Roanoke silent film buffs have not had much luck in finding screenings in the past. Thanks to Turner Classic Movies and their Sunday Night Silents, at least one film a week can now be found. Unless you're a night owl, you'll have to make use of your DVR or VCR as they are shown around midnight. It's worth the effort, though, as TCM presents some great opportunities to see the original stars and directors of the silver screen.
Next up, on Sunday November 14th, is The Hoodlum from 1919. This comedy-drama tells the story of a spoiled rich girl who finds herself struggling to make it in the slums and alleys. lt also offers an excellent opportunity to see our first movie star Mary Pickford.
Pickford, whose real name was Gladys Smith, was born in Toronto, Canada on April 8, 1892. She took to the stage at a very early age to earn money for the family following the death of her father. She continued to rise through the theatrical ranks and ultimately found the "flickers." According to The Mary Pickford Institute for Film Education, by 1916 "twenty-four year old Mary Pickford was generally acknowledged to be the most famous and popular woman, not just in America, but in the world."
This stunning beauty with the curly locks became a powerful off-screen force as well and joined the ranks of cinema's pioneers. In 1919, she co-founded United Artists along with Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, and D. W. Griffith. In 1927, she became one of the founding members of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Pickford transitioned into talking pictures and in 1929 won the first Academy Award given to an actress in a talkie for Coquette. She then made three more talkies before retiring from film acting at the age of 41.
The Hoodlum is directed by Sidney A. Franklin, a man who had quite a career himself. He directed seventy-one films over a forty-two year career ending with The Barretts of Wimpole Street in 1957. He also holds the distinction of directing five different actors in Oscar Nominated performances.
Catch The Hoodlum this Sunday night on Roanoke's home for silent movies, Turner Classic Movies.
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