A special treat for Father's Day: Chaplin's 'The Kid' on Sunday, June 18 in Wilton, N.H.

An original release poster for 'The Kid' (1921); the '6 reels' refer to the original format of 35mm film, which at the time came in reels generally lasting 10 to 12 minutes each.

It's Father's Day! And if you're still searching for a fun way to celebrate that the whole family can enjoy, look no further than the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

At 2 p.m., the theater will screen 'The Kid' (1921), Charlie Chaplin's classic comedy/drama about fatherhood. It's silent, but the show includes live music by me. 

Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $10 per person to help cover expenses. 

Sound interesting? Lots more information in the press release below. See you there!

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Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Coogan star in 'The Kid' (1921).

MONDAY, JUNE 12, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Chaplin's 'The Kid' (1921) to screen on Father's Day at Town Hall Theatre

Landmark silent film comedy/drama about raising an orphan to be presented with live music on Sunday, June 18

WILTON, N.H.—Silent film with live music returns to the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H. with a screening of Charlie Chaplin's classic comedy/drama 'The Kid' (1921) on Sunday, June 18 at 2 p.m.

The special Father's Day program will be presented with live music by Jeff Rapsis, one of the nation's leading silent film accompanists.

Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $10.

Chaplin was already the world's most popular comedian and filmmaker when he produced 'The Kid,' his first feature-length project.

The movie, with its daring mix of intense drama and slapstick comedy, proved an instant sensation and marked one of the high points of Chaplin's long career.

'The Kid' follows the story of a tramp (Chaplin) who attempts to raise an orphaned boy on his own. It includes several classic scenes, and is highlighted by a sequence in which Chaplin battles authorities attempting to return the child to an orphanage.

Co-starring with Chaplin in 'The Kid' was five-year-old Jackie Coogan, who turned in what many critics rank as the best child performance of the entire silent film era. Chaplin himself worked closely with the young Coogan for more than a year to develop the youngster's acting abilities.

Coogan went on to a long career that much later included the role of "Uncle Fester" in the popular 1960s Addams Family television show.

The Chaplin program continues the series of silent films presented with live music at the Town Hall Theatre. The series provides local audiences the opportunity to experience silent film as it was intended to be shown: on the big screen, in restored prints, with live music, and with an audience.

"If you can put pieces of the experience back together again, it's surprising how these films snap back to life," Rapsis said. "By showing the films under the right conditions, you can really get a sense of why people first fell in love with the movies."

In creating music for silent films, Rapsis performs on a digital synthesizer that reproduces the texture of the full orchestra and creates a traditional "movie score" sound.

Upcoming programs of silent film with live music at the Town Hall Theatre include:

• Sunday, July 16 at 2 p.m., 'The Circle' (1925) starring Joan Crawford. Set among the aristocrats of Edwardian Britain, a comedy about an unhappy woman who considers leaving her dull husband for another man.

• Sunday, July 30 at 2 p.m., 'The Apple Tree Girl' (1917). Rarely screened early feature film produced in 1917 by Thomas Edison; story of a poor girl who goes to live with a wealthy aunt and her snooty cousin.

• Sunday, Aug. 20 at 2 p.m., 'Beau Brummel' (1924). Opulent drama about the rise and fall of the famous London gentleman, a commoner who nevertheless circulates in royal circles due to his sartorial prominence.

• Sunday, Aug. 27 at 2 p.m., 'The Divine Lady' (1929). Frank Lloyd won the 'Best Director' Oscar for this melodrama about the scandalous love affair between British naval hero Horatio Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton.

Charlie Chaplin's 'The Kid' (1921) will be shown on Sunday, June 18 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.

Admission is free; a donation of $10 per person is suggested to help defray expenses. For more information, call (603) 654-3456. For more about the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

CRITIC QUOTE

“Chaplin's first real feature mixes slapstick and sentiment in a winning combination, as the Tramp raises a streetwise orphan. Wonderful film launched Coogan as a major child star, and it's easy to see why.”

– Leonard Maltin's Movie Guides

Next up for 'Silent Comedy Week': Charlie Chaplin and a very young Uncle Fester in 'The Kid' (1921)

Tonight's 'Silent Film Comedy Week' attraction: 'The Kid' (1921) starring Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Coogan.

