'Show People' (1928) on Wednesday, April 2 in Manchester starts a run of silent film screenings

A lobby card promoting 'Show People' (1928).

Starting this Wednesday, I'll do music for five silent film screenings in six days.

The fun starts on Wednesday, April 2, when I accompany a 7 p.m. screening of 'Show People' (1928) at the Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St. in downtown Manchester, N.H.

'Show People' is a terrific late silent MGM comedy/drama starring Marion Davies and William Haines, and directed by King Vidor. Lots more info in the press release pasted in below.

After that, here's a quick run-down of where I'll be between then and next Monday. 

• Thursday, April 3, 2025, 12:30 p.m.: "The Circus" (1928) starring Charlie Chaplin, part of Cinema Ritrovato 2025; University of N.H, Memorial Union Building (the "MUB"), 83 Main St., Durham, N.H. On this year's program: Chaplin's feature-length comedy set under the Big Top. All Cinema Ritrovato screenings and events are free and open to the public. For more information about the 2025 Il Cinema Ritrovato on Tour in N.H., the full schedule of screenings, and details about the screening locations, visit www.cinemaritrovatonh.com.

• Saturday, April 5, 2025, 7 p.m.: "Straight Is The Way" (1921); at the Blazing Star Grange Hall, North Road in Danbury, N.H. (Preceded by "soup and bread" dinner at 6 p.m.) An early crime drama/comedy set in the small town of "Hampton Center, New Hampshire," released over 100 years ago and not screened again until it transferred  in 2021 from a rare surviving print at the U.S. Library of Congress. Join us for this Cosmopolitan Pictures chestnut from a century ago, and enjoy seeing Hollywood's image of the Granite State back in the day.Join us for a silent film program in a historic (and authentic) small town N.H. Grange Hall. Soup and bread supper served at 6 p.m., $5 per person; movie shown at 7 p.m., suggested donation of $5 per person. 

• Sunday, April 6, 2025, 2 p.m.: "It's the Old Army Game" 91926) starring W.C. Fields, Louise Brooks; Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass. In one of his silent features, Fields plays a pharmacist who gets tangled up with real estate con men. Shown via 35mm print from Library of Congress. Silent film on the big screen at the Somerville Theatre, a 1914 moviehouse and theater. For more info, call the theater box office at (617) 625-5700. Tickets $17, with discounts for members/seniors/kids.

• Monday, April 7, 2025, 6:30 p.m.: "The Lost World" (1925) starring Wallace Beery; Greenfield Garden Cinemas, 361 Main St., Greenfield, Mass.; call (413) 773-9260 or visit www.gardencinemas.net. First-ever movie adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary tale of British explorers who discover pre-historic creatures still thriving atop a remote South American plateau. Great entertainment; ground-breaking special effects by the same team that later created 'King Kong' mesmerized early movie audiences and remain impressive today. Tickets $10.50 adults; $8.50 students, seniors, and veterans.

Hope to see you at one or all of these! 

For now, here's the press release for the screening of 'Show People' on Wednesday, April 2 at 7 p.m. at the Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St. in Manchester, N.H.:

*     *     *

William Haines and Marion Davies encounter an out-of-makeup Charlie Chaplin in 'Show People' (1928).

MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2025 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Rex Theatre to screen classic silent rom-com 'Show People' on Wednesday, April 2

William Haines, Marion Davies lead all-star cast in classic silent film romantic comedy shown with live music

MANCHESTER, N.H.—He was the Tom Hanks of his time: a leading man with a winning manner and breezy charm who always got the girl.

But the film career of William Haines, one of early Hollywood's brightest stars, was cut short for an unfortunate reason: at a time when sexual preference was a taboo subject, he was openly gay.

See Haines at the peak of his popularity in 'Show People' (1928), an MGM comedy co-starring Marion Davies that spoofs the movie industry, pitting high drama against low comedy. 

Showtime for 'Show People' is Wednesday, April 2 at 7 p.m. at the Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St. in downtown Manchester, N.H.

General admission is $10 per person; tickets are available at the door or online at www.palacetheatre.org.

The screening, the latest in the Rex Theatre's silent film series, will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent films.

The show is intended to give audiences the opportunity to experience early cinema as it was intended: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.  

A scene from 'Show People' (1928).

'Show People,' directed by King Vidor, shows Haines at the height of his leading-man status. The light-hearted story follows Peggy Pepper (Marion Davies), a beauty queen from Georgia trying to break into the movies as a dramatic actress. Haines plays Billy Boone, lead actor of a slapstick comedy studio where Pepper gets her first break.

Can the young actress yearning for drama survive the indignity of pies in the face? And when her big break finally comes, will it mean sacrificing her growing friendship with Billy? And can Billy rescue the fun-loving Georgia girl from a studio that aims to invent a whole new persona for her as a serious actress, descended from European royalty?

Can low comedy win out over high drama? In answering that question, 'Show People' pokes fun at Hollywood phoniness and the culture of celebrity worship that had already emerged by the 1920s. 'Show People' also offers rare behind-the-scenes glimpses of movie-making at the very end of the silent period, when studios were rushing to prepare for sound.

"It's like they knew an era was ending, and 'Show People' is kind of a Valentine to the whole silent film experience," said Rapsis, who will accompany the screening at the Leavitt. "It's a love letter to all the craziness that went into creating the movie business."

Set in backstage Hollywood, 'Show People' features cameos by dozens of major stars of the period, including Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., William S. Hart, and John Gilbert.

William Haines, the leading man of 'Show People,' was one of MGM's biggest stars in the late 1920s, often playing the male lead in the studio's romantic comedies. 

But off-screen, Haines was gay—and, unusually for the era, he did not conceal his homosexuality. 

A poster promoting 'Show People' (1928).

Haines made the transition to talkies, but eventually had a falling out with MGM's studio bosses, which led to his firing in 1933. In recent years, Haines has been recognized as a courageous pioneer in gay rights in the early Hollywood community.

In 2003, 'Show People' was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

“These films are still exciting experiences if you show them as they were designed to be screened,” Rapsis said. “There’s a reason people first fell in love with the movies, and we hope to recreate that experience. At their best, silent films were a communal experience very different from today’s movies—one in which the presence of a large audience intensifies everyone’s reactions.”

‘Show People’ (1928), a classic silent comedy starring William Haines and Marion Davies, will be shown with live music on Wednesday, April 2 at 7 p.m. at the Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, N.H.

General admission is $10 per person; tickets are available at the door or online at www.palacetheatre.org. For more information, call (603) 668-5588.

A few words about films I've never accompanied before, including 'My Best Girl,' today at 2 p.m.

Beneath the marquee this week of the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center in Plymouth, N.H.

The above photo marks probably the first time the William Haines film 'The Smart Set' has been on a marquee since its 1928 release.

And that's kinda too bad, because it turns out 'The Smart Set' is a really fun picture—a slickly made late MGM silent set in the rarefied world of competitive polo.

Yes, polo—the sport where the players ride horses and use oversized mallets to knock balls around. 

Last Wednesday's audience of about 50 people thoroughly enjoyed this light-hearted romp, with star William Haines winning special plaudits for his energetic performance as a conceited-but-redeemable polo player. 

So put that one in the "win" column!

