Edna Purviance's bio

June 6, 2018 - Re-editing Edna Purviance's family biography 2nd Draft. Photo: Leading Ladies © used by ednapurviance.org

Saturday, August 30, 2008

BFI Southbank - Program 5

BFI Southbank - Early Chaplin: Programme 5
September 6 & 10, 2008

"Charlie is the fectkless and bullied inebriate in Mabel's Married Life, followed by three films that all display their music hall/vaudeville roots.

Wed 10 Sep: Following this screening there will be a presentation by Bryony Dixon and the Archive Film Lab team on the thinking behind the BFI's restoration of the Keystone films, Saturday, 6 September: Accompanied by Costas Fotopoulos. Wednesday 10 September: Accompanied by Stephen Horne." - BFI Southbank

Friday, August 29, 2008

City of Glendale has corrected their GV date

The city of Glendale has corrected their date for the September Grand View opening from September 15th to Sunday, September 14th.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

More Sea Gull news coming

Something in the works, appears to have happened, but waiting for more information. (see comment)

700!

Thanks to the Vergeer family for bringing the Facebook group Walk of Fame drive for Edna over 700!

On related news: William Frederick, The Mann's Chinese Theater executive, and former chairman of the Hollywood Walk of Fame has died. more>

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Sea Gull too expensive for you?

Don't buy it!
But if you can do with a few less fancy coffees, read on...

Over the months, we have had some people unhappy with the price, but Leading Ladies never wants unhappy customers, so if the price makes you unhappy, and stopping you from buying, my all means, don't buy the book.

We don't want anyone to go into debt buying a book, but on the same turn, Leading Ladies can't afford to go into debt selling a book.

We are only a few individuals selling this, and not a publishing company with build in discounts and budgets. And we would have been still waiting if we waited for a publishing company to pick up our book.

Some people never publish, because they are still waiting for that letter or call, or they never follow through on doing a book on their own, for many reasons. Some of those being, not having the skills to do so. And that is a tough place to be in.

We had the right team in place, and decided to do it. And we have many happy customers very happy we pressed on with this publication, and enjoying their books, very much.

As for the price, we are offering this book at a price where we don't go under, and pays for all costs including:

• *Fully colored printed book, shipping and extra fees to Leading Ladies ($31.40 each per book at current rate UPDATE JANUARY 2009: Our book price increase has gone up to about $41, with a recent large increase in printing). We do this to make sure you don't have to deal with any poorly printed books directly from the publishing house (which can easily be the case.)

Honestly, an author has no idea what any Print on Demand house is shipping. Could be great or could be crap, very easily. And you (as the author) may never know, unless someone told you. And you (the customer) sorting the bad order out, can be a real pain. I know, for I deal with all the seconds, so you don't have too! But that adds to the cost, but it also adds value to your experience of just enjoying a well printed book.

And these are well printed books.

On top of that we have pay pal fees, Internet fees, banking fees (priced a package of business checks lately?), packaging materials (shipping such materials to our office is expensive these days and the only way I can get mailing materials at a cost best for you), printing cost of bookkeeping (all part of running the business), fees for lawyers and accountants (that uses up profit quickly in just one visit, and we had several this year, alone), trips to the post office mailing books (sometimes several trips to sort out special orders), and many other cost that add up eating into any profit.

Personally, I received no money from this book, unlike many of you authors that do. All the money goes into the Leading Ladies company fund to keep the business going. And so far, we have stayed out of the red. It is not a huge profit by no means, but we have been able to keep the business going.

So if price is the thing keeping you from buying one, don't buy it. Going into debt is not something I would advise anyone to do, ever.

As for the price of this book going down? Forget it. We are not Amazon, with deep discounts, because the only place we could discount to, is into debt. (And there have been authors going into very deep debt doing a book. I would never advise that.)

But if you can do without another pair of shoes on sale, or a few fancy coffee drinks, you might be surprised what the difference really is, from the price you would buy it, from the price it is.

And if you do happen to get a copy, maybe you will feel like this reader:

"...really is a remarkable production, engagingly written and beautifully designed. It does more than give self-publishing a good name - it makes it something imperative for anyone with the knowledge, vision and ability to write. It's a real contribution to film history." - Luke McKernan

So don't buy anything, unless you really want too. But if you really want it, you just might enjoy it...