When you work in show biz, you expect to rub elbows with the famous and near-famous.

But when your branch of show biz includes musical accompaniment to screenings of silent films, you take what you can get. 

For instance: after a screening last month of 'The Thief of Bagdad' (1924) starring Douglas Fairbanks Sr., a gentleman in the audience said that in the 1950s, when he worked as a delivery boy in Manhattan, he once delivered a package to Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.!

Wow! So we gave him a round of applause. What else could we do?

Which takes us to 'The Kid' (1921), starring Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Coogan, which is tonight's title for the ongoing "Silent Comedy Week" at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

The first time I did live music for 'The Kid' was in 2008 at the Palace Theatre in Manchester, N.H. Afterwards, a gentleman from Derry, N.H. (I remember) raised his hand to announce that his uncle's cousin by marriage (or some kind of non-direct relative, which I don't remember) had, as a young child, the distinction of working in Hollywood as Jackie Coogan's stunt double.

Wow again! So, yes, he got a round of applause. What else could we do? Of course there was no way to check the accuracy of this claim, but why would anyone make up something so specific?

So I've come to enjoy these random brushes with fame that surface within the audience for silent film screenings I do, even in the most rural New Hampshire crossroads. 

A good example is a kindly gentleman who for a time was attending screenings at the Flying Monkey in Plymouth, N.H. who turned out to be the grandson of Rudi Blesh, the jazz expert who collaborated with Buster Keaton on the comedian's first biography in the 1950s. 

Amazingly, this gentlemen had in his possession many of the photos and other Keaton family mementos that his grandfather had used in writing the book. They've since been acquired by the International Buster Keaton Society, known as 'The Damfinos.'

And once, after a screening in Brandon, Vt., a very tall middle-aged fellow came up to me to talk music, and turned out he was the grandson of operetta composer Rudolph Friml of 'When I'm Calling You' Indian Love Song fame! 

And let me use this opportunity (operetta-tunity?) to share with you a couplet that renowned poet Ogden Nash sent Friml on his 90th birthday:

"I trust your conclusion and mine are similar: 'Twould be a happier world if it were Frimler."

Sometimes the connections are surprising: at one screening of 'Wings' (1927) I accompanied, in attendance was director William Wellman's youngest daughter, who lives in this part of the world and had never actually seen her father's Academy Award-winning blockbuster. (She enjoyed it!)

And perhaps the strongest connection I've come across was a retired local English teacher, Dick Backus, who as a young man was an actor in New York, and had an extended run on stage with Gloria Swanson in the 1970s, when she starred in a play titled "Butterflies Are Free." Dick would sometimes attend screenings and it was a Swanson flick, he'd talk about his experiences working with Gloria. 

Dick, are you still out there? Let's connect. If this pandemic continues, we could do a whole week of Gloria Swanson silents at the Town Hall Theater, and put you in an easy chair onstage to reminisce. 

But tonight it's 'The Kid.' I'm not sure if our local connection to Jackie Coogan's childhood stunt double will attend, but I sure hope so.

And just to show you how I can crank out the press releases, here's one for tonight's showing. See you there!

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Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Coogan star in 'The Kid' (1921) tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 12, 2020 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Charlie Chaplin's 'The Kid' to screen on Wednesday, Aug. 12 at Town Hall Theatre

Landmark movie about Little Tramp raising an orphan to be shown with live music as part of Silent Film Comedy Week

WILTON, N.H.—It's a story with "a smile, and perhaps a tear." It's Charlie Chaplin's breakthrough feature comedy, 'The Kid' (1921) and it screens with live music at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 12 at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

Admission is $10 per person, with proceeds to support the Town Hall Theatre during its temporary closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Live music will be provided by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film accompanist who performs regularly at screenings around the nation.

The Town Hall Theatre observes all recommended CDC and local public health guidelines to keep patrons safe in the Covid-19 era. Movie-goers are asked to wear face-coverings in the lobby and theatre until seated; capacity is reduced 50 percent to allow for social distancing; and all high touch areas are cleaned and sanitized after each screening.

Chaplin was already the world's most popular comedian and filmmaker when he produced 'The Kid,' his first feature-length project.

The movie, with its daring mix of intense drama and slapstick comedy, proved an instant sensation and marked one of the high points of Chaplin's long career.

