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Broken Silence: Conversations with 23 Silent Film Stars
MP3 CD Format This is a collection of twenty-three original interviews with stars of the silent screen, with biographical information and a filmography included for each. Interviewed are Lew Ayres, William Bakewell, Lina Basquette, Madge Bellamy, Eleanor Boardman, Ethlyne Clair, Junior Coghlan, Joyce Compton, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Dorothy Gulliver, Maxine Elliott Hicks, Dorothy Janis, George Lewis, Marion Mack, Patsy Ruth Miller, Lois Moran, Baby Marie Osborne, Muriel Ostriche, Eddie Quillan, Esther Ralston, Dorothy Revier, David Rollins, and Gladys Walton.
- GenresFilmNonfictionBiography
1 pages, Audio CD
First published February 25, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 22, 2008
Interviews with silent film players, mostly minor stars. More interesting in aggregate than individually. Patsy Ruth Miller’s favorite actresses were Norma and Nazimova, while Lina Basquette (who didn’t seem to get along with Hollywood people) thought Norma Talmadge and Mary Pickford were snobs. Interviews with Lew Ayres, William Blakewell, Lina Basquette, Madge Bellamy, Eleanor Boardman, Ethlyne Clair, Junior Coughlan, Joyce Compton, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Dorothy Gulliver, Maxine Elliott Hicks, Dorothy Janis, George Lewis, Marion Mack, Patsy Ruth Miller, Lois Moran, Baby Marie Osborne, Muriel Ostriche, Eddie Quillan, Esther Ralston, Dorothy Revier, David Rollins, Gladys Walton.
June 4, 2014
Michael Ankerich is an author who makes his work look easy. His style is easy to read, fun and informative. I was so impressed with DANGEROUS CURVES ATOP HOLLYWOOD HEELS that I purchased this. Again, every chapter captures the life of another star he's researched. There are thorough filmographies for each of his subjects. You can use the word 'love' to describe both Ankerich's dedication and this reader's appreciation for his work.
One wonderful thing about the internet is the discovery of friends with common interests and forums where ideas are exchanged and recommendations made about every film subject: books, authors, actors, actresses, studios, etc.. Online forums are an excellent place to share and learn.
Ankerich's books tie together facts about people from the silent era and his informative interviews, combined with online research and photo archives, make film history a rich, enjoyable subject to share with like-minded friends. Actors and actresses worked together with different directors and Ankerich's interviews describe the overlapping storylines of their lives. His footnotes encapsulate pertinent information about each person involved in the early film business.
I love watching silent films when there's a good commentary. Reading Michael Ankerich's books makes watching silent films even more enjoyable because Ankerich makes the actors and actresses come to life. They provide deeper appreciation for the era and the people who made such great entertainment.
One wonderful thing about the internet is the discovery of friends with common interests and forums where ideas are exchanged and recommendations made about every film subject: books, authors, actors, actresses, studios, etc.. Online forums are an excellent place to share and learn.
Ankerich's books tie together facts about people from the silent era and his informative interviews, combined with online research and photo archives, make film history a rich, enjoyable subject to share with like-minded friends. Actors and actresses worked together with different directors and Ankerich's interviews describe the overlapping storylines of their lives. His footnotes encapsulate pertinent information about each person involved in the early film business.
I love watching silent films when there's a good commentary. Reading Michael Ankerich's books makes watching silent films even more enjoyable because Ankerich makes the actors and actresses come to life. They provide deeper appreciation for the era and the people who made such great entertainment.
June 12, 2021
When I think of silent movie stars, there are certain figures who leap to mind: Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Valentino, Lillian Gish, Tom Mix, Keystone Cops, Theda Bara. In addition there are countless other who started in the silent but really made a name for themselves in the talkies: Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, Laurel & Hardy, Gary Cooper, to name only a few.
In his book, “Broken Silence: Conversations with 23 Silent Film Stars,” author Ankerich chose to highlight the ones who may have been household names decades ago, but who have sadly faded from memory. With the exception of one that is: Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. I’m expected more of the remembered names and less of those who have receded into the twilight.
Ankerich conducted these interviews from 1987 to 1991. He had three methods of interviewing these now-elderly individuals: by mail, by phone or in person. He started with Lina Basquette and ended with Dorothy Janis. Remember them? Me either.
I liked the Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. chapter a lot. Maybe it’s because I know a little more about him, his career and his life. Other than that chapter, I was disappointed in this book. I felt like all the mini-bios were just a collection of facts, some more engaging than others, but most kept me at arm’s length. I never felt pulled into their stories; they didn’t touch me at all.
“Broken Silence: Conversations with 23 Silent Film Stars” receives 2 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.
