Happy birthday Mabel Normand

A belated happy birthday to Mabel Normand (born November 9, 1892).

Louise Brooks is mentioned in this 1982 television clip featuring biographer Betty Harper Fussell, who can be seen discussing her then recently published life of Mabel Normand. Fussell's book came out around the same time as did Brooks' Lulu in Hollywood. (John Updike reviewed them together in the New Yorker).

There is a lot wrong with this bit of video - its a terrible interview, and the Charlie Chaplin clip certainly leaves something to be desired. The interviewer is Geoff Edwards, and the talk show is likely from a Los Angeles TV station.

The birthday girl, Louise Brooks

Happy birthday to Louise Brooks, who would have been 104 years old today. There was a great turn-out at the special event held in her honor at the San Francisco Public Library. Thanx to all the old and new Brooks fans who attended.

Happy birthday, Louise Brooks

Happy birthday to Louise Brooks. The Denishawn dancer, silent film actress, and author of Lulu in Hollywood was born on this day in 1906 in Cherryvale, Kansas. Come celebrate today at a special event held at the San Francisco Public Library!

If you can't make it to this San Francisco event - remember Brooks by checking out one of these related books or DVD's. Lulu forever!

Today in Orinda, CA - Louise Brooks celebration

Today, at 2 pm, I'll be speaking about the new "Louise Brooks edition" of The Diary of a Lost Girl at Orinda Books in Orinda, CA. My presentation will include an author talk, slide show, Q&A, and booksigning. More about the event can be found on the Lamorinda Patch at http://lamorinda.patch.com/events/thomas-gladysz-discusses-the-diary-of-a-lost-girl

This special event takes place on the day before what would have been Louise Brooks 104th birthday. Orinda, I might add, was the one-time home of Fay Lanphier, the first ever Miss America from California and star of the 1926 Louise Brooks' film The American Venus. In the post WWII era, Lanphier's husband owned a bookstore in Orinda (not Orinda Books, alas). Hope to see some of you there.

[More about the new "Louise Brooks edition" of The Diary of a Lost Girl and future events in San Francisco, CA and Paris, France can be found at http://www.pandorasbox.com/diary.html ]

Tagebuch einer Verlorenen: Screening und Lesung

The local Goethe-Institut is helping promote Sunday's event, "The Diary of a Lost Girl, from book to film," at the San Francisco Public Library. Here is what they have to say about it, in German.

Tagebuch einer Verlorenen
Screening und Lesung

Film
Sonntag, 14. November 2010, 13:00 Uhr
Koret Auditorium of the San Francisco Public
Library
100 Larkin Street, San Francisco
Diese Veranstaltung ist oeffentlich und kostenlos

Thomas Gladysz, Direktor der Louise Brooks Society, wird eine kurze Lesung zu seiner Neuauflage des Buchs “Tagebuch einer Verlorenen”, der Deutschen Schritstellerin, Margarete Bohme
(1967-1939) geben. Im Anschluss wird der gleichnamige Film von 1929 gezeigt.

Dieses Buch wurde ursprünglich in Deutschland im Jahre 1905 veröffentlicht und ist seit über 100 Jahren in USA nicht erhältlich gewesen.

INHALT: Der Film, "Diary of a Lost Girl" (1929) von Louise Brooks basiert auf dem 1905 veröffentlichten kontroversen Bestseller. Zu Beginn des 20ten Jahrhunderts stellte das Buch eine literarische Sensation dar, verkaufte sich bis zum Jahre 1929 über 1.2 Mio mal und gehört damit zu den meistverkauftesten Buchern in Deutschland überhaupt.

Louise Brooks event: Diary of a Lost Girl

I've finished my power point presentation for Sunday's event, "The Diary of a Lost Girl: From book to film," at the San Francisco Public Library. The SFPL page for the event can be found at http://sfpl.org/index.php?pg=1002352301 The event is set to start at 1 pm, and will be held in the Koret Auditorium (seats about 250).

I plan on giving a 15 minute talk (with a slide show featuring a handful of rare images),  followed by a screening of the 1929 G.W. Pabst film, The Diary of a Lost Girl. Copies of my new "Louise Brooks edition" of The Diary of a Lost Girl will be for sale, and I will sign copies for those interested. This event is free and open to the public.

Today, I received a really nice email from Louise Brooks biographer Barry Paris complimenting me on the book and saying how much he wishes he could be at this special event - which takes place on what would have been Louise Brooks' 104th birthday. (Barry lives on the other side of the country.) I had also hoped that major LB fan Rufus Wainwright would make it. The celebrated singer songwriter is in town for a series of performances with the San Francisco Symphony. However, Wainwright has a flight the afternoon of the event and couldn't make it.

Nevertheless, I am looking forward to Sunday. The event got a nice write up in the San Francisco Chronicle, and that piece in turn got picked up by a news site in Flagstaff, Arizona. If anyone makes it from Flagstaff, I will give em a free book! I am also pleased that the Academy of Art University blog featured the event.

Louise Brooks postcard

This vintage postcard of Louise Brooks, issued in England in the late 1920s, is for sale on eBay.