'The Kid' follows the story of a tramp (Chaplin) who attempts to raise an orphaned boy on his own. It includes several classic scenes, and is highlighted by a sequence in which Chaplin battles authorities attempting to return the child to an orphanage.

Co-starring with Chaplin in 'The Kid' is five-year-old Jackie Coogan, who turned in what many critics rank as the best child performance of the entire silent film era. Chaplin himself worked closely with the young Coogan for more than a year to develop the youngster's acting abilities.

Coogan went on to a long career that much later included the role of "Uncle Fester" in the popular 1960s Addams Family television show.

“Chaplin's first real feature mixes slapstick and sentiment in a winning combination, as the Tramp raises a streetwise orphan. Wonderful film launched Coogan as a major child star, and it's easy to see why.”
– Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide

The screening of 'The Kid' provides local audiences the opportunity to experience silent film as it was intended to be shown: on the big screen, in restored prints, with live music, and with an audience.

"If you can put pieces of the experience back together again, it's surprising how these films snap back to life," said Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film accompanist who creates music for silent film screenings at venues around the country. "By showing the films under the right conditions, you can get a sense of why people first fell in love with the movies."

In creating music for silent films, Rapsis performs on a digital synthesizer that reproduces the texture of the full orchestra and creates a traditional "movie score" sound.

'The Kid' is part of Silent Film Comedy Week at the Town Hall Theatre, which has temporarily stopped running first-run movies due to lack of availability.

Thursday will bring Harold Lloyd's 1922 comedy classic 'Grandma's Boy,' while Friday finishes the week with Buster Keaton's 'Steamboat Bill Jr.' (1928).

"Response has been great so far," Rapsis said. "Maybe we're at the point where we could all use a good laugh."

'The Kid' (1921) starring Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Coogan, will be screened with live music on Wednesday, Aug. 12 at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H. Tickets $10 per person. For more info, call (603) 654-3456 or visit www.wiltontownhalltheatre.com.

The annual pre-Halloween marathon continues, but with Charlie Chaplin detour this weekend

Chaplin and Coogan on a poster promoting 'The Kid.'

Wednesday night it was Vermont. Last night it was Massachusetts.

And tonight it's Maine, and Saturday night it's Vermont again.

In what's become an annual tradition, the latter half of October finds me bombing all over rural (and urban) New England, presenting spooky silent film programs with live music in libraries, theaters, and community halls.

On the plus side, peak foliage is lingering a bit this year. So my windshield is filled with scenes like this, on Route 101 in Dublin, N.H.:

And the down side? Well, there is no down side. I love doing this—as an outlet for creativity that provides immediate feedback, it's become my therapy.

This year's pre-Halloween marathon does have one odd detour: a Chaplin program on Sunday, Oct. 22 at the Center for the Arts in Natick, Mass.

It's a new venue for me, and possibly the start of a new series. Despite it being high 'Nosferatu' season, organizers felt the best way to open was with Chaplin. So we're running the original release version of 'The Kid' (1921).

I suppose there is a Halloween connection to this film, as Chaplin's young costar Jackie Coogan would later play a prominent role as "Uncle Fester" in the ghoulish 'Addams Family' sitcom.

If you're in the Boston area and need a break from the run-up to Halloween, consider joining us. A press release is below.

And now, I hope you'll excuse me as I prepare to head north to paper mill country for tonight's screening of 'The Man Who Laughs' (1928) in the Tuscan Opera House in Dixfield, Maine.

For true groupees, check out my complete schedule by clicking "Upcoming Silent Film Screenings" at upper right.

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Chaplin, Coogan, and Cop in 'The Kid' (1921).

MONDAY, SEPT. 25, 2017 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Charlie Chaplin's 'The Kid' to screen on Sunday, Oct. 22 at Natick's Center for the Arts

Landmark silent film comedy/drama about Little Tramp raising an orphan to be presented with live music

NATICK, Mass.—Silent film with live music comes to the Center for the Arts with a screening of Charlie Chaplin's classic comedy/drama 'The Kid' (1921) on Sunday, Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 for the general public, $10 for members.

The special program will be presented with live music by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis.

Presented by the Center of the Arts, 14 Summer St., the program enables audiences to experience silent film in the way its makers originally intended: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.

