Louise Brooks in Movie Collectors World

Louise Brooks appears on the cover of the October 2012 issue of Movie Collector's World. There is also a two page article about the actress by David Hogan. The article, "Discovering Louise Brooks," is on pages 18 and 19. Copies of Movie Collector's World can be found on newsstands; or, print copies can be ordered through the Movie Collector's World website at http://www.mcwonline.com/

If you can't find Movie Collector's World at your local newsstand, you can read and/or download a digital copy of the magazine for free at http://mcw-bi.s3.amazonaws.com/2012/772.pdf  I liked David Hogan's piece. It is a nice written appreciation.

Pandora's Box screens in UK with new score

Pandora's Box (1929), starring Louise Brooks, will be shown in England with a new score by Hildur Guðnadóttir and Jóhann Jóhannsson. The two Icelandic composers have composed a new score for the G.W. Pabst's silent film, which they will perform live with Philip Jeck and clarinettist Dov Goldberg in four cities across the UK.

The film, which traces the rise and fall of Lulu (played by Brooks), will be screened with the new score at the London Islington Assembly Hall (31 October), Leeds Howard Assembly Room (1 November), Manchester Royal Northern College of Music (2 November), and Coventry Warwick Arts Centre (3 November).

The event description for the Manchester screening reads: "GW Pabst’s 1929 silent film follows the rise and fall of the captivating, amoral young prostitute Lulu. Brought to life by the inimitable and incandescent Louise Brooks, the heroine of GW Pabst’s 1929 silent film is driven by curiosity and expresses herself only through pleasure. This special screening is accompanied by a brand new live score by award-winning Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson and cellist and composer Hildur Gudnadóttir (Múm/Animal Collective), featuring Philip Jeck."

It is amazing to me how often this film is shown, and how often a new score are composed for it.

If you can't make it to the UK to see the film or to hear this new score, please note that Pandora's Box will be shown in the United States on Sunday, September 23 at the Denver Silent Film Festival and on Sunday, November 4 on Turner Classic Movies (TCM).

Canary Murder Case released on DVD in Italy

Yesterday, I reported on the forthcoming release of Overland Stage Raiders (1938). Louise Brooks last film will be released on DVD and BluRay in early October. The release of Overland Stage Raiders by Olive Films marks the first time this B-western starring John Wayne will be available on DVD.

Now come word that another hard-to-come-by Brooks' film, The Canary Murder Case (1929), will be or already has been released on DVD in Italy.

Overland Stage Raiders coming on DVD

Good news: the Louise Brooks film, Overland Stage Raiders (1938), will be released on DVD and BluRay on October 2 by Olive Films. This marks the first time Brooks' last film has been released on disc. The film had previously been issued on VHS in 1997.

Here is what the Olive Films website has to say: "The Three Mesquiteers was the umbrella title for a series of fifty-one B-westerns released between 1936 and 1943. The films featured the characters Stony Brooke, Tucson Smith and Lullaby Joslin or Rusty Joslin as the threesome; played by many B-western stars of that era. In 1938, John Wayne took over for Robert Livingston as Stony Brooke and starred in eight Mesquiteers films between 1938 and 1939, he was joined by Ray Corrigan as Tucson Smith and Max Terhune as Lullaby Joslin for the first six and Raymond Hatton as Rusty Joslin for the last two… all eight films were directed by George Sherman (Big Jake). John Ford’s Stagecoach was perfectly sandwiched between the eight films and John Wayne portrayal of the outlaw gunfighter made him a superstar and ended Wayne’s Stony Brooke run… Livingston was rehired as Brooke and went on to make fourteen more Mesquiteers films and for an incredible total of twenty-nine. Overland Stage Raiders (the second of eight Wayne Mesquiteers films) co-stars silent film icon, Louise Brooks (in her final performance) and Anthony Marsh as siblings who partner up with the three amigos to save their struggling airline, standing in their way is an evil business man and his band of outlaws."

More on this new release once it is out.

Denver Silent Film Festival shows Pandora's Box with Louise Brooks

Here is a scan of the oversize postcards sent out by the Denver Silent Film Festival. The Festival takes place September 21 through September 23. Louise Brooks is pictured, obliquely, on the postcard because on Sunday, September 23 the Festival will screen Pandora's Box (1929) at the King Center in Denver, Colorado. Live musical accompaniment will be provided by the great Donald Sosin. Additional details, and ticket availability, can be found here.  Today, the Denver Post ran a piece about the Festival which can be found here.

Historical footnote: Louise Brooks herself visited Denver in 1922 as a member of the Denishawn Dance Company. That was some three years before her entry into films and some six years before she left for Germany to star in Pandora's Box. Denishawn, whose company also then included Martha Graham, performed at the Denver Auditorium on the evenings of Tuesday, December 26 and Wednesday, December 27.

Prior to their two performances, the company had spent the Christmas holiday in Denver. Considered important artists, local papers reported on their activities, which included spending their off hours sewing. Ruth St. Denis also gave a special radio talk in Denver, which was quite a novelty as radio was then in its infancy. 

Reviews of the two Denishawn performances were exceptionally positive. Denver critics used words like "enchanting" and "Supreme Art," and noted that the company gave many encores. Leading "Society Folk" were reported to have attended, and one local critic reported she was "Enraptured By Rare Artistry of Denishawn Dancers."