In selecting films to accompany, I make it a point to seek out titles that sound promising but which never get screened. It's worth giving them a chance. You can never tell if a silent film works until you run it in its natural environment: in front of an audience.

Some are duds. But more often than not (such as with 'The Smart Set'), the pictures come to life in a way that continues to surprise me. 

Looking at a film at home by myself, I'll think, "There's no way an audience will buy this." But shown on the big screen with live music and in front of an audience, the movie snaps back to life.

They knew what they were doing. And by and large, these are the films that caused people to first fall in love with the movies. And people wouldn't fall in love with junk.

And this searching-out-rarely-screened titles helps stretch my instincts as a silent film accompanist. I've been doing this for more than 15 years now, and it wouldn't be nearly as interesting if there weren't "new" films to continue to discover. 

I actually keep track of how many different feature films I've scored on this blog. Check it out. I'm getting close to 400, and there's no end in sight of old movies that are new to me—and most of you, too.

Well, there's another first-timer (for me, anyway) coming up this afternoon: Mary Pickford's 'My Best Girl' (1927), a romantic comedy that co-stars Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, who would later become Mr. Mary Pickford after her marriage with Douglas Fairbanks Sr. broke up.

(I can't explain why, but I have always been captivated by Pickford's nickname for Doug: "Duber.")

I have high hopes for this one, of course, as Mary Pickford was pretty much the gold standard for successful film production throughout the silent era. 

We'll see. I encourage you to join in the fun, which starts today at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St. in Wilton, N.H. Admission is free; a donation of $10 per person is suggested to help defray expenses.

I don't have a press release for this one. Instead, how about this quote from Pickford biographer Jeffrey Vance?

"What makes My Best Girl special is that it captures the miracle of two people falling in love with each other as their characters do. It is challenging to capture genuine emotion on a cold piece of celluloid, but falling in love is beautifully immortalized in My Best Girl."

So that makes it two Jeffs in a row urging you to check out "My Best Girl." So see you this afternoon in a darkened theater!

Charles 'Buddy' Rogers and Mary Pickford in 'My Best Girl' (1927).

Up next: William Haines plays polo in 'The Smart Set' (1928) on Wednesday, 2/15 in Plymouth, N.H.

In front of the Jane Pickens Theater last Saturday in Newport, R.I., where I accompanied 'The Temptress' (1926) starring Greta Garbo.

I'm Number 8! I'm Number 8!

Really. I just came across a recent list of the top 25 silent film blogs, and was totally surprised to find that this here blog came in as No. 8.

Really?

Yes. I'm positioned right between internationally famous silent film accompanist Ben Model (at #7) and internationally famous silent film location sleuth John Bengtson (#9). 

Wow! Pretty amazing company. Check it out for yourself: https://blog.feedspot.com/silent_movies_blogs/

What's going on, of course, is that the list seems to be one of many at this particular site that's assembled by an algorithm, and which then makes the rounds as a sort of clickbait.

Today it's the top 25 silent film blogs. Tomorrow it might be the top 25 blogs about serial killers. 

Wonder what number I'll turn up on that list?

Before we're likely to find out, I'm heading up to the Flying Monkey Moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H., where tonight I'll accompany a silent film set in the high-stakes world of competitive polo.

Yes, polo! The film is 'The Smart Set' (1928), an MGM romantic comedy starring William Haines and Alice Day. I've never done music for it, and I'm curious to see what kind of audience reaction it gets.

And that's where you come in. Join us this evening for a rarely-screened chestnut from the MGM vault that gives you an idea of what the upper class were up to just before the Great Depression.

Showtime is 6:30 p.m. Lots more info in the press release below:

*   *   * 

A vintage lobby card promoting 'The Smart Set' (1928).

TUESDAY, JAN. 10, 2023 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more info, contact: Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

The lost world of 1920s privilege, ponies and polo captured in MGM's 'The Smart Set'

Romantic comedy featuring silent-era superstar William Haines to be screened with live music on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at Flying Monkey

PLYMOUTH, N.H.—Get ready to ride in a romantic comedy set in the rarefied world of 1920s championship polo.

That's the setting of 'The Smart Set,' a rarely screened film released near the end of Hollywood's silent era—and the end of the Roaring '20s as well.

'The Smart Set,' starring William Haines and Alice Day, will be shown with live music on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center, 39 Main St., Plymouth, N.H.

Admission is $10 per person, general seating. Live musical scoring will be provided by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis.

William Haines (left) stars with other people and horses in 'The Smart Set' (1928).

In 'The Smart Set,' Arrogant aristocrat Tommy Van Buren (William Haines) calls himself "America's gift to polo," while his female fans think he's the most gorgeous creature on four legs.

The one exception is plucky Polly (Alice Day), who first responds to Tommy's amorous advances by using her car to run him off the road.

Polly has yet more reasons to loathe Tommy when he replaces her father on the polo squad—although after an evening's dalliance, even she yields to the champ's charms.

But when Tommy's alcohol-fueled antics get him tossed from the team, he'll have to stop horsing around to win the big match against England—and Polly's heart.

'The Smart Set' was released by MGM in 1928, the final year of full-scale production of silent films in Hollywood. Spurred by the success of Warner Bros.' 'The Jazz Singer,' studios and theaters were rapidly converting to "talking" pictures.

A year after 'The Smart Set' hit theaters, the stock market crash of October 1929 ushered in the Great Depression, wiping out much of the polo-playing wealthy class.

"'The Smart Set' is a real chestnut from a lost age of privilege, ponies, and polo that flourished in the Roaring '20s," said Jeff Rapsis, the silent film musician who will accompany the screening at the Flying Monkey.

"Taking in a silent romantic comedy with live music is a great way to celebrate Valentine's Day," Rapsis said.

For the music, Rapsis improvises in real time, while the film is running, using a digital synthesizer that allow him to recreate the "movie score" texture of a full orchestra.

"Improvising a score live is a bit of a high-wire act, but it allows me to follow and support the film a lot more effectively than if I was buried in sheet music," Rapsis said.

"Instead, I'm free to follow the film right in the moment. Each time it's different, which lends a certain energy and immediacy and excitement to the experience."

'The Smart Set,' a silent romantic comedy starring William Haines and Alice Day, will be screened with live music on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center, 39 Main St., Plymouth, N.H.

Admission is $10 per person. For more info, call (603) 536-2551 or visit www.flyingmonkeynh.com.

William Haines recuperates from all the excitement in 'The Smart Set' (1928).
 

Meeting a Gloria Swanson superfan, and other tales from silent film music world

Who says fame is fleeting?

After yesterday's screening of 'Zaza' (1923), a costume melodrama starring Gloria Swanson, I was approached by a young woman with an unusual tattoo.

Covering a good portion of her left forearm was the image of, yes, Gloria Swanson. The bearer described her as an "inspirational figure, partly due to her proto-feminist roles in films such as 'Sadie Thomson' (1928) and also because of her enlightened ideas about diet and nutrition.

Frankly, I didn't absorb much of what she said, as I was too busy staring at her enormous tattoo. Let's see it again:

What a coup for Gloria! Nearly a century after the peak of her stardom, and now almost a half-century since her cameo in 'Airport 1975,' she lives on among the young, in tattoo form and otherwise.

And the Somerville did its part to pay homage to Gloria's enduring stardom. Check out this "top billing" on showtimes and listings posted in the theater's front window:

So all in all, it wasn't a bad weekend for 1920s celebrities, at least in my world.

