Little Update

Hard to believe it is August already. Might be because we have been busy working on The Sea Gull in July. At this point we are awaiting another special panel reading on the main text, while we continue to work on the photo section for the book.

As for the Chaplin Library, I have not done any new work on it in July, but Dominique has sent some 'new' Chaplin books to be added. I will add these to the Latest page in the coming weeks. The Library is being re-created into a whole new system, but Sea Gull is taking much of the time right now.

Continuing to work on the cataloging of Edna's collection, which takes a great deal of time, as well, which includes research of many items.

Still planning another special Brief Glimpse for Sea Gull. Could be a one day event, so stay tune for that one.

If in London, a special Chaplin event is planned for August 15th, with Carl Davis, featuring all 12 of the Chaplin Mutual Films. The Mutuals - Cadogan Hall, London, England. Michael Chaplin will introduce the event at Cadogan.

Back to work here. Thanks for another record month. Looking forward to having Sea Gull ready for all Edna, Charlie and Josef fans...

Note August 6th- Sea Gull has moved into production...
Note August 7th - Sea Gull is really taking shape now...

Also a special thanks to everyone for signing the Walk of Fame Petition. If you haven't signed, just click on the image or see the right hand side for details. (Nice to see the number growing.)

Oona becomes Debutante No. 1

Lots of interest in Oona Chaplin lately, so here is a bit from the file about Oona becoming "Debutante No. 1," before she became Mrs. Chaplin.
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Debutante No. 1 - April 12, 1942 - New York
"A 16-year-old girl who says she is not 'lace-curtain Irish' but definitely the other kind was voted "Debutante No. 1" of the 1942 season today. The very cute "Shanty Irisher" is Oona O'Neill, daughter of Eugene O'Neill, famed playwright.

"My first name is not a typographical error," she said. "It's an old Irish name and James Stephens, the Irish writer, suggested it to father. Of course, I'm not lace-curtain. I'm Shanty Irish and proud of it. How do I feel about being a glamor girl? - I'm pretty darn excited."

The setting was in of all places, a bistro named the Stork Club where cafe society dropped in ballots for their choice of the "sub-debutante"... who combines... beauty, leader-shop, intelligence and popularity."

Oona has jet-black hair, stands 5 feet/4 inches in high heels, weighs 125 pounds, doesn't smoke or drink, dates only on week-ends and was accompanied by three young men of pre-Class 1-A age.

"Oh, they're nobody," she said, admitting she had never been in love.

Her father is convalescing in Danville, California, and she's a bit timid about letting him hear the latest news. She's read everything he ever wrote but she's written only one thing, a poem entitled "Springs," which a magazine returned to her with a rejection slip in 48 hours.

She took her college entrance exams yesterday: if she makes the grade she wants to go to Vassar. Meantime she'll pursue her latest hobby - painting."
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On June 16, 1942, Oona became Mrs. Chaplin.

Grand View Cemetery May 2006

With the reports of the dying trees at Grand View Cemetery, I decided to go back to my GV photos and place together one of my pan shots from the cemetery.

This was taken in mid-May of 2006, just shortly before the water was shut off for good. I do remember a man on the property watering that day. It didn't look as good as it could have, but one of the last times it looked its best. Click this LINK for enlarged image.

It would be interesting, when the cemetery opens again, if someone could send us this exact same view to see the changes.

August 1, 2007 - Grand View Cemetery Reopening Delay
Because of the dry conditions, the reopening of Grand View has been pushed back until sometime in September. (Glendale News article up for the next 14 days) More>

"Glendale Fire Department officials placed an "Extreme Fire Hazard" sign on the cemetery's gates last week cautioning visitors of the danger there.

"As you can probably tell if you looked through the gate, it's because… of the condition of the landscaping," said Elaine Aguilar, assistant to the city manager."

For Our UK Fans - Two Free Chaplin Tickets

Cadogan Hall is giving Chaplin fans a chance to win two free tickets to the special Chaplin Mutual Screens. See this link for details. The event is August 15th at Cadogan Hall in London.

