"The King of Hollywood"

That's what he was, in the silent era. His wife Mary Pickford was the queen.

The Mark of Zorro was the movie that made birthday celebrant Douglas Fairbanks (May 23, 1883) into a superstar. The clip below captures not only his famous athleticism—he famously did his own stunts—but also his humor. It's all there on the screen; what's also there is the sort of action that still rules on a Saturday afternoon, provided the popcorn is fresh. Movies have gotten more technologically sophisticated, but they haven't changed much at the core.

For a real trove of Fairbanks material, check out The Douglas Fairbanks Museum.