Grand View Lawsuit settled!

Story with the Glendale News Press (article on web limited time)
"Attorneys representing plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit against Grand View Memorial Park have announced a $3.8-million settlement agreement. ...$500,000 would go toward the restoration of Grand View Memorial Park. Ayers will head up the restoration process, which includes obtaining original cemetery records, identifying and storing cremated remains in the mausoleum, installing an irrigation system, rehabilitating its landscaping and keeping track of all project accounts." - Glendale News Press

NOTE: It is reported the Superior Court Judge is likely to approve of the settlement.

Happy Birthday Edna!!!

October 21, 2009 is Edna's birthday! I originally planned to have a drawing, but due to a business trip for our company, I am combining this trip with a visit to some of Edna's old haunts to do some more reserach and seeing a film event in Niles for the first time.


So, instead of a drawing today, please sign up for a chance to win one of Edna's 'A Woman of Paris' posters. Answer the three questions correctly and I will add your name to the growing list of entries. Drawing will be November 4th.

Celebrate Edna's birthday today, by seeing your favorite Edna film! Off and running, now! More when I get back...

Stephen Weissman 'Chaplin: A Life' in UK and Germany

Stephen Weissman
Chaplin: A Life
Available in United Kingdom and Germany
(Watch for editions in Russia, Estonia and Brazil)

Dec. 20, 2009 - Review from the Irish Times

From the web, A tour of Star Museum

From the youtube collection a tour of the Star Museum in Abingdon, Virginia, with guide and owner Robert Weisfield.

Grand View open another Nine Days!

October 15, 2009 - Grand View Cemetery will be open for another nine days, after this weekends opening on October 18th. Link to full story at Glendale News. Story online for a limited time. Link to Glendale City Hall.

"Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge John Wiley ordered the cemetery be opened Nov. 1, 15 and Thanksgiving Day; Dec. 13 and Christmas Day; New Year’s Day and Jan. 6, the day many Armenians celebrate Christmas; Jan. 10 and 24. Visitations are from noon to 4 p.m."

Donna Hill's Stolen Moments is Back!

Stolen Moments is back with Donna Hill's latest podcast with author Matthew Kennedy about Joan Blondell: A Life Between the Takes.

1144 and a thought...

Thanks to everyone for signing the petition!

A thought to keep in mind...

If Edna fans are really serious about getting Edna a star on the Walk of Fame, and IF Edna was selected by the Hollywood Walk of Fame Committee, and each of the signed 1000 fans, paid $25 each, that would be $25,000, and would pay for the cost of getting a star on the Walk of Fame for Edna. You would have played a direct role in getting the star on the Walk of Fame for Edna and something you could tell your future generation about.

You could walk up to that star and say, I helped get Edna's star on the Walk of Fame! And you would be part of the history, behind that star. Think about it... $25 isn't much, to be part of film history...

Date change for Edna's birthday drawing and updates...

In what can be a very quiet time in the office suddenly turned into several things happening all at ONCE. And it all start Sunday, as our first snowfall of the year, brought down not only leaves, but the branches and limbs supporting them (about 17 limbs in our yard alone).

I never seen so many trees damaged in this town. It is something I have seen on television, but quite different to see, falling right in front of you, as a 20 foot limb, crack and falls right in front of us, causing a brief, whiteout. I moved both our cars, just minutes, before two limbs crashed onto the driveway.

As we worked on cleaning up, some exciting news came in about a possible Edna Purviance event next year in Niles, as part of their weekly, weekend events.

I have been asked to come down and visit one of their events and talk about maybe being part of their event. I've never been to any Niles events before, so looking forward to it.

On the same day, a work related project suddenly appeared, making that trip possible sooner, instead of later, which was very exciting to have happen. So, I will be heading down this month. Again, nothing set yet and only in the planning stages.

Because of this, I will have to move the Edna Purviance Birthday drawing to a later date, as I will be gone on the 21st. I will be moving the drawing to November 4th. That will give everyone two more weeks to enter.

Plus, the Walk of Fame folks at Facebook, finally reached over 1000 names on their Edna petition. The names will be checked and a few additional will have be gained, before the form is totally official. So if you like to show your support, please do so.

