Here’s what’s coming up the next few days in Fields Fest — and beyond!
Saturday, December 10, 1:30pm: “W.C. Fields in Astoria: The Paramount Silents”
Many people know that W.C. Fields had one of the most distinctive speaking voices of the classic comedy era. What they may not realize is that prior to the advent of talking pictures, Fields was a SILENT comedy star. From 1924 through 1928 he appeared in ten Paramount features filmed at that studio’s Astoria Queens facility. In this illustrated talk author and lecturer Trav S.D. takes you up close to this lesser known stretch of the Great Man’s career, and shows how much of Fields’ silent work presaged his better known talkies. At Greater Astoria Historical Society, Queens: www.astorialic.org
Monday, December 12, 7pm: “W.C. Fields: From Dime Museums to the Jazz Age” an illustrated talk by Trav S.D., sponsored by Zelda Magazine
A look at screen comedian W.C. Fields’ growth from humble sideshow and dime museum juggler to sketch comedian and one of the biggest stars of sophisticated Broadway revues like the Ziegfeld Follies, George White’ Sandals and Earl Carrol’s Vanities. Along the way meet the glittering stars he shared the limelight with like Louise Brooks, Fanny Brice, Will Rogers and Eddie Cantor. Admission: $8. Location: Morbid Anatomy Museum, 424 Third Avenue, 11215 Brooklyn NY
Wednesday, December 21, 7:00 pm: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians!
Glen Heroy is Santa Claus by way of W.C. Fields! Noah Diamond and Matt Roper as the funny members of the Marx Brothers who talk! Melody Jane as a beautiful martian princess! Trav S.D. as an evil martian Emperor! Zero Boy on sound effects and narration! And many, many more TBA in this holiday reading of Trav S.D.’s mash-up up of the kitchy Grade Z Christmas classic Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, along with Laurel and Hardy’s Babes in Toyland a.k.a March of the Wooden Soldiers, Rankin-Bass specials, and the socialistic writings of Bertolt Brecht and Jack London! Can Elves and Bogeyman truly band together to thwart the hostile take-over of Earth by an Orange Faced Oligarch from Outer Space? Beats me, you sure won’t find out in this play! Plus music and variety TBD! Please come help us seriously cut loose and exorcise this terrible year. More intoxicating than a cup of cocoa with a shot of Peppermint Schnapps! It’s all happening at the Kraine Theatre, East 4th Street, Tickets $10: Get ’em here.
Thursday, December 29, 7:00: The Man on the Flying Trapeze
A screening of W.C. Field’s often overlooked 1935 Paramount classic The Man on the Flying Trapeze at Metrograph. Celebrity guest speaker TBA.
(Travalanche) 