The Wyrd Sisters: Peter Carey and I

In situ the Wyrd Sisters: Peter Carey and I -- photo taken at a bookstore in San Francisco, California

"Louise" performed by the Bob Haring Orchestra

"Louise" performed by the Bob Haring Orchestra (April 1929).

Louise-Bob Haring Orchestra by bigband78

Tullyfest: A Celebration of author Jim Tully

Tullyfest: A Celebration of hard-boiled Hollywood author Jim Tully (1886-1947) is set to take place October 10 through October 15 in Los Angeles. Here are the details, with more info at https://www.facebook.com/events/300265733414321/

Hollywood's forgotten literary bad boy Jim Tully honored with October "Tullyfest"

WHAT: LAVA - The Los Angeles Visionaries Association, UCLA Special Collections and The American Cinematheque celebrate the life, writings and films of Jim Tully (1886-1947) with a week-long "Tullyfest." Events include: 1) October 10 - LAUGHTER IN HELL screening at the American Cinematheque; 2) October 11 - REDISCOVERING JIM TULLY Bonnie Cashin Lecture at UCLA Special Collections and opening of exhibit (open thru December) of selections from the Jim Tully Papers; 3) October 14 - Jim Tully's Hollywood walking tour; and 4) The LAVA Salon at Musso & Frank honors "Jim Tully: A Hobo in Hollywood." (Detailed event info is below.)

Biographie de "Louise BROOKS" par Barry PARIS

This is the 500th post on the Louise Brooks Society blog here on Blogger. (There were more than 1000 posts on the old blog on LiveJournal, which started in 2002.)

To mark this small milestone, and since this blog is on a French kick of late, I thought to post a short French video in which Olivier Barrot talks about the Barry Paris biography of Louise Brooks published by les Presses Universitaires de France (P.U.F.). For me, and for my interest / obsession in this singular silent film star, it all began with Barry Paris' brilliant biography. I read it after having seen Pandora's Box, and was hooked.

Barry Paris : Louise Brooks by Ina  

Louise Brooks ~ The Night Was Made For Love ~ Leo Reisman

Here is a sweet video, richly colorized and a bit dreamy..... images of Louise Brooks set to The Night Was Made For Love by Leo Reisman.

Louise Brooks~The Night Was Made For Love ~Leo... by MoonLover106

Jean-Marc Paumier - Rue meurt d'art : Louise Brooks

Louise Brooks is especially popular, and even beloved, in France..... Take, for example, the noted French artist Jean-Marc Paumier, who has something of a "special affection" for the silent film star.  Paumier is a graffiti artist (akin to Banksy) who has depicted Brooks on more than one occasion on the streets of Paris. Check out this 2009 image from the Square St Laurent in Paris, which is part of a Flickr photostream called "Louise Brooks - Rue Meurt d'Art."

A google of the terms "Jean-Marc Paumier" and "Louise Brooks" will turn up more images and webpages. Also, check out this video of another Paumier depiction of Brooks on a building in Paris.

Rue meurt d'art : Louise Brooks by DavidPaumierFarget

French documentary: Louise Brooks - Cinq pas vers le mythe

Embedded below is a French documentary in two parts: Louise Brooks - Cinq pas vers le mythe. I just came across it online. This approximately 35 minute film can be found on the three disc box set issued by Coffret in France back in 2004. I have a copy, and it is indispensable! It may also be out of print.

Not only does this set contain this rare short film, but other long and short form documentary material as well - as well as the French versions of Brooks' three European films, Loulou (Pandora's Box), Le journal d'une fille perdue (Diary of a Lost Girl), and Prix de beauté.

Louise Brooks - Cinq pas vers le mythe looks at Brooks her life in the 1920s and reputation as a flapper, the interest the surrealists had in Brooks, her relationship with the French curator Henri Langlois, nouvelle vague, and an interview with the French illustrator Floc'h, who, like Guido Crepax, based a comic book series on the actress.

Louise Brooks - Cinq pas vers le mythe 1 by edgarette


Louise Brooks - Cinq pas vers le mythe 2 by edgarette

Man Ray, Lee Miller, William S. Paley and Louise Brooks

File this under "all roads lead to Louise Brooks:" The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco are currently hosting the exhibit "Man Ray | Lee Miller: Partners in Surrealism" (through October 14) at the Legion of Honor. And forthcoming is "The William S. Paley Collection: A Taste for Modernism" (September 15 - December 30, 2012) at the M.H. de Young Museum.

Curiously, both of these exhibits bear a relationship with Louise Brooks. Man Ray, for one, long admired Louise Brooks; it was an admiration which likely dated from her brief celebrity in Paris in 1930. Later in life, he sent an admiring letter and small painting to the former actress. His lover, Lee Miller, also had a close encounter with Brooks. As a teenager, Miller saw Brooks dance while Brooks was a member of the Denishawn Dance Company. 

William S. Paley, founder of the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), was a leader in communication, entertainment, and broadcast journalism. His innovations in radio programming and advertising, his  commitment to entertainment and news dissemination, and his acute awareness of popular trends revolutionized broadcasting’s business model, and set new standards in broadcast journalism. He also secretly supported Louise Brooks, giving her a monthly stipend, while she was living in her later years in Rochester, New York. He did so because he and Brooks had likely been lovers back in the 1920s.

