident, but widespread speculation persisted over whether there was criminal suspicion involved or whether Olive had taken her own life. After falling into deep depression, Jack was never the same again. His second marriage ended in failure as he turned to drinking and substance abuse, with reports indicating he mistreated his wives. By 1932, Jack’s appearance was enough to shock his sister Mary, who noticed he looked alarmingly ill and emaciated.
At age 36, he ended up on his deathbed wasting away in the same hospital where Olive had died 12 years earlier. Sources say his addiction to alcohol was responsible, causing him to develop neuritis. His final words revealed the greatest tragedy of his life: “I have lived more than most men and I am tired, so tired.
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