Last Thursday at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine, our opening night screening of 'Speedway' (1929) saw people cheering William Haines and Ernest Torrance, big stars of the era but who have all but disappeared from the public consciousness, or conscience, or something like that.

Mrs. Cullinan of Great Brook Middle School, Antrim, N.H. addresses her charges.

And last Friday, an old town hall auditorium packed with 150 middle school students cheered Douglas Fairbanks Sr. in his breakthrough role, the title character in 'The Mark of Zorro' (1920). (I think it helped that they'd performed a stage version of the tale, so they already knew how the story went.

Well, looking forward: the summer calendar is filling up with last-minute screenings. So if you're looking for a dose of silent film with live music, even at the last minute, there's a show near you!

Up next: Harold is hanging from that clock again, this time at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine, where we're showing 'Safety Last' (1923) on Thursday, June 13 at 7 p.m.

Press release below with all the info. Hope to see you there!

* * *

Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Harold Lloyd!

MONDAY, JUNE 3, 2019 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Silent film classic 'Safety Last' on Thursday, June 13 at Leavitt Theatre

Thrill comedy climaxed by Harold Lloyd's iconic building climb; with live music

OGUNQUIT, Maine—It's an image so powerful, people who've never seen the movie still instantly recognize it.

The vision of Harold Lloyd hanging from the hands of a huge clock, from the climax of his silent comedy 'Safety Last,' (1923), has emerged as a symbol of the "anything goes" spirit of early Hollywood and the magic of the movies.

See how Harold gets into his high-altitude predicament in a screening of 'Safety Last,' one of Lloyd's most popular comedies, on Thursday, June 13 at 7 p.m. at the historic Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St., Route 1, Ogunquit, Maine.

Admission is $10 per person.

The screening will feature live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film musician.

The story of 'Safety Last' follows young go-getter Lloyd to the big city, where he hopes to make his mark in business and send for his small town sweetheart. His career at a downtown department store stalls, however, until he gets a chance to pitch a surefire publicity idea—hire a human fly to climb the building's exterior.

However, when the human fly has a last-minute run-in with the law, Harold is forced to make the climb himself, floor by floor, with his sweetheart looking on. The result is an extended sequence blending comedy and terror that holds viewers spellbound.

Lloyd, along with Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, is regarded as one of the silent screen's three great clowns. Lloyd's character, a young go-getter ready to struggle to win the day, proved hugely popular in the 1920s. While Chaplin and Keaton were always favored by the critics, Lloyd's films reigned as the top-grossing comedies throughout the period.

The Leavitt opened in 1923 as a seasonal movie house that catered to tourists and visitors to the Maine coast. It has remained open continuously since then; under the longtime stewardship of the Clayton family, today it offers an eclectic mix of first-run movies and classic films, live entertainment, a lounge area with full bar, and a dinner menu.

The Leavitt Theatre's silent film/live music series gives today's audiences the chance to experience early cinema as it was intended: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.

"Put the whole experience back together, and you can see why people first fell in love with the movies," said Rapsis, who practices the nearly lost art of silent film accompaniment.

Rapsis performs on a digital synthesizer that reproduces the texture of the full orchestra, creating a traditional "movie score" sound.

"Seeing 'Safety Last' with an audience is one of the great thrill rides of the cinema of any era, silent or sound," Rapsis said. "Harold's iconic building climb, filmed without trick photography, continues to provoke audience responses nearly 100 years after film was first released."

Tributes to the clock-hanging scene have appeared in several contemporary films, most recently in Martin Scorsese's 'Hugo' (2011), which includes clips from 'Safety Last.'

After "Safety Last' (1923) on Thursday, June 13 at 7 p.m., other programs in this year's Leavitt silent film series include:

• Thursday, June 27, 7 p.m.: 'The Last Command' (1928) starring Emil Jannings. Intense drama about a former high-ranking officer in Czarist Russia now reduced to playing extra in 1920s Hollywood. His performance helped Jannings win 'Best Actor' at the first-ever Academy Awards.

• Wednesday, July 17, 7 p.m.: 'Woman in the Moon' (1929). In honor of the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, Fritz Lang's epic sci-fi adventure film about mankind's first-ever journey to the moon. See the German space program that never was! (Note Wednesday night screening date.)

• Thursday, Aug. 15, 7 p.m.: 'Paths to Paradise' (1925). Two competing would-be jewel thieves reluctantly team up to pull off a major heist. Starring Raymond Griffith, a leading comedian for Paramount Pictures whose popularity rivaled Chaplin and Keaton in the 1920s,

• Thursday, Aug. 29, 7 p.m.: 'The Beloved Rogue' (1926) starring John Barrymore. Epic costume adventure based on the life of the 15th century French poet, François Villon. Wrongly banished from the Royal Court and sentenced to death, can the patriotic poet save France from an evil plot?

• Saturday, Oct. 26, 7 p.m.: 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923) starring Lon Chaney. Just in time for Halloween, our annual "Chiller Theatre" presentation! Lon Chaney stars in the original screen adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel about a deformed bellringer in medieval Paris.

See Harold Lloyd's iconic thrill comedy 'Safety Last' (1923) on Thursday, June 13 at 7 p.m. at the Leavitt Fine Arts Theatre, 259 Main St. Route 1, Ogunquit, Maine; (207) 646-3123; admission is $10 per person, general seating.

For more information, visit www.leavittheatre.com.

Silent film thrills: 'Safety Last' followed by 'Speedway' then 'Zorro' then 'Zaza'

A step ladder and 'Safety Last'...what could go wrong?

With the irony alarm going full blast, I couldn't help but snap a picture as Dennis Markaverich, longtime owner/operator of the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H., hauled out the step ladder to change the marquee from 'The White Crow' to 'Safety Last.'

But all went well, and a crackerjack screening of Harold Lloyd's 'clock-hanging' comedy soon followed.

Turnout was nearly 100 people, even in the middle of Memorial Day weekend, and in the middle of a spate of terrific weather, too. They laughed, the screamed, and they had a great time!

This was quite a change compared to last month's turnout of about a dozen souls for a two-part screening of Abel Gance's 5½-hour drama 'La Roue.' Can you imagine?

But with Memorial Day weekend upon us, the pace for silent film screenings will quicken as the summer season heats up.

This coming week finds me accompanying 'Speedway' (1929), a vintage auto race drama, on Thursday, May 30 at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine; presenting the original Fairbanks 'Zorro' to middle schoolers who staged a theatrical version of the story earlier this year; and then accompanying Gloria Swanson in 'Zaza' (1923) on Sunday, June 2 at the Somerville (Mass.) Theatre.

Wonder what a middle school stage production of 'Zorro' looks like? Here it is!

So that's three films in three states in four days, if you're keeping track. I'm certainly not, as it's more fun that way. (Just kidding.)

Later in the month brings more 'Safety Last' and 'Metropolis,' and another quick trip to California for 'Chaplin Days' at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum.

But first up is 'Speedway,' an MGM drama about auto racing filmed on location at the actual Indy 500 track as it existed in 1929. Accidental history! And yours to enjoy on Thursday night at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine.

Read on..

* * *

An original poster for 'Speedway' (1929).