This colorized photograph of Louise Brooks

This colorized photograph of Louise Brooks has been making the rounds of social media. And for good reason, it's lovely. It is the same image as the one on the cover of Laura Moriarty's recent novel, The Chaperone. What's unusual about it is that Brooks is not wearing bangs, yet people seem to like it.

September Schedule at Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum

The Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum in Fremont, California is starting the Fall off right with an eclectic and exciting line-up of films. There is a locally made classic based on a famous story by a one-time San Francisco author, a little seen Jazz Age satire, an early Western, and a non-Western starring an actor best known for his cowboy roles - as well as a selection of early Felix the Cat cartoons. Each features live musical accompaniment.

And that's not all.... There is also the regular Comedy Short Subject Night, a indie film from 2011 described as The Wizard of Oz for dogs, and a Laurel & Hardy Talkie Matinee. All together, it is another exceptional month of early cinema in the East Bay. Here's what's playing.

"Saturday Night at the Movies" with Judy Rosenberg at the piano
Saturday, September 1 at 7:30 pm

William S. Hart and Anna Q. Nilsson star in The Toll Gate (1920, William S. Hart Corp.), the first film produced by Hart’s own company. Directed by his frequent collaborator Lambert Hillyer, Hart plays an outlaw on the run from both lawman and his scheming partner’s henchmen. It is a story of betrayal, revenge and repentance. The feature will be preceded by two shorts, Futuritzy (1928, Pat Sullivan) featuring Felix the Cat, and Line’s Busy (1924, Cumberland Productions) with Billy West.

"Saturday Night at the Movies" with Frederick Hodges at the piano
Saturday, September 8 at 7:30 pm

The myth of D. W. Griffith’s decline as a director following the loss of his production company is disproven in The Battle of the Sexes (1928, Art Cinema Corp.), a comedy/drama of the jazz age featuring a gum-chewing frizzy-haired golddigger, a jazz hound, and a real estate tycoon. The film stars Jean Hersholt, Phyllis Haver, Belle Bennett, Sally O'Neil, and Don Alvarado. The Battle of the Sexes, a film one could easily picture Louise Brooks in, will be preceded by two shorts, Felix Gets the Can (1924, Sullivan) featuring Felix the Cat, and Vacation Waves (1928, Paramount) with Edward Everett Horton.

The Battle of the Sexes (1928, Art Cinema Corp.)

"Laurel & Hardy Talkie Matinee"
Sunday, September 9 at 4:00 pm

This month's Laurel & Hardy Talkie Matinee includes one of their classic features, A Chump at Oxford (1938), in which a Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy go to college as a reward for capturing a bank robber, and two comedic shorts, Mush and Milk (1933) with Our Gang, and Scram (1932) with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.

"Comedy Short Subject Night" with Greg Pane at the piano
Saturday, September 15  at 7:30 pm

Love to laugh? Then don't miss this monthly program featuring some of the most famous comedians of the silent film era. On the bill are The Immigrant (1917, Lone Star) with Charlie Chaplin and Edna Purviance, I Do (1921, Rolin) with Harold Lloyd, The Scarecrow (1920, Comique) with Buster Keaton, and The Finishing Touch (1928, Hal Roach) with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Love to laugh? Then don't miss this monthly program!

"Saturday Night at the Movies" with Bruce Loeb at the piano
Saturday, September 22 at 7:30 pm

Based on the famous Bret Harte story, Salomy Jane (1914, California Motion Picture Corp.) tells a story of love, murder, and mistaken identity all of which whirls about its female heroine. The title role is played by Beatriz Michelena, a noted San Francisco singer, who began her film career with Salomy Jane and went on to star in eleven features for the San Rafael-based CMPC between 1914 and 1917. House Peters, William Nigh and an uncredited Jack Holt are also in the cast.

Salomy Jane was first shown at the Edison Theater, the current home of the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum, on August 30, 1915. This special 2012 screening 105 years later, featuring a 35mm print from the Library of Congress, is co-sponsored by the Anne T. Kent California Room, Marin County Free Library, with assistance from the California Film Institute. The feature will be preceded by two shorts, Felix Dopes It Out (1925, Sullivan) featuring Felix the Cat, and Cactus Nell (1917, Keystone) with Polly Moran and future Oscar winner Wallace Beery (Louise Brooks co-star in two films).

"Saturday Night at the Movies" with Jon Mirsalis at the Kurzweil Keyboard
Saturday, September 29 at 7:30 pm

In the little seen Lazybones (1925, Fox Film), Buck Jones departs from his better known cowboy roles in this simple story of a young farmer who raises an abandoned baby. Besides the square jawed Jones (who starred in Empty Saddles, featuring Louise Brooks), the cast also features lovely Madge Bellamy, quirky Zasu Pitts, and Jane Novak - Hart's one time fiancé and the sister of Eva Novak. Credit for a deft handling of material and the film's continuing appeal go to acclaimed director Frank Borzage and renowned writer Frances Marion. Lazybones will be preceded by two shorts, Felix in Love (1922, Sullivan) featuring Felix the Cat, and Gymnasium Jim (1922, Mack Sennett, later reissued as Love’s Intrigue) with Billy Bevan and Mildred June.

Lazybones (1925, Fox Film), Buck Jones

For more info: The Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum is located at 37417 Niles Blvd. in Fremont, California. For further information, call (510) 494-1411 or visit the Museum's website at www.nilesfilmmuseum.org/.

