The Pilgrim Los Angeles June 2, 2007

18th Annual Silent Film Gala - Hosted by Dustin Hoffman
The Pilgrim, starring Charlie Chaplin, Edna Purviance and Sydney Chaplin, will play at the Royce Hall in Westwood, California (UCLA live performance venue) Saturday, June 2, 2007. It will be accompanied with live music from The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra conducted by Timothy Brock. Also playing is Buster Keaton in Sherlock Jr.

Showing begins at 8PM. more> Additional information. more>
See this link for more Chaplin related events... more>

First time Grand View closed for Memorial Weekend

While the court case continues, the limited visiting hours continue too. This was the first Memorial Day weekend Grand View Memorial Park has been closed since it opened over 120 years ago. The Park will be open June 3 and June 17th. The city of Glendale will decide future visiting hours on May 29th, 2007.

Meanwhile, Lisa Burks reports the grass is dry due to no water and the trees are dying too. This being a record-breaking drought year in southern California has added to the problem.

Fire danger on the property is high. Since this park is in a neighborhood filled with homes, that alone should start some movement in watering the property. If nothing else, clear the worst of the dry grass and watering the trees to help keep them from become fire fuel.

More news on Grand View as it develops. Here is the link to Lisa's latest report: Lisa's May 25 report>

Update: May 30th report about the current conditions at Grand View. more>

(Currently no new developments about Edna at Grand View.)

Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival - Fremont, CA

June 29, 30 and July 1, 2007 - Fremont, California (Niles) - 10th Annual Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival. Celebrating Essanay Films 100th year. Tickets for the event available. They do recommend to book early for film events. Click here for more information...

Charlie Chaplin in Bank of America commercial

I was out all morning, came back and was having a bit of lunch, when I saw Charlie Chaplin in a commercial for Bank of America. It was the scene of Chaplin on the rooftops from The Kid. Personally, I was disappointed to see it. I love that scene, and that commercial cheapened the scene for me...

Charlie Chaplin Mutual Films: Cadogan Hall, London

August 15-18 2007 - Cadogan Hall - London, England - For the first time, all twelve of Charlie Chaplin's Mutual Films with Carl Davis scores will be shown at Cadogan Hall in London. This includes the eleven films Edna Purviance co-starred. Carl Davis will be the conductor for the event with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets are now available.

"This will be the first ever opportunity to see all of the restored and remastered Mutuals along with scores composed and conducted by Carl Davis." - Cadogan Hall, London

UPDATE AUGUST 4, 2007 - Michael Chaplin will introduce the event at Cadogan:

"Michael, who will be in London later this month to introduce a Chaplin season at Cadogan Hall, with Carl Davis conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra...

(He also) says: "Claire (Bloom) is the only survivor from any of my father's films. Limelight was a tribute to my mother Oona, and Claire bore a startling resemblance to her as a young girl." - Daily Mail

Oops?...well, I do wonder where this places Sophia Loren. She starred in 'A Countess from Hong Kong' which Charlie Chaplin directed and she is still alive, and at a film festival recently...

Edna Purviance Walk of Fame Drive - Update

I received a message from Mahendra Prasad, founder of the Edna Purviance Walk of Fame Drive. The group plans to continue the drive until Edna receives 1000 signatures.

Edna is nearing 400 signatures now, so if you haven't signed, or know of a fan who can help, please sign today! Many thanks to all who have signed, so far...

LINKS: PETITION | MORE ABOUT THE PETITION DRIVE
(Also see links to the right)

Question for you...

Here is the answer to last Wednesday's question:
What family has a connection to Charlie Chaplin, Monterey and Lovelock, Nevada?

The Crocker Family.

Charles Crocker was one of the principal investors who created the Central Pacific Railroad and built the first rail line from California to Utah. (The western link of the transcontinental railway. First rail line across the USA.)

Charles Crocker once owned the land Edna's Lovelock family home and business stood.

Charles Crocker also owned land in the Monterey area and built the Del Monte Hotel, once favored by many stars of Chaplin's day.

One of Charles Crocker grandsons is Harry Crocker. Harry worked with Charlie Chaplin about 1925 until 1952. His most remembered film role was the tightrope walker in The Circus.

We will have more about the Crockers in the coming book The Sea Gull.

With Bank Holiday and Memorial Day weekend coming up, I will have a new question next week. Have an enjoyable Holiday Weekend!