In his book, “Broken Silence: Conversations with 23 Silent Film Stars,” author Ankerich chose to highlight the ones who may have been household names decades ago, but who have sadly faded from memory. With the exception of one that is: Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. I’m expected more of the remembered names and less of those who have receded into the twilight.
Ankerich conducted these interviews from 1987 to 1991. He had three methods of interviewing these now-elderly individuals: by mail, by phone or in person. He started with Lina Basquette and ended with Dorothy Janis. Remember them? Me either.
I liked the Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. chapter a lot. Maybe it’s because I know a little more about him, his career and his life. Other than that chapter, I was disappointed in this book. I felt like all the mini-bios were just a collection of facts, some more engaging than others, but most kept me at arm’s length. I never felt pulled into their stories; they didn’t touch me at all.
“Broken Silence: Conversations with 23 Silent Film Stars” receives 2 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.
July 26, 2025
A short, simple outline of 23 film careers. Old fashioned, in that they try to focus on the positive and not dig into the dirt in each of these lives. The author met (or phoned) each of these starts when they were in their old age, and has a focus on being respectful to them.
One general sadness is how similar so many of the lives are. This is perhaps a strength of the book, the ability to see the patterns in the lives. Stardom in their teens (sometimes earlier, sometimes their early 20s), a drop off in their careers in their late twenties, and the coming of sound wiping away much of their previous stardom. Then a marriage to a banker, car salesman, studio executive and their film careers are soon forgotten due to a focus on motherhood. For the male stars often the career collapse was somewhat delayed, but it still ended up with them selling cars or something similar for most of them.
As I read it I thought of all the actors I've know who have also found their careers collapse sometime in their 30s, they didn't have the highs of these silent stars, but a similar low remains.
Something which dates this book is the pages of listed films after each short biography, no doubt a huge amount of work for the author at the time, but now something which would be left out of the book with the assumption that those interested could look at imdb.com
One general sadness is how similar so many of the lives are. This is perhaps a strength of the book, the ability to see the patterns in the lives. Stardom in their teens (sometimes earlier, sometimes their early 20s), a drop off in their careers in their late twenties, and the coming of sound wiping away much of their previous stardom. Then a marriage to a banker, car salesman, studio executive and their film careers are soon forgotten due to a focus on motherhood. For the male stars often the career collapse was somewhat delayed, but it still ended up with them selling cars or something similar for most of them.
As I read it I thought of all the actors I've know who have also found their careers collapse sometime in their 30s, they didn't have the highs of these silent stars, but a similar low remains.
Something which dates this book is the pages of listed films after each short biography, no doubt a huge amount of work for the author at the time, but now something which would be left out of the book with the assumption that those interested could look at imdb.com
March 31, 2024
While the interviews themselves are brief and, with a few exceptions, kind of repetitive, it’s fascinating to read about these former actors who moved on from the industry, whether by choice or not. It takes the glamour out of Hollywood as nearly all of them recount the long hours and exhausting work it took to make movies in the silent era.
April 23, 2020
A great deal of new information.
Great book, little vignettes of lives that we're part of the silent film era.
I would recommend to anyone who loves oral history and silent film.
Great book, little vignettes of lives that we're part of the silent film era.
I would recommend to anyone who loves oral history and silent film.
February 2, 2014
Reminiscing with the movie stars from silent era
This is a book of recorded memories of film stars from silent era. There are few notable stars in this book that includes; Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Lew Ayres and Eleanor Boardman. The rest of them are less known actresses which includes; Lois Moran, Madge Bellamy, Ethylene Clair, Dorothy Revier, Patsy Ruth Miller and many others. Each star is discussed in a separate chapter and part of their biographies is also described. The book is an interesting read and does not go into depth to any degree.
Over the years, I have seen many movies of 1920s and 1930s on TCM and have become familiar with many less known stars, but I have not been able to read about them as there are no books about them. They did not dazzle like Mary Pickford, Joan Crawford, or Gloria Swanson, but offered commendable performances in the movies, and it is refreshing to read about them in this book and relate to their movies I have seen on TCM.
Some of the interesting facts about these stars may be summarized as follows: For example, actors like Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Eleanor Boardman, and Ethylene Clair did not have any ambitions to become film stars. But Lew Ayres, Marion Mack, and Dorothy Gulliver had burning ambition to be the stars of the silver screen. Lois Moran, Joyce Compton and others were pressured by their mothers to go into acting. But Gladys Walton, Patsy Ruth Miller and Dorothy Janis were discovered by talent scouts during their visits to Hollywood.
The Kiss, the last silent film of MGM starred Greta Garbo with Lew Ayres who was supposed to be a college student with whom Garbo had love interest. He recalls that she was intensely shy and was "charming in almost maternal way." Lew Ayers was married to actress Ginger Rogers for eight years and Janet Gaynor and Mary Brian were bridesmaids at their wedding.