NYU kids take this class: FRSEM-UA 486

Via the NYRBooks Instragram. . . . "NYU kids take this class: FRSEM-UA 486"

That very edition of The Invention of Morel, by Adolfo Bioy Casares, is featured in this piece on the Huffington Post, "Louise Brooks - Cover Girl and Secret Muse of the 20th Century."

Pandora's Box plays in Newcastle

A free screening of Pandora's Box (1929), directed by G.W. Pabst and starring the one and only Louise Brooks, will take place in Heaton Park, Newcastle (England) on August 28th. THAT'S TODAY! Musical accompaniment will be provided by pianist Neil Brand. More about this special event on the Huffington Post (UK).

Wil Wheaton tumbles Louise Brooks

Wil Wheaton, of Star Trek: The Next Generation fame, tumbled an image of Louise Brooks. Here is a screen capture. He also stated " I just started The Chaperone, by Laura Moriarty. It's wonderful so far."

Watch Pandora's Box with Louise Brooks for FREE on Hulu

Visit this page http://new.hulu.com/watch/215809?playlist_id=1056 this weekend to watch Pandora's Box (1929) with Louise Brooks for FREE on Hulu. They are screening the Criterion edition.

A French street named after Louise Brooks

The recently came across Impasse Louise Brooks, a short street named after the actress located in Bois d'Arcy, a village outside of Paris not so far from Versailles. Other streets in this new subdivision are named after Greta Garbo, Erich von Stroheim, Charlie Chaplin, Orson Welles, Jean Vigo, Joan Crawford, Georges Méliès, Jacques Tati, Fritz Lang and others. Impasse Louise Brooks intersects with Allèe Marlene Dietrich. Above is the best image I could acquire from Google maps of the street sign.

View Larger Map

OMD: "Pandora's Box: It's a Long, Long, Way"

Another musical homage to Louise Brooks. This is "Pandora's Box: It's a Long, Long Way" by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. This was the second single by the band. The song and the video date from 1991.

Though its been around for a while, this video is always good to see. I remember buying this song on LP and then on CD (compact discs were just coming in then). I had sought out the limited edition singles in each format which have Louise Brooks on their cover.

Louise Brooks Hair - two videos

Today, those who do not know Louise Brooks' name or reputation likely know her image, especially the look of her signature hairstyle, a sleek black bob. Brooks' hair is iconic. Here are two videos: one is instructional, the other a homage.

This second video is by a performer known as "The GrrrL," who sings "Black Is The Color (Louise Brooks' Hair)," her DIY adaption of a traditional Southern Appalachian song "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair." Is The GrrrL a Louise Brooks fan? Oh yes - see this earlier article, "Run You Luscious Lesbian."

Frank Thompson's "The Commentary Track"

"Frank Thompson [is] a prolific author and
film historian of the first rank." - Leonard Maltin

Frank Thompson is an acclaimed film historian and author with more than forty books and hundreds of articles, interviews and reviews to his credit. He has also worked as a writer for television, contributed commentary to various DVDs, and has produced, written and/or directed several documentaries.

For fans of Louise Brooks, Thompson is familiar as the author of the William Wellman (Scarecrow Press, 1983), first book about the director of Wings, The Public Enemy and A Star is Born, among other films. One of those films, of course, was Beggars of Life, starring Louise Brooks. Thompson is also the co-author, with John Andrew Gallagher, of a forthcoming book, Nothing Sacred: The Cinema of William A. Wellman.

Recently, Thompson started a new venture - "The Commentary Track," a weekly podcast featuring conversations with leading film historians, archivists, actors and filmmakers on all aspects of film history. Each of these freely available and highly recommended podcasts last about an hour. In them, Thompson and his guests swap Hollywood stories and celebrate the great movies – and movie makers – of the 20th Century.

Thompson, the author of Lost Films: Important Movies That Disappeared (Citadel), has also penned books on Henry King, Robert Wise and early film-making in Texas. He has an obvious love for early Hollywood. And that's just what some of his guests - like Kevin Brownlow, Rudy Behlmer, John Bengtson, Marilyn Moss and others - have been discussing on "The Commentary Track." Others, like composer Carl Davis and writer Randy Skretvedt, will be heard in the coming weeks.

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

Louise Brooks in the 1940 census

Sharped eyed fan Ray Zantarski found Louise Brooks on the 1940 census. And, he was kind enough to send me a scan. I believe this is our Louise Brooks, as the location, place of birth, age, and prior place of residence all line-up. The page depicted below is the page from the 1940 census which records Brooks as a resident of Los Angeles. See line 13.

When the availability of the census was first announced earlier this year, I tried looking through Kansas records (knowing Brooks had returned home around that time), but couldn't really find my way through the records and gave up. I figured I would wait until the census became keyword searchable.

However, as is indicated on the above form, the census was conducted in early 1940, while Brooks was still living in Los Angeles. And that is why she is recorded in the California records - with her residence being given as 1317 N Fairfax Ave in Beverly Hills. As the census page indicates, Brooks lived in an apartment building. She lived in unit #3, and paid $55.00 per month in rent. (That was an average amount for the street, where renters also listed on the census page paid between $40.00 and $60.00 per month.) Here is a Google street view of the address. I don't know if this is the same building or not, though it looks possible.

