Silent film star Baby Peggy

By the time Baby Peggy's film career was coming to an end, Louise Brooks' film career was just getting started. Today, Diana Serra Cary (who in the 1920's was known as Baby Peggy), is considered the last surviving major silent film star.

On Sunday, August 7th at 2 pm, Cary will be speaking at the San Francisco Public Library. "An Afternoon with Silent Film Star 'Baby Peggy" will feature a Baby Peggy short film (courtesy of the actress), an on-stage conversation, and a book signing. A little more info about the event can be found on the SFPL website and on its Facebook page.

The library is expecting a good crowd. If you plan on attending, be sure and check out the various silent film exhibits on display around the library. More info on these exhibits can also be found at on the SFPL website. The exhibits run through August 28.

Earlier that same day, at 1 pm, there will be a 30 minute informal guided tour of one of the exhibits, "Reading the Stars," with exhibit organizers Thomas Gladysz, Christy Pascoe and Donna Hill. A little more info at the tour can be had at http://events.sfgate.com/san-francisco-ca/events/show/196140225-guided-tour-of-reading-the-stars-exhibit

"Reading the Stars" features rare vintage books relating to silent films stars such as Louise Brooks, Rudolph Valentino, Douglas Fairbanks,  Buster Keaton, Mary Pickford, Eric von Stroheim, William S. Hart, Sessue Hayakawa and of course Baby Peggy.

Baby Peggy

Considering all she has been through, Diana Serra Cary is a survivor. And a remarkable one at that. She is also, as Baby Peggy, one of the last surviving silent film film stars. Should you ever have a chance to see Captain January (perhaps her best surviving film), do so! It is wonderful.

And should you ever come across her recently reissued autobiography,What Ever Happened to Baby Peggy: The Autobiography of Hollywood's Pioneer Child Star, read it! It too is wonderful - a great read, a moving memoir. When I read a few years ago, and I think I fell a little bit in love with the author's indomitable spirit.

Today, I published a two pieces on this diminutive actress  - one was in the book section of the Huffington Post. My article is called "The Bookseller Who Became an Author and Who Once Had Been the Biggest Little Film Star in the World." It tells the story of Diana Serra Cary after she left Hollywood. The other was  a short article on examiner.com. (Today, Kenneth Turan also ran a piece on the actress in the Los Angeles Times.)

If you live in Los Angeles or San Francisco, you have a chance to meet Baby Peggy in person. Cary, aka "Baby Peggy," will give a short talk and introduce her 1924 film, Captain January, at the Cinefamily's Silent Movie Theater in Los Angeles on July 7th. And, she will be signing copies of her books at the Castro Theater in San Francisco on July 16th as part of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Don't miss one of these opportunities to meet a real movie star - a living legend.

OK, so you may be wondering, what does all this have to do with Louise Brooks, as Baby Peggy's film career was largely over with by the time Brooks' had started. Nevertheless, the one-time child star did encounter a few individuals who also figure in Brooks' story.

For example, one of the Baby Peggy's major films was Helen's Babies (1924), which co-starred Brooks' contemporary, Clara Bow. And in her autobiography, Baby Peggy tells a story about The Captain Hates the Sea (1934), a film in which her mother had a bit part as a dress extra. That Lewis Milestone film starred John Gilbert, and also featured three actors with whom Brooks worked - Leon Errol ("Louie the 14th"), Victor McLaglen (A Girl in Every Port) and Akin Tamiroff (King of Gamblers).

And, as the picture above shows, the 13 year old Baby Peggy also met Louise Brooks' former husband, director Eddie Sutherland. She is pictured in the middle, between her parents on the right and Douglas Fairbanks Sr. (with a monkey on his head) watched by a smiling Sutherland on the left. [Image courtesy of Diana Serra Cary.] Below is a short, three minute film in tribute to Baby Peggy and her appearance in Pordenone, Italy in 2005.

Diana Serra Cary ("Baby Peggy")

Two books I recently finished reading - and really enjoyed a whole lot - are Jackie Coogan: The World's Boy King by Diana Serra Cary, and What Ever Happened to Baby Peggy?, also by by Diana Serra Cary. After having read the Coogan book - I wanted more, and so immediately turned to the author's equally compelling autobiography. Each were very charming, anecdotal-filled stories of success and hardship. In the 1920's, Diana was an actress known as "Baby Peggy." And next to Jackie Coogan (whom she knew back then!), Diana was one of the most famous child movie stars in the whole world. In both books, she offers an insider's perspective on fame and fortune.

I really admire the author, who is now in her eighties. I have had the pleasure of meeting her on a few occasions. She has written four books to date, and I would recommend them to anyone.