Paulette Goddard Interrupts her Divorce

From the Research File
It was the summer of 1930. Paulette Goddard James was living in Reno when a phone call came to leave for Hollywood.
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July 8, 1930 - Reno, Nevada
"Paulette Goddard James, Ziegfeld beauty, has been in Reno for a little more than two months planning on a divorce from Peter James, a former broker, but she will not go through with the divorce at this time, for she has had to go to Hollywood to comply with terms of a contract for four pictures.

The former Paulette Goddard lacked only three weeks of completing her three-month resident in Reno when the call came to go to Hollywood to take part in a new picture. She does not know whether she will have an opportunity to complete her Nevada residence, or will have to give it up and begin all over again after she is through making pictures."
________________

Interestingly, Paulette would later play in a picture called 'The Women' where she plays a woman getting a divorce in Nevada. As for her real divorce, seeing when it did actually occur.

First Flight across the Atlantic

With Edna's husband Jack Squire, being an early day pilot for Pan America (and other airlines), we have been spending lots of time researching early day flight. So when History Detectives had their program featuring stories about flying this week, it made it even more interesting.

While Charles Lindbergh gets the correct for being the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic, he wasn't the first to cross the Atlantic by plane. In May 1919, three Navy men flew across the Atlantic in a 'flying boat' called the NC-4.

With a cockpit open to the elements, three men made the trip and were celebrated for making it, but their fame was short lived and their story nearly forgotten.

Check your PBS listing for the time History Detectives plays in your area. Also, some stations do repeat the same program on the weekends. (On the program they mention pilot Roscoe Turner, who Jack Squire knew personally and has photos of in the collection.)

The History Detectives website does have an extended interview about the flight, as Elyse sits in the cockpit of the actual NC-4. more>

Charlie Chaplin Keystone Film Update

In case you haven't been following this, BFI has a list of the Keystone Films that have been restored and films still needing work. Click this link for the list. (This list has been last updated in Sept. 2006)

And if by chance you missed the ABC report about the restoring of these films (over a year ago), you can watch again at this link.

Once these films are restored the report plan is to create a DVD collection.

Grand View Faces Brand New Lawsuit

July 26, 2007 - The Grand View case just got longer as 100 new families decided to file their own lawsuit against the cemetery.

"Another personal-injury lawsuit has been filed against Grand View Memorial Park, adding 100 people to the list of those seeking compensation from the cemetery for allegedly mishandling their loved ones' remains.

Aroustamian & Associates filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court last week. It is the third personal-injury lawsuit against the cemetery since its legal troubles began in October 2005, said Mary Der-Parseghian, an attorney with the law firm.

The lawsuit claims that those named in the suit suffered emotional distress due to the cemetery's breach of contract and mishandling and mistreatment of the remains of people buried there, Der-Parseghian said.

The amount they are suing for has not been determined, she said." - Glendale News

Link to Glendale News Article (on the web for 14 days from today's date) - more>

This suit is for 'emotional distress', but the longer these suits go the worst the cemetery conditions are going to get. It will be interesting to see if as one of the lawyer's said, that this cemetery can be run in the future.

As for the tree issue, that is still being sorted out. Like everything involved with this, could be sometime. Until sorted, the cemetery will remain closed. Watch for more news.

August 1st - Grand View is considered an 'Extreme Fire Hazard Area'.

No bidders for Charlie Chaplin's Camera

July 25, 2007 - Charlie Chaplin's Bell and Howell camera failed to get any bidders today at the auction at Christie's in London.

"A movie camera used by Charlie Chaplin in the making of classic films such as The Gold Rush and The Kid has failed to sell at auction.

The Bell and Howell camera was expected to fetch up to £90,000 when it went under the hammer at Christie's in South Kensington, London but it failed to find a buyer."

"The camera was bought on February 23, 1918, just a month after Chaplin and his brother set up Chaplin Studios to allow themselves greater creative control over their film-making.

Christie's said they believed the camera was used to shoot classics such as A Dog's Life and Shoulder Arms.

The auctioneers said it was possible that the Bell and Howell camera was also used for Chaplin's "silent" productions of the 1930s such as the acclaimed City Lights and Modern Times." - Press Association

Update July 27th, 2007 - America is usually a strong bidder in the market for film industry items, but with the dollar at a 26 year low against the sterling, it makes for a very expensive buy, no matter how you look at it. Of course, no one else made a bid for the camera, either.

