Slapsticon: July 19-22, 2007

July 19th-22nd, 2007 - Slapsticon - Spectrum Theatre - Arlington, Virginia - Slapsticon is an annual silent film event held in the Washington DC area. The focus is the comic stars from the silent and early film days, from the famous to lesser-known.

This years four-day event schedule includes films from Harry Langdon, Wallace Beery, Laurel and Hardy, Mabel Normand, Chester Conklin, Billy Ritchie and Syd Chaplin (Charlie Chaplin's brother). All the films are either 16mm or 35mm with live music. Listed to play this year are Philip Carli and Ben Model. Visit Slapsticon website to learn more...

Book Additions to Chaplin Library

I just updated the Chaplin Library Latest Page with five more books from Dominique Dugros Charlie Chaplin book collection. His latest includes our first auto book from Germany. "Die Geschichte Meines Lebens" was released in 2004 from Hoffmann und Campe Verlag. It contains 4 CDs narrating Chaplin's "My Autobiography". Link to the LATEST PAGE.

Also, I am updating the library into a new system and have much done, but currently work on The Sea Gull is on the top of the list. More to come...

Grand View Visitation Schedule

Grand View will be open from 12pm to 4pm, this Sunday, June 17th, but future visitation hours are still being decided.

UPDATE June 17th - 'Grand View visits are in jeopardy' - article from Glendale news. (Article available for 14 days from date of release)

"As we understand it now, many of the trees are in danger of collapsing and dropping limbs on people," Najarian said. "What we're faced with now is not only operating but major landscaping and tree work. So, I would like to encourage the city to petition the court or the judge to release some of the funds which are held [in Grand View's endowment care fund, a trust created to maintain the cemetery] to the city so we can make the trees safe — but not just the trees, but the entire area for people to visit." - Glendale News

Update June 20th - "Fate of cemetery visits is uncertain" - article from Glendale news.
(Article available for 14 days from date of release - June 17th)

While the cemetery is legally private, the city has tried to keep it open since late last August, but that ended this last Sunday, June 17th. From the latest article:

"Nora Daniyelyan placed red roses at her son's tombstone and watered the potted plants surrounding his grave. She felt angry and hurt at the city's lack of attention to the cemetery, she said, adding that the situation has caused stress for her family.

"We are grateful that the city has kept it open but now they are closing it," Daniyelyan said. "There is nowhere else we can go to feel at peace."

The decision to keep Grand View open for visitation is up to the City Council, which will discuss the matter on June 26.

Hasmik Avetisyan also felt the city needs to step up.

"The City Council has the power," Avetisyan, a Glendale resident, said. "They should use their power to ask the state for help."

The San Francisco Silent Film Festival and more...

July 13-15, 2007 - The San Francisco Silent Film Festival - Castro Theatre and Niles Festival - June 29-July 1st.

If you are out and about the San Francisco area this summer, you have two silent film festivals to visit.

The first one is in Niles, California, as the 10th Annual Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival celebrate the 100th year of Essanay Films, June 29th - July 1st.

In San Francisco, July 13th-15th, 2007, The San Francisco Silent Film Festival has their 12th annual event at the Castro Theatre. Some of the highlights include, Retour de Flamme (a selection of French films restored from 1900-1928) and the classic Beggars of Life (presented in a newly restored 35mm print).

For either event, best to get your tickets early. And to learn more about these and the coming Slapsitcom, listen to Stolen Moments this month, as Donna has interviews about each event. Program: "It's Festival Season".

Quick Reminder...

June 24th and 25th, 2007 - To "Fatty" Arbuckle fans, TCM will run an late evening and early morning showing of Fatty's early film shorts on Sunday June 24th into Monday morning, June 25th. See TCM for schedule.

Proposal to re-open Grand View Full-time

"Tom Trimble, estate executor of Grand View Memorial Park's majority owner, the late Marsha Howard, this week sent via his attorney a letter to the city of Glendale officials which outlines his proposal to re-open the cemetery on a full-time basis. "

Read more at Lisa's blog...

Child actor in City Lights Ray Erlenborn dies

Ray Erlenborn, who played one of the newspaper boys in Charlie Chaplin's "City Lights", died at the age of 92. (Remember the scene where two boys are making fun of the tramp, after Charlie was out of jail?)

Erlenson played other small parts in silent films during his childhood, including one of his first, a newsboy in Harold Lloyd's "Safety Last". Erleborn appeared in the TV series 'The Buster Keaton Show" in 1950, before becoming a sound effect track man. He worked for CBS for many years on such shows as "The Carol Burnett Show" and worked in movies, doing animal sounds for 'Doctor Dolittle".

He was born in Denver, Colorado, January 21, 1915 and is survived by his wife, Meredith. more> (click the ad off to get to story)

Test your memory now and name the other newsboy from City Lights...

Silent Film Series Springfield, Missouri

Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd and Pearl White will be shown at the Silent Film Summer Series in Springfield, Missouri. The films are shown outside in the center of Springfield Historic District. Showing are scheduled for June 8th, July 13th, and August 10th. Check this link for more details.

