Louise Brooks Society supports Pussy Riot

In the spirit of Frank Wedekind (who was once imprisoned for insults to the Kaiser) and his immortal character Lulu, the Louise Brooks Society declares its support for Pussy Riot. Free Pussy Riot now!

Read their closing statements here -- http://nplusonemag.com/pussy-riot-closing-statements

Movie Legends - Louise Brooks (Star)

This nicely done YouTube video features a lot of bangless portraits of Louise Brooks, meaning
the actress isn't wearing her signature bangs.

"Silent Beauty" art exhibit

"DREAMIMG LULU" (DETAIL), 72"X84", LASER PRINT, ACRYLIC,ON CANVAS, 2012. 

ALL ARE INVITED TO THE OPENING OF "SILENT BEAUTY". This art exhibit embraces the golden era of "silent" entertainment in the 1920s, in which Holly Suzanne Rader renders a world of vintage ballerinas, follies girls and silent film actresses through mixed media paintings and life-size papier mache dress sculptures.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15th, 7-10 PM

ART629 GALLERY

629 COOKMAN AVENUE

ASBURY PARK, NJ

732-988-5111

WWW.ART629.COM

THE EXHIBITION WILL BE OPEN SEPT 15 through OCT 21. GALLERY HOURS VARY. APPOINTMENTS SUGGESTED. FOR MORE INFO VISIT: www.hollysuzannerader.com

Louise Brooks... shoes for the June Bride

Mary Mallory, author (of Hollywoodland), early film historian, and blogger extraordinaire forwarded this scan from the May 5th, 1927 issue of the Hollywood Daily Citizen. It is a full page newspaper advertisement for the Wetherby-Kayser Shoe Company in Los Angeles. And there, prominent in the middle, is Louise Brooks dressed as June bride. I don't know much of anything about the Wetherby-Kayser Shoe Company, though from a quick Google search they seem to have been a prominent local maker of footware from the 1890's onward. It is a great ad, though Louise Brooks looks rather glum. She was never one to smile :)

Free screening of Pandora's Box with Louise Brooks on 28 August

A free screening of Pandora's Box (1929), directed by G.W. Pabst and starring Louise Brooks, will take place in Heaton Park, Newcastle (England) on August 28th. Musical accompaniment will be provided by pianist Neil Brand.

Beggars of Life in Singapore, Overland Stage Raiders on TV

The recent screening of Beggars of Life at the Cinefamily theater in Los Angeles may have got some wondering about its source material, Jim Tully's novelistic memoir of the same name, and the film made from it. Tully's 1925 book is described as a "bestseller" and the 1928 William Wellman directed film one of the more acclaimed films in the year it was released. 

But just how big were they? 

Recently, while digging through some Singapore newspapers from the 1920's I came across these two items, each advertisements. The first is a booksellers advertisement listing some new books for sale. It dates from 1931. And there, among the 35 cent novels being offered - likely reprints or today's equivalent of the paperback, is Jim Tully's Beggars of Life. Some of the other books offered were by H.G. Wells and Nobel Prize winner John Galsworthy.

The other Tully item I came across is this advertisement for some records for sale. It dates from 1929. Among the records listed is a vocal waltz recording of Beggars of Life, which was the theme song for the movie of the same name. It was recorded by a few different artists, so I am not sure who performed on this one.

I show these two items in order to make a small point: Jim Tully and his book got around. Even  around the world, and all the way to Singapore. Was Beggars of Life shown there? I am not sure. Many of Louise Brooks' films showed in Singapore in the 1920's and early 1930's, though I have yet to come across a listing or advertisement or clipping for Beggars of Life. However, I did come across something else a bit unusual - a listing for Overland Stage Raiders (1938), Brooks' last film. This is a 1976 clipping listing programing on Singapore television. Overland Stage Raiders followed coverage of the XXI Olympics held in Montreal, Canada. Brooks is given forth billing after John Wayne, Ray Corrigan, and Max Terhune.

Louise Brooks (November 14, 1906 – August 8, 1985)

Mary Louise Brooks (November 14, 1906 – August 8, 1985)

Save 20% on The Diary of a Lost Girl (Louise Brooks edition)

Use coupon code ASTOUND at checkout and receive 20% off The Diary of a Lost Girl (Louise Brooks edition). This offer good only on Lulu.com through August 10th.

"In today's parlance this would be called a movie tie-in edition, but that seems a rather glib way to describe yet another privately published work that reveals an enormous amount of research and passion." - Leonard Maltin

"It was such a pleasure to come upon your well documented and beautifully presented edition." -- Elizabeth Boa, University of Nottingham

"Read today, it's a fascinating time-trip back to another age." - Jack Garner, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

"An important contribution to film history. . . . a volume of uncommon merit." - Richard Buller, author of A Beautiful Fairy Tale: The Life of Actress Lois Moran

"Thomas Gladysz is the leading authority on all matters pertaining to the legendary Louise Brooks. We owe him a debt of gratitude for bringing the groundbreaking novel, The Diary of a Lost Girl, back from obscurity." - Lon Davis, author of Silent Lives