View Larger Map

Her neighbors in her apartment building included a couple in unit #1, Denison and Lillian Clift. His occupation was listed as an "independent moving picture" writer. San Francisco-born Denison Clift was a prolific writer and less prolific director of films who got his start in the silent era. He directed a handful of films in England starring Fay Compton, perhaps the best known being A Bill of Divorcement (1922). Other of his British silents were Demos (1921) and Sonia (1921), both of which included Evelyn Brent. (Brooks and Brent appeared in two films together.) Today, Clift's best known film may be The Mystery of the Marie Celeste (1935), starring Bela Lugosi, Gibson Gowland, and Clifford McLaglen, the brother of Victor McLaglen. [In the United States, The Mystery of the Marie Celeste is known as Phantom Ship.]

Denison Clift during the filming of The Mystery of the Marie Celeste

Another of Brook's neighbors in her apartment building was a 30 year old Russian-born freelance musician named Arcady Konchester, who lived in unit #4. He is credited with performing on Dick Haymes and Bing Crosby records. I believe he was a violinist, and in 1935 performed in Singapore under the name Arkady Konchester. Mason and Alice Cline, a couple in their mid-fifties who came from Stockton and who lived in unit #2, managed the apartments.

What's especially interesting about this census record is that Brooks occupation is listed as "copy writer" in the magazine field. Her income for 1939, however, was given as none - and Brooks was listed as unemployed. 

Except for "Hints for Dancers" - the series of text-heavy advertisements which ran in local newspapers which Brooks likely helped write, the former film star is not known to have written or published anything at this period in her life. Her listing as a "copy writer" may have been aspirational. (Once she returned to Kansas, Brooks did write and self-published a booklet titled The Fundamentals of Ballroom Dancing.)

These bits of information beg the question. How did Brooks get by? Did someone else support her? Or did she have a part-time job for which she did not declare any income?

She was just seventeen: Louise Brooks Society has an anniversary

This month, the Louise Brooks Society celebrates its 17th anniversary. Launched in 1995, the Louise Brooks Society was one of the very first websites devoted to silent film. The earliest archived LBS webpages - housed on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine - dates to December 20, 1996 and April 11, 1997. The earliest archived newsgroup posts (remember those?) mentioning the Louise Brooks Society date from October 27, 1995 (announcing the website) and January 29, 1996 (a query from the LBS regarding an European screening). These posts are part of the 20-year Usenet Archive which contain hundreds of millions of messages.

In the early days, the LBS also earned its fair share of web awards (remember those?). Here are a few that the LBS received. I was especially proud to be recognized by the Encyclopedia Britannica website!

                    

The LBS (www.pandorasbox.com) has grown over the years - and so has its recognition as a world-wide resource for fans of Louise Brooks. The LBS has been referenced and cited in a handful of books, as well as in publications of all sorts all over the world. Here is a select bibliography of magazine, newspaper and web articles about the website. (Unfortunately, some of these articles are no longer online, or have disappeared behind a pay wall.)

Meddis, Sam Vincent. "Net: New and notable." USA Today, May 23, 1996.
--- "Silent-film buffs can get a taste of how a fan club from yesteryear plays on the Web. The Louise Brooks Society site includes interview, trivia and photos. It also draws an international audience."

anonymous. Net Directory, issue 7, 1996.
--- named one of five best sites devoted to actresses in UK computing magazine

anonymous. "NetSurf." HotWired, 1997.
--- mention on Wired website

Roberson, Fontaine. "Flapper Has 'Virtual' Fan Club in Noe Valley." Noe Valley Voice, September, 1997.
--- article in San Francisco monthly

Silberman, Steve. "Fan Site Sparks Biopic." Wired, April 10, 1998. 
--- feature article about the LBS (reference a few weeks later by Roger Ebert)

Farrant, Darrin. "Programs - Sunday." Melbourne Age, April 16, 1998.
--- mention in Australian newspaper - "She was far more than just a pretty face .... The Louise Brooks Society has an exhaustive web site about this fascinating siren."

Bentley, Rick. "Ahead of Her Time." Fresno Bee, April 30, 1998.
--- article in Fresno, California newspaper - "Internet users have embraced the actress for years. Web pages and various sites have dealt with this actress, whose fame started in the silent films era and exploded in the information age. Her career and her life off the set have become a source of interest unparalleled by many other film stars. And those bits and bytes of information were a catalyst for this TV special."

Evenson, Laura. "Lovely Lulu Lives Again." San Francisco Chronicle, May 3, 1998.
--- mention in newspaper article

anonymous. "NetWatch." Atlanta Journal and Constitution, May 5, 1998.
--- mentioned as exemplary website in Atlanta, Georgia newspaper

anonymous. "Fan Site Profiles." bLink. February, 1999.
--- article in magazine for Earthlink subscribers

Garner, Jack. "Movie buffs can find trivia, reviews online." Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, September 12, 2000.
--- "A fine example of a fan page, a thoughtful, artful site devoted to the life and times of a fabled silent movie legend, with rare articles from the '20s and superb photos."

Roether, Barbara. "Three Make Their Mark: Lulu Lives at Booksmith." Publisher's Weekly, November 20, 2000.
--- mention in trade journal 

Douglas, John. "Online with you." Grand Rapids Press , March 26, 2001.
--- "There has never been a more interesting actress in the history of movies or a more beautiful woman than Louise Brooks, who made a name for herself in American and German films. This Web site at www.pandorasbox.com, created by The Louise Brooks Society, is crammed full of photos of the lady with the page boy bob. It also has biographical material and still shots from her movies plus posters and links to other Brooks sites."

