A Guide to Silent Westerns

A Guide to Silent Westerns
Author: Larry Langman
Publisher: Greenwood
Total Pages: 668
Release: 1992-10-20
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN:

This comprehensive film guide lists the screen credits and provides synopses of more than 5,400 silent western features, documentaries, shorts and serials released from the 1890s through 1930. Numerous one-, two- and three-reelers are included in this guide. These westerns came from both the major and lesser known American film studios, many long defunct. The term western is hard to define; someone once commented that a western had to have a horse in it. The genre generally applies to that post-Civil War period beginning with the great cattle drives and ending around 1890. But the author has included tales about early California, Mexico, various Indian tribes along the Eastern seaboard, the building of the railroad, the gold rush of 1849 and the search for gold in the Yukon. Other films which seem to have less in common with the genre, such as northern westerns, are listed in a separate appendix.

The Wild, Wild West

The Wild, Wild West
Author: Apollonia Lord
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 1531
Release: 2017-05-15
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1507204760

All the drama and sexy attraction of cowboys and the dangerous Wild West in a value-priced collection. It’s a shootout at high noon in these high-stakes romances, with lovers’ hearts on the line. Saddle up and ride along with these couples as they try to outdraw Cupid. Seduced by the Outlaw: Tamar Freeman has everything under control as the owner of Kansas City’s local newspaper until undercover lawman Amos Tanner responds to a lonely hearts ad that’s actually a trap to catch a burglary ring. To all he meets, he’s Deadwood Dick, an outlaw and the last man Tamar should fall for. But the fire between them burns hot, and his final heist doesn’t go quite as planned. Will she find the strength to give up her safe world and risk a chance at the life she’s long desired? A Kiss in the Shadows: Driven by his single-minded revenge mission against the man who killed his brother, Brock MacDermott rides from town to town on a lonely quest. He’s careful to keep emotional attachments at arm’s length—until young, beautiful Stevie Rae Buchanan insists on joining his hunt to exact her vengeance. There’s no room for romance when you’re chasing down a dangerous criminal, but when undeniable feelings develop between them, Stevie Rae and Brock must decide whether justice is worth sacrificing everything else. One Moment’s Pleasure: Drawn to San Francisco during the Gold Rush, Edith narrowly escapes working in a bordello, but she can’t escape Dutch Trahern, who seeks redemption after his misspent youth. A relationship could cost them both everything they’ve worked to earn, but it just might be their path to salvation. Expressly Yours, Samantha: To escape her wicked uncle, Samantha Hughes cuts her hair to pose as a man and become Sam Hughes, a Pony Express rider. There she meets Valerian Fitzpatrick, who joined the hard-riding circuit in an attempt to escape life in the family business. As he and Sam grow close, Valerian’s more than willing to protect her secret, but when Sam’s forced to run yet again, does a future with her mean giving up the freedom he’s always craved? The Heart You Need: When reporter Adeline Ellsworth’s cousin is murdered in 1896 San Francisco, her investigation leads to danger—and she wakes up tied to Alec McCairn, Lord Peyton. In California to set up a new office, the Scottish peer definitely wasn’t looking for a romantic entanglement, but he suspects the beguiling Adeline is in over her head and too proud to ask for help. He’s determined to save her from herself, but Adeline can’t let Alec ruin her chance to expose this corruption, no matter how charming he is. The biggest mystery they end up solving might just be how to capture each other’s hearts. Sensuality Level: Sensual

A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses

A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses
Author: George A. Katchmer
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 489
Release: 2015-05-20
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 1476609055

Long before sound became an essential part of motion pictures, Westerns were an established genre. The men and women who brought to life cowboys, cowgirls, villains, sidekicks, distressed damsels and outraged townspeople often continued with their film careers, finding success and fame well into the sound era--always knowing that it was in silent Westerns that their careers began. More than a thousand of these once-silent Western players are featured in this fully indexed encyclopedic work. Each entry includes a detailed biography, covering both personal and professional milestones and a complete Western filmography. A foreword is supplied by Diana Serra Cary (formerly the child star "Baby Peggy"), who performed with many of the actors herein.

Encyclopedia of American Short Films, 1926-1959

Encyclopedia of American Short Films, 1926-1959
Author: Graham Webb
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 735
Release: 2020-07-10
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 1476639264

Short subject films have a long history in American cinemas. These could be anywhere from 2 to 40 minutes long and were used as a "filler" in a picture show that would include a cartoon, a newsreel, possibly a serial and a short before launching into the feature film. Shorts could tackle any topic of interest: an unusual travelogue, a comedy, musical revues, sports, nature or popular vaudeville acts. With the advent of sound-on-film in the mid-to-late 1920s, makers of earlier silent short subjects began experimenting with the short films, using them as a testing ground for the use of sound in feature movies. After the Second World War, and the rising popularity of television, short subject films became far too expensive to produce and they had mostly disappeared from the screens by the late 1950s. This encyclopedia offers comprehensive listings of American short subject films from the 1920s through the 1950s.

Poverty Row Studios, 1929-1940

Poverty Row Studios, 1929-1940
Author: Michael R. Pitts
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 543
Release: 2015-09-17
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 1476610363

From the beginning of the sound era until the end of the 1930s, independent movie-making thrived. Many of the independent studios were headquartered in a section of Hollywood called "Poverty Row." Here the independents made movies on the cheap, usually at rented facilities where shooting was limited to only a few days. From Allied Pictures Corporation to Willis Kent Production, 55 Poverty Row Studios are given histories in this book. Some of the studios, such as Diversion Pictures and Cresent Pictures, came into existence for the sole purpose of releasing movies by established stars. Others, for example J.D. Kendis, were early exploitation filmmakers under the guise of sex education. The histories include critical commentary on the studio's output and a filmography of all titles released from 1929 through 1940.