Guide to the Silent Years of American Cinema (Reference Guides to the World's Cinema)

The latest offering from the Reference Guides to the World's Cinema series, this critical survey of key films, actors, directors, and screenwriters during the silent era of the American cinema offers a broad-ranging portrait of the motion picture production of silent film. Detailed but concise alphabetical entries include over 100 film titles and 150 personnel. An introductory chapter explores the early growth of the new silent medium while the final chapter of this encyclopedic study examines the sophistication of the silent cinema. These two chapters outline film history from its beginnings until the perfection of synchronized sound, and reflect upon the themes and techniques established with the silent cinema that continued into the sound era through modern times. The annotated entries, alphabetically arranged by film title or personnel, include brief bibliographies and filmographies. An appendix lists secondary but important movies and their creators. Film and popular culture scholars will appreciate the vast amount of information that has been culled from various sources and that builds upon the increased studies and research of the past ten years. Contents......Page 8 Series Foreword......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 12 Introduction......Page 14 The Development of the Cinema: From Scientific Novelty to a New Art and Entertainment Industry......Page 20 Films and Filmmakers......Page 44 A......Page 46 B......Page 52 C......Page 92 D......Page 128 E......Page 144 F......Page 145 G......Page 156 H......Page 171 I......Page 181 J......Page 188 K......Page 191 L......Page 197 M......Page 209 N......Page 230 O......Page 242 P......Page 246 R......Page 256 S......Page 266 T......Page 289 U......Page 306 V......Page 309 W......Page 313 Y......Page 332 The Legacy of the Silent Screen and the Birth Pangs of the Sound Film......Page 342 Appendix: 160 Additional Films and Filmmakers of Note from the Silent Era......Page 356 Selected Bibliography......Page 360 B......Page 364 C......Page 366 D......Page 367 F......Page 368 G......Page 369 H......Page 370 K......Page 371 L......Page 372 M......Page 373 O......Page 374 P......Page 375 S......Page 376 T......Page 378 W......Page 379 Z......Page 380 Photo essays follow pages 14 and 304......Page 34 Series Foreword / Pierre L. Horn -- The Development Of The Cinema: From Scientific Novelty To A New Art And Entertainment Industry / Christopher P. Jacobs -- Films And Filmmakers -- The Legacy Of The Silent Screen And The Birth Pangs Of The Sound Film / Donald W. Mccaffrey. Donald W. Mccaffrey And Christopher P. Jacobs. Includes Filmographies. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [323]-326) And Index. Silent film's most complete reference guide, focusing on American actors, directors, and screenwriters, with an emphasis on the 1910's through the 1920s.