The program is family-friendly and suitable for audience members of all ages.

Chaplin was already the world's most popular comedian and filmmaker when he produced 'The Kid,' his first feature-length project.

The movie, with its daring mix of intense drama and slapstick comedy, proved an instant sensation and marked one of the high points of Chaplin's long career.

'The Kid' follows the story of a tramp (Chaplin) who attempts to raise an orphaned boy on his own. It includes several classic scenes, and is highlighted by a sequence in which Chaplin battles authorities attempting to return the child to an orphanage.

Co-starring with Chaplin in 'The Kid' is five-year-old Jackie Coogan, who turned in what many critics rank as the best child performance of the entire silent film era. Chaplin himself worked closely with the young Coogan for more than a year to develop the youngster's acting abilities.

Coogan went on to a long career that much later included the role of "Uncle Fester" in the popular 1960s Addams Family television show.

The screening of 'The Kid' provides local audiences the opportunity to experience silent film as it was intended to be shown: on the big screen, in restored prints, with live music, and with an audience.

"If you can put pieces of the experience back together again, it's surprising how these films snap back to life," said Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film accompanist who creates music for silent film screenings at venues around the country. "By showing the films under the right conditions, you can really get a sense of why people first fell in love with the movies."

In creating music for silent films, Rapsis performs on a digital synthesizer that reproduces the texture of the full orchestra and creates a traditional "movie score" sound.

'The Kid' will be preceded by 'A Dog's Life' (1918), one of Chaplin's earlier short comedies that helped establish his worldwide popularity.

'The Kid' (1921) starring Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Coogan, will be screened with live music on Sunday, Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m. at The Center for Arts in Natick, 14 Summer St., Natick, Mass.

For more info, call (508) 647-0097 or visit www.natickarts.org.

For more info about the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

Join Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Coogan for 'The Kid' on Saturday, 4/22 in Ludlow, Vt

This weekend, I bop up to Ludlow, Vt., home of Okemo Mountain.

But the ski season is over, so I'll be creating live accompaniment for a silent film program.

It's kind of similar to being on the slopes, wouldn't you say?

Featured is 'The Kid' (1921) starring Charlie Chaplin and a very young Jackie Coogan. It'll be preceded by Chaplin's short 'A Dog's Life' (1918).

I've often wanted to pair Chaplin's 'The Kid' with Buster Keaton's short comedy 'The Goat,' but once again the opportunity will slip by!

If you're in the area, come check out Chaplin's breakthrough feature—"a story with a smile, and perhaps a tear"—the way it was meant to be seen: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.

Showtime is 7 p.m. See you there! For more info, check out the press release below:

* * *

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2017 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Charlie Chaplin's 'The Kid' to screen on Saturday, April 22 at Ludlow Auditorium

Landmark silent film comedy/drama about Little Tramp raising an orphan to be presented with live music at historic venue

LUDLOW, Vt.—Silent film with live music returns to Ludlow Auditorium with a screening of Charlie Chaplin's classic comedy/drama 'The Kid' (1921) on Saturday, April 22 at 7 p.m.

The special program will be presented with live music by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis. The screening is free and open to the public.

Sponsored by FOLA (Friends of the Ludlow Auditorium), the program enables audiences to experience silent film in the way its makers originally intended: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.

Chaplin was already the world's most popular comedian and filmmaker when he produced 'The Kid,' his first feature-length project.

The movie, with its daring mix of intense drama and slapstick comedy, proved an instant sensation and marked one of the high points of Chaplin's long career.

'The Kid' follows the story of a tramp (Chaplin) who attempts to raise an orphaned boy on his own. It includes several classic scenes, and is highlighted by a sequence in which Chaplin battles authorities attempting to return the child to an orphanage.

Co-starring with Chaplin in 'The Kid' is five-year-old Jackie Coogan, who turned in what many critics rank as the best child performance of the entire silent film era. Chaplin himself worked closely with the young Coogan for more than a year to develop the youngster's acting abilities.

Coogan went on to a long career that much later included the role of "Uncle Fester" in the popular 1960s Addams Family television show.

The screening of 'The Kid' provides local audiences the opportunity to experience silent film as it was intended to be shown: on the big screen, in restored prints, with live music, and with an audience.

