In 1968, silent film historian Kevin Brownlow’s quest to chronicle early cinema’s early days resulted in the book, The Parade’s Gone By, an oral narrative from major silent era influencers. Considered a definitive work on silent movie history, TPGB offers a unique perspective on the birth of cinema, told by the people who were there. Ten years later, Brownlow created a 13-part BBC documentary series, Hollywood: A Celebration of the American Silent Film. Spanning the entire silent era, the series covers diverse topics like “In the Beginning,” “Comedy: A Serious Business,” “Trick of the Light,” and “The End of an Era.” Narrated by James Mason, episodes include interviews and restored clips from pivotal silent films. Most every major silent film star participated, and the documentary series earned widespread recognition and numerous accolades.

In this course, we’ll watch select episodes of the Hollywood series combined with important interviews in TPGB. Class discussions will analyze and interpret these historical accounts. Join us as we explore the silent film era directly from the words of luminaries like Mary Pickford, Buster Keaton, Frank Capra, and many others.

From the Study Leader (re: the optional book listed below): This book may be ordered through local bookstores but is available much more cheaply online.