Anderson, Jeffrey M. "Thirteen great film sites." San Francisco Examiner, November 29, 2001.
--- "This San Francisco-run site pays tribute to one of the greatest and most underappreciated stars of all time, Louise Brooks, who played numerous bit parts and starred in only two films during the silent era. It contains tons of info, pictures and history."

l., tk. "Ins Netz gegangen Pandora Brooks." Stuttgarter Zeitung, July 14, 2002.
--- described as "vorbildlichen website" in this German newspaper

O'Connell, Pamela Licalzi. "Dreaming Celebrities and the Earth's Eye Candy." New York Times, August 29, 2002.
--- "The Louise Brooks Society (www.pandorasbox.com) is an excellent homage to the art of the silent film as well as one of its most luminous stars."

Pattenden, Mike. "An era of glamour." Sunday Times, April 27, 2003.
--- mentioned in London newspaper - "She bucked the system to make movies in Europe, notably Pandora's Box, which lends its name to www.pandorasbox.com, dedicated to her remarkable life."

Watson, Dave. "Basking in the Glow of On-Line Info Flow." Straight.com, July 15, 2004.
--- "She's not well-known anymore, but Louise Brooks was one of the biggest stars of silent and early-sound cinema. Naturally, there's a home for her fans on the Net (www.pandorasbox.com), but the site also has a lot of incidental information about that era of moviemaking as well."

Dufour, Nicolas. "Louise Brooks, l'adoration perpétuelle." Le Temps, December 23, 2004.
--- referenced in French newspaper

Melton, Wayne. "That '20s Girl: Lulupalooza celebrates the work of a screen goddess." Style Weekly, July 20, 2005.
--- mentioned in article in Richmond, Virgina weekly " . . . a weekend-long festival of the silent-screen goddess presented by Yellow House Productions and the Firehouse Theatre with the assistance of the Louise Brooks Society."

Caloudas, Constantine. "Louise Bobs Her Hair." Washington City Paper, July 22, 2005.
--- article in Washington D.C. weekly

Maltin, Leonard. "Links We Like." Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy, August 2005.
--- "Not many sites of any kind can claim to be celebrating a tenth anniversary online, but that’s true of the Louise Brooks Society, devoted to the life and times of the magnetic silent-film star and latter-day memoirist. Thomas Gladysz has assembled a formidable amount of material on the actress and her era; there’s not only a lot to read and enjoy, but there’s a gift shop and even a 'Radio Lulu' function that allows you to listen to music of the 1920s. Wow!"

anonymous. "Louise Brooks Expert Speaks at Silent Film Fest." Noe Valley Voice, July 2006.
--- referenced in San Francisco monthly

Matheson, Whitney. "Happy birthday, Louise!" USA Today, November 14, 2006.
--- "My favorite Louise Brooks site belongs to the Louise Brooks Society, a devoted group of fans that even keeps a blog. There, you can find just about everything about the actress: articles, filmography, photos, links and more."

"Interview: THOMAS GLADYSZ, founder of the LOUISE BROOKS Society." SiouxWire, April 5, 2007.
--- interview on website

Stinnett, Chuck. "Louise Brooks had beauty that was decades ahead of its time." The Gleaner, September 22, 2009.
--- "Brooks remains a focus of remarkable interest...." - mention in Henderson, Kentucky newspaper

anonymous. "New Diary of a Lost Girl." Noe Valley Voice, July/August 2010.
--- mention in San Francisco monthly

Maltin, Leonard. "Silent Stars Still Mesmerize." Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy, August 10, 2010.
--- mention in review

Couch, Christina. "Quiet riot." Time Out Chicago, August 28, 2010.
--- mention in article

Blackburn, Gavin. "Forgotten book by Margarete Boehme to be revived in US." Deutsche Welle, November 3, 2010.
--- article on English-language German news site

K., A. "Stoletni dnevnik prostitutke, oče avtobiografskih izmišljotin?" RTV Slovenia, November 4, 2010.
--- article on Slovenian news site

Rombeck, Terry. "A cut above: Local author’s novel generates national buzz." Lawrence News-Tribune,  June 10, 2012.
--- mention in article about Laura Moriarty's The Chaperone in Kansas newspaper

LaSalle, Mick. "Me at Book Passage." SFGate, August 4, 2012.
--- referenced in San Francisco Chronicle blog

New book offers another view of silent film legend Louise Brooks

Be sure and check out Jack Garner's write up of Laura Moriarty's recent novel, The Chaperone, in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Garner, the former film critic for the newspaper, was friends with Louise Brooks during the last years of her life in Rochester. (Garner also wrote the forward to Peter Cowie's Louise Brooks: Lulu Forever.)

The article, "New book offers another view of silent film legend Louise Brooks," can be found at http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20120801/LIVING0107/307300079/1032/LIVING

What is special about this piece is that Garner recalls some of his own encounters with Brooks, including the time she told him about her heading to New York City in the summer of 1922 - a key event in The Chaperone. Garner begins "Louise Brooks, the silent screen legend of Pandora’s Box, spent the last third of her life in Rochester. Before her death in 1985, she became a memorable and engaging friend to my wife and I. . . . I also remember Brooks’ stories about her first venture to New York from her home in Wichita, Kan. She was only 15 (15 going on 20!), so Brooks’ parents sent along a friend, an older woman, to be Louise’s chaperone."

If you haven't read The Chaperone - do so. It is a great read!

Hot August Nights at Niles Essanay with sexy Clara Bow and sultry Evelyn Brent

Things heats up in August at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum in Fremont, California. Known among early film devotees around the world, the venerable museum and theater is set to once again screen rarely shown early feature films (some not available on DVD), along with animated shorts, their regular "Comedy Short Subject Night" and Laurel & Hardy Talkie Matinee. What's causing the heat? How about sexy "It girl" Clara Bow and sultry Evelyn Brent. The latter appeared in two films in which Louise Brooks had a role: Love Em and Leave Em (1926) and King of Gamblers (1937). Here is the line-up for the month.

"Saturday Night at the Movies" with Judy Rosenberg at the piano
Saturday August 4 at 7:30 pm 

In Dancing Mothers (1926, Paramount), energetic "It girl" Clara Bow steals the show in this jazz age melodrama about societal expectations with a surprise ending. Penned by Edmund Goulding, and directed by Herbert Brenon, Dancing Mothers also features Alice Joyce, Conway Tearle, Donald Keith and Leila Hyams. A tinted version will be shown. The feature will be preceded by two shorts films, the animated Automobile Ride (1921, Bray) with Koko the Clown, and Dad’s Choice (1928, Paramount) with Edward Everett Horton.

"Saturday Night at the Movies" with Bruce Loeb at the piano
Saturday August 11 at 7:30 pm 

In Wild Beauty (1927, Universal), crooks attempt to effect the outcome of a horse race in order to take over a ranch - that's if Rex the Wonder Horse can be controlled. Rex, one of the most animal actors of his time, stars here as a wild horse smitten by a thoroughbred rescued from a World War I battlefield. Along with this bit of horse romance, there’s plenty of satisfying racehorse action in this major Universal Jewel production. June Marlowe, who played Miss Crabtree, the teacher in the "Our Gang" comedies, is featured. A tinted print of Wild Beauty will be shown. The feature will be preceded by two shorts films, Felix Wins Out (1923, Sullivan) with Felix the Cat, and Sword Points (1928, Lupino Lane Comedy) with Lupino Lane.

"Laurel and Hardy Talkie Matinee"
Sunday August 12 at 4:00 pm

This month's Laurel and Hardy Talkie Matinee features four comedic shorts, Them Thar Hills (1934) and Tit for Tat (1935), each with Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, and Mae Busch, and Forgotten Babies (1933) and For Pete’s Sake (1934), with Our Gang. 

"Comedy Short Subject Night" with Bruce Loeb at the piano
Saturday August 18 at 7:30 pm

Love to laugh? Then don't miss this  monthly program which features some of the most famous comedians of the silent era. On the bill are The Adventurer (1917, Lone Star) with Charlie Chaplin and Edna Purviance, Cops (1922, Buster Keaton) with Buster Keaton, Number Please (1920, Rolin) with Harold Lloyd, and Bacon Grabbers (1929, Hal Roach) with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. 

"Saturday Night at the Movies" with Frederick Hodges at the piano
Saturday August 25 at 7:30 pm 

One of the surprise hits of the recently concluded San Francisco Silent Film Festival was Josef von Sternberg's The Docks of New York (1928). The director's atmospheric story of hapless souls straight out of a police line-up was downbeat, but moody and appealing. Add a dash of danger, and the same can be said for Underworld (1927, Paramount). Solid performances by George Bancroft, Clive Brook and sultry Evelyn Brent along with the sure directing hand of von Sternberg makes this gangster melodrama a classic. Preceding the feature are two shorts, the animated Cartoon Factory (1924, Out of the Inkwell) with Koko the Clown, and Limousine Love (1928, Roach) with Charley Chase.

For more info: The Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum is located at 37417 Niles Blvd. in Fremont, California. For further information, call (510) 494-1411 or visit the Museum's website at www.nilesfilmmuseum.org/.

More about Jim Tully, author of Beggers of Life

In the 1920s and 1930s, author Jim Tully was a household name. His writing - a singular brand of rough and tumble realism - was both popular and critically acclaimed. In his heyday, Tully's books appeared on bestseller lists, were adapted for the stage, and were made into movies.

On August 1st, the Cinefamily theater in Los Angeles screened the 1928 film, Beggars of Life, which stars Louise Brooks. The film was based on a celebrated 1925 novelistic memoir by Tully, a once popular "hobo author."

Over the last few years, Kent State University Press in Kent, Ohio (Tully's one-time home) has been reissuing this forgotten writer's long-out-of-print books. So far, they've released Circus Parade (with a foreword by the late comix artist Harvey Pekar), Shanty Irish (with a foreword by film director John Sayles), The Bruiser (with a foreword by critic Gerald Early), and Tully's breakthrough work and what's likely his best remembered book, Beggars of Life (with an introduction by series editors Paul Bauer and Mark Dawidziak).

Last year saw the release of Bauer and Dawidziak's outstanding biography, Jim Tully: American Writer, Irish Rover, Hollywood Brawler. That book includes a foreword by documentary film maker Ken Burns, who has called the book a "wonderful, hugely important biography."

