Denishawn Dancer Jane Sherman

Jane Sherman has died. The dancer and author passed away on March 16th.

Sherman (1908 - 2010) was one of the last - perhaps the last - living members of the early / first generation / original Denishawn Dance Company. She was also a kind of unofficial historian of Denishawn and its founders Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn. Sherman authored a handful of books on the subject, and also appeared in various documentaries.

One of the documentaries she appeared in was Louise Brooks: Looking for Lulu. In it, Sherman spoke about Louise Brooks' two season tenure with Denishawn prior to her entry into silent film.

Sherman's time with Denishawn did not overlap with that of Louise Brooks. They missed each other missed each other by about a year. (Had Brooks not have been kicked out of Denishawn, they likely would have toured the Far East together.) Nevertheless, Sherman was aware of her famous predecesor and wrote about Brooks and her small but noted history with Denishawn in various works.

Sherman was the author of various articles and books including Soaring: The Diary of Letters of a Denishawn Dancer in the Far East, 1925-1926 (Wesleyan, 1976), The Drama of Denishawn Dance (Wesleyan, 1979), Denishawn: The Enduring Influence (Twayne, 1983), and Barton Mumaw, Dancer: From Denishawn to Jacob's Pillow and Beyond (Wesleyan, 2000). I have each. Each are excellent.

A little more on Sherman and her life can be found on the arts meme website and on the ballet talk website. Sherman's death was announced by Norton Owen, Director of Preservation, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival.

[The image below shows members of the Denishawn Dance Company during the 1922-1923 season. Martha Graham is center, Louise Brooks is second from the right.]

Diary of a Lost Girl Soundtrack

Here is something you don't see everyday. For sale on eBay is a CD issued in Greece featuring a contemporary soundtrack recording to the 1929 Louise Brooks' film, Diary of a Lost Girl.

The seller's text reads, "Diary of a Lost Girl, by Minos Matsas, released on Minos in Greece in 1997. OUTSTANDING recording of a live performance of music by Greek composer Minos Matsas, written as the soundtrack to accompany an outdoor screening of the Pabst silent film classic Diary of a Lost Girl, featuring Louise Brooks. Stunningly beautiful music, and a very rare cd." A while back, I did a little further research on the composer and found that he now lives in Los Angeles. This disc was his first recorded release.

I've known about this recording for a while not, but haven't heard it as of yet. Has any reader of this blog heard it? And if so, what are your impressions?

Curiously, this is the second contemporary soundtrack recording for Diary of a Lost Girl to pop up on eBay in recent weeks. I blogged about the other on March 4th.

Pepi Lederer

Today is what would have been Pepi Lederer's 100^th birthday. Pepi (March 18, 1910 – June 11, 1935) was an actress and writer. She was also the niece of Marion Davies. What little we know about Pepi comes from Louise Brooks' Lulu in Hollywood. In it, she devotes an entire chapter to Pepi, Marion Davies, and Davies' lover, William Randolph Hearst. Louise Brooks knew them all, and spent a little time with each at the Hearst Castle.

If you haven't read Brooks' essay, "Marion Davies' Niece," you should. It is a fine and sympathetic portrait of a tragic figure. 

Film historian Allan R, Ellenberger, the author of recommended books on Ramon Novarro and Rudolph Valentino, has written an excellent, illustrated article on Pepi on his blog. Check it out at http://www.allanellenberger.com      Pepi Lederer is not forgotten.

Lulu, by Samuel Bernstein

Yesterday, I received a copy of Samuel Bernstein's just published book, Lulu a novel. Its out from Walford Press. I've written about this book in the past, on groundhog's day to be exact. Since then, the book's cover has been redesigned and it looks great! I like it. What do you think?

The author describes the book as a non-fiction novel, and it centers on the actress and the period of time around the making of Pandora's Box. There is a bit more info about the book from the publisher here.

I also noticed that the kindle edition of the printed book is now listed on amazon.com. Be sure and check it out. I plan on posting more about this new book in the near future. Here are a couple of early blurbs.

"It's like a scandalous Jackie Collins novel set in the 1920's, but written with the sophisticated wit of a man who in a past life, was surely there to see it all." - Karen McCullah Lutz, screenwriter of Legally Blonde, The Ugly Truth and House Bunny as well as bestselling author of The Bachelorette Party.

"In his follow up to the wonderful Mr. Confidential Samuel Bernstein brilliantly brings actress Louise Brooks to life in this evocative non-fiction novel that blends both fact and fiction in a way that will keep readers turning pages and begging for more. - Julie Kenner, bestselling author of Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom and The Prada Paradox.

Austrian postcard

Here is an uncommon image of Louise Brooks on an uncommon postcard. The card comes from Austria, and likely dates from the late 1920's. (The designation Iris Verlag means the card came from Austria; the other common designation seen on vintage postcards, Ross Verlag, means it comes from Germany.) The card pictured here is currently for sale on eBay. The seller is asking quite a lot for it. Nevertheless, it is nice.

