Tuesday, February 11, 2003

Need research help in Atlantic City

Do you live near Atlantic City, New Jersey ? If so, the Louise Brooks Society needs your help! The LBS would like to track down newspaper articles which appeared in the Atlantic City Evening Union. However, the only source for that paper on microfilm is the Atlantic County Historical Society (located at 907 Shore Rd., Somers Point, NJ 08244 phone 609-927-5218). And unfortunately for the LBS - which is located in San Francisco, California - that institution does not loan its holdings.

As a member of the Denishawn Dance Company, Louise Brooks performed at the Apollo Theatre in Atlantic City in October, 1923. (The Denishawn engagement ran October 15th through the 23rd.) Nearly two years later, in September of 1925, the Miss America contest was held in Atlantic City. That event provided the backdrop for Brooks' second film, The American Venus. (Participants in the contest began arriving around September 7th, and Fay Lanphier - who is starred in the film - was crowned on September 12th.)

The LBS would like to track down any and all articles, reviews or clippings about the Denishawn performance, relevant articles about the Miss America contest (especially if the making of  The American Venus is mentioned), and reviews of the movie after its showing in Atlantic City in January or February of 1926. Certainly, the Atlantic City Evening Union gave coverage to one or all of these events. (Another possible source for clippings is the Atlantic City Daily Press - though it is uncertain if this newspaper was being published in the mid 1920's.) Please email the LBS if you are able to help with this special research project. The LBS would be happy to reimburse individuals for photocopies made from microfilm.

Friday, February 7, 2003

New film in the works

I can't say much - BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW MUCH - but the LBS has been told that a dramatic film based on the life of Louise Brooks is in the works. It centers on the filming of Pandora's Box. An actress has already been chosen to play Louise. Watch the LBS website for details as further information becomes available.

Sunday, February 2, 2003

RadioLulu is on the air

The Louise Brooks Society is proud to announce the launch of RadioLulu, an internet-only station featuring music of the Twenties through today. This streaming radio station - featuring "all things Lulu" - includes a handful of songs directly related to the actress. The station - which was created December 29, 2002 - can be found at
http://www.live365.com/stations/298896

Included on RadioLulu is the theme from Beggars of Life, songs by the actress' contemporaries, friends and co-stars, jazz and show tunes of the 1920's, and a handful of standards (including Brooks' favorite Gershwin tune, "Somebody Loves Me"). The contemporary era is represented by rock music, soundtrack recordings and musical tributes from around the world.

Everyone from Maurice Chevalier (singing the ever popular "Louise") and the torch singer Libby Holman (a friend of Brooks) to actors Adolphe Menjou, Noah Berry and Rudolph Valentino are highlighted on this unique station. The playlist is arranged in loose chronological order, with themes such as "Louise Brooks in the Jazz Age," "European Sojourn," "The 1930's - National Depression and Professional Decline," and "Contemporary Lulu" helping to organize dozens of songs.

Besides providing more than three hours of entertaining music, RadioLulu also provides the rare opportunity to actually hear hard-to-find vintage and contemporary recordings associated with the actress.

Additional tracks, such as the Xavier Cugart recordings recommended by Brooks in her 1940 booklet The Fundamental of Good Ballroom Dancing, will be added to the station sometime in the future. Right now, however, your help is needed. Does anyone have an mp3 of the theme song to Prix de Beaute ? Or one for "Darling of the Jazz Age" from the recent Swiss production, Brooksie the Jazz Age Musical ? Or any rock music recordings not already included on the station, such as the little known Louise Brooks by Legendary Bang? If so, please email the LBS.

Saturday, February 1, 2003

New citations added to bibliographies

A handful of citations have been added to the film bibliographies, with corresponding articles gathered into the LBS archive. Citiations have been collected from the Indianapolis Star, Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Chronicle-Telegram from Elyria, Ohio, and the Appleton Post-Cresent from Wisconsin. Also, a number of pages have been updated or revised - additional information has been added to the filmography pages, and additional images have been added to a few of the portrait galleries.

Also new is the donate (via PayPal) button at the bottom of the homepage. A donation (in any amount) will help pay the expense of hosting and maintaining this website, as well as defray the cost of photocopies, postage and other research expenses. Contributions will be used to ensure that this website is further developed and that additional material is addeds. If possible, please use PayPal to make a donation to the Louise Brooks Society. Click on the PayPal button below to make a contribution of as little as $1.00. The Louise Brooks Society is a not-for-profit website devoted to the promotion and study of the life and films of Louise Brooks. Your interest and assistance is appreciated.

Saturday, January 18, 2003

New citations added to bibliographies

A bunch of citations have been added to various bibliographies, with corresponding articles gathered into the LBS archive. Citiations have been collected from the Providence Journal, Kansas City Star, Helena Indepenedent (Montana), and Zanesville Times-Signal (Ohio), as well as a handful of small-town newspapers scattered across the American Midwest and South. A few contemporary reviews have also been gathered from Box Office magazine and the Chicago Reader.

Wednesday, January 15, 2003

Updated pages

Recently updated are Around the World, on the News of Lulu site, as well as Related Magazine Covers and More Book Covers on the LBS website.

Friday, January 3, 2003

Manchester (UK) screening

Just quick note to let everyone know about a screening of  Pandora's Box that is scheduled for the Cornerhouse Cinema in Manchester, England. This screening will take place on Sunday, January 19, 2003, at Cinema 1 at 8.30 pm. For more info see  www.cornerhouse.org
Live accompaniment will be provided by dark ambient experimentalists Cipher ( Saxophonist / Flautist Theo Travis & Bassist / Sound designer Dave Sturt ). For more info see www.cipher.f9.co.uk
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