Actress Eleanor Boardman and Greta Garbo were great friends. When Boardman was going to marry director King Vidor in August 1925, Garbo and John Gilbert were also to wed to make it double wedding. At the last minute Garbo got cold feet and never showed up for wedding. In this book Boardman recalls as how Louis B Mayer, head of MGM spoke lightly of Garbo after she didn't show up, and Gilbert was so irked by the insults about Greta Garbo, he slugged the guy. That was the end of his film career. Boardman vividly recalls this incident in the book.
Actress Ethylene Clair was almost abducted at gun point across the border to Tijuana, Mexico so that her friend Hinshaw could marry her. She refused his proposal, but apparently the fear of being killed by a gunshot; she went along and tied the knot at the office of the justice of peace. She was crying throughout, but the minister married her anyway and later told her that she was happiest bride he had ever seen. He thought she was crying out joy and happiness. Clair also recalls working with actress Louise Brooks and calls her as the "nastiest gal" she has ever seen.
Actor Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., describes how he met Joan Crawford; he marries later but to the objection of his father Doug Fairbanks, Sr. He narrates another interesting fact as how he comes in the middle of on-again-off-again romance between John Gilbert and Greta Garbo while doing the 1928 movie, "A woman of affairs" in which both Gilbert and Garbo are the main stars. Gilbert would ask him to deliver love message to sulking Garbo. He recalls that Garbo was "absolutely charming, and very friendly." Referring to his step-mother Mary Pickford, "She was very thoughtful and just absolutely charming." He was close to her until her death in 1979. He never forgot her unselfish attempts to bring the father and son together in friendship. There are numerous stories like that you can read in this book and it is definitely a fun read.
This is a book of recorded memories of film stars from silent era. There are few notable stars in this book that includes; Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Lew Ayres and Eleanor Boardman. The rest of them are less known actresses which includes; Lois Moran, Madge Bellamy, Ethylene Clair, Dorothy Revier, Patsy Ruth Miller and many others. Each star is discussed in a separate chapter and part of their biographies is also described. The book is an interesting read and does not go into depth to any degree.
Over the years, I have seen many movies of 1920s and 1930s on TCM and have become familiar with many less known stars, but I have not been able to read about them as there are no books about them. They did not dazzle like Mary Pickford, Joan Crawford, or Gloria Swanson, but offered commendable performances in the movies, and it is refreshing to read about them in this book and relate to their movies I have seen on TCM.
Some of the interesting facts about these stars may be summarized as follows: For example, actors like Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Eleanor Boardman, and Ethylene Clair did not have any ambitions to become film stars. But Lew Ayres, Marion Mack, and Dorothy Gulliver had burning ambition to be the stars of the silver screen. Lois Moran, Joyce Compton and others were pressured by their mothers to go into acting. But Gladys Walton, Patsy Ruth Miller and Dorothy Janis were discovered by talent scouts during their visits to Hollywood.
The Kiss, the last silent film of MGM starred Greta Garbo with Lew Ayres who was supposed to be a college student with whom Garbo had love interest. He recalls that she was intensely shy and was "charming in almost maternal way." Lew Ayers was married to actress Ginger Rogers for eight years and Janet Gaynor and Mary Brian were bridesmaids at their wedding.
Actress Eleanor Boardman and Greta Garbo were great friends. When Boardman was going to marry director King Vidor in August 1925, Garbo and John Gilbert were also to wed to make it double wedding. At the last minute Garbo got cold feet and never showed up for wedding. In this book Boardman recalls as how Louis B Mayer, head of MGM spoke lightly of Garbo after she didn't show up, and Gilbert was so irked by the insults about Greta Garbo, he slugged the guy. That was the end of his film career. Boardman vividly recalls this incident in the book.
Actress Ethylene Clair was almost abducted at gun point across the border to Tijuana, Mexico so that her friend Hinshaw could marry her. She refused his proposal, but apparently the fear of being killed by a gunshot; she went along and tied the knot at the office of the justice of peace. She was crying throughout, but the minister married her anyway and later told her that she was happiest bride he had ever seen. He thought she was crying out joy and happiness. Clair also recalls working with actress Louise Brooks and calls her as the "nastiest gal" she has ever seen.
Actor Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., describes how he met Joan Crawford; he marries later but to the objection of his father Doug Fairbanks, Sr. He narrates another interesting fact as how he comes in the middle of on-again-off-again romance between John Gilbert and Greta Garbo while doing the 1928 movie, "A woman of affairs" in which both Gilbert and Garbo are the main stars. Gilbert would ask him to deliver love message to sulking Garbo. He recalls that Garbo was "absolutely charming, and very friendly." Referring to his step-mother Mary Pickford, "She was very thoughtful and just absolutely charming." He was close to her until her death in 1979. He never forgot her unselfish attempts to bring the father and son together in friendship. There are numerous stories like that you can read in this book and it is definitely a fun read.