Something else happened, too. Something we have been trying for along time, but we will have to see how it develops. This came out of the blue, so we'll have to see where it leads too.

Meanwhile, the FDR Secret Air Force is working toward final stages.

More to report, but leave it for now.

1001! On Edna's Walk of Fame Drive!!!

This morning, I posted on the Edna Walk of Fame page, that Edna was at 991. I just checked and she has gone over 1001 signatures for the Walk of Fame Drive! Arnold Parker was number 1000 and Emily Schenneider wrote,

"A kiss for Edna! The Great Woman!"

Please keep the signatures coming! We will be checking all and will need more to make sure we have the official 1000 needed.

Kurt Coble's 'Metropolis' by P.A.M. Band

Not exactly what I think of as silent film music, but a new twist by the P.A.M. Band (Partially Artificial Musicians) created by violinist, Kurt Coble. List of future performances with 'Metropolis' in the coming months.

Rainbow Orchid author/artist, Garen Ewing, in action signing books

Garen Ewing was at British International Comic Show (BICS) signing his book The Rainbow Orchid. (video thanks to Ray Clenshaw posting online)

Niles Essanay October 2009 Events

OCTOBER 2009
Saturday October 3 - 7:30 PM
Suggested donation $5
Jon Mirsalis (piano)
Filmed in Pleasanton
The Home Stretch (1921, Ince) Douglas MacLean came to San Francisco for some scenes in the film, but it was the Pleasanton racetrack that was the main reason for his traveling all the way from the Thomas Ince studio in Culver City.
With shorts:
Seeing Stars (1923) Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin
The Grocery Clerk (1919) Larry Semon

Saturday October 10 - 7:30 PM
Suggested donation $5
Frederick Hodges (piano)
Filmed in Pleasanton
A Woman of the World (1925, Famous Players-Lasky)
Pola Negri plays a countess who visits her American cousin in a small midwestern town, and causes the local gossips to speculate about her reason for being there.
With shorts:
Lizzies of the Field (1924, Sennett) Billy Bevan
Slipping Wives (1927, Roach) Priscilla Dean, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy


Sunday October 11 - 4:00 PM
Suggested donation $5
Laurel & Hardy Matinee
The Midnight Patrol Tent of the “Sons of the
Desert”, the International Laurel & Hardy vintage comedy film appreciation society, will once again be meeting at the Edison Theater at 3:00 pm prior to the films. The public is welcome to attend their friendly, informal and very informative meeting.
The Laurel and Hardy Murder Case (1930, Roach)
Laurel and Hardy go to a haunted mansion hoping to inherit the estate of Stan’s Uncle Ebenezer.
Moan and Groan, Inc. (1929, Roach) Our Gang investigates a haunted house.
Hide and Shriek (1938, Roach) Our Gang detectives Alfalfa, Buckwheat and Porky try to solve a missing candy case.
The Live Ghost (1934, Roach) Laurel and Hardy are recruited to shanghai a crew for a haunted ship.


Saturday October 17 7:30 PM
Suggested donation $5
Judy Rosenberg (piano)
Filmed in Pleasanton
Gigolo (1926, DeMille) Rod La Rocque, a former Chicago Essanay star, shines in the title role of a small town boy who winds up dancing in Paris.
With shorts:
Ring Up the Curtain (1919, Rolin) Harold Lloyd
With Love and Hisses (1927, Roach) Laurel & Hardy


Sunday October 18 - 4:00 PM Free
Transcontinental Connections
Join us for this quarterly “open mike” history/cultural arts forum to share and discover connections among the communities of Southern Alameda County and their contributions to the greater Bay Area, moderated by Niles architect Paul Welschmeyer.