And also last year, the Akron Summit Library hosted an event with Paul Bauer and Mark Dawidziak called "Jim Tully: Rediscovering a Lost Ohio Writer." And here it is in its entirety. The video lasts one hour and seventeen minutes. Check it out.

Three films were made from Jim Tully books, including Beggars of Life (1928), Way For a Sailor (1930), and Laughter In Hell (1933). Beggars of Life is the only silent film among the three. This William Wellman directed feature starred Wallace Beery, Richard Arlen and Louise Brooks. Way For a Sailor was John Gilbert's second talkie. It also featured Wallace Beery, and Tully himself. Laughter In Hell is described as a chain-gang melodrama. It stars Pat O'Brien.

  

Louise Brooks stars again in Beggars of Life

If you live in or near Los Angeles, don't miss the special, August 1st screening of Beggars of Life at the Cinefamily theater (611 N Fairfax Avenue) in Los Angeles. Cinefamily has arranged to show a rare 35mm archival print of the film from the George Eastman House. If you have only seen this superb 1928 William Wellman-directed film on YouTube, or on the poor quality DVD's floating around the web, then you were likely disappointed by how dark and fuzzy those versions of Beggars of Life look. The George Eastman House print is bright and clear. This is the print to see! To find out more about the August 1st screening of Beggars of Life, starring the one and only Louise Brooks, check out this article on examiner.com

If you need another bit of incentive to attend this special event, then know that the Cinefamily Theater has arranged to obtain an autographed hardback copy of Laura Moriarty's new novel, The Chaperone, to give away as a door prize. Cool! If you happen to attend this special screening, please post a comment or two in the comments field below.

Beggars of Life screens August 1st in L.A.

If you live in or around Los Angeles, don't miss a special, August 1st screening of Beggars of Life at the Cinefamily theater, 611 N Fairfax Avenue, in Los Angeles. At this special event, Cinefamily has arranged to show the rare 35mm archival print of the film from the George Eastman House. This is the print to see! If you have only seen this superb 1928 William Wellman directed film on YouTube, or on DVD-R, then you were likely disappointed by how dark and fuzzy those versions of Beggars of Life look. The George Eastman House print is bright and clear. A bit of it can be seen in the video embedded below.

BEGGARS OF LIFE (presented by The Silent Treatment) from Cinefamily on Vimeo.

Cliff Retallick, who plays for the Silent Movie Theatre and Cinefamily, will accompany the film. Cliff also plays for I UCLA and the Hammer Museum's Billy Wilder Theatre as well as the American Cinematheque and both the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica and The Egyptian in Hollywood.

If you need another bit of incentive to attend this special event, then know that the Cinefamily Theater has arranged to obtain an autographed hardback copy of Laura Moriarty's new novel, The Chaperone, to give away as a door prize.

To find out more about the August 1st screening of Beggars of Life, starring the one and only Louise Brooks, check out this article on Huffington Post.

Cool pic of the day: Louise Brooks in Pandora's Box

Cool pic of the day: Louise Brooks in Pandora's Box
There is something inelegant yet appealing about this screen capture.

The German Bestseller in the Late Nineteenth Century

A just published book, The German Bestseller in the Late Nineteenth Century (Camden House, 2012), contains a reference to the "Louise Brooks edition" of Margarete Bohme's The Diary of a Lost Girl. The book is a collection of essays on the literature of the time.

One of the essays included in The German Bestseller in the Late Nineteenth Century is titled "Taking Sex to Market." It is by Elizabeth Boa, a UK scholar described as "One of the most respected Germanists of her generation." Boa is a scholar of modern German literature and who has written on Frank Wedekind and Franz Kafka and others.

In the footnotes to her essay, Boa references the "Louise Brooks edition" of  Bohme's bestselling book, Tagebuch einer Verlorenen (translated into English as The Diary of a Lost One, aka The Diary of a Lost Girl). It made my day when Boa described this edition as "splendid." (See below.)

The "Louise Brooks edition" of Bohme's The Diary of a Lost Girl is also included in the bibliography of this new book, which I am looking forward to getting a hold of.  

More info on "Louise Brooks edition" of The Diary of a Lost Girl can be found here. And here are a few of the other reviews of the book which have appeared since it was published in 2010.

"Long relegated to the shadows, Margarete Böhme's 1905 novel, The Diary of a Lost Girl has at last made a triumphant return. In reissuing the rare 1907 English translation of Böhme's German text, Thomas Gladysz makes an important contribution to film history, literature, and, in as much as Böhme told her tale with much detail and background contemporary to the day, sociology and history. He gives us the original novel, his informative introduction, and many beautiful and rare illustrations. This reissue is long overdue, and in all ways it is a volume of uncommon merit." -- Richard Buller, author of A Beautiful Fairy Tale: The Life of Actress Lois Moran

"Gladysz provides an authoritative series of essays that tell us about the author, the notoriety of her work (which was first published in 1905), and its translation to the screen. Production stills, advertisements, and other ephemera illustrate these introductory chapters. 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

"Read today, it's a fascinating time-trip back to another age, and yet remains compelling. As a bonus, Gladysz richly illustrates the text with stills of Brooks from the famous film." -- Jack Garner, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

"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 - the basis of Miss Brooks's classic 1929 film - back from obscurity. It remains a fascinating work." -- Lon Davis, author of Silent Lives