Early cinema produced scores of Shakespearean-based films, showing mainly highlights of his works. Vitagraph Studio's Dec. 1909 release of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" was the very first film to present the entire framework of a Shakespeare play.
Co-directed by Charles Kent and J. Stuart Blackton, who provided the special effects, this effort is remarkable considering they had to unfold the play within a one-reel (11-minute) time limitation--which was the rigid standard in Nickelodean theaters during those days. The film did drop a few details of The Bard's play, but all in all, the Vitagraph movie touched upon the main points, including the numerous romantic relationships.
Seen as one of the two very young fairies were the Costello sisters. The oldest (five-years-old at the time) was Dolores Costello (in the middle of the bottom photo). Dolores would have a successful silent movie career and be nicknamed "The Goddess of the Silver Screen." More fame would come to her when she married actor John Barrymore and gave birth to actress Drew Barrymore's father, John Drew Barrymore. The marriage lasted only five years, from 1930 to 1935. Her film career ended after early film makeup affected her face and it was too noticeable on the screen to be camouflaged.