Charlie Chaplin Goes Bollywood

A low budget Bhojpuri film (version) planned about Chaplin. more>

Toraichi Kono - Living in Silence

"Living in Silence: Toraichi Kono" The untold story of the man who was personal valet and confidant to Charlie Chaplin, before facing charges of espionage on the eve of World War II. - Director, Philip Chung: Producers, Clyde Kusatsu, Timothy Lounibos and Nancy Yuen

Seeing some photos of Toraichi Kono in the Hill collection, I decided to place together some links about the documentary 'Living in Silence' about Kono (Chaplin's valet). Kono worked with Chaplin through the Mutual Film period to Modern Times.

Edna Purviance knew Kono, as did Edna's nephew Morgan Hill. It was Paulette Goddard who put an end to Kono's work with Chaplin. You can learn more at these links and by visiting Philip Chung's MySpace page.

The Silent Treatment of Toraichi Kono, by Keith Kamisugi
The Search of Toraichi Kono, by Philip W. Chung

Living in Silence: Toraichi Kono, at MySpace (visit their page to learn more about the project)

Sample of Philip Chung's video: Living In Silence: Toraichi Kono

Add to My Profile | More Videos

Robert Osborne scheduled guest Radio 30

Enjoyable interview with Robert Osborne (Turner Classic Movies) on ICONS Radio 30. more>

(note: I had a Saturday post about the LA Theaters but the link was up for a limited time. I couldn't find the video this morning so removed the entry.)

Kevin Brownlow at San Francisco Film Festival

In case you missed it, Kevin Brownlow at the San Francisco International Film Festival 2007. See this link for more videos from the event... more>

Silent Film Channel by Joost's Internet TV

..."the Silent Movies channel, with Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, and Buster Keaton was cool." - PC World

PC World has an article about the internet TV channel called Joost's which includes a Silent Movies Channel. They are still working on the site, so I couldn't really see it, but you can read about it here. more>

May 19th update: Site is available to view. Silent Movie Channel is listed as available Worldwide. Link to Joost's TV

Question for you...

Here is the answer to last Wednesday's question:
Who worked in a film with Edna Purviance and Douglas Fairbanks?
Eve Sothern (better known as Eve Southern today).

Eve's birth name was Eve McDonald, until D.W. Griffith changed it to Sothern. Because of Eve's southern accent, Griffith pronounced her new name as 'Southern'.

Over the years, writers started to spell it as Southern instead of Sothern, so both last names have been used.

Eve co-starred with Edna Purviance in 'A Woman of the Sea' (also known as 'The Sea Gull') and played with Douglas Fairbanks in 'The Gaucho'. There will be more about Eve in our upcoming book 'The Sea Gull'.

Now here is our new question for you:
What family has a connection to Charlie Chaplin, Monterey and Lovelock, Nevada?

Creating Music and Asians on Screen

Just a couple of things I found of interest over the weekend. First on PBS, the documentary "The Slanted Screen". This one hour documentary covers Asians on screen today, including Sessue Hayakawa silent film career.

Interest to Edna Purviance fans: Edna had a strong interest in Oriental culture and her Hollywood home was full of treasures from Japan and China. Oriental art was all the rage during the early part of the 20th century. Many pieces are in her family's collection today.

Edna would have been introduced to Oriental culture during her childhood trips to San Francisco. The city has a size able Asian population beginning with the first California gold rush, circa 1849. During this time, life was good, but as the population grew and areas became states, the promise of a better life turned to dust - digging out gold and silver mines and tunnels for the railroads. Descendants of these early laborers still live today in western towns.

Also, on Edna's first sailing to Hawaii in 1917 with Charlie Chaplin and Rob Wagner, she fell in love with Hawaiian Culture. Edna didn't want to return to Hollywood. There are photos in the family collection of the trip to be shared in the future.

Now the second item is from my personal interest file in music. NPR had a report today about how 'want to be' musicians are now able to create music with anyone in the world. With web sites like Jamglue and eJamming, you can create music with others from your own computer. Check out the NPR report for links.

Also: The US has new postal rates today. Costs have increased on packages and mailing internationally. Here is the list of rates from the US postal service.

Travel Thought...
Just a thought if you plan a trip to the UK this summer. I was reminded of this upon reading about an experience recently of an America getting upset at a public place about the prices in the UK. Face it, the dollar is not worth much in the UK, as the value of the dollar has dropped in the last few years.

Just remember to be polite to your host, except the cost, plan carefully, and enjoy the experience. It is a wonderful country to visit, just be aware. Want to save some money? Go in the off season, it does help...

Stolen Moments Ramon Novarro, the other Latin lover

Donna Hill has her latest podcast up featuring Ramon Novarro, The Other Latin Lover... more>