Here’s a list of resources and entertainment relating to Silent Cinema Art and Technology:
Dean Mora
Silent Cinema Organist and Swing Band Leader
Dean Mora evokes suspense, laughter, even horror, at the Mighty Wurlitzer when he accompanies Joe Rinaudo’s hand crank Silent Cinema itinerant show at the Nethercutt.
Mr. Mora and His Orchestra are also regularly featured at Maxwell DeMille’s Cicada Club, a vintage night club and Los Angeles swing dancing venue in downtown Los Angeles as well as many other venues, events and private parties throughout Southern California.
Mr. Mora’s music is regularly played throughout Disneyland’s Main Street and Disney’s California Adventure where it is heard by thousands of visitors each day.
Famous Players Orchestra
Reviving Remarkable Music
Famous Players Orchestra performs and records historic cinematic music used by movie theater orchestras during the silent film era.
Nethercutt Collection
Featuring the World’s Third Largest Theatre Pipe Organ
Opulent venue for Joe Rinaudo’s hand-crank itinerary shows, featuring the 5,000-piped Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ
Nethercutt calender of events
How to order tickets for the Nethercutt shows.
American Theatre Organ Society
Los Angeles Theatre Organ Society
Who’s Who of Victorian Cinema
Who’s Who of Victorian Cinema is edited by Stephen Herbert and Luke McKernan. The website states: “This is a guide to over 300 leading figures in Victorian cinema, defined as filmmaking in its broadest sense from the first glimmerings in the 1870s to the death of Queen Victoria in January 1901.”
The Bioscope
As stated on the website: “The Bioscope is dedicated to the subject of early and silent cinema. It covers news, publications, events, discoveries, documents, critical theory, filmmakers, performers, audiences and the technology of the silent era, embracing film production, distribution and exhibition, as well as ‘pre-cinema’, chronophotography, optical toys, and related media, across the world. There is an emphasis on research and scholarly discovery, but there should be as much here for the general enthusiast as for the specialist.” The Bioscope is no longer active as a blog but is being kept online as an archive. It was administered and written by Luke McKernan.
Title Design
Title, Intertitle and Lantern Slide Restoration and Recreation
Chaz DeSimone, Joe Rinaudo’s friend of 50 years, retouches and recreates titles and intertitles for Joe’s silent film restorations, as well as for other collectors and restorers.
Before:
After:
Here’s a sampling of restored silent film titles and glass lantern slides.
In this century, Chaz designs logos, books, brochures and websites (including this one). His personal design project is amperart.com, featuring “the ampersand as fun & fabulous art.”
Early to Bed Tent – Oasis #239
For Laurel & Hardy Fans
The Early To Bed Tent – Oasis #239 is where people of all ages join us six times a year to honor the lives and enjoy the classic humor of the greatest comedy team in the world—Laurel & Hardy.
Joe Rinaudo plays Laurel & Hardy’s theme song:
First you will recognize an original soundtrack of the Laurel & Hardy theme song. Next, Joe Rinaudo tells us a heartwarming story about its composer, Marvin Hatley. Finally, listen to the “Cuk-Cuk Walzer” which inspired the famous theme song, played on the American Fotoplayer.
The main focus of our tent is on the films of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. We screen all of their movies that are available to us in the 16mm film format. In addition to the films that Laurel & Hardy made as a team, we view some of their early solo work as well.
Joe Rinaudo, Gary Gibson and Dean Mora are mentioned on this page.