*If you are wondering, why not go black and white, like most of these type of books?
The black and white printing option on print on demand is frankly, very bad on reproduction for photos. The paper quality is also poor. We had the team to put together something on scale of a nice hardbound glossy printed book, so we did it. But the hardbound binding is still uneven with print on demand, so we decided not to do it that way, after the test book with one company looked very poor. Right now, no plans on hardbound. And no plans on black and white version, unless the printing improves.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

A little something planned starting Sept. 14th

BFI Southbank - Program 3 & Chaplin Workshop

Coming up August 23 and August 26th at BFI Southbank:
"Chaplin plays the villain in Mabel at the Wheel, flirts with the ladies and fights the ubiquitous policeman in Twenty Minutes of Love and gets stung as a drunk in Caught in the Rain.

Featuring piano accompaniment by Neil Brand on Sat 23 Aug, and John Sweeney on Tue 26 Aug." - BFI Chaplin Programmes - BFI Southbank

ALSO
September 28, 2008 - Charlie Chaplin Workshop will be held. more>

Monday, August 18, 2008

Hand-Cranked Silents at Visalia Fox Theatre

Saturday - August 23, 2008
Visalia Fox Theatre
Visalia, California
Special showing of Chaplin, Keaton and Laurel & Hardy films will be shown on a 1912 hand-cranked projector at the Visalia Theatre, Saturday, August 23rd. They will be accompanied by Dean Mora, on the Wurlitzer organ. See this link for more details.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Chaplin Films at Belfast's Waterfront Hall

December 19 and 20, 2008 - Belfast, Ireland - Belfast Waterfront Hall - Weekend of Charlie Chaplin Films with Carl Davis and the Ulster Orchestra. Link to more>

"Six films will be shown – three each evening on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 December at 7.45 pm. The 25-minute films were made during Charlie Chaplin’s year with the Mutual Film Corporation, considered by aficionados to be the pinnacle of his output." - Ulster Orchestra

Friday, August 15, 2008

The dying out of names like Edna and Mabel...

Interesting article from the UK Independent about how names like Norman, Irene, Mabel and Edna are disappearing... more>

Here is the BBC story on names. more>

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Tillie's Punctured Romance at Cinecon

The newly restored version of Tillie's Punctured Romance (starring Marie Dressler, Charlie Chaplin and Mabel Normand) will be just one of the many films featured at this years Cinecon in Hollywood. The three day event starts August 28th and runs through September 1st.

You can learn more from Donna Hill's latest podcast on Stolen Moments. more>

Soul Singer Isaac Hayes died

Los Angeles Times - Soul Singer Isaac Hayes has died in Memphis.

In 1972, Hayes won the Academy Award for his "Theme from Shaft." That same year, Charlie Chaplin was at the 1972 Oscars, picking up his Honorary Academy Award. It was the first time Chaplin was in America in 20 years.

According to the LA Times, Hayes was found 'unresponsive' by a treadmill. He was taken to the hospital and died one hour later. He was 65 years old. more>

Saturday, August 09, 2008

Ronald Grant hopes to buy The Cinema Museum

August 9, 2008 - London, England - Follow-up on The Cinema Museum in London - Ronald Grant, who rents the building housing his cinema collection, hopes to buy the Lambeth Workhouse to save the museum. The museum opened in 1986 and houses 1000s of artifacts. The workhouse also is the same one Charlie Chaplin was sent to as a young boy, so the building has a historical past, as well.

"Museum director Martin Humphries said two fundraising initiatives would be launched next month, one appealing to organisations and individuals in the industry to donate funds and another asking friends of the cinema to pledge cash. However, he admitted “there are lots of ifs and buts” standing in the way of the fundraising target being met.

Mr Grant said the “ideal scenario”, if they were successful in buying the venue, would be to develop the 18,000sq ft warehouse into a bigger and better museum than currently exists.

Many of the items in his museum were acquired from his former employers in the north-east, the Donald family, who once ran a chain of cinemas." - Aberdeen Press and Journal, UK

Link to more>

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Charlie Chaplin Season BFI Southbank

BFI Southbank
London, England
Six months of films starting in August and ending early 2009, with the showing of the restored Keystone films.

"For the next six months, Londoners can watch Charlie Chaplin’s career unfold at BFI Southbank. Curator Bryony Dixon explains the BFI’s role in renovating the earliest, least known of Chaplin’s films" -Time Out London

Their pages keep changing, so check BFI Southbank site.
List of all BFI film showings


Showings come to an end in January.

