And Now for Something Completely Different…

William S. Hart as Messala in "Ben Hur", ca. 1907. (Photoplay, April 1921, Page 47)
William S. Hart as Messala in "Ben Hur", ca. 1907. (Photoplay, April 1921, Page 47)
Scene from the E.H. Sothern production "If I Were King," ca. 1901, which featured a small role for up-and-coming actor Cecil B. DeMille.
Scene from the E.H. Sothern production "If I Were King," ca. 1901, which featured a small role for up-and-coming actor Cecil B. DeMille.
Theatrical poster for the musical "Happyland," featuring Marguerite Clark, ca. 1905 (J. Ottmann Lithographic Co.)
Theatrical poster for the musical "Happyland," featuring Marguerite Clark, ca. 1905 (J. Ottmann Lithographic Co.)
Scene from the 1911 stage musical "The Quaker Girl," which brought Theda Bara to Seattle on her only local visit.
Scene from the 1911 stage musical "The Quaker Girl," which brought Theda Bara to Seattle on her only local visit.
Tom Mix as a live performer at Cirkus Belli in Denmark, ca. 1939.
Tom Mix as a live performer at Cirkus Belli in Denmark, ca. 1939.
Scene from Act IV of "Going Some," ca. 1909, which first brought actor Francis X. Bushman to Seattle.
Scene from Act IV of "Going Some," ca. 1909, which first brought actor Francis X. Bushman to Seattle.
Advertisement for the Keaton family vaudeville act, ca. early 1900s.
Advertisement for the Keaton family vaudeville act, ca. early 1900s.
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From Footlights to Photoplays

 

“From Footlights to Photoplays” will be a reimagined version of my 2009 book Silent Film Stars on the Stages of Seattle, and focus on the various stage engagements and appearances for many popular silent era performers, most of whom played the Northwest before hitting it big in Hollywood.  

Traveling Roadshow Engagements for:

  • Lionel Barrymore
  • John Barrymore
  • Mary Miles Minter
  • William S. Hart
  • Douglas Fairbanks
  • Lon Chaney
  • Theda Bara
  • Marguerite Clark
  • Marshall Neilan
  • D.W. Griffith
  • Cecil B. DeMille (as an actor)
  • Cecil B. DeMille (as a playwright)

Stock Theatre/Variety Engagements for:

  • John Bunny
  • Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle
  • Tom Mix

Vaudeville Engagements for:

  • Buster Keaton
  • Charlie Chaplin
  • Harry Langdon
  • Francis X. Bushman
  • Nell Shipman

Personal Appearance Tours by:

  • William S. Hart
  • Nell Shipman
  • Rudolph Valentino
  • Frank Keenan, Wallace Reid, Beatriz Michelena, Fay Tincher and Bessie Love at Seattle’s 1919 “Screen Ball”

Sound-Era Appearances by:

  • Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle
  • Tom Mix
  • Harry Langdon
  • Norma Talmadge
  • Blanche Sweet
  • Mary Pickford
  • Lillian Gish
  • Ben Turpin
  • J. Stuart Blackton