What a week for silent comedy birthdays: we got Harry Langdon, Stan Laurel, Lupino Lane, Flora Finch, Louise Fazenda, Mae Busch — and what the hell, though they’re not too silent I’ll throw in Moe Howard and Clark and McCullough. A fortuitous week to announce online silent comedy events this month and there are several!
The fun starts tomorrow June 16 at 8pm EST when the Toronto Silent Film Festival presents a conversation with Brent Walker, author of the indispensible reference work Mack Sennett’s Fun Factory and Chris Seguin, along with the screening of several Sennett and Keystone comedies. Get your tickets (and more information) here. (I hope they have plans to record it, as I have previous plans to attend Coney Island USA’s roller coaster talk)
Then that same night June 16, the Hollywood Heritage Museum is having its 100 Year Centenial celebration of Charlie Chaplin’s 1921 masterpiece The Kid! Further, they very wisely have scheduled it for 7:30pm Pacific time, which is 10:30 Eastern, which should give you ample time to zip over following the Toronto Festival event, if you are the true maniac that I know you are. Go here for info.
Staring this Saturday, June 19, 4pm PDT (7pm EST), Famous Players Orchestra are showing Colleen Moore’s Ella Cinders (1926), which I might add has a cameo by Harry Langdon. Free stream will be here.
Don’t forget the Silent Comedy Watch Party, every Sunday at 3pm EST with the always delightful and informative Ben Model and Steve Massa. Watch the next episode (and all the previous ones) here. Naturally, their online shows will not be stopping at the end of June; they’re doing them every week on an ongoing basis and its highly recommended.
Lastly, it’s time once again for the Niles Essanay Film Museum’s annual Chaplin Days festival, June 25-27, They naturally will be celebrating Chaplin’s The Kid, as well, and they have much more in store besides. Get all yer info and tickets here.
(Travalanche) 
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