"If you can put pieces of the experience back together again, it's surprising how these films snap back to life," said Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film accompanist who creates music for silent film screenings at venues around the country. "By showing the films under the right conditions, you can really get a sense of why people first fell in love with the movies."

In creating music for silent films, Rapsis performs on a digital synthesizer that reproduces the texture of the full orchestra and creates a traditional "movie score" sound.

'The Kid' will be preceded by 'A Dog's Life' (1918), one of Chaplin's earlier short comedies that helped establish his worldwide popularity.

'The Kid' (1921) starring Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Coogan, will be screened with live music on Saturday, April 22 at 7 p.m. at Ludlow Town Hall Auditorium, 137 Depot St. in Ludlow, Vt.

The screening is sponsored by the Friends of Ludlow Auditorium. Admission is free; donations are encouraged. For more information about the FOLA and its events, visit www.fola.us or call (802) 228-7239.

CRITIC QUOTE

“Chaplin's first real feature mixes slapstick and sentiment in a winning combination, as the Tramp raises a streetwise orphan. Wonderful film launched Coogan as a major child star, and it's easy to see why.”
– Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide

Silent comedy in Wilton, N.H. on 11/29: Mr. Chaplin will show you to your room now

'The Kid' (1921) and other Chaplin films at the Wilton (N.H.) Town Hall Theatre on Sunday, Nov. 29 at 4:30 p.m.

I'm looking forward to this Sunday's program of Charlie Chaplin comedies at the Wilton (N.H.) Town Hall Theatre, and not only because the films are great family entertainment.

For many people with an interest in silent movies, including myself, Chaplin was the gateway drug into vintage cinema.

Seeing his work for the first time (in my case, back in junior high school) sparked a lifelong interest in the mute world that he and so many others inhabited -- the world of stories told through gesture and action, but not burdened by the clutter and clatter of words, words, words.

It was life stripped down to its barest essentials, bereft even of color in most cases. For me, this cleared the decks, resulting in an art form well adapted to tell stories in a way that life felt like to me -- a place of big emotions, intense feelings, and unforgettable experiences and people and places.

The still photo from 'The Kid' that was used in the poster.

If silent film is a grand hotel (hey, there are sillier analogies), then for me Chaplin was the bellhop who first welcomed me upon arrival, brought in my bags for me, and showed me to my room in this sprawling edifice, which I've been exploring ever since.

So every Chaplin program is exciting to me in that it's possible what happened to me might happen to someone else. For that someone else, it might be the start of a long journey of exploration and discovery.

To join in the fun, come to the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H. on Sunday, Nov. 29, where we're running Chaplin's breakthrough feature 'The Kid' (1921) and several of his short comedies.

More information is in the press release below. Speaking of which: we've gotten some good attention in the local media for this program, which is designed to give the whole family a way to wind up the holiday weekend in a fun way.

So hoping for a big turnout. We'll see!

* * *

Chaplin and co-star Jackie Coogan in 'The Kid' (1921).

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18, 2015 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Chaplin's 'The Kid' to screen on Sunday, Nov. 29 at Town Hall Theatre

Landmark silent film comedy/drama to be presented with live music at historic venue on Thanksgiving weekend

WILTON, N.H.—Silent film with live music returns to the Town Hall Theatre with a screening of Charlie Chaplin's classic comedy/drama 'The Kid' (1921) on Sunday, Nov. 29 at 4:30 p.m.

The special program, which also includes several Chaplin short comedies, with be presented with live music by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis.

Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $5 per person to help defray expenses.

The program, coming at the end of Thanksgiving weekend, is a chance for the whole family to get out to a fun event suitable for all ages.

Chaplin was already the world's most popular comedian and filmmaker when he produced 'The Kid,' his first feature-length project. The movie, with its daring mix of intense drama and slapstick comedy, proved an instant sensation and marked one of the high points of Chaplin's long career.

'The Kid' follows the story of a tramp (Chaplin) who attempts to raise an orphaned boy on his own. It includes several classic scenes, and is highlighted by a sequence in which Chaplin battles authorities attempting to return the child to an orphanage.

Co-starring with Chaplin in 'The Kid' is five-year-old Jackie Coogan, who turned in what many critics rank as the best child performance of the entire silent film era. Chaplin himself worked closely with the young Coogan for more than a year to develop the youngster's acting abilities.

