March 10th, 2018
Famous Players Orchestra Presents:

The Goose Woman

(1925)

 Starring: Louise Dresser

Louise Dresser and Jack Pickford in “The Goose Woman” (1925)

Based on a short story by Rex Beach.

Starring: Louise Dresser (Marie de Nardi/Mary Holmes), Jack Pickford (Gerald Holmes), Constance Bennett (Hazel Woods), Spottiswoode Aitken (Jacob Riggs), Gustav von Seyffertitz (Thomas Vogel), George Nichols (Detective Lopez), Marc McDermott (Amos Ethridge), George Cooper (Reporter).

Louise Dresser gives an outstanding performance as the once world-famous opera soprano, Marie de Nardi, now living on a dirty, extremely rundown goose farm under the name Mary Holmes.

Slovenly, bitter, and drunken, she pours over old scrapbooks and photos of herself during her triumphant years, while listening to an old recording of her voice. Having given up her career for motherhood, she is resentful and full of hatred towards her only son, Gerald (Jack Pickford).

When a murder is committed near her house, she invents a story in order to get herself back in front of the public again. However, the story she comes up with results in her son being arrested for the murder. The Goose Woman became one of Universal’s “Jewels,” a prestige production with a better than average script, an excellent cast and production values, and an up-and-coming director.

The March 10, 2018 showing is accompanied by a period orchestral score performed live by The Famous Players Orchestra. Stan Taffel will be your host.

Showtime is 7:00 p.m. The venue is Christ Lutheran Church, 2400 West Burbank Blvd. Burbank, CA 91506. 

ADVANCE TICKETS AVAILABLE FEB. 1, 2018

Thank you to everyone for attending our past shows and for your continued support. It is greatly appreciated!

ABOUT FAMOUS PLAYERS ORCHESTRA

In the final decades of the silent film era (1910 -1929), a new and original art form was burgeoning. During this period, a vast and beautiful repertoire of film music was being created by gifted composers who saw a great future in the new medium.

Movie theaters of the day commonly utilized orchestras to provide film accompaniment for their premium showings. These theaters typically housed massive libraries of this music, (known at the time as “photoplay” music) for use as film accompaniment. However, the advent of “talkies” in 1929, preceded by the Movietone and Vitaphone systems, would eventually bring the demise of live film accompaniment. Thus, as movie theaters converted over to sound, these music libraries became obsolete almost overnight and most of the music was discarded in the process. And since photoplay music was rarely recorded, and the composers mostly unknown, this important chapter in cinema history was swept away into obscurity and has remained practically forgotten.

Famous Players Orchestra is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose charitable mission is dedicated to reviving and preserving this charming and long forgotten music through live performances and new recording projects. For its repertoire, Famous Players Orchestra draws upon the original orchestrations used by silent era movie theater orchestras in its live presentations and recordings. The ensemble is comprised of professional musicians based in the Los Angeles area.

Your support is appreciated! Your generous contributions help us to continue our work in reviving and preserving this musical treasure from cinema’s past. Donations are easily accepted using paypal. Thank you!

Visit the FAMOUS PLAYERS ORCHESTRA Website

Charley Chase and Martha Sleeper in “Crazy Like a Fox” (1926)

Famous Players Orchestra
presents:

A Hal Roach O’ween

An Evening of Silent Comedies from the Hal Roach Studios
Saturday, October 14, 2017 at 7:00 p.m.

Join us Saturday, October 14, 2017 as we present “A Hal Roach O’ween”, a screening of four classic comedies from the silent era. Included on the program will be:

Do Detectives Think (1927)
Crazy Like a Fox (1926)
Cat, Dog & Co. (1929)
Also, Buster Keaton in The Haunted House (1921)

The films will be accompanied by a period musical score performed live by The Famous Players Orchestra under the direction of Scott Lasky. Joe Rinaudo will project 35mm film on an original hand-cranked Power’s 1909 Cameragragh Model 6 Motion Picture Machine. Your Master of Ceremonies will be film historian Stan Taffel.

