SP4449 and Union Pacific 844 Excursion

Puget Sound Steam Special - May 19th, 2007
Last fall I placed a link on Edna's site about the SP 4449. (Sixth Year posting.) This was a train Edna could have rode during the 1940s, during her many trips between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

For the first time, the SP 4449 and the Union Pacific 844 will have a special double excursion between the cities of Tacoma and Everett, Washington.
Since the SP 4449 is in Portland, Oregon some of you may get a glimpse of it on its way to Tacoma and back. For more information and for tickets about this special event called Puget Sound Steam Special, check with the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation or The Friends of SP 4449.

Trips like this can't replace the time Edna and Charlie lived in and traveled by train, but they do help you experience a 'taste' of what life by rail was like during their day. As for the UP 844, that engine ran as one of its routes, the Overland Limited. This route was between Oakland and Chicago, the same route Chaplin took in January 1915, just before meeting Edna.

David Attenborough and the Lyre Bird

At times, I share other interests here and being Earth Day weekend, this is somewhat related...

While Charlie and Edna fans know Richard Attenborough and his work with the film 'Chaplin', Richard's brother, David Attenborough, has worked in the film industry for years with his nature series. Filming in many corners of the world, he has film of areas that could be gone in years to come.

A clip that became very popular in the UK has been the one showing the Lyre Bird. This shy bird imitates the sounds around him. If you have not seen this clip yet, I will let you listen to this piece introduced by presenter Bill Oddie and followed by David Attenborough (full clip 3 minutes 58 seconds).

I know Edna would have been interested in seeing this. Edna loved animals and even owned birds at her Columbia, South America and Los Angeles homes.

The Sea Gull Update - April 20, 2007

While I have been posting several Chaplin/Purviance film events that are currently on and coming up, I thought I pass on our latest Sea Gull update.

This month the manuscript has been in the hands of our special reader panel, so it will be a while still before we hear back from everyone. This is the last reading by the panel of the manuscript before final printing.

Due to our business work schedule, which can change in a moment, I am not ready to make a public date just yet, but we are working on a target date for release. Once I have the final book printed, I will be sending out copies for review and will work on a special website page about the book.

The work is coming along, and getting closer to final printing. Watch for more updates here and on Edna's site about The Sea Gull. Thanks for your interest... more>

Paragon Ragtime Orchestra - Algonquin Arts

May 6, 2007 - Sunday 3PM - Manasquan, New Jersey - Algoquin Arts
Paragon Ragtime Orchestra Playing with The Clown Princes
Rick Benjamins's Paragon Ragtime Orchestra is planning an afternoon of original ragtime to the films of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. Check Aloquin Arts for details on this special event.


Also visit Paragon Ragtime site for their coming events.

Catalina Island Silent Film Benefit

June 2, 2007 - Silent Film Benefit - Catalina Island, California - Charlie and Edna both loved to take a cruise during their time in southern California. Enjoy your own weekend cruise into the past for a fun weekend of silent films at the Avalon Theatre on Catalina Island.

Charlie Chaplin and Clara Bow will be featured at Avalon Theatre during the Silent Film Benefit held on Catalina Island June 2nd. Tickets for the event are on sale now. more>

Check this link for the 2008 event.

Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival Essanay 100th Anniversary

June 25 - July 1, 2007
10th Annual Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival
Celebrating Essanay 100th Anniversary
Niles, California

The 100th Anniversary of Essanay Films will be the main feature at the 10th Annual Niles Silent Film Festival. Planned are films that have not been seen in over 90 years. Contact the Niles Film Museum for more information. more>

Bound by Law - Graphic Novel about Copyright Laws

"Wonderful, funny… clever. I keep a copy in my desk." -Davis Guggenheim, Oscar-winning director of the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth"


"Bound by Law" - by Keith Aoki, James Boyle and Jennifer Jenkins - Tales from the Public Domain

While waiting for the copyright issues to be worked out on Kevin Brownlow's The Hollywood Series, you should read this creative graphic novel about copyright laws called "Bound By Law."

Created by cartoonist and law professor, Keith Aoki, law professor James Boyle and Jennifer Jenkins, this 75 plus page book "translates law into plain English and abstract ideas into ‘visual metaphors", "while learning copyright law basics, including the line between fair use and copyright infringement.” Many examples are used from real situations faced by documentary filmmakers.

Available in book form or on-line to read or download, it is important and informative reading, especially for documentary filmmakers.