Coogan went on to a long career that much later included the role of "Uncle Fester" in the popular 1960s Addams Family television show.

The Chaplin program continues the monthly series of silent film with live music at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre. The series provides local audiences the opportunity to experience silent film as it was intended to be shown: on the big screen, in restored prints, with live music, and with an audience.

"If you can put pieces of the experience back together again, it's surprising how these films snap back to life," Rapsis said. "By showing the films under the right conditions, you can really get a sense of why people first fell in love with the movies."

In creating music for silent films, Rapsis performs on a digital synthesizer that reproduces the texture of the full orchestra and creates a traditional "movie score" sound.

'The Kid' will be preceded by several shorter Chaplin comedies made earlier in his career that helped establish his worldwide popularity.

Upcoming shows in the Wilton Town Hall Theatre's monthly silent film series include:

• Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015, 4:30 p.m.: Frank Capra's 'The Strong Man' (1926). With World War I over, baby-faced soldier Harry Langdon searches for the girl who sent such moving letters to him in the trenches. Directed by a very young Frank Capra, 'The Strong Man' is today hailed as one of the greatest comedies of the silent film era.

• Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016, 4:30 p.m.: D.W. Griffith's epic 'Intolerance' (1916). On the 100th anniversary of its original release, see Griffith's amazing four-stories-in-one big screen epic exploring man's inhumanity to man. A three-hour movie experience you will never forget!

• Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016, 4:30 p.m.: Greta Garbo in 'The Kiss' (1929). Celebrate Valentine's Day with this steamy romantic thriller about a woman in an unhappy marriage who unexpectedly finds true love with another man. Will she risk everything and resort to murder?

'The Kid' (1921) starring Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Coogan, will be screened with live music on Sunday, Nov. 29 at 4:30 p.m. at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H. Admission to the screening is free; a donation of $5 per person is suggested.

For more info, call (603) 654-3456 or visit www.wiltontownhalltheatre.com. For more info on the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

CRITIC QUOTE

“Chaplin's first real feature mixes slapstick and sentiment in a winning combination, as the Tramp raises a streetwise orphan. Wonderful film launched Coogan as a major child star, and it's easy to see why.”
– Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide

Coming up on Thursday, Aug. 6: Chaplin's 'The Kid' in Ogunquit, Maine

A story with a smile, and perhaps a tear—especially if I reinjure my left pinkie.

A recent trip to Cambodia and Vietnam meant several weeks away from the keyboard, and the layoff took its toll.

The day after I returned, I was playing a program at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine, and somehow managed to tear off the skin from the tip of the pinkie on my left hand. Youch!

I've never had this happen before, so I have to believe it was the result of not playing for awhile, and then coming back to it too suddenly.

Whatever the cause, it sure stung! But I made it through the show.

And I thought it had healed in time for a Harold Lloyd double bill I accompanied this past Sunday at the Somerville Theatre, but no—it broke open, forcing me to rethink or change all my usual instincts for playing.

Again, I got through the show, but it was somewhat less than fun!

So for a little while, any upcoming shows will feature more treble than bass as I take time for the pinkie to truly heal up for good. A screening of 'Open All Night' (1924) tomorrow night at the Manchester (N.H.) City Library will be my first experiment with one less finger than usual, so we'll see.

And then it's back to the Leavitt on Thursday, Aug. 6 for a screening of Chaplin's breakthrough feature, 'The Kid' (1921) as well as a few of Chaplin's earlier short comedies.

Say what you want about other silent film comedians—Chaplin's iconic tramp figure has endured as a symbol of the whole art form, and he still draws bigger crowds than any other performer from the era.

And for those of us deep into exploring the odd neglected corners of silent film (where occasionally a gem is discovered, but usually not), it's worth remembering that Chaplin was the "gateway drug" for many silent film people. His films are often the reason people first get interested in the art form.

It was that way with me. I remember the first Chaplin two-reeler I saw: 'One A.M.,' a Mutual two-reeler from 1916. Our junior high music teacher screened it during study hall to give us something to do, and I recall being captivated by the idea that Chaplin was the only person in the movie. (With the exception of Albert Austin as a taxi driver right at the beginning.)

So I'm looking forward to Thursday night, and possibly having some folks get intrigued enough by Chaplin to want to learn more. That's how it starts!

