Category Archives: Comedy

Silent Home Run at Two-Strike Park

Joe Rinaudo, cranking his 1909 Powers Cinemagraph Motion Picture Machine, projects Laurel & Hardy in “Angora Love.” As soon as the film ends, Gary Gibson slides the light box to the left, projecting glass slides through the “magic lantern” lens, while Joe changes reels.

Two Strike Park in La Crescenta, California, was packed with kids and adults July 28, 2018 to enjoy an evening of silent comedies as soon as dusk set in. It was a beautiful evening with lots of laughter and fun. Popcorn, sodas and home-made cookies were sold at the snack stand. (The show was free.)

There were cartoons and films starring Laurel & Hardy, Buster Keaton and Larry Semon. The audience was amazed at the daring stunts performed live, real time, in those days.

Joe Rinaudo hand-cranked the show along with Gary Gibson, his able assistant (who also projected the glass slides while Joe changed reels). Cliff Retallick performed a splendid “narration” on the piano.

Of special note, gratifying to Joe whose mission is to keep silent cinema alive for generations to come, was the large number of youngsters enjoying the show. One teenager, Zander Greene, not only engaged in an enlightening conversation with Joe, but also helped him break down and pack the equipment. 

Zander and his shadow

Zander Greene, 14, thoroughly enjoyed not only watching the films, but also checking out the equipment and discussing silent cinema with Joe Rinaudo. He also helped Joe break down the equipment after the show. 

This is living history, something you just can’t experience any other way but by being there. If you were in the audience, thank you for supporting Silent Cinema. If you weren’t, hope to see you next time!

 

CALL WED. JAN. 31 4PM FOR NETHERCUTT TICKETS

REMINDER: CALL FOR TICKETS
WED., JAN. 31, 2018

Nethercutt All-Star Silent Comedies Show
 Call at 4 PM sharp!

Call for Tickets

The Nethercutt once again presents an authentic Itinerant Moving Picture Show of Silent Cinema Comedies.

The organist for this event will be Robert Israel, who is flying in from the Czech Republic to perform for you.  Joe Rinaudo will hand-crank his 1909 Powers Cameragraph projector, assisted by Gary Gibson. Kyle Irwin, Master of Ceremonies and Museum Curator, will demonstrate antique mechanical musical instruments before the show and during intermission.

CALL FOR TICKETS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31

Phone 818-364-6464 between 4-6pm PST*

☏  FOLLOW CALLING INSTRUCTIONS HERE  ☏

*The best chance of obtaining tickets is to call starting at 4pm PST. You will probably get a busy signal. Just keep calling, then follow prompts. This is for the following event only:

Nethercutt All-Star Silent Comedies Show
Friday, March 2, 2018 at 8 PM
Saturday, March 3, 2018 at 2 PM
(There will be no evening show on Saturday.)

Nethercutt Museum
Sylmar, California

☏  FOLLOW CALLING INSTRUCTIONS HERE  ☏

Admission is free, but tickets must be obtained in advance, only on Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Address and other information is also at the link above.


COMING MARCH 10, 2018:
THE GOOSE WOMAN
LOUISE DRESSER

with
LIVE ORCHESTRA
March 10, 2018
Burbank, California

DETAILS

March 10: The Goose Woman with Live Orchestra

March 10th, 2018
Famous Players Orchestra Presents:

The Goose Woman

(1925)

 Starring: Louise Dresser

Louise Dresser and Jack Pickford in “The Goose Woman” (1925)

“The Goose Woman” (1925) Silent drama-suspense
Directed by Clarence Brown
Production: Universal Pictures Corporation
Producer: Carl Laemmle

Based on a short story by Rex Beach.

Starring: Louise Dresser (Marie de Nardi/Mary Holmes), Jack Pickford (Gerald Holmes), Constance Bennett (Hazel Woods), Spottiswoode Aitken (Jacob Riggs), Gustav von Seyffertitz (Thomas Vogel), George Nichols (Detective Lopez), Marc McDermott (Amos Ethridge), George Cooper (Reporter).

Louise Dresser gives an outstanding performance as the once world-famous opera soprano, Marie de Nardi, now living on a dirty, extremely rundown goose farm under the name Mary Holmes.

Slovenly, bitter, and drunken, she pours over old scrapbooks and photos of herself during her triumphant years, while listening to an old recording of her voice. Having given up her career for motherhood, she is resentful and full of hatred towards her only son, Gerald (Jack Pickford).

When a murder is committed near her house, she invents a story in order to get herself back in front of the public again. However, the story she comes up with results in her son being arrested for the murder. The Goose Woman became one of Universal’s “Jewels,” a prestige production with a better than average script, an excellent cast and production values, and an up-and-coming director.

The March 10, 2018 showing is accompanied by a period orchestral score performed live by The Famous Players Orchestra. Stan Taffel will be your host.

Showtime is 7:00 p.m. The venue is Christ Lutheran Church, 2400 West Burbank Blvd. Burbank, CA 91506. 

ADVANCE TICKETS AVAILABLE FEB. 1, 2018

Order Tickets Here

 


Thank you to everyone for attending our past shows and for your continued support. It is greatly appreciated!

 


ABOUT FAMOUS PLAYERS ORCHESTRA

In the final decades of the silent film era (1910 -1929), a new and original art form was burgeoning. During this period, a vast and beautiful repertoire of film music was being created by gifted composers who saw a great future in the new medium.

Movie theaters of the day commonly utilized orchestras to provide film accompaniment for their premium showings. These theaters typically housed massive libraries of this music, (known at the time as “photoplay” music) for use as film accompaniment. However, the advent of “talkies” in 1929, preceded by the Movietone and Vitaphone systems, would eventually bring the demise of live film accompaniment. Thus, as movie theaters converted over to sound, these music libraries became obsolete almost overnight and most of the music was discarded in the process. And since photoplay music was rarely recorded, and the composers mostly unknown, this important chapter in cinema history was swept away into obscurity and has remained practically forgotten.

Famous Players Orchestra is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose charitable mission is dedicated to reviving and preserving this charming and long forgotten music through live performances and new recording projects. For its repertoire, Famous Players Orchestra draws upon the original orchestrations used by silent era movie theater orchestras in its live presentations and recordings. The ensemble is comprised of professional musicians based in the Los Angeles area.

Your support is appreciated! Your generous contributions help us to continue our work in reviving and preserving this musical treasure from cinema’s past. Donations are easily accepted using paypal. Thank you!

Visit the FAMOUS PLAYERS ORCHESTRA Website