Saturday October 24 7:30 PM
Suggested donation $5
CLICK HERE FOR ADVANCE TICKETS
Greg Pane (piano)
Short Subjects Night
He Did and He Didn’t (1915, Keystone) Roscoe
“Fatty” Arbuckle, Mabel Normand
Haunted Spooks (1920, Rolin) Harold Lloyd
The Haunted House (1921, Comique) Buster Keaton
Habeas Corpus (1928) Laurel and Hardy


Sunday, October 25 4:00 PM
Suggested donation $5
Filmed in the Bay Area & KTVU!
Watch Horror Films – Keep America Strong! – A Journey into Creature Features
With short:
Hardware Wars – this classic parody of Star Wars is a local cult favorite
Meet in Person – John Stanley, author and Creature Features host, and Ernie Fosselius, creator of Hardware Wars!

___________________________

If you live in the bay area or traveling by there, check it out and help support silent film history. Information from the desk of Michael Bonham. Contact the Niles Essanay Museum for more information and/or to get on their mailing list. Thanks, Michael! (Image from Niles Essanay.)

Ken Burn's National Park Series this week!

Part One started on Sunday, but Part Two is TONIGHT. Here is a link to a preview with thoughts from Rudyard Kipling's first impressions of Yellowstone and how he was slowly won over by the beauty. LINK

Update: Just watched Part Two and I found it excellent! Part three Tuesday night.

Update Sept. 29: The National Park Series will be available online each day, until Oct. 9th. Link to Episode One.

Update: Watched Part Three - It included the addition of the volcano national park in Hawaii in 1916, just about one year before Edna and Charlie visited it in 1917.

And, it should be noted, Edna DID visit some of the great national parks during the 1920s! She loved natural areas. In fact, she did a full summer tour, by car with family members, right after filming 'The Woman of the Sea' (The Sea Gull) in 1926. I will double check my notes, but one of her trips went through Yellowstone, I believe, while spending part of her summer on a ranch. She loved it!

The Rainbow Orchid available at Springfield Oregon Library

Once your book gets released into the world, you never know who might be checking it out.

Today, Springfield librarian Rita Eberle, has listed Garen Ewing's The Rainbow Orchid into the Springfield City Library collection in Springfield, Oregon. Garen's book is available to check out or to get through interlibrary loan, through the Springfield City Library.

With the help of my EdnaPurviance.org guide section, I purchased a copy and donated the book to the Springfield Library this week. I plan to donate Rainbow Orchid Volumes 2 and 3, when available (Volume 2 is scheduled for release in July 2010).


In time, I hope The Rainbow Orchid will find a new base of fans, who will like to add the book to their collections. Special thanks to Rita for adding The Rainbow Orchid to their library collection today!

List of known libraries The Rainbow Orchid is located:
• Springfield City Library - Springfield, Oregon USA (available for inter-library loan)
• British Library - Wetherby, West Yorkshire, UK
• University of Reading Library - Reading, United Kingdom
• National Library - Singapore

Extra Notes!
For USA buyer, The Rainbow Orchid is available for purchase in the USA from Amazon. Also like to note for USA buyer, it is a good time, at the moment, to check out Garen's shop and get those signed copy editions, T-shirts or special posters.

The exchange rate has drop to $1.59 to buy one £1, which is the best it has been in several months. But exchange rates change often, so do check out The Rainbow Orchid Shop!

Learn more about The Rainbow Orchid by Garen Ewing at this link.

Drawing of Lisa by L. Wada (copyrighted M. Groening character)

Actress Edna May

New website about
Stage Actress and Singer
Edna May

While on a trip, Charles Pascoe came across a postcard with a stamp he liked for his stamp collection. But in time, the picture on the front of the card grabbed his attention even more. With research he learned it was stage actress Edna May.

Edna May was born in Syracuse, New York. She started her stage career in her hometown, before moving to New York City in the mid-1890s.

After a while, she landed a role in the Broadway production of "The Belle of New York" which in time, would send her to London with the same play production.

In London, the show became a hit and made Edna May a star.

Her career continued into the 1910s on stage and she even played in a few silent films before retiring.

Edna May is Charles Pascoe's first website about the star and he plans to add to his site overtime. His research into Edna May is for the love of doing it (the same as Edna Purviance.org began). So we thank Charles for letting us know about his site and we hope you enjoy watching his site grow in the coming years. Link to Edna May

Image from Charles site.