Showtime is 7:00pm. Doors open at 6:15pm. Program will include a 30 minute intermission and raffle with prizes. Concessions will be available.

Admission is $15. Tickets may be purchased at the door beginning approximately one hour before showtime, or in advance online here:

The venue is: Christ Lutheran Church, 2400 West Burbank Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505. It is located on the southeast corner of Burbank Blvd and Buena Vista St, directly behind the Dunn Edwards paint store, and right in the heart of beautiful downtown Burbank.

— COMING SOON —

March 10th, 2018
Famous Players Orchestra Presents:

The Goose Woman

(1925)

 Starring: Louise Dresser

Louise Dresser and Jack Pickford in “The Goose Woman” (1925)

Based on a short story by Rex Beach.

Starring: Louise Dresser (Marie de Nardi/Mary Holmes), Jack Pickford (Gerald Holmes), Constance Bennett (Hazel Woods), Spottiswoode Aitken (Jacob Riggs), Gustav von Seyffertitz (Thomas Vogel), George Nichols (Detective Lopez), Marc McDermott (Amos Ethridge), George Cooper (Reporter).

Louise Dresser gives an outstanding performance as the once world-famous opera soprano, Marie de Nardi, now living on a dirty, extremely rundown goose farm under the name Mary Holmes.

Slovenly, bitter, and drunken, she pours over old scrapbooks and photos of herself during her triumphant years, while listening to an old recording of her voice. Having given up her career for motherhood, she is resentful and full of hatred towards her only son, Gerald (Jack Pickford).

When a murder is committed near her house, she invents a story in order to get herself back in front of the public again. However, the story she comes up with results in her son being arrested for the murder. The Goose Woman became one of Universal’s “Jewels,” a prestige production with a better than average script, an excellent cast and production values, and an up-and-coming director.

The March 10, 2017 showing is accompanied by a period orchestral score performed live by The Famous Players Orchestra. Stan Taffel will be your host.

Showtime is 7:00 p.m. The venue is Christ Lutheran Church 2400 West Burbank Blvd. Burbank, CA 91506. Tickets go on sale February 1st, 2018 and can be purchased from our website at www.fporchestra.org/events

Thank you to everyone for attending our past shows and for your continued support. It is greatly appreciated!

Support Our New CD Recording Project and receive Autographed CD and Free Shipping (order by Oct. 31, 2017)   Our New CD Music of the Silent Cinema is slated for release in November 2017 We need your support to make this wonderful recording project possible! All orders postmarked before October 31st, 2017 will receive free shipping and the CD autographed by FPO’s Musical Director Scott Lasky. Your pre-order donation of $25 will go a long way toward helping us cover our production costs. Please specify “CD” when donating through the PayPal link below. Thank you!

Famous Players Orchestra performs and records the original historic film music used by movie theater orchestras during the silent film era. All proceeds to benefit Famous Players Orchestra, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Please visit our website at www.fporchestra.org Thank you for your support! YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED!Please consider making a donation to Famous Players Orchestra. Gifts in any amount are greatly appreciated! Your generous support will help us to continue our work in reviving and preserving this musical treasure from cinema’s past. Every dollar we receive is utilized in the most efficient manner possible toward achieving our mission. Famous Players Orchestra is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and your contributions are tax-deductable. Donating through PayPal is quick and easy!

Visit the FAMOUS PLAYERS ORCHESTRA Website

ABOUT FAMOUS PLAYERS ORCHESTRA

In the final decades of the silent film era (1910 -1929), a new and original art form was burgeoning. During this period, a vast and beautiful repertoire of film music was being created by gifted composers who saw a great future in the new medium. Continue reading Sat. Oct. 14: “Hal O’Ween” Hal Roach Comedies with Live Orchestra →