TUESDAY, MAY 28, 2019 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Vintage auto racing thriller to be screened with live music on Thursday, May 30 at Leavitt Theatre

MGM's late silent drama 'Speedway' (1929) filmed at actual Indy 500 track; stars Hollywood's first openly gay leading man

OGUNQUIT, Maine—Fasten your seat belts! We mark the traditional running of the Indianapolis 500 with a vintage race car drama filmed right on the famed track—at speeds topping 115 mph!

In honor of this year’s Indy 500, MGM's vintage auto racing drama 'Speedway' will be screened with live music on Thursday, May 30 at 7 p.m. at the Leavitt Fine Arts Theatre, 259 Main St. Route 1, Ogunquit, Maine.

Live music will be performed by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film accompanist. Tickets are $10 per person.

In 'Speedway,' MGM leading man William Haines stars as Bill Whipple, a cocky mechanic/race car driver in town for the "The Indianapolis Speedway" race.

He meets other participants, including Mac (Ernest Torrence), an old-timer with heart trouble who thinks of Bill like a son and has been trying to win the race for 17 years; and Renny, a rival driver not opposed to using dirty tricks to win.

'Speedway' also stars actress Anita Page in a leading role. (At left, that's her with William Haines.)

To lend an air of realism to the movie, many scenes were shot on location at the actual Indianapolis 500 track. Today, the footage provides auto racing fans a vivid glimpse of the sport as it was practiced in earlier generations.

Actor William Haines was one of MGM's biggest stars in the late 1920s, often playing the male lead romantic comedies. But off-screen, Haines was gay—and, unusually for the era, did not hide his homosexuality.

This led to friction with his bosses. MGM studio chief Louis B. Mayer, convinced that movie audiences would not accept a gay leading man, urged Haines to keep his long-term relationship with actor Jimmie Shields a secret.

Haines maintained his star status at MGM during the move to talking pictures. But a publicity crisis arose in 1933, when Haines was arrested in a YMCA with a sailor he had met in Los Angeles' Pershing Square.

Mayer then delivered an ultimatum: Haines had to choose between a sham marriage to an MGM actress or giving up his career. Haines refused to submit, choosing to be himself rather than to pretend to be someone he wasn't. Mayer subsequently fired Haines, terminated his contract, and banished him from the industry.

A scene on location at the Indy 500 track from 'Speedway' (1929).

His movie career over, Haines recovered by launching an interior design firm, using his connections to become the most sought-after decorator in the Hollywood movie colony. The business prospered over the decades, with a client list of A-list celebrities as well as political figures such as Ronald and Nancy Reagan.

Haines remained with his partner Shields for the rest of his life. Joan Crawford, who co-starred with Haines in several pictures, described the pair as "the happiest married couple in Hollywood." In recent years, Haines has been recognized as a courageous pioneer in gay rights in the early Hollywood community.

'Speedway' was one of the final silent movies released by MGM prior to the studio's conversion to making talking pictures.

'Speedway' is the first in this summer's series 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 good-looking prints, with live music, and with an audience.

After 'Speedway' (1929) on Thursday, May 30 at 7 p.m., other programs in this year's Leavitt silent film series include:

• Thursday, June 13, 7 p.m.: 'Safety Last' (1923) starring Harold Lloyd. The iconic image of comedian Harold Lloyd dangling from the hands of a downtown clock is only one small piece of a remarkable thrill comedy that has lost none of its power over audiences.

• Thursday, June 27, 7 p.m.: 'The Last Command' (1928) starring Emil Jannings. Intense drama about a former high-ranking officer in Czarist Russia now reduced to playing extra in 1920s Hollywood. Performance helped Jannings win 'Best Actor' at the first-ever Academy Awards.

• Wednesday, July 17, 7 p.m.: 'Woman in the Moon' (1929). In honor of the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, Fritz Lang's epic sci-fi adventure film about mankind's first-ever journey to the moon. See the German space program that never was! (Note Wednesday night screening date.)

• Thursday, Aug. 15, 7 p.m.: 'Paths to Paradise' (1925). Two competing would-be jewel thieves reluctantly team up to pull off a major heist. Starring Raymond Griffith, a leading comedian for Paramount Pictures whose popularity rivaled Chaplin and Keaton in the 1920s,

• Thursday, Aug. 29, 7 p.m.: 'The Beloved Rogue' (1926) starring John Barrymore. Epic costume adventure based on the life of the 15th century French poet, François Villon. Wrongly banished from the Royal Court and sentenced to death, can the patriotic poet save France from an evil plot?

• Saturday, Oct. 26, 7 p.m.: 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923) starring Lon Chaney. Just in time for Halloween, our annual "Chiller Theatre" presentation! Lon Chaney stars in the original screen adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel about a deformed bellringer in medieval Paris.

'Speedway' (1929) will lead off this season's silent film series on Thursday, May 30 at 7 p.m. at the Leavitt Fine Arts Theatre, 259 Main St. Route 1, Ogunquit, Maine; (207) 646-3123; admission is $10 per person, general seating.

For more information, visit www.leavittheatre.com.

Notes from 'Greed' at the Somerville Theatre, then 'Speedway' on Thursday in Plymouth, N.H.

'Speedway' (1929) shows auto racers competing at astounding speeds of up of 85 mph!

Next up: music on Thursday, May 18 for 'Speedway' (1929), a vintage auto racing drama.

But first, a few words about 'Greed' (1924), which I had the privilege of scoring on Sunday, May 14 at the Somerville Theatre down in Boston.

This screening, part of the Somerville's 'Silents Please!' series, was a real event: a 35mm print, a big turnout, and a film that really holds the 30-foot-high screen and then some.

Plus, afterwards projectionist David Kornfeld presented a slideshow of scenes cut from the final release print. Everyone stayed, entranced by what they saw.

David had assembled several hundred images, which were projected on the big screen as he talked us through all the plot twists and characters we'd missed.

And it was surprisingly compelling, I think, because we'd all just watched 'Greed,' and there's no better time to show an audience all we didn't see.

Afterwards, I mentioned to David that if movie-going was anything like climbing mountains, then 'Greed' at the Somerville was one of the more worthy summits!

And lots of good discussions afterwards, including at least one comparison of 'Greed' to the 1962 comedy epic 'It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World.'

It's an apt pairing in more than one way. Both about avarice, and they're both over-long projects that got cut down by their respective studios.

And most amazingly: Zasu Pitts appeared in both pictures. Here she is in 'Greed' playing the lead role of Trina:

And here she is as operator of the Santa Rosita Police Department in 'Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World':

And I can't wrap up this report without including my own joke about the picture, which I claimed was rated highly by none other than actor Michael Douglas.

How? Because Douglas, as Gordon Gekko in 'Wall Street' (1987), proclaimed that "Greed is good!"

About the music: in the world of improv, sometimes I'm not satisfied with what I do, and other times I'm surprised at how well it all works.

On Sunday afternoon, 'Greed' was one of those that fell together really well, I thought. I had some good material to start with, and held back long enough so that really dramatic scenes would stand out that much more.

It was only the second time I'd tackled 'Greed,' the first being back in 2010 at the Palace Theatre in Manchester, N.H.