Listen to this special NPR interview with James Boyle about the comic and fair use laws. more>

Digital Versions Also Available. more>

Update April 22, 2007 - Here is another informative site from Stanford University Libraries about Copyright and Fair Use. more>

Links to Charlie Chaplin, silent films and more

Being Charlie Chaplin's birthday today, I placed together a series of links about Chaplin, silent films and other links of interest on this special day. Some are video links from BBC and others radio programs like from NPR with interviews with authors about silent film stars.

CHARLIE CHAPLIN - RADIO PROGRAMS
BBC Radio 4 - Making History
Gandhi and Chaplin
Broadcast - October 19, 2004 (Series 10)
LINK

NPR Radio Program
Charlie Chaplin, in the Lens of History with Richard Schickel
July 22, 2006
LINK

NPR Radio Program
Chaplin Film Classics Restored on DVD
August 20, 2003
LINK


CHARLIE CHAPLIN VIDEO CLIPS
BBC - Charlie Chaplin Comes Home
September 23, 1952
LINK

BBC - Comic Genius Chaplin is Knighted
March 04, 1975
LINK

BBC News - Video Clip
1977: Silent Film Legend Chaplin dies
LINK


SILENT FILM - RADIO PROGRAMS
BBC Radio 4 - Sound Job
Torin Douglas interview with Neil Brand
Broadcast - November 10, 2002
" The National Film Theatre regularly shows silent films and as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations, it's holding an evening marking the pianists' contribution. Torin Douglas has been talking to one of them, Neil Brand. "
LINK

BBC Radio 4 - Back Row
Matthew Sweet - British Silent Cinema
Broadcast - July 3, 2004
LINK

The Alloy Orchestra: Silent Movies Scores
NPR - The Alloy Orchestra: Silent Movies Scores with Lloyd Schwartz.
March 16, 2004 - (5+ minutes)
LINK

Robert Downy, Jr
NPR - Interview with Robert Downy, Jr. and his CD The Futurist with his recording of 'SMILE'.
October 22, 2003 - (20+ minutes)
LINK

Neil Brand
Radio New Zealand - July 2000 - Jonathan Dennis interview with Neil Brand. LINK


AUTHORS OF SILENT FILM STARS and COLLECTIONS
Buster Keaton
NPR - Buster Keaton Biography Explores 'Tempest in a Flat Hat'
Interview with author Edward McPherson
July 9, 2005 - (6+ minutes)
LINK
(Keaton and Chaplin played together in LIMELIGHT)

Fatty Arbuckle
NPR - Interview with Writer Jerry Stahl author of "I, Fatty" about Fatty Arbuckle
July 21, 2004 - (25+ minutes)
LINK
(Chaplin and Arbuckle starred together at Keystone during 1914)

NPR - The Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection with Bob Mondello
November 11, 2005 - (4+ minutes)LINK

NPR - Interview with author Lillian Ross, the Story's in the Details
Author of "Moments with Chaplin"
December 22, 2006 - ( 7+ minutes)
LINK


SPECIAL INTEREST
An Anime 'Metropolis'
NPR - Osamu Tezuka's MetropolisJanuary 24, 2002 - (6:41 minutes)
LINK
"...it's inspired by Fritz Lang's 1927" Metropolis...

Ray Harryhausen, Master Special Effects Artist
NPR - Interview with Ray Harryhausen
January 6, 2003 - (20+ minutes)
LINK

ComedyCity Silent Film Saturdays

ComedyCity in De Pere, Wisconsin has a series called 'Silent Film Saturdays' this month. Scheduled are films by Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. The series runs each Saturday from now until May 5th, 2007. more>


Silent Film Fest
The 12th Annual Palm Beach International Film Festival
April 20th, 2007 - Maltz Jupiter Theatre - Palm Beach, Florida - 3PM - THE GOLD RUSH

Happy Birthday Charlie!

ICONS RADIO 30

The newest online radio show about Classic Films is ICON RADIO 30. Created by Moda Entertainment, it is hosted by Stephen Bogart (son of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall) and writer and director John Mulholland. The show is live Sunday nights 8PM Eastern. If you can't listen live, you can download their past shows for free. Link to more>

"The ICONS Radio 30 program features exclusive interviews with Hollywood insiders who know the icons of classic Hollywood the best - their close friends, relatives and co-workers in the industry. Stephen and John’s guests share personal anecdotes, the real stories behind the on-screen stories and much more in what is an insightful and entertaining thirty minutes of Hollywood nostalgia." - from Icon Radio 30

Miranda Seymour says next book on Virginia Cherrill

Miranda Seymour, author of 'Bugatti Queen', says she enjoys writing books about unknown people. She told writer Valerie Larson recently she plans to write a book on Virginia Cherrill, Charlie Chaplin's leading lady in 'City Lights'. more>

"Her next biographical subject is the actress Virginia Cherrill. Discovered by Charlie Chaplin, she starred in his movie City Lights and was briefly married to Cary Grant and then the Earl of Jersey.

"I love writing about unknown people," Seymour says, "and reclaiming them like this, like Cherrill and my father." - from Valerie Lawson article

Virginia Cherrill was Chaplin's third leading lady after Edna Purviance. Georgia Hale was his first leading lady after Edna in 'The Gold Rush'. Merna Kennedy was his second in 'The Circus'. More on Chaplin's leading ladies.

UPDATE: Very late update, but Seymour book was released in 2009. Called 'Chaplin's Girl: The Life and Loves of Virginia Cherrill, here are a couple of UK reviews: Guardian and Times Online. I personally don't own it, but available online.

Mabel Normand featured at Filmmuseum Biennale '07

Mabel Normand will be a special feature at Filmmuseum Biennial 2007 in Amsterdam, with films like Molly 'O (Goldwyn Production 1921) and a series of films with Charlie Chaplin and Roscoe Arbuckle.


Filmmuseum Biennial 2007
April 11-15th, 2007 - Amsterdam, Holland, Netherlands
"From 11 until 15 April, the Filmmuseum in Amsterdam will be holding its third Filmmuseum Biennale. During this biennial film festival, the Filmmuseum will be showing silent films together with live performances of new soundtracks.

Special finds from the historical film collection will also be presented. Visitors will be able to enjoy gems from film history in some forty screenings, many complete with musical accompaniment by, for example, classical ensembles, contemporary composers and DJs.

MABEL NORMAND
The third edition of the Filmmuseum Biennale spotlights Mabel Normand (1892-1930), who was known in her prime as the ‘female Charlie Chaplin’. Normand was a protégée of producer Mack Sennett. During the Filmmuseum Biennale she will be the subject of a special programme where she co-stars with the slapstick giants Fatty Arbuckle, Oliver Hardy and Charlie Chaplin. " - Filmmuseum Biennale '07

Special Article about Mabel Normand by Steve Massa
LINK TO - Mabel's New Hello
"The Filmmuseum is Holland's museum for cinematography. The museum's collection of films covers the whole of the history of cinema from the very first silent films, dating from the late 19th century, up to the latest contemporary digital productions."

(Mabel Normand was Chaplin's leading lady at Keystone Pictures in 1914. In 1915, Chaplin introduced Mabel to Edna Purviance. Edna and Mabel became friends during their film career years.)

Learn more about Mabel Normand at: Looking for Mabel Normand

(PHOTO: Greta Garbo and Melvyn Douglas in Ninotchka- 1939. Note: I noticed when using Safari the OLDER POSTS link on the bottom of this page doesn't work in Safari. I don't know how to fix it, so use the side links to articles or you can use another browser, like Firefox. You could use the Blogger search feature as well.)

Charlie Chaplin Weekend April 14, 15 & 16, 2007

Modern Times and The Great Dictator help kick-off a series of Chaplin films on TCM this coming weekend and next Monday, as we celebrate Charlie's Birthday! See this link for more>

(Drawing Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard in the end scene of Modern Times.)

Chaplin Library and Video link added

I hope everyone is having an enjoyable Easter Holiday.

Being Easter weekend, I have been spending sometime catching up on the new updates of the Chaplin Library. While the brand new project I mentioned earlier in the year is not public yet, other updates on the current pages are visible.

I am also adding Dominique's latest covers (six new additions) to the current library Latest page. I will not be moving any books off the Latest page, until the whole new system is done. No date on any of this yet.

As for The Sea Gull, it is currently in the last stage of professional edits with our reader panel. We like to thank everyone for their interest in the project and all the new entries. Watch for the latest updates here and on Edna's site.

Just to try out, I have added the Video Link feature from Google for links directly from Google Video on the subjects Charlie Chaplin, Kevin Brownlow or Edna Purviance. (Google may toss in other things, but we will have to see how this goes.)

How does it work?
· When you open this page, you will notice it says 'loading' at the top of the page, just below the Edna's Place banner.

· Scroll down to the bottom of this page to the Google image bar.

· Click on an image that interests you.
· The video will start at the top of this page (same place you saw LOADING).

· Just click the 'I'm done..." link to close the video window.

Once you click that link, you will need to refresh the page to get the video bar back. (Actually still testing this all out myself.) I will see how it goes.

Whatever your holiday included (travel, time with friends and family or working on a favorite project), I hope it was a good one!

April 11, 2007 - I have updated the Chaplin Film List.