"america's sweetheart" mary pickford had built a successful career playing young ragamuffins, but she was interested in playing roles that were more appropriate for her age. pickford was perhaps the most powerful woman in hollywood at the time, and as one of the founders of united artists, she was able to produce and star in films like "rosita" and "dorothy vernon of haddon hall". but audiences were still clamoring for her to return to screens as the "girl with the curls." in a 1925 interview with "photoplay" magazine, pickford asked her fans what roles they would like to see her play; "photoplay" received 20,000 letters in reply urging pickford to portray children, with suggestions including anne of green gables, heidi, and alice in wonderland. despite being 33 years old, pickford acquiesced to her public, once again stepping into the role of a young girl for "little annie rooney".