Just out of curiosity, I looked up my report from that screening, and here's what I found:

I came up with a nice suite of melodic material for this film, I thought: a somewhat stern Beethoven-like main theme for McTeague, a slow tune in 12/8 with shifting major and minor harmonies that helped bring out slowly creeping lunacy; a little chromatic signature that worked really well in the deep bass underneath sustained dissonances in the treble; and my favorite, a dirge-like "eating melody" for when the family pigs out at the wedding (which brought some of the rare laughter we got), and which returned in other depictions of excess; and a whole tone signature for the caged bird images that play a role throughout 'Greed.'

Huh? That was seven years ago, and I have no recollection whatsoever of any of the musical material I used then.

I might have scrawled some notes down somewhere, but I'd have to go hunting.

Still, I was struck by how different my approach was now compared to back then. Going by the 2010 notes, there wasn't one thing in common.

It would be interesting to hear what I was doing then and compare it to now—to see how my accompaniment style has evolved, and what's remained the same.

It would also be comforting, in the sense that it's a little disconcerting to think that everything that happened that night, in a musical sense, has vanished, even from my own head.

And this feeds into my desire to spend more time writing things down. But before that can happen, here comes another screening—this time, in on Thursday, May 18 up at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H.

It's 'Speedway' (1929), a crackerjack auto racing drama from MGM starting William Haines, Ernest Torrance, and Anita Page. Many scenes were filmed on location at the actual Indianapolis 500 track, showing what it looked like in the 1920s.

Members of a vintage auto group should be on hand, so we won't lack for an audience. If you'd like to join us, more details are in the press release below:

* * *

Original (and French!) promotional art for MGM's auto racing adventure 'Speedway' (1929).

WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, 2017 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Vintage auto racing thriller to be screened with live music on Thursday, May 18 at Flying Monkey

MGM's late silent drama 'Speedway' (1929) filmed on location at actual Indy 500 track

PLYMOUTH, N.H.—Fasten your seat belts! We mark the traditional Memorial Day running of the Indianapolis 500 with a vintage race car drama filmed right on the famed track—at speeds topping 115 mph!

In honor of this year’s Indy 500, MGM's vintage auto racing drama 'Speedway' will be screened with live music on Thursday, May 18 at 6:30 p.m. at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center, 39 South Main St., Plymouth, N.H.

The screening is a chance to experience this landmark film as it was intended to be seen: in a high quality print on the big screen, with live music and with an audience. Live music will be performed by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film accompanist.

Tickets are $10 per person.

In 'Speedway,' MGM leading man William Haines stars as Bill Whipple, a cocky mechanic/race car driver in town for the "The Indianapolis Speedway" race.

He meets a couple of other participants—Mac (Ernest Torrence), the old-timer with heart trouble who thinks of Bill like a son and has been trying to win this race for 17 years; and Renny, a driver not opposed to using dirty tricks to win.

'Speedway' also stars actress Anita Page in a leading role.

To lend an air of realism to the movie, many scenes were shot on location at the actual Indianapolis 500 track. Today, the footage provides auto racing fans a vivid glimpse of the sport as it was practiced in earlier generations.

Actor William Haines was one of MGM's biggest stars in the late 1920s, often playing the male lead romantic comedies. But off-screen, Haines was gay—and, unusually for the era, did not hide his homosexuality.

This led to friction with his bosses. MGM studio chief Louis B. Mayer, convinced that movie audiences would not accept a gay leading man, urged Haines to keep his long-term relationship with actor Jimmie Shields a secret.

Anita Garvin and William Haines get to know each other in 'Speedway.'

Haines maintained his star status at MGM during the move to talking pictures. But a publicity crisis arose in 1933, when Haines was arrested in a YMCA with a sailor he had met in Los Angeles' Pershing Square.

Mayer then delivered an ultimatum: Haines had to choose between a sham marriage to an MGM actress or giving up his career. Haines refused to submit, choosing to be himself rather than to pretend to be someone he wasn't. Mayer subsequently fired Haines, terminated his contract, and banished him from the industry.

His movie career over, Haines recovered by launching an interior design firm, using his connections to become the most sought-after decorator in the Hollywood movie colony. The business prospered over the decades, with a client list of A-list celebrities as well as political figures such as Ronald and Nancy Reagan.

Haines remained with his partner Shields for the rest of his life. Joan Crawford, who co-starred with Haines in several pictures, described the pair as "the happiest married couple in Hollywood." In recent years, Haines has been recognized as a courageous pioneer in gay rights in the early Hollywood community.

'Speedway' was one of the final silent movies released by MGM prior to the studio's conversion to making talking pictures.

The movie will be screened with live music performed by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis.

'Speedway' is the latest in a monthly series of silent films presented with live music at the Flying Monkey. The series provides local audiences the opportunity to experience silent film as it was intended to be shown: on the big screen, in good-looking prints, with live music, and with an audience.

‘Speedway’ (1929) will be shown on Thursday, May 18 at 6:30 p.m. at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center, 39 South Main St., Plymouth, N.H. Admission is $10 per person. For more info, call (603) 536-2551 or visit www.flyingmonkeynh.com. For more info on the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

Runaway trains and William Haines: A double bill featuring two 35mm prints on Sunday, June 7 at Somerville Theatre

Next up: a double bill I've been looking forward to for a long time—at least since I found that the Library of Congress had circulating 35mm prints available of both titles.

The two pictures are 'Play Safe' (1927) starring Monty Banks and 'Show People' (1928) directed by King Vidor and starring William Haines and Marion Davies.

The screening is on Sunday, June 7 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass. Admission $10 per person. Don't let the great weather keep you away. :)

About the films: I'm very excited about 'Play Safe,' a film I've never scored before. In fact, I've never seen it in its entirety.

We're running it part because of the incredible runaway train sequence that forms the film's climax. This famous footage has been excerpted for decades as a convenient way to demonstrate the power and excitement of silent film at its very best.

But the entire film doesn't often get shown, and I'm not sure why. It could be because leading man Monty Banks never made it into the Chaplin/Keaton/Lloyd pantheon of silent clowns. I've heard varying reports of how well the film holds up as a whole.

So we'll just have to see for ourselves, won't we?

I'm also excited about 'Show People' (1928). More than any other silent picture I know, it captures the spirit of life in Hollywood in the 1920s, at least the way the studios wanted the public to think of it.

One of the last silents released by MGM, and directed by King Vidor at the height of his career, 'Show People' stands as a Valentine to an era that was quickly coming to an end even as it was in production.

Hey! There's Charlie Chaplin with William Haines and Marion Davies!

Because it's all about Hollywood, 'Show People' is a very "meta" picture. At one point, Marion Davies (playing a star-struck would-be actress) has a chance encounter with the great Hollywood star...Marion Davies. At another point, a movie theater is screening 'Bardelys the Magnificent,' an earlier picture directed by King Vidor—who just happens to be visible in the audience.

And remember all those star cameos in 'It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World?' The same thing was done 35 years earlier in 'Show People,' with everyone from Douglas Fairbanks to Charlie Chaplin popping up for brief appearances.

At this writing, it's not certain which title we'll run first. Could go either way—so come to the screening and find out!

I'm also excited because both 35mm prints are in pretty good shape. Below are excerpts from a print inspection report from David Kornfeld, the Someville's master projectionist and self-proclaimed "living dinosaur" (for his continuing advocacy of celluloid).