October 2, 2012
I am very into film history, especially silent film history. I believe that those were the best days to be working independently in the movie business and that's when stars were really made. I was very interested to read a book that has interviews and first-hand accounts of that era, from people that were actually there. I was definitely excited that he was able to share interviews with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Madge Bellamy. All twenty three stars had something fun to reminisce about and I was happy to read their stories about becoming/being film stars. A major disappointment for me was the lack of overall content in this book. A lot of the book was comprised of footnotes and individually complete filmography of all of the stars. Considering the fact that a good portion of the films in the footnotes probably don't even exist anymore, it was like having a carrot dangled in front of you while you're starving. It was just plain cruel. I enjoyed the idea of such a book, but it wasn't as all encompassing as I'd hoped. It was an interesting read and worth the time of any silent film nut who is interested in the forgotten stars of the era. If you're busy looking for familiar faces, I wouldn't bother.
VERDICT: 3.5/5 Stars
*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.*
VERDICT: 3.5/5 Stars
*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.*
February 7, 2020
Each chapter is devoted to a celebrity and the interview is written like a magazine article as opposed to a transcript of the conversation. This allows Ankerich to fill in the gaps and provide his own style to the book. Unfortunately it does not result in many direct quotes or a distinct feeling that you got to know the subject.
Some of the segments are ridiculously brief to the point of frustration. Dorothy Gulliver's chapter mentions a "severe accident" twice but never explains what happened. He also tells us she was married in the early 30's and then goes on to tell us about husband number two without saying what happened to the first one. It feels rushed and nowhere near as thorough as the excellent Dangerous Curves Atop Hollywood Heels.
The stars included are Lew Ayres, William Bakewell, Lina Basquette, Madge Bellamy, Eleanor Boardman, Ethlyne Clair, Junior Coghlan, Joyce Compton, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Dorothy Gulliver, Maxine Elliott Hicks, Dorothy Janis, George Lewis, Marion Mack, Patsy Ruth Miller, Lois Moran, Baby Marie Osborne, Muriel Ostriche, Eddie Quillan, Esther Ralston, Dorothy Revier, David Rollins, and Gladys Walton.
Some of the segments are ridiculously brief to the point of frustration. Dorothy Gulliver's chapter mentions a "severe accident" twice but never explains what happened. He also tells us she was married in the early 30's and then goes on to tell us about husband number two without saying what happened to the first one. It feels rushed and nowhere near as thorough as the excellent Dangerous Curves Atop Hollywood Heels.
The stars included are Lew Ayres, William Bakewell, Lina Basquette, Madge Bellamy, Eleanor Boardman, Ethlyne Clair, Junior Coghlan, Joyce Compton, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Dorothy Gulliver, Maxine Elliott Hicks, Dorothy Janis, George Lewis, Marion Mack, Patsy Ruth Miller, Lois Moran, Baby Marie Osborne, Muriel Ostriche, Eddie Quillan, Esther Ralston, Dorothy Revier, David Rollins, and Gladys Walton.
September 2, 2013
While some of the stars in this book are grasping as 'stars' let alone 'silent stars' (the follow up book has higher standards) its really quite charming. In my opinion Ankerich is one of the top silent film researchers/biographers and these two books prove why. Whether you are familiar with the star or their work...or not...its always fascinating to see why they got into films, what happened after stardom and their thoughts on it all.
For instance I'm not a big fan of Lina Basquette...she's passable as a film star but never really stood out to me. Her interview was fascinating: how the Warner family screwed her and her daughter over, how she had to fight blacklisting and how after it all she became quite renowned as a dog breeder. Though she (as I'd venture to say all of these stars) has since passed on she seemed quite positive at the time of her interview.
So overall not only is this book an important piece to film history; its the type of book every film student and wannabe actor should read....the stories are incredible.
For instance I'm not a big fan of Lina Basquette...she's passable as a film star but never really stood out to me. Her interview was fascinating: how the Warner family screwed her and her daughter over, how she had to fight blacklisting and how after it all she became quite renowned as a dog breeder. Though she (as I'd venture to say all of these stars) has since passed on she seemed quite positive at the time of her interview.
So overall not only is this book an important piece to film history; its the type of book every film student and wannabe actor should read....the stories are incredible.
September 14, 2015
While the subjects were fascinating, the text just didn't do them justice. Wish there had been more personal info instead of stats and movies they appeared in. Oh the stories they must have been able to tell. Was hoping for a lot more since the author actually interviewed each person listed in the book.
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