Newbie or oldbie (Is 'oldbie even a word?), I hope to see you on Thursday night out in Ogunquit. More info is in the press release below.

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A still that still works: Chaplin and Coogan watch out for the law, which is watching them.

MONDAY, AUG. 3, 2015 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Chaplin's 'The Kid' (1921) to screen on Thursday, Aug. 6 at Leavitt Theatre

Landmark silent film comedy/drama to be presented with live music at historic Ogunquit venue

QGUNQUIT, Maine—Silent film with live music returns to the Leavitt Theatre with a screening of Charlie Chaplin's classic comedy/drama 'The Kid' (1921) on Thursday, Aug. 6 at 8 p.m.

The special program, which also includes several of Chaplin's short comedies, with be presented with live music by Jeff Rapsis, one of the nation's leading silent film accompanists. Admission is $10 per person.

Chaplin was already the world's most popular comedian and filmmaker when he produced 'The Kid,' his first feature-length project. The movie, with its daring mix of intense drama and slapstick comedy, proved an instant sensation and marked one of the high points of Chaplin's long career.

'The Kid' follows the story of a tramp (Chaplin) who attempts to raise an orphaned boy on his own. It includes several classic scenes, and is highlighted by a sequence in which Chaplin battles authorities attempting to return the child to an orphanage.

Co-starring with Chaplin in 'The Kid' is five-year-old Jackie Coogan, who turned in what many critics rank as the best child performance of the entire silent film era. Chaplin himself worked closely with the young Coogan for more than a year to develop the youngster's acting abilities.

Coogan went on to a long career that much later included the role of "Uncle Fester" in the popular 1960s Addams Family television show. (That's him on the right.)

The Chaplin program continues another season of silent films presented with live music at the Leavitt. The series provides local audiences the opportunity to experience silent film as it was intended to be shown: on the big screen, in restored prints, with live music, and with an audience.

"If you can put pieces of the experience back together again, it's surprising how these films snap back to life," Rapsis said. "By showing the films under the right conditions, you can really get a sense of why people first fell in love with the movies."

The Leavitt, a summer-only moviehouse, opened in 1923 at the height of the silent film era, and has been showing movies to summertime visitors for nine decades.

The silent film series honors the theater's long service as a moviehouse that has entertained generations of Seacoast residents and visitors, in good times and in bad.

Another iconic image from 'The Kid' (1921).

In creating music for silent films, Rapsis performs on a digital synthesizer that reproduces the texture of the full orchestra and creates a traditional "movie score" sound.

'The Kid' will be preceded by several short Chaplin comedies made earlier in his career that helped establish his worldwide popularity.

Upcoming shows in this year's series include:

• Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015, 8 p.m.: 'Ben Hur' (1925) starring Ramon Navarro. In the Holy Land, a Jewish prince is enslaved by the occupying Romans; inspired by encounters with Jesus, he lives to seek justice. One of the great religious epics of Hollywood's silent film era, including a legendary chariot race that's lost none of its power to thrill.

• Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015, 8 p.m.: 'Silent Comedy with Harry Langdon' Silent comedy featuring the unique style of Harry Langdon, whose innocent baby-faced character rocketed to fame late in the silent era on the strength of films directed by a very young Frank Capra. Rediscover Harry's quiet genius the way it was intended to be seen: on the big screen and with a live audience.

• Saturday, Oct 31, 2015, 8 p.m.: 'The Lodger' (1927). A serial killer is on the loose in fog-bound London. Will the murderer be caught before yet another victim is claimed? Just in time for Halloween, suspenseful British thriller directed by a very young Alfred Hitchcock. The program is subtitled 'Chiller Theater' due to the theater's lack of central heating.

'The Kid' (1921) starring Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks, will be screened with live music on Thurday, Aug. 6 at 8 p.m. at the Leavitt Theater, 259 Main St., Route 1, Ogunquit, Maine. Admission $10. For more information, call (207) 646-3123 or visit http://www.leavittheatre.com.

For more info on the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

CRITIC QUOTE

“Chaplin's first real feature mixes slapstick and sentiment in a winning combination, as the Tramp raises a streetwise orphan. Wonderful film launched Coogan as a major child star, and it's easy to see why.”
– Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide