She was one of several Canadian pioneers in the film industry who were attracted by the rapid growth of the fledgling motion picture business.
In 1906, she appeared in her first motion picture.
The next year, she appeared in 38 movies for the Vitagraph film company.
During the spring and summer of 1906, Lawrence auditioned for a number of Broadway productions, but she did not have success.
However, on December 27, 1906, she was hired by the Edison Manufacturing Company to play Daniel Boone's daughter in Daniel Boone; or, Pioneer Days in America.
She got the part because she knew how to ride a horse.
Both she and her mother received parts and were paid five dollars per day for two weeks of outdoor filming in freezing weather.

In 1907, she went to work for the Vitagraph Company in Brooklyn, New York, acting as Moya, an Irish peasant girl in a one-reel version of Dion Boucicault's The Shaughraun.
She returned briefly to stage acting, playing the leading role in a road show production of Melville B. Raymond's Seminary Girls.
Her mother played her last role in this production.
After touring with the roadshow for a year, Lawrence resolved that she would "never again lead that gypsy life".
In 1908, she returned to Vitagraph where she played the lead role in The Dispatch Beare.
Largely as a result of her equestrian skills, she received parts in 11 films in the next five months.
She was one of several Canadian pioneers in the film industry who were attracted by the rapid growth of the fledgling motion picture business. In 1906, she appeared in her first motion picture. The next year, she appeared in 38 movies for the Vitagraph film company. During the spring and summer of 1906, Lawrence auditioned for a number of Broadway productions, but she did not have success. However, on December 27, 1906, she was hired by the Edison Manufacturing Company to play Daniel Boone's daughter in Daniel Boone; or, Pioneer Days in America. She got the part because she knew how to ride a horse. Both she and her mother received parts and were paid five dollars per day for two weeks of outdoor filming in freezing weather.
In 1907, she went to work for the Vitagraph Company in Brooklyn, New York, acting as Moya, an Irish peasant girl in a one-reel version of Dion Boucicault's The Shaughraun. She returned briefly to stage acting, playing the leading role in a road show production of Melville B. Raymond's Seminary Girls. Her mother played her last role in this production. After touring with the roadshow for a year, Lawrence resolved that she would "never again lead that gypsy life". In 1908, she returned to Vitagraph where she played the lead role in The Dispatch Beare. Largely as a result of her equestrian skills, she received parts in 11 films in the next five months.
Florence Lawrence