LBS gift shop at Cafepress.com

The LBS gift shop at Cafepress.com has been updated. A few items have been dropped or discontinued, and a few items (and new designs) have been added. Among the new items are a Loulou postcard, pinback buttons and magnets. Check it out! The shop is located at http://www.cafepress.com/louisebrooks

The Dylan connection and other bibliographic tidbits

There were a few inter-library loans waiting for me this week. . . . For the first time, I looked at microfilm of the London Observer, a weekly (?) newspaper from England. I had based my loans requests on the handful of screening dates I had already uncovered in the London Times. I was hoping to find film reviews. However, most every London newspaper I've looked at from the period gave scant attention to the "pictures" - as they usually were termed. The London Observer was no different. All that I was able to find was a brief summary of The Canary Murder Case(1929) from October, which the paper described as "One of the best of the talking thrillers."

I also went through a couple of months of the Chicago American from 1934, the period when Louise Brooks was dancing in nightclubs as part of "Dario and Brooks." I was hoping to find some textual material (such as reviews or a mention in a column), but all I did uncover were some advertisement for the Chez Paree, a Chicago nightclub where Brooks and her partner were appearing. The ads noted the dance team, who were supporting two bigger name acts, torch singer Helen Morgan and the comedic Ritz Brothers.

I also went through a couple of months of the Hibbing Daily Tribune, from Hibbing, Minnesota. (This small town is perhaps most famous as the childhood home to Robert Zimmerman - a.k.a. the folk singer Bob Dylan.) The Hibbing Daily Tribune gave up a slew of material on the March, 1924 performance the Denishawn dance company. I found five article and a review! One of the articles, which were little more than program notes, mentioned Brooks - while another pictured her and other members of the Denishawn company. The review which ran the day after their performance also mentioned the future actress. "One of the most attractive numbers of the evening was the Music Box with Georgia Graham, Doris Humphrey and Louise Brooks."

Louise Brooks / Dixie Dugan

A rather interesting letter from, and picture of Louise Brooks, has shown up on eBay. "These items were acquired with a collection of Brooks items saved by Fritzi Striebel who was the wife of John H. Striebel (artist and illustrator) who used Louise as his model for Dixie Dugan -  famous comic strip character he created in 1928."

New book on Lois Moran

There is a new book out on the silent film star Lois Moran, a contemporary of Louise Brooks. The book is A Beautiful Fairy Tale: The Life of Actress Lois Moran by Richard Buller.  Here is some descriptive text from the publisher. "Coming of age in Paris in the 1920s, film and stage actress Lois Moran was a rumored paramour of writer F. Scott Fitzgerald and the inspiration for the character of Rosemary in his Tender Is the Night. 

As a young girl, Lois moved to Paris with her mother and thrived in the artistic and literary glow of the city. She danced with the National Paris Opera at age 14 and also was cast in two French films. Samuel Goldwyn, on a European tour in search of new talent, saw her work, was impressed, and cast her in what would become one of the best-known films of the era. With her performance as Laurel, the emotionally conflicted daughter in Stella Dallas, Lois Moran became an overnight sensation and took Hollywood by storm, and on her own terms. 

She appeared in more than 30 Hollywood movies, from silent films to early talkies, and was in one of the first dramatic television series, Waterfront. She starred in two of the Gershwins' original Broadway musical productions, Of Thee I Sing and Let 'Em Eat Cake. Her circle of friends and acquaintances ranged from Howard Hughes and Charles Lindbergh to Al Jolson, John Gilbert, and Man Ray. 



The author, Richard Buller, corresponded with Lois Moran during the last five years of her life. He had full and exclusive access to her journals, scrapbooks, and photos. In telling the Lois Moran story, Buller illuminates the history of film, theater, and television. He also includes a thorough and unique account of the actress's relationship with Fitzgerald." I hope to get a copy and check it out.

A package from France

I received a package from France. It contained a letter from Rene Clementi-Bilinsky, who was enquiring if any "members of the Louise Brooks Society have ever encountered an illustrations of the couple of posters designed by my grandfather, Boris Bilinsky (1900 - 1948), for the movie I recieved a package from France. It contained a letter from Rene Clementi-Bilinsky, who was enquiring if any "members of the Louise Brooks Society have ever encountered an illustrations of the couple of posters designed by my grandfather, Boris Bilinsky (1900 - 1948), for the movie Prix de Beaute." Rene writes that he is certain these posters exist, but he has yet to see them. If you are familiar with them, please post a comment.

Rene also printed out my bibliography of articles and reviews of Prix de Beaute (1930), on which he pointed out a number of typos and errors. I have made corrections, and have posted the revised bibliography to the web.

Rene also sent along a newly published article about Prix de Beaute which appeared in April, 2005 issue of 1895, a French journal focussing on film history. This long article, by Davide Pozzi, was followed by a second piece which contained Rene Clair's original outlines and synopsis for the film. There were also some swell pics of Louise Brooks. Thank you Rene." Rene writes that he is certain these posters exist, but he has yet to see them. If you are familiar with them, please post a comment.

Buster Keaton

There is big article about Buster Keaton in today's Los Angeles Times. The article mentions a lecture on Keaton by John Bengston as well as some screenings of Keaton films. "Buster Keaton’s doleful face and agile antics are as delightful today as in the ’20s. His comic mastery is honored at UCLA. . . ."



BTW: There is a new book about Keaton being released in the United States. It is called Buster Keaton: Tempest in a Flat Hat, by Edward McPherson. The book releases in May.

Louise Brooks group on tribe.net

There is a Louise Brooks group on tribe.net.  It is located at http://ladivinelouise.tribe.net/  Check it out.