PLAY SAFE (1927). Print is on acetate, from 1990, in virtually new condition! The density is good (not great). It's 1.33 (yay!), except for "The End" title card which, weirdly, is 1.37 with a soundtrack. Go figure. ... Ive never seen this movie, but it has a reputation! Theres a train chase scene at the end which is supposed to be amazing! Come and see for yourself!

It's playing with:

SHOW PEOPLE (1928). Print is on mylar, from 2003, and is in like new condition! Not a splice, not a scratch, not a hint of wear! Density is very good. This one is 1.37, with a soundtrack (which, obviously, I wont be playing). It's marked "long version," so thats probably a good thing. The frame has been properly reduced (for once), so we wont be doing the Movietone crop.

(The comments preserve David's aversion to apostrophes, by the way.)

Okay, for more info about the films, check out the press release below.

Just to try to give it a different angle, the press release played up the fact that William Haines was Hollywood's first-ever openly gay leading man.

They're both terrific films, so don't believe that weather report calling for a perfect late spring day on Sunday. Forecasts, bah! I can say for certain that you'll have a good time at this Sunday's show at the Somerville.

C'mon, who do you trust?

* * *

A Swedish poster for 'Show People' (1928) featuring William Haines.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Somerville Theatre to celebrate Hollywood's first openly gay leading man

William Haines stars in classic silent film comedy 'Show People,' shown in 35mm with live music on Sunday, June 7

SOMERVILLE, Mass.—He was the Tom Hanks of the late 1920s: a leading man with a winning manner and breezy charm who always got the girl.

But the film career of William Haines, one of early Hollywood's brightest stars, was cut short for an unfortunate reason: at a time when sexual preference was a taboo subject, he was openly gay.

See Haines at the peak of his popularity in 'Show People' (1928), an MGM comedy co-starring Marion Davies that spoofs the movie industry, pitting high drama against low comedy.

Showtime for 'Show People' is Sunday, June 7 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass.

The event also includes a screening of the silent comedy feature 'Play Safe' (1927) starring Monty Banks. Both films will be screened using 35mm prints from the U.S. Library of Congress.

All are welcome to this family-friendly event; admission is $15 per person general admission.

The screening, the latest in the Somerville's "Silents, Please!" series, will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating scores for silent films.

William Haines was one of MGM's biggest stars in the late 1920s, often playing the male lead in the studio's romantic comedies. But off-screen, Haines was gay—and, unusually for the era, he did not hide his homosexuality.

This led to friction with his bosses. MGM studio chief Louis B. Mayer, convinced that movie audiences would not accept a gay leading man, urged Haines to keep his long-term relationship with actor Jimmie Shields a secret.

Haines maintained his star status at MGM during the transisition to talking pictures in the late 1920s. But a publicity crisis arose in 1933, when Haines was arrested in a YMCA with a sailor he had picked up in Los Angeles' Pershing Square.

Mayer then delivered an ultimatum: Haines had to choose between a sham marriage to an MGM actress to make himself acceptable to Middle America, or give up his career. Haines refused to submit, chosing to be himself rather than to pretend to be someone he wasn't. Mayer subsequently fired Haines, terminated his contract, and banished him from the industry.

His movie career over, Haines recovered by launching an interior design firm, using his connections to become the most sought-after decorator in the Hollywood movie colony. The business prospered over the decades, with a client list of A-list celebrities as well as political figures such as Ronald and Nancy Reagan.

Haines remained with his partner Shields for the rest of his life. Joan Crawford, who co-starred with Haines in several pictures, described the pair as "the happiest married couple in Hollywood." In recent years, Haines has been recognized as a courageous pioneer in gay rights in the early Hollywood community.

'Show People,' directed by King Vidor, shows Haines at the height of his leading-man status. The light-hearted story follows Peggy Pepper (Marion Davies), a beauty queen from Georgia trying to break into the movies as a dramatic actress. Haines plays Billy Boone, lead actor of a slapstick comedy studio where Pepper gets her first break.

Can the young actress yearning for drama survive the indignity of pies in the face? When her big break finally comes, will it mean sacrificing her growing friendship with Billy? And can Billy rescue the fun-loving Georgia girl from a studio that aims to invent a whole new persona for her as a serious actress, descended from European royalty?

Can low comedy win out over high drama? In answering that question, 'Show People' pokes fun at Hollywood phoniness and the culture of celebrity worship that had already emerged by the 1920s. 'Show People' also offers rare behind-the-scenes glimpses of movie-making at the very end of the silent period, when studios were rushing to prepare for sound.

"It's like they knew an era was ending, and 'Show People' is kind of a Valentine to the whole silent film experience," said Rapsis, who will accompany the screening. "It's a love letter to all the craziness that went into creating the movie business."

Marion Davies graduates to serious roles while William Haines sticks with comedy in 'Show People.'

Set in backstage Hollywood, 'Show People' features cameos by dozens of major stars of the period, including Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., William S. Hart, and John Gilbert.

In 2003, Show People was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

Also on the program is 'Play Safe' (1927), a comedy starring Monty Banks and Virginia Lee Corbin. 'Play Safe' includes an extended sequence set on a runaway train that critics have acclaimed as some of the most exciting filmmaking of the silent film era.

The Somerville Theatre's 'Silents Please!' series aims to recreate the full silent film experience, with restored 35mm prints projected on the big screen, live music, and with a live audience. All these elements are essential to seeing silent films they way they were intended, Rapsis said.

“At their best, silent films were a communal experience very different from today’s movies—one in which the presence of a large audience intensifies everyone’s reactions,” Rapsis said.

Other upcoming features in the Somerville's silent film schedule include:

• Sunday, July 5, 2 p.m.: 'The Big Parade' (1925) starring John Gilbert, Renee Adoreé. Director King Vidor's intense drama about U.S. doughboys sent to World War I France, where the horror of trench warfare changes their lives forever. Among the first Hollywood films to depict realistic battlefield action; still maintains its power to shock.

• Sunday, Aug. 2, 2 p.m.: 'Speedy' (1928) starring Harold Lloyd. Can Harold New York City's last horsedrawn streetcar line from the clutches of a greedy transport tycoon? The Big Apple co-stars in one of Harold's great silent comic masterpieces. Plus an extended cameo appearance from none other than Babe Ruth!

‘Show People’ (1928), a classic silent comedy starring William Haines and Marion Davies, and 'Play Safe' (1927), will be shown with live music on Sunday, June 7 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass.

Admission to the screening is $15 or $12 seniors/students; general admission seating. For more info, call (617) 625-5700 or visit www.somervilletheatreonline.com. For more info on the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

'Show People' (1928) on Saturday, Aug. 16: There goes Reagan's gay interior decorator!

Actor William Haines at the height of his popularity.

To tell the story, or to not tell the story? And before the film, or afterwards?

These are questions posed by the career of actor William Haines. Although his name has now faded into obscurity, Haines was one of Hollywood's most popular leading men in the years when silent film died and sound film took over.

His career abruptly tanked, but not because Haines couldn't make the transition to talkies. It tanked because he was gay.

Really! Haines remained box office gold for MGM into the early 1930s, but refused to hide his off-screen homosexuality. With MGM's wholesome image at stake, studio boss Louis B. Mayer finally issued an ultimatum: for publicity purposes, Haines must agree to a sham marriage to an MGM starlet, or his career was over.

