Lillian Gish has always been a favorite of mine. (oh, c'mon MM, you
knew I'd have an opinion here
) Pretty much everyone is familiar with her performance in Birth Of A Nation, but if you ever get the chance, check out Hearts Of The World. It's another of D.W. Griffith's work, illustrating the ravages and heartbreak of WWI. While he was filming, the U.S. entered the war, so Griffith got to use actual combat footage. Seriously, check it out.