One web sites used in the compilation of the LBS bibliographies can be found at
www.ancestry.com
This genealogy site contains a database of scanned historic newspapers
which are searchable by - in effect - keyword. Normally, individuals use
this resource to locate family records, but I have found it to be a
valuable resource for film research.
So far, searches on
ancestry.com have turned up a handful of articles, captioned
photographs, advertisements and film reviews in small town newspapers
across the United States. The result are citations from the
Zanesville Times-Signal from Ohio, the
Appleton Post-Cresent from Wisconsin, the
Helena Indepenedent
from Montana, etc. . . . Among the fascinating and sometimes rather
surprising items which came to light are a February, 1925 captioned
photograph mentioning Brooks return to New York from London aboard the
S. S. Homeric; an interesting December, 1925 article
"Follie's Girl
Sues to Supress Her Very Artistic Photographs;" a mention in a 1940
syndicated gossip column that "Louise Brooks, ex-star, is teaching the
rhumba and La Conga in Wichita, Kansas;" and a small town newspaper
advertisement from the mid 1950's (long after Brooks was forgotten by
just about everyone) evoking glamorous movie stars of the past who
started as showgirls.
[ Other similar, searchable newspaper archives include
www.newspaperarchive.com and
www.paperofrecord.com.
Each of these sites have produced interesting material, and each is
worth a visit if you are interested in family history or genealogy.
Please note: Each of the previously mentioned sites require
subscription.]
Silent film buffs and history buffs alike will want to check out the web site for British Pathe (located at
www.britishpathe.com
). British Pathe made short newsreel films beginning around the
turn-of-the-century. Thousands of these short two and three minute films
are now available on-line (in a low resolution format) and can be
viewed for free! There is fascinating stuff here . . . . Though there is
no Brooks material, one can view vintage film of Chaplin, Fairbanks,
and Valentino. For example, there is footage of Valentino's funeral in
New York City, which Brooks attended. (A sobbing Poli Negri can be
glimpsed, as well as Douglas Fairbanks Sr. as pallbearer.) Try searching
by key words like "Charleston," "flapper" or "cinema" for other
interesting material.
Another free site worth checking is the silent film database at the American Film Institute (located at
www.afi.com/catalog
). There, you will find details on each of Brooks' silent films.
Information on Brooks' later sound films is available only to AFI
members.