Silent Lives: 100 Biographies of the Silent Film Era

by Lon Davis

Silent Lives contains 100 biographical sketches of the great--and near great--of the silent film era. Each vividly written profile is illustrated by exquisite photographs, many of which have not been seen in decades. Kevin Brownlow (who provides the foreword) says: "If you ever wondered who created the movies, this fascinating book will provide the answer."

"A truly delightful, interesting and informative volume - with a nice (and very mixed) choice of subjects." - Anthony Slide

Genres: Film, Nonfiction, Media Tie In

454 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 5, 2014

Reviews

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating look at 100 stars of the silent era. Each person is covered with a mini biography which I found enough to wet my appetite. The author also list the sources for each actors story. It covers a varied cross section of individuals, some well known, others not so. Also included is Rin Tin Tin and Felix the Cat! I was surprised to find an Australian mentioned, Billy Bevan, who was born in Orange, a country town not that far from where I live.
This book is wonderful for anyone who is interested in the silent era.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book for the wide variety of individuals covered (including Felix the Cat!) and obvious love the author has for the subject matter. It's a shame there were so many amateurish typos and an abundance of clunky paragraphs, but that's what you get with a tiny press (though thank goodness they exist so niche topics get their day too). A few folks were new to me and there were several great photos - another plus. Overall very happy to have this in my library.

[Carlos Filipe Bernardino · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book presents us with brief biographies of 100 figures from silent cinema. The most interesting thing about the work is the author's comments, which allow us to better understand the world of cinema in that era.

[Doug Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rather than going into depth on the filmmakers of the silent era, Davis features brief but interesting overviews that makes this a handy and entertaining reference book.

[Jef. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun Wikipedia type bios that give a glimpse into the actors who popularized silent film.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t read the entire book, just those that I had heard of. Quick bite sized biographies with sources listed at the end of you want more info.

[mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

i liked the book and the resources added to each short bio.

[Jim Dooley · Rating 4 out of 5]

SILENT LIVES is not exactly what it is billed to be. The “biographies” are incredibly brief overviews that will likely do little more than whet the appetite for further exploration. Then there are the odd entries, such as one for the Model T automobile. Details are scant and frequently gloss over some truly intriguing tidbits. The reader is left with a “primer” of many amazing Hollywood stars of the silent screen and, now and then, a curiosity to watch a described cinematic scene.

So, is there value in such a truncated source? Yes, indeed. First of all, there’s a fairly extensive listing of reference material for the subjects. If a reader is moved to explore further, there are various points of entry provided. There are also some brief anecdotes provided from time to time garnered from interviews with the writer, or with one of the writer’s contacts.

There is also a wide variety of people recognized, not only the stars in front of the camera. For example, having been a fan of the Laurel and Hardy films for many years, I’m very familiar with the name of H. M. Walker who designed many of the comedic inter-titles for their short films. However, I knew nothing else about him. Although in a brief fashion, I learned more about him in these pages.

I also appreciated the cross-referencing. These subjects didn’t live on separate islands of existence. They interacted with one another, and the writer acknowledges this in providing related names that will likely be of interest.

Ultimately, one of true highlights is the extensive photographs. I have to think that many of these are rare as so many were new to me, and I’ve been reading about the silent years for a long time. These were images that I wanted to inspect more closely (and Kindle-reading supports that very well), and I appreciated finally having the opportunity to see pictures of people who were formerly only names to me.

For the reader who is new to the world of silent films, this is an enjoyable starting point. For those of us who cut our teeth on Joe Franklin and William Everson’s CLASSICS OF THE SILENT SCREEN, it is a welcome reminder with some new treasures along the way. I recommend it.

[Julie P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Silent Lives contains short biographies of stars and influential people from the silent film era. This book is written with loving care, and also with a certain amount of censoring of the stories. Davis respects all the silent film stars, and does not indulge in idle gossip. This is no Hollywood Babylon, but rather an homage to a forgotten era. Very good for those looking for general information, with good references to reading material for those who want to study more.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book about a year or two ago. It has 100 short biographies of personalities from the silent film era. This is a good intro book if your starting to get into the films of the silent era like I am. And want to familiarize your self with the people you see on the silent screen. While it doesn't cover every person who were silent actors/actresses/directors, etc many of the more well known, and some obscure personalities are profiled in the book. Needless to say I highly recommend it.

[Greta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short bios of 100 silent film stars and personnel. Not much new information, but sweet and heartfelt. Some issues are accompanied by a CD-ROM with film clips. An excellent introductory book.