You may be giving them too much credit. Half of them may not have heard of Humphrey Bogart or Clark Gable. I’m sure there are young people who think of James Dean and Marilyn Monroe as being figures from the dawn of filmmaking.
Yes, I am familiar with her and her perils. I heard about her and “The Perils of Pauline” on “Cinema Europe” I believe. I have been waiting for the series to be released on DVD and check periodically. I can’t wait to add it to my silent movie collection.
Though to be honest if you just said Pearl White to me it may take a bit for me to realize you mean that" Pearl White.
I’ve heard of her. You may rest easy.
I consider myself an average/above average movie knowledge person. I have heard of and seen the Perils of Pauline but I wouldn’t recognize the name Pearl White. Guess it just wasn’t important for me to remember.
Interesting that LaBadie died at age 23.
Of course, I’ve heard of Pearl White. I’ve even seen a few episodes of The Perils of Pauline.
Now, regarding “defining” presentations:
Who in the world would accept a “defining” moment of Perils based on a line stolen from Kipling’s The Elephant’s Child (A Just So Story describing the manner in which the Elephant got its trunk. The Elephant’s Child was sent to the “great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River, all set about with fever-trees,” to discover what the crocodile has for dinner–and there he got his trunk.)
Pearl Bailey…
Minnie Pearl…
The Perils of Penelope Pitstop…
Hmm, no, my library of information is incomplete.
27 y.o. non film-nut checking in. Yep I have heard of all the people you mentioned above, except for poor Florence.
I would say I am more film interested than average, but far below the average Cafe Society denzien.
I’ve heard of Perils of Pauline. Never seen it though.
I’ve heard of Pearl White, though I’m 50 and have an interest in film history. I may have seen clips from The Perils of Pauline, but not more than a few minutes.
I would assume most people still know about Chaplin (or at least, his image), and I’d think that Pickford and Valentino are most likely part of the collective knowledge.
Ah, yes, Tina Brooks . . . The Florence LaBadie of jazz . . .
Hummmm…
Does she have a sister named ‘Off’?
I think I’m recalling the Perils of Gwendolyn.
I know who Pearl White is. Aside from the later film bios/parodies, I distinctly recall seeing at least several clips from her films (alas, nothing in full).
Tina Brooks? Sorry, no. Louise Brooks, yes.
Also:
The Talmadge sisters.
Mabel Normand (although my brain persists in confusing her with Norma Desmond).
Theda Bara.
And I think Clara Bow is darling.
I learned of Pearl White as a kid through the Films article in the World Book Encyclopedia. I’d heard of The Perils of Pauline somewhere, and was impressed by the picture. After that (and with my affection for old odd cinema, through Famous Monsters of Filmland) I kept my eyes open for silent movie stars. Helen Twelvetrees. Snitz Edwards. Bull Montana. Folks who didn’t make the transition to talkies.
Actually, Helen Twelvetrees was a talkie star—she never made a silent.
Now, Pearl White was a silent star: more than 200 films (many of them multi-chapter serials) between 1910 and 1924.
Yes, being a silent film buff, I have heard of Pearl White. My grandmother used to be nuts about “The Perils of Pauline” as a youngster.
I’ve heard of Wally Reed and Olive Thomas, too! Do I get a gold star? 
Heard of her, seen some of her films.
Miss Mapp–Constance Talmadge is the woman of my dreams.
Pearl White rings a distant bell … several names here do, in fact. I’m almost certain I know who that James Dean is, for example (hmm … Pearl & Dean … that’s got something to do with the cinema, I’m sure of it … )
40 years old, and not particularly a movie buff, here.
Poor Wally and Ollie . . . I half-suspect Jack Pickford “done Olive in,” for the insurance money . . . Who would prosecute the brother of America’s Sweetheart?
SnugTheJoiner, Connie Talmadge was the woman of a lot of mens’ dreams—that gal knew how to have a good time!
I’ve heard of Pearl White and the Perils of Pauline, Eve, but mostly because I’m a HUGE Betty Hutton fan.
Heh. I was just watching ol’ Snitz last night. He played the valet in Buster Keaton’s Battling Butler.