Keeping up with Rufus Wainwright and Lulu

As mentioned earlier on this blog, singer / songwriter Rufus Wainwright has a new album coming out in the USA on April 20th. It's called All Days Are Nights: Songs For Lulu, and its on the Decca label. The album title is a reference to Shakespeare's Sonnet 43 and Wainwright's own concept of Lulu, which he describes as a "dark, brooding, dangerous woman that lives within all of us." In particular, the Lulu to which Wainwright refers is Louise Brooks, who starred as Lulu in the 1929 film Pandora's Box.

All Days Are Nights: Songs For Lulu is available to pre-order in two formats, a standard jewel case and pre-order only digi pack which features an exclusive bonus track. The album was written by Rufus Wainwright, produced by Wainwright (with Pierre Marchand on three songs), and mixed by Marchand.

Wainwright will be touring all across Europe in the Spring to promote the album. Wainwright also has concerts planned for Canada in June, including a June 21st gig at the Theatre St. Denis. That is the same venue where a young Louise brooks danced as a member of the Denishawn Dance Company in April, 1924. And on November 22nd, he will return to the historic Royal Albert Hall in London for an exclusive one off concert. For more info on Wainwright previous work and upcoming concerts, visit his website at http://www.rufuswainwright.com/

Stay tuned for further details about this story as things develop.

Louise Brooks' film makes Martin Scorsese's 10 Essential Movie Posters

According to an article (and accompanying slide show) on the GQ website, a poster for the 1929 Louise Brooks' film Diary of a Lost Girl is one of director Martin Scorsese's favorites.

The article, "Martin Scorsese's 10 Essential Movie Posters," is excerpted from a newly published book Starstruck: Vintage Movie Posters from Classic Hollywood, by Ira M. Resnick. Scorsese wrote the forward to this new coffee table book, which was recently published by Abbeville Press.

In the forward, the acclaimed director writes "I share Ira Resnick's passion for collecting movie posters. And you may very well begin to share that passion after you look through Starstruck and are caught by stunning reproductions of, for example, a lobby card for Orphans of the Storm, a German poster for Pabst's Diary of a Lost Girl, a window card for Bringing Up Baby, or stunning posters for pictures you may not even know of like Private Detective 62 with William Powell or Daphne and the Pirate with Lillian Gish." 

I just got a copy of this book (Louise Brooks shines throughout) - and it is gorgeous! I plan on writing more about it in the very near future. In the mean time, Starstruck: Vintage Movie Posters from Classic Hollywood can be purchased online or at better independent bookstores. [For those who can wait, author Ira Resnick will be signing copies of his book at this summer's San Francisco Silent Film Festival in July.]

Vienna Art Orchestra

For completists and others who are into such things, there is a copy of a hard-to-find Vienna Art Orchestra CD for sale on eBay. This European release features a tracked titled "Louise Brooks: Lulu's Ragtime." It was released in 2007 on the Universal Music label.

According to their website, "The Vienna Art Orchestra - Europe’s leading international Jazz orchestra - was created in 1977 by mathias rüegg. Since its international breakthrough in 1981, the orchestra has made guest performances in over 55 countries, including the USA and Japan, as well as in numerous other countries in Asia and Africa. More than 100 of these performances took place at international jazz festivals. The orchestra has made more than 40 recordings, many of which have been singled out for awards. For its special brand of contemporary jazz music, which is innovative yet which pays due respect to the European and American traditions from which it comes, the Vienna Art Orchestra has also received acclaim as Best Big Band in numerous countries, including in 1984-85 from Down Beat (USA)."

I have a copy of this CD. Other tracks on this release include:

1. Jean Harlow : Blond, Sharp & Loud
2. Rita Hayworth : Latin Twister
3. Louise Brooks : Lulu's Ragtime
4. Katharine Hepburn : La Grande Dame
5. Grace Kelly : One Day My Prince Did Come
6. Judy Garland : Wizards & Blizzards
7. Josephine Baker : She Need Never Regret
8. Lauren Bacall : Smile Of Gold
9. Mae West : Bombs And Other Shells
10. Bette Davis : Smokin' With Bette
11. Ava Gardner : Gardener Of Unrealized Wishes
12. Marilyn Monroe : Behind The Mirror Of Desire
13. Jayne Mansfield : Rises And Falls

Internationalism, and sex appeal

Just how international was silent film? Here is one small example.

Cuurently for sale on eBay is this postcard which depicts the the American actress Fay Lanphier. She lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, and was the first Miss America from California.

In 1925, she won the Miss America contest held in Atlantic City. To exploit her fame, Lanphier was quickly cast in The American Venus (1926), a Paramount comedy about a beauty pageant in which Louise Brooks also appeared. The film proved popular - due, in part, to the fact that it featured many pretty girls in bathing suits. The film played all over the world.

What's so international about this postcard is the fact that it was manufactured in Germany, for the European market. In Germany, The American Venus was shown as Die Schönste Frau der Staaten. And interestingly, the seller of this postcard lives in Latvia. Silent films certainly did get around.

Here is a rare example of a German advertisement for The American Venus. It depicts Lanphier, and promotes a screening at one of the largest and most prestigious motion picture theatres in Berlin.

Many, if not most, American films played oversees during the silent film-era. Or at least that is the case with the films of Louise Brooks. I have found numerous examples of Brooks' films showing all around the world in the 1920s (on every continent even, except Antartica). However, the American-ness of these film was not always appreciated. In England, for example, The American Venus was shown as The Modern Venus.