(Roughly, the street rate to buy one Britain's pound is about $2.25, depending on the place purchased. Bank to bank rate is $2.06 for one pound)

Paulette Goddard - Striking Blonde Chairwoman

From the file...

Charlie Chaplin fans know Paulette Goddard as the beautiful brunette leading lady in ‘Modern Times’ and ‘The Great Dictator.’ But when Chaplin met Paulette, she was the beautiful blond the press was rumoring about in Hollywood.

In 1926 (before Chaplin), Paulette was a dancer in the Ziegfeld Chorus, but a comment by Mr. Ziegfeld lead her to Chairwoman and spoke person of the Striking Blonde Committee.
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Peeved Blonds to Strike
Ziegfeld Chorus Members Angry at Producer for His Statement Lauding Brunettes

New York - July 23, 1926 - The blond members of the chorus of Ziegfeld’s revue have organized and voted to strike next Wednesday unless Mr. Ziegfeld retracts his utterance that men prefer brunettes and titians.

The committee women, who were appointed today to represent the blonde organization, declare that the disparaging remarks of the producer threatened to decrease the earning power of every blonde actress and chorus girl on the stage. Mr. Ziegfeld is declared to have said, “a few blondes are enough.”

Besides taking a position on the brunette side is the current controversy the committee asserted that Mr. Ziegfeld has proceeded to enlist an all-brunette chorus for his next production.

“If anyone thinks this is a joke or a publicity stunt, he is in error,” said Paulette Goddard, chairwoman of the striking blonde committee.

“When Mr. Ziegfeld denies that blondes are popular and when he seeks to exclude them from his next show the effect on us is extremely serious. Our blonde complexion is our capital, and when Mr. Ziegfeld rates us below brunettes and titians he hurts our standing.

If his views are followed by other producers, as they are likely to be, it may become hard for blondes to obtain positions. Mr. Ziegfeld’s attempt to influence the public against blondes not only has hurt our feelings but caused us to be worried about our future.

At our meeting, which was attended by more than twenty blond members of the chorus we voted unanimously to go on strike unless Mr. Ziegfeld retracted and raised the salaries of all blonds in his chorus 50 per cent. We want the extra salary as compensation for the injury done us but what we are most concerned about is vindication.

There is no doubt at all the blonds are more popular than brunettes. Everybody knows that. Mr. Ziegfeld has no right to say anything different.”
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A few years later in Hollywood, Paulette would find her name connected to the same topic again, as a Hollywood actor has his say on the matter of blondes vs. brunettes.
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September 18, 1933 - Los Angeles - Grace Kingsley
“Brunettes are coming back into favor with men!”

So says Douglass Montgomery, who, by the way, is going away to Lake Arrowhead on location today, playing the lead in Paramount’s “Eight Girls in a Boat.”

And he will be the only man in that “rosebud garden of girls.” More than eight, too - in fact, there will be no fewer than twenty! But chaperoned, oh, dear, yes.

So we can see from Douglass’s remarks that the blondes are going to fare badly at his hands, so far as attention goes.

“Blondes all look alike, for one thing,” said Montgomery. “When I leave one I have just met, I never can remember how she looks! But brunettes - ah, they are different. They give the impression of genuineness and therefore of sincerity.

“Notice how all the synthetic blondes are turning brunette again? Lola Lane, Paulette Goddard, Bebe Daniels, Joan Crawford. And the brunettes who are staying married? Kay Francis, Irene Dunne, Mary Astor, Bebe Daniels, Florence Eldridge, Arline Judge, Claudette Colbert and a lot of others...
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Follow-up: Paulette Goddard met Charlie Chaplin in July 1932, after Chaplin returned from his world tour. She was a blond when they first met, but Charlie convinced Paulette to change back to her natural brunette hair for his lead role in his new film.

She made a successful career as a brunette and almost played one of the most famous roles as a brunette, Scarlett O’Hara in ‘Gone with the Wind.'

As for Chaplin, Hetty Ketty was the brunette he could never get out of his mind. Many of his leading ladies were brunettes.

Movies of the 20s and Early Cinema

Taschen Publications has a new book release called "Movies of the 20s and Early Cinema." The book is available in Europe, UK, USA and Japan. See this link for more details.




"From the first moving pictures (the Lumière brothers’ 1895 “L’arrivé d’un train”), early westerns, fantastic pictures, and nickelodeons all the way through the golden age of silent film in the 1920s, this book covers the first three decades of the moving picture around the world.

In America, we witness the birth of Hollywood, circa 1910, where film quickly became a powerful industry and D. W. Griffith put American cinema on the map; later, Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton developed a new language of visual comedy while eccentrics like Erich von Stroheim and Cecil B. DeMille turned cinema into a high art form and show biz respectively, and sex symbols like Rudolph Valentino and Greta Garbo heated up the screens. " - Taschen


Note to Our UK Visitors in the Flood Zones
Very sad news to read about the record flooding in many areas in the UK (places where we visited and stayed). Locations that people would know like Royal Shakespeare Theatre, whose basement was flooded. For many it is the second round of it in the last two months. We send our best to all touched by this event.

The Floods at a Glance >

September 1933 Report on Modern Times

From the File...
Grace Kingsley Report - September 30, 1933

"Charlie Chaplin will play the role of a factory hand in his forthcoming comedy, which has a large industrial section of a big city as its background!

And though nobody in the great comedian’s troupe will speak a word, sound effects and music will be used more extensively than ever before. A new stage of the old-fashioned silent type is being build at the Chaplin English village studio.

Also Charlie will keep his traditional mustache. This, says his manage, Alfred Reeves. came in face of the newspaper comment alleging that Chaplin is opposed to Hitler, Germany’s dictator, who wears an upper-lip adornment somewhat like Charlie’s, and that the comedian would, therefore, discard it! The Berlin Film-Kurier became very excited about it, indeed!

Chaplin’s staff is gradually gathering itself together, including those old standbys, Henry Bergman and Albert Austin, and a new head carpenter, William Bogandoff, and chief electrician Frank Teatera, while Jack Wilson will assist Manager Reeves.

Carter De Haven, in addition to acting as Chaplin’s assistant, will also play a big part in the picture.

And, of course, as announced many times, Pauline (how it was spelled) Goddard will be Chaplin’s leading lady. The comedian tells me he has written for her the most important role any leading lady of his has had."

Granddaughter Suzanne Lloyd interview about Harold Lloyd

July 19, 2007 - Interview with Suzanne Lloyd about her grandfather, silent film star Harold Lloyd and the new DVD collection release. more>

'Sunnyside' nymphs in 'How to Make Movies'?

I have read in Glenn Mitchell's book 'The Chaplin Encyclopedia' about Edna Purviance being one of the gals who 'instantly' changed from her day clothes to a bathing suit in this scene from 'How to Make Movies.' Frankly, I never believed it, because the only blond in the group does not look like Edna.

I have been studying images from Edna's personal collection and from other sources and found this gal, believed to be Edna, is actually one of the dancing nymphs in the film 'Sunnyside.'

See our new Brief Glimpse for more>>>

NOTE: Sea Gull fans, I do have something planned, just have to wait a bit more...

Cinecon 43 - Photos from Edna event

Cinecon 43 is getting ready for their Labor Day event starting the end of August. Presently, they have the photos from last years Cinecon 42 event, which includes our special Edna Purviance event, with Lita Hill as special guest.

"Since many of our members are avid silent film fans there was quite a turn out for the show. By time the program started it was standing room only." - Cinecon

We like to thank Cinecon for the report. Check their site for the coming schedule for Cinecon 43. more>


UPDATE July 18th: I had this question today about the documentary from a fan in Canada:
"I would like to know if it will be possible for fans far from Hollywood (Québec, Canada) to see the film?"

I had many others asked this question too. We nearly had two showing on the east coast this year, but the events didn't work out. I do have others very interested, but nothing is set yet. It does take the right event, but interest has been high, so we thank you for that. I will have more about the film in the future.

Right now, we are trying to finish The Sea Gull, which will be the very first book to feature Edna Purviance. Due to new material since the first planned book, it had stretched out the time on the current project, but we all feel for the better! I am also working on the second book, which is the biography on Edna.

The discovery of the private films of Edna has opened the door to much more research, and that all takes time. At the moment, along with Sea Gull, I am working on cataloging all of Edna's personal items. This is helping with both books, but also takes a great deal of time. Thanks again for everyones patience and support...