Haines said no thank you, and Mayer made good on his threat. Haines was soon off the screen.

But Haines had the last laugh. His movie career over, he launched a fabulously successful interior design business (I know, you saw that one coming) which for decades catered to Hollywood's royalty. Later in life, he counted Ronald and Nancy Reagan among his favorite clients.

So here's the deal: On Saturday, Aug. 16 in Brandon, Vt., we're screening 'Show People' (1928), a great late MGM silent comedy in which Haines co-stars with Marion Davies. Like so much of Hollywood's output, it's built on a boy-meets-girl story, except in this case Haines was acting on more than one level.

William Haines and Marion Davies encounter an out-of-costume Charlie Chaplin in 'Show People' (1928), a movie about movies.

Directed by King Vidor, 'Show People' is a crackerjack picture about the movie business itself as it existed near the end of the silent era. With its light-hearted spirit of mockery, 'Show People' is a valentine to all the energy and excitement that everyone knew was about to change forever.

In promoting the film, is it right to bring attention to the story of Haines' homosexuality? Or should the film be allowed to stand or fall on its own terms, without that context? After all, audiences at the time would have had no idea. So why bring it up?

I used to think it was a mistake to mention the background, as I thought it would make for an unhelpful distraction. As an art form, silent film has enough obstacles to reaching audiences today. I feared that every time Haines appeared on-screen, all people would think is, "There goes Ronald Reagan's gay interior decorator!"

But I've come to realize that just as Haines was courageously open about his sexual orientation, his life story needn't be covered up. As you can tell from this post, I now feel it's actually a big part of why any of his pictures, silent or sound, are worth checking out today.

Not only was he an winning on-screen performer, but the man had the courage of his convictions at a time when there was immense pressure to conform to certain norms. That's a story worth telling, and so I do. Hence this post, and all the other publicity celebrating his career and life story.

So I hope you'll join me at Brandon Town Hall (on Route 7 in lovely Brandon, Vt.) for a screening of 'Show People' (1928) on Saturday, Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. Admission is free, with donations accepted to help with ongoing renovations to the facility.

More info about the film and the screening is posted in the press release below.

* * *

Silent film series to feature Hollywood's
first openly gay leading man

William Haines stars in uproarious silent film comedy 'Show People' (1928) with live music on Saturday, Aug. 16 at Brandon (Vt.) Town Hall

BRANDON, Vt.—He was the Tom Hanks his time: a leading man with a breezy charm who always got the girl.

But the film career of William Haines, one of early Hollywood's brightest stars, was cut short for an unfortunate reason: at a time when sexual preference was a taboo subject, Haines was openly gay.

See Haines at the peak of his popularity in 'Show People' (1928), an MGM comedy co-starring Marion Davies that spoofs the movie industry, pitting high drama against low comedy. Showtime for 'Show People is Saturday, Aug. 16, at 7 p.m. at the historic Brandon Town Hall and Community Center on Route 7 in downtown Brandon, Vt.

All are welcome to this family-friendly event; admission is free. The screening is the latest in the Brandon Town Hall's silent film series, and will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating scores for silent films.

Any free will donations will go toward Town Hall restoration. The screening of "Show People' is sponsored by the Brandon Town Players and Bill & Kathy Mathis In Memory of Maxine Thurston.

William Haines was one of MGM's biggest stars in the late 1920s, often playing the male lead romantic comedies. But off-screen, Haines was gay—and, unusually for the era, did not hide his homosexuality.

This led to friction with his bosses. MGM studio chief Louis B. Mayer, convinced that movie audiences would not accept a gay leading man, urged Haines to keep his long-term relationship with actor Jimmie Shields a secret.

Haines maintained his star status at MGM during the move to talking pictures. But a publicity crisis arose in 1933, when Haines was arrested in a YMCA with a sailor he had picked up in Los Angeles' Pershing Square.

Mayer then delivered an ultimatum: Haines had to choose between a sham marriage to an MGM actress or giving up his career. Haines refused to submit, choosing to be himself rather than to pretend to be someone he wasn't. Mayer subsequently fired Haines, terminated his contract, and banished him from the industry.

His movie career over, Haines recovered by launching an interior design firm, using his connections to become the most sought-after decorator in the Hollywood movie colony. The business prospered over the decades, with a client list of A-list celebrities as well as political figures such as Ronald and Nancy Reagan.

Haines remained with his partner Shields for the rest of his life. Joan Crawford, who co-starred with Haines in several pictures, described the pair as "the happiest married couple in Hollywood." In recent years, Haines has been recognized as a courageous pioneer in gay rights in the early Hollywood community.

'Show People,' directed by King Vidor, shows Haines at the height of his leading-man status. The light-hearted story follows Peggy Pepper (Marion Davies), a beauty queen from Georgia trying to break into the movies as a dramatic actress. Haines plays Billy Boone, lead actor of a slapstick comedy studio where Pepper gets her first break.

Characters from two very different movies collide in a scene from 'Show People' (1928).

Can the young actress yearning for drama survive the indignity of pies in the face? And when her big break finally comes, will it mean sacrificing her growing friendship with Billy?

And can Billy rescue the fun-loving Georgia girl from a studio that aims to invent a whole new persona for her as a serious actress, descended from European royalty?

Can low comedy win out over high drama? In answering that question, 'Show People' pokes fun at Hollywood phoniness and the culture of celebrity worship that had already emerged by the 1920s. 'Show People' also offers rare behind-the-scenes glimpses of movie-making at the very end of the silent period, when studios were rushing to prepare for sound.

"It's like they knew an era was ending, and 'Show People' is kind of a Valentine to the whole silent film experience," said Rapsis, who will accompany the screening. "It's a love letter to all the craziness that went into creating the movie business."

Set in backstage Hollywood, 'Show People' features cameos by dozens of major stars of the period, including Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., William S. Hart, and John Gilbert.

A scene in the MGM company cafeteria.

In 2003, 'Show People' was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

The program will also include short silent film comedies prior to the main feature.

The Brandon Town Hall's silent film series aims to recreate the full silent film experience, with restored prints projected on the big screen, live music, and with a live audience. All these elements are essential to seeing silent films they way they were intended, Rapsis said.

“These films are still exciting experiences if shown as they were designed to be screened,” Rapsis said. “There’s a reason people first fell in love with the movies, and we hope to recreate that experience. At their best, silent films were a communal experience very different from today’s movies—one in which the presence of a large audience intensifies everyone’s reactions.”

Other upcoming features in Brandon Town Hall's 2014 silent film schedule include:

• Saturday, Sept. 13, 7 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. Screening sponsored by the Brandon Artist Guild, Charles Powell and Steve Zorn.

• Saturday, Oct. 18, 7 p.m.: "Chiller Theater Silent Double Feature starring Lon Chaney" The annual "Chiller Theater" presentation in the as-yet-unheated Brandon Town Hall. Just in time for Halloween, two classic silent films that will creep you out. In 'The Unknown' (1927), Lon Chaney plays 'Alonzo the Armless,' a disabled circus performer smitten with Joan Crawford. What he does to prove his love for her makes for an unforgettably twisted tale from director Tod Browning. Plus: Another Lon Chaney feature TBA. Screening sponsored by Lake Sunapee Bank.

‘Show People’ (1928), a classic silent comedy starring William Haines and Marion Davies, will be shown on Saturday, Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. at Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Main Street/Route 7, Brandon, Vt.. Admission is free, with donations requested to help support ongoing renovations. For details, visit www.brandontownhall.org. For more info on the music, visit jeffrapsis.com

What to say about William Haines in 'Show People' on Thursday, Sept. 19?

A movie within a movie: a scene from 'Show People' (1928), with William Haines (right) made up as comedy star Billy Boone.

The more silent film I see, the more I appreciate 'Show People' (1928).

It's not just a funny insider tale about the movie biz. It's actually a wonderfully knowing Valentine to a medium that by then everyone knew would soon be history.

Yes, it gets laughs and has a satisfying story, even if today's movie-goers recognize few of the stars in cameo roles. (With Charlie Chaplin the obvious exception. And even then, that's because he's clearly identified in several titles.)

But it's also a chance for male lead William Haines, then at the height of his career, to show his versatility as a performer.

And it's also a chance to ponder what would soon happen to Haines: that his career would be ended by his refusal to follow studio orders to keep his homosexuality a secret.

It actually makes for a wonderful story by itself: Haines refused to enter into a "sham" marriage with a starlet to make him more acceptable as a leading man to Middle America. As a result, he was blackballed from all the major studios.

But Haines, his career as a leading man over, had the last laugh by starting an immensely popular and successful interior design firm. Among his best clients: loyal acquaintances in the Hollywood movie colony. Later in life, he was said to be a favorite of Ronald and Nancy Reagan!

I usually don't mention any of this prior to a screening of 'Show People.' If I do, every time he appears on screen, a good portion of the audience will think, "Hey, there goes Ronald Reagan's gay interior decorator!" And that's not exactly good for the movie's flow.

However, one thing about successful promotion is knowing your audience. And the Leavitt Theatre, where we're screening 'Show People' on Thursday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m., is in downtown Ogunquit, longtime coastal haven for the region's gay community.

So, for this screening of 'Show People,' I felt it was worth playing up what Paul Harvey used to call "the rest of the story." Screening or not, I think Williams Haines should be remembered as a pioneer (and a courageous one at that) in overcoming prejudice and bigotry.

That's something to celebrate, and we will with 'Show People' on Thursday, Sept. 19. Hope to see you there! Below is the text of a press release with all the details...

* * *

William Haines and Marion Davies meet Charlie Chaplin in 'Show People' (1928).

MONDAY, SEPT. 16, 2013 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Leavitt Theatre to celebrate Hollywood's
first openly gay leading man

William Haines stars in classic silent film comedy 'Show People' with live music on Thursday, Sept. 19

OGUNQUIT, Maine—He was the Tom Hanks his time: a leading man with a winning manner and breezy charm who always got the girl.

But the film career of William Haines, one of early Hollywood's brightest stars, was cut short for an unfortunate reason: at a time when sexual preference was a taboo subject, he was openly gay.

See Haines at the peak of his popularity in 'Show People' (1928), an MGM comedy co-starring Marion Davies that spoofs the movie industry, pitting high drama against low comedy. Showtime for 'Show People is Thursday, Sept. 19, at 8 p.m. at the historic Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St., Route 1, Ogunquit, Maine.

All are welcome to this family-friendly event; admission is $10 per person general admission. The screening, the latest in the Leavitt Theatre's silent film series, will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating scores for silent films.

William Haines was one of MGM's biggest stars in the late 1920s, often playing the male lead in the studio's romantic comedies. But off-screen, Haines was gay—and, unusually for the era, he did not hide his homosexuality.

This led to friction with his bosses. MGM studio chief Louis B. Mayer, convinced that movie audiences would not accept a gay leading man, urged Haines to keep his long-term relationship with actor Jimmie Shields a secret.

Haines maintained his star status at MGM during the move to talking pictures. But a publicity crisis arose in 1933, when Haines was arrested in a YMCA with a sailor he had picked up in Los Angeles' Pershing Square.

Mayer then delivered an ultimatum: Haines had to choose between a sham marriage to an MGM actress or giving up his career. Haines refused to submit, chosing to be himself rather than to pretend to be someone he wasn't. Mayer subsequently fired Haines, terminated his contract, and banished him from the industry.

His movie career over, Haines recovered by launching an interior design firm, using his connections to become the most sought-after decorator in the Hollywood movie colony. The business prospered over the decades, with a client list of A-list celebrities as well as political figures such as Ronald and Nancy Reagan.

Haines remained with his partner Shields for the rest of his life. Joan Crawford, who co-starred with Haines in several pictures, described the pair as "the happiest married couple in Hollywood." In recent years, Haines has been recognized as a courageous pioneer in gay rights in the early Hollywood community.

'Show People,' directed by King Vidor, shows Haines at the height of his leading-man status. The light-hearted story follows Peggy Pepper (Marion Davies), a beauty queen from Georgia trying to break into the movies as a dramatic actress. Haines plays Billy Boone, lead actor of a slapstick comedy studio where Pepper gets her first break.

Can the young actress yearning for drama survive the indignity of pies in the face? And when her big break finally comes, will it mean sacrificing her growing friendship with Billy? And can Billy rescue the fun-loving Georgia girl from a studio that aims to invent a whole new persona for her as a serious actress, descended from European royalty?

Can low comedy win out over high drama? In answering that question, 'Show People' pokes fun at Hollywood phoniness and the culture of celebrity worship that had already emerged by the 1920s. 'Show People' also offers rare behind-the-scenes glimpses of movie-making at the very end of the silent period, when studios were rushing to prepare for sound.

"It's like they knew an era was ending, and 'Show People' is kind of a Valentine to the whole silent film experience," said Rapsis, who will accompany the screening at the Leavitt. "It's a love letter to all the craziness that went into creating the movie business."

Set in backstage Hollywood, 'Show People' features cameos by dozens of major stars of the period, including Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., William S. Hart, and John Gilbert.

In 2003, Show People was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

Marion Davies prepares to launch her weapon of choice.

The Leavitt, opened in 1923 as a summer-only seaside resort silent film house, now offers a wide variety of programming, including first-run films, live comedy, open mic nights, and more.

The Leavitt Theatre's silent film series aims to recreate the full silent film experience, with restored prints projected on the big screen, live music, and with a live audience. All these elements are essential to seeing silent films they way they were intended, Rapsis said.

“These films are still exciting experiences if you show them as they were designed to be screened,” Rapsis said. “There’s a reason people first fell in love with the movies, and we hope to recreate that experience. At their best, silent films were a communal experience very different from today’s movies—one in which the presence of a large audience intensifies everyone’s reactions.”

Other upcoming features in the Leavitt Theatre's 2013 silent film schedule include:

• Saturday, Oct. 26, 8 p.m.: 'Nosferatu' (1922). Just in time for Halloween, see the original silent film adaptation of Bram Stoker's famous 'Dracula' story. Still spooky after all these years—in fact, some critics believe this version is not only the best ever done, but has actually become creepier with the passage of time. See for yourself, if you dare!

‘Show People’ (1928), a classic silent comedy starring William Haines and Marion Davies, will be shown on Thursday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. at the Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St. Ogunquit, Maine. Admission $10 per person; for more info, call (207) 646-3123 or visit www.leavittheatre.com. (Courtesy Image)

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For more info, contact:
Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com
Images attached. More high-resolution digital images available upon request.