Community Corner

Silent Film Fest Features Local Company, Scenes, History

The Thanhouser Company set their silent movies in New Rochelle at the turn of the 20th century.

By Taylor Brown

The New Rochelle Public Library is holding a Thanhouser Company silent film festival April 26. The films produced by the Thanhouser Company were all set in New Rochelle from 1911-18. 

Some films the company has been known for are "Shep's Race With Death", "The Million Dollar Mystery," and "In the Hands of the Enemy."  Ned Thanhouser, grandson of Edwin and Gertrude Thanhouser who founded the company, will be hosting the festival. 

One of the films being shown is "Cymbeline" (1911) which was originally a play by William Shakespeare. It stars Florence LaBadie, who was in many of the Thanhouser Company's movies. 

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The films will be accompanied by the Ben Model, the leading silent film composer in the U.S., who currently works at the MOMA

The event is being held in the Ossie Davis Theater and organizers are asking for a donation of $2.00.

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It will start at 2 p.m., directly following a ceremony at the New Rochelle Walk of Fame where Edwin and Gertrude are being inducted.


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