Television series, Hollywood and the Stars

I came across this early 1963 newspaper advertisement for the short-lived television series, Hollywood and the Stars, narrated by Joseph Cotten. A little digging led me to discover the series is available on YouTube. I love documentary histories of Hollywood, and the earlier the better: older histories of early Hollywood are especially revealing, as perceptions of the past change as well. THis series and other like it are really about how Hollywood sees itself, and in the early 1960's, it really didn't see the silent film era.

Here is the embedded video to the one of the episodes, "Hollywood & the Stars: The Wild and Wonderful Thirties." Look it up on YouTube to find the rest. The series doesn't seem to have covered the silent era, but did look at early comedians and horror films and a handful of contemporary actors, as well as the period after the coming of sound.

Silent era stars speak! includes Louise Brooks

They have voices then too. Here silent film stars speak in this YouTube compilation, which includes Louise Brooks, Lon Chaney, Mary Pickford, Rudolph Valentino, Nita Naldi, Buster Keaton, Theda Bara, and Clara Bow.

1920s Jazzmania Quintette

From YouTube: A late 1920's eccentric musical medley short film featuring Georgie Stoll, who became a well known bandleader.

Louise Brooks for Lux Toilet Soap

Louise Brooks appeared in many advertisements for Lux Toilet Soap, including this one from 1929. She was in good company, which suggests to me both her beauty and her popularity was seen to rank with the others stars pictured in this advertisement.

Louise Brooks grande vedette

A 1929 article from a French publication.

Beggars of Life to screen at San Francisco Silent Film Festival

Beggars of Life is the opening night presentation at this year's San Francisco Silent Film Festival! The acclaimed 1928 Louise Brooks' film will be shown on Thursday, June 2nd at 7:00 pm at the historic Castro Theater, with live musical accompaniment by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra. More information, including ticket availability, may be found at HERE.

Beggars of Life first showed at the Castro Theater on February 17, 1929. The San Francisco Silent Film Festival screened it 2007.

The SF Silent Film Festival site notes "Louise Brooks, in her best American film, is luminous as a freight-train-hopping runaway who dresses in a flat cap and trousers to escape capture by the police. She joins up with young vagabond Richard Arlen, and along the way they encounter a hobo encampment and its charismatic leader, played by Wallace Beery in a performance that Brooks later called “a little masterpiece.” William A. Wellman, whose Wings (1927) had just won the first-ever Academy Award for Best Picture, directs with nuance and grace."

Check out Wayne Shellabarger's groovy art for the Silent Film Festival schedule. I hope this becomes a poster!