Reminiscing

Lillian Gish 1893-1993

When I was a teenager I was besotted with silent films.

My walls were plastered with posters of Charlie Chaplin,

Buster Keaton, Rudolph Valentino and Lillian Gish.

I spent hours immersed in books with stories and images of these people and their times.

One book in particular "A Pictorial History of the Silent Screen",

a present from my father, gave me access to endless black & white

portraits, which I endlessly sketched in graphite.

Lillian Gish, who lived to the ripe old age of 100, 

was always my favourite silent movie gal.

Jackie Coogan as a child with Charlie Chaplin in "The Kid"

Jackie Coogan as Uncle Fester

Jackie Coogan, who played as a child in

films with Charlie Chaplin, amongst others,

always intrigued me.

For those unfamiliar with him,

he is best remembered as Uncle Fester

in the original tv series of "The Addams Family".

He was married, for a time, to Betty Grable.

The Coogan Law is named after him.

When he was 21 Coogan sued his mother and step-father

for access to the considerable monies he had earned as a child.

Up until this point parents were legally allowed to keep all

monies earned by their children.

I also had a big thing for Fred & Ginger

and Alfred Hitchcock Films.

For Mother's Day this year my elder daughter

gifted me a DVD copy of Alfred Hitchcock's 

silent films (who knew!).

What a great gift!