Silent Silver Screen Series - University of Texas

June 7th, 2007 - University of Texas in Austin, Texas will start their Silent Silver Screen Series at The Harry Ranson Center. The series begins with 'Orphan of the Storm' on June 7th, June 28th 'The General' with Buster Keaton and on July 19th 'The Big Parade'.

Check out the Harry Ransom Center website for more details. Also check out their other exhibits and programs.

Special A Brief Glimpse, for you Sea Gull watchers...

Julian Eltinge

I was going through a stack of photos recently and came across a picture of a Hollywood home owned by Julian Eltinge. Eltinge was the most successful 'female impersonator' during the 1910s-1920s. He became one of the highest paid performer of his day. He even had a theatre named after him in New York and published his own magazine of beauty tips for women.

Making his fame on Broadway, Eltinge moved to Hollywood and made about 15 films. He owned a beautiful mansion in the Edendale (Silver Lake) area north of Los Angeles. In 1918 he made Over the Rhine. Rudolph Valentino played a role in that 1918 film which was re-edited and re-leased as a comedy called The Isle of Love in 1922.

By the 1930s, Eltinge fame faded. The depression, the decline in stage shows and his age, all played a role. He died in 1941.

On the web I found a documentary being made about his life and career called The Julian Eltinge Project. The site has a list of stage performances and films, which includes postcards from different parts played. There are more images here at Silent Gents.

As for Chaplin, he played a woman on screen three times: A Busy Day (1914 Keystone), The Masquerader (Keystone 1914) and A Woman (Essanay 1915). Edna Purviance played a male part once in Behind the Screens (1916). She was trying to find work as a handyman at a studio.

Turner Classic Movie is running a special series called Screened Out: Gay Images in Films. The series plays Monday and Wednesday through the month of June. The series starts with some rarely seen silent films on Monday night, June 4th.

Historian Annette Lloyd talks about Harold Lloyd

Film historian Annette Lloyd gives a lively show about Harold Lloyd on The Definitive Cinematic Retrospective. I was out of town for the live show, but the download is over 70 minutes.

If you are interested in Harold Lloyd and silent films in general, you will enjoy Annette's very informative talk on Lloyd. The show is hosted by Cohen Phillips. You can find the program at this link under archived segments: show #14 - May 18, 2007.

Also check out Annette's site on Harold Lloyd. Definitive is live Thursday evenings 11PM eastern on BlogTalkRadio.

New US laws on the resale of mechandise

At times I like to post other items of interest like these I learned about on NPR.

Like many people, I do like to buy used merchandise, like a Chaplin Music CD that is totally out of print. It is the only way you can get many items, but Florida and Utah recently passed laws restricting the sale of used items.

It is intended to crack down on stolen goods, but instead could place small legally ran resale shops out of business. Other states are considering to pass the same laws, so do take a listen to All Things Considered May 29th, 2007 report called Used-CD Shops Criticize Resale Laws.

Internet Radio fight higher per play Fees
A related story about the planned increase in royalties to music companies. While some can survive like LastFM, which was bought by CBS, others could be out of business due to the higher cost per song. Here is a report from Morning Edition, May 28th, 2007: Music Sites Higher Royalty Fees.

Few Notes...

We hope everyone had a pleasant Memorial Day and Bank Holiday. As for us, we finally have all the manuscripts back on The Sea Gull. I will be working on it in the coming weeks, as we head into final production.

In other news, two Chaplin related events this week in the Los Angeles area. Both events on June 2nd, 2007. The Pilgrim will be shown at the 18th Annual Silent Film Gala. Check this link for more details. And at the Avalon Theatre on Catalina Island, Charlie Chaplin and Clara Bow will be spotlighted at their 20th Silent Film Benefit. Click this link for their details.

June 1st is the start of Chaplin in Pictures at Sala Bora in Bologna, Italy. The photo exhibit is on display until October 30th, 2007. This is part of the 30th Anniversary since Chaplin's death, (which includes a special showing of all of Chaplin films available during the months of June and July). We have several links about this event (see links to the right). more>

The Chaplin Archives are also updating their web site and will be back online very soon with even more information on Chaplin.

Check the Silent Film Festivals and Events link for more Chaplin and/or silent film related events. More to come, as work on The Sea Gull is now back on track... Thanks for your continued support.

Memorial Day - Jackie Coogan in WWII film

Ancestry has just launched the US Military Collection with over 90 million records covering all the wars from Vietnam to earlier conflicts. The new section also contains over 260 newsreels from World War II. One of these reels by UNITED NEWS is called "Everybody Joins US War Effort" which contains footage of Jackie Coogan, Charlie Chaplin's star in The Kid.

Many other stars can be seen in this film including Clark Gable, James Cagney, Heddy Lamar, Greer Garson, James Stewart and many more.

If you are not an Ancestry member, you can view these films for FREE until June 6th, 2007, by signing-up for a free membership. If you have been a member in the past, just use your former password and user name. (Note: Due to heavy traffic, it can be a bit slow at times.)