A double tragedy

I was thinking the other day about the movie Bettina's Substitute, which I have posted about here. I was curious about the actors in it, and discovered some fascinating information.

Bettina's fiance was played by Richard Rosson, who acted in several silents. He was a director as well, with his most famous film being the 1932 Scarface. His brother Arthur was a director; his other brother, Harold, was a cinematographer; his sister, Helene, was an actress. All in all, they were quite an illustrious family, with everyone but Helene continuing to work well into the sound era.

Rosson was married to silent actress Vera Sisson, who made her last film in 1926.

So far, so good - except that Rosson committed suicide in 1953, at the age of 60. His health was failing, and the cause of death is given as "carbon monoxide poisoning". (Most likely, he shut the garage door and turned on the car engine.)

Vera died the following year, of an overdose of barbiturates. They are buried side-by-side in Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Tickets

A Cheap Seat is offering tickets at a deep discount. Upcoming events include Roger Waters, Ozzy Osbourne, Carrie Underwood, and Lady Gaga (ST. PETE TIMES FORUM TICKETS).

Not only does the site offer discounted tickets to concerts, but also to sports events, theatre shows, and circuses. One such event is the ACC Men's Football Championship (ACC Mens Football Championship Tickets).

Venues nationwide are included in the offer, including Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. (VERIZON CENTER TICKETS).

Enjoy your show!

More silents!

I just discovered that the British Film Institute has its own channel on YouTube. The name is BFIfilms.

Some fascinating things here, such as Anny Ondra's sound test for Hitchcock's (and Britain's) first sound film, Blackmail. Footage of the construction of the Olympic, sister ship to the Titanic. Footage of London, pre-WWII.

Take a look!

This year's Giornate

I couldn't make it to Le Giornate del Cinema Muto this year, and I'm heartbroken. The program is rich and varied, as I saw from checking the website:

http://www.cinetecadelfriuli.org/gcm/giornate/questa_edizione.html

The Giornate has been suffering from budget cuts; this year, the admission fee had to be increased. It's still worth it. Where else can you find such marvelous treasures, eight days' worth, available to you?

Silent film historian Kevin Brownlow attends the Giornate every year. This year, as I blogged earlier, he is receiving an honorary Oscar for his work in getting silent films restored. Maybe more attention will be focused on this field, keeping the silents alive for all of us.

I hope it's a good one. And I am determined to make it next year!

Oscar time!

I get good and tired of watching Oscars being handed out to blandly pretty faces with no talent behind them. I haven't even watched the ceremony in years.

However, I would LOVE to see the recipients on November 13. One of them is film historian Kevin Brownlow, who has finally been recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his unceasing efforts to have classic films restored.

Brownlow is also the author of The Parade's Gone By, a work on silent film, and has made a number of documentaries of such luminaries as Buster Keaton and Mary Pickford.

Finally, FINALLY, his fine work has earned him a statuette. Read this, Hollywood; his work. Not a talentless botoxed surgery-laden face and anorexic body. His dedication to film, his achievements in having major films restored, and his success in bringing them to the public eye.

A job well done.

San Francisco Silent Film Festival

This festival is coming soon. To take a look at the offerings this year, go to: http://www.silentfilm.org/index.php

Return of the silents

New Zealand is returning a LARGE collection of American silent films to the United States:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/movies/07silent.html

Here's hoping that these films are in, at least, relatively good shape, and can be viewed by us soon.