Note: Jacko McInroy has seen the August 9, 2008 presentation and reports a nice collection of items on display from Chaplin toys to Chaplin's original cane and hat.

Latest Lon Davis Interview

"Stooges Among Us"
Lon Davis latest interview on
KMTR, Eugene, Oregon.


I have been reading Lon's book this summer, which has personal accounts from many of the people who knew the Stooges. If you have an interest in the Stooges at all, it should be a great addition to your library. I have more here at this link.

Unfortunately, I have not finished Lon's book yet. My reading glasses are not up to speed anymore, and only best on the computer these days. Any reading these days, has to be saved for work and Edna's next book project. So reading for pleasure has taken a back seat, until the day I can afford to go to the eye doctor again.

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Notice about a current auction item

I have noticed a current auction item on a popular online site, which lists a 1916 Original Lobby Card, showing Charlie Chaplin, Eric Campbell and Edna Purviance from Behind the Screen. While the film was made in 1916, the Lobby card is most likely made in the 1930s or maybe later.

Clue? The fact it says 'Republic Pictures' on the card.

Mutual was releasing all of Chaplin's Mutual created films. Behind the Screen was a Mutual Film Production, created at Chaplin's Lone Star Studio. Mutual Films ceased production in 1919, and the films fell into many hands.

In researching Republic Pictures (and if I found the correct one), Republic didn't start business until the mid-1930s, which probably means they required rights to show the Chaplin films sometime after.

So, with that in mind, the Lobby Card for auction is not from 1916, as it says in the ad placing, but from sometime after the mid-1930s.

The starting bid is high and the owners maybe only going by the film pictured on the card. But just beware when buying anything of this matter. While the card looks nice, I will say, from some research, the 1916 date is wrong...

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Grand View Openings Aug. & Sept. 2008

According to the City of Glendale, Grand View Cemetery will be open August 10 and 24, 2008 and September 14 and 28, 2008. See GVC information>

The City of Glendale did correct their information to Sunday, the 14th of September.
(Looking at the calendar, the 15th falls on a Monday, so don't know if they mean 15th, or maybe it should be the 14th, instead, since the openings are usually on Sunday.)

Monday, August 04, 2008

Paul Merton's Silent Clowns in Edinburgh

Edinburgh Fringe 2008
One featured guest from August 8-16 is
Paul Merton with his Silent Clowns Series
Check out Merton's recent interview with Scotland on Sunday
The Fringe 2008 runs from August 8-25th

Also, you can listen to the special podcast on the festival at:
The Edinburgh Fringe Show

Sunday, August 03, 2008

Just a few Questions

Just a few answers to a few questions that come in once and a while....

How many children did Charlie Chaplin have?
• 11 total
• One son with Mildred Harris Chaplin - Baby died shortly after birth
• Two sons with Lita Grey Chaplin
• Eight children with Oona O'Neil Chaplin - between the years 1944-1962

How many times was Charlie Chaplin married?
• Four times, but three for sure:
(Mildred Harris, Lita Grey and Oona O'Neill).
Paulette Goddard and Charlie were also married, but they could never prove it with an official marriage license. (check out comments, as well)

What was wrong with Charlie Chaplin's mother?
• She was mentally ill and had to be taken care of for most of Chaplin's life. Charlie and his brother Sydney, brought her to America to live her remaining years.

English words to the song Charlie Chaplin is singing in Modern Times?
• There is no real words to the song Chaplin sang in Modern Times, as he made it up. But if you watch the film, you can see the words Charlie was met to sing, but never could remember. Paulette was writing the words on his cuffs (which flew off).

When did Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard break up?
• The break up was happening, even as the filming of The Great Dictator was in process, but Paulette officially received a 'divorce' in June 1942. They 'married' while on a trip to the Orient, after the filming of 'Modern Times'.

Which Charlie Chaplin's wife was murdered?
• This is an odd question, but none of them. Only the wives in the film Monsieur Verdoux were murdered.

How did the feeding machine work in Modern Times?
• It is said, Chaplin worked the controls of it, himself.

Saturday, August 02, 2008

Chaplin all day today on TCM!

Hope you enjoyed the day. Also thanks for visiting and creating an all time, one day record on all sites!

SATURDAY - USA TCM - CHARLIE CHAPLIN FOR 24 HRS.
AUGUST 2, 2008! Includes Edna in 'A Woman of Paris' and more!