Anything But Silent Live theatre organ accompaniment by BEN MODEL
SLAPSTICK DIVAS: THE WOMEN OF SILENT COMEDY
Wednesday, March 14 at 7:30 pm | Members $11 | Public $16
With guest speaker, film historian Steve Massa
Copies of “Slapstick Divas” will be available for purchase
Join author Steve Massa for a celebration of some of the funniest women of the silent era. Female comedians like Alice Howell, Gale Henry, and Wanda Wiley were some of the most beloved stars of early cinema, and their films are now being rediscovered by a new generation of film fans.
HOW STARS ARE MADE Alice Howell (aka "The Scream of the Screen") is a poor working girl who decides to break into the movies. Detailed are her attempts to get through the front gate, and there is real behind-the-scenes footage of the L-Ko Comedy Studio and an LA floral parade. (US, 1916, 20 min., NR | Dir. John G. Blystone)
HER ANNIVERSARIES "Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew" (real-life husband and wife Sidney Drew and Lucille McVey) were the writers, producers, directors and stars of a series of domestic comedies for Vitagraph and Metro. In HER ANNIVERSARIES, the "Mrs." drives the "Mr." crazy with her numerous commemorative events. (US 1917, 10 min., NR | Dir. Sidney Drew & Lucille McVey)
ROWDY ANN Fay Tincher plays a wild Western cowgirl who's sent to an Eastern girls' school "for to larn to be a lady." Rules and noses soon get broken. (US, 1919, 21 min., NR | Dir. Al Christie)
HER FIRST FLAME In the far-flung future of 1950, women have supplanted men's role in society, in everything from manual labor to romantic etiquette. Newly elected fire chief Gale Henry has her passion enflamed by sweetheart Milburn Morante. (US, 1920, 20 min., NR | Dir. Bruno C. Becker)
A THRILLING ROMANCE Struggling writer Wanda Wiley gets caught up in a jewel heist, a thrilling car chase and a cliffside climax. All in a day's work! (US, 1926, 20 min., NR | Dir. Jess Robbins)
Ben Model is one of America’s leading silent film accompanists, and has been playing piano and organ for silent films at the New York MoMA since 1984, and the CAC since 2006.
Alice Howell
Gale Henry
Fay Tincher
