We celebrated Winsor McCay's 150th birthday in Spring Lake, Michigan, at the Spring Lake District Library, on September 26, 2017. The information appears in the newly updated edition of John Canemaker's "Winsor McCay: His Life and Art." After a thorough investigation of 1870 Spring Lake Village cens...

McCay's first work for sale was actually another ship that sunk, an illustration of the steam passenger ship The Alpena. As noted above, he created it at age 13. Much about the 1880 drawing resembles McCay's style nearly 40 years later with "The Sinking of the Lusitania."

Tony Susnick and Steve Massa are featured in one chapter, the DVD featured, too, and the book is dedicated to Sam Gill.

Bigshot, dino-might! Plans are to have a Gertie the Dinosaur figure on the property kids can play on.

Plans are underway to develop a Winsor McCay Park in 2018 his hometown of Spring Lake, Michigan. The pioneering animator McCay drew his first commercial (prints for sale) illustration there at age 13 in 1880.

The research included anything about "The Warrens" in digitized entertainment magazines via Lantern, Library of Congress archives, Chronicling America digital newspapers, San Antonio historic society, San Antonio Express, working with Mansfield biographer Louise Carley Lewisson (provided content for...

My new book about the strange backstories about "The Warrens of Virginia," from Belasco stage play in 1907, to Fox film release in 1924, is told ... with focus on the death of actress Martha Mansfield. In a 12-month period, during the production of movies, actress Mansfield died as a result of her c...

Now available from Amazon... "Rudolph Valentino's Strange Afterlife," a look at the original articles behind the paranormal legend of a legendary silent film star. Creepy stuff. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1979991863/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511454299&sr=8-1&keywords=Rudolph+Valentino%27s+Strange+After...

Just published, a new book, that pulls together 1917-1930 interviews with 'the man of a thousand faces' (what he had to say about his life, career, and films)... also nearly 50 studio and professional photos, many of which run full-size in this 8x10 inch paperback. https://www.amazon.com/Lon-Chaney-...

A book on silent film comedian John Bunny has just been released! Special thanks to Tony Susnick and Steve Massa for their contribution to it! "Funny Bunny" includes a bio, commentary, Bunny's own words (via interviews) and a list of his films. Thanks to all who helped me with this project... a litt...

The Pollard house at 1928 W. Lunt Avenue will be part of a historical tour Sunday, Sept. 10 in Chicago... current owner of the home will hand out flyers for the book.
https://rpwrhs.org/housetour/" target="_blank" target="_blank

My new book "Luther J. Pollard: Ebony Film Corp." debuts and is available today from Amazon! It presents a complete history of the Ebony Film Corporation (1916-1921) and its president Luther J. Pollard, photos, behind-the-scenes discoveries, filmography and more. A lot of work, but I was very curiou...

Before there was Winsor McCay's 1917 silent animated film "The Sinking of the Lusitania," there was another sinking he drew 37 years earlier, "The Sinking of the Alpena." If you are a McCay this will appeal to you. The new book "Winsor McCay's The Sinking of The Alpena" presents McCay's first commer...

Just released today is "Mack Swain: The Ambrose Years," looking at one of my favorite silent film era comedians! What an entertainer this man was....
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1973863936/re ... mack+Swain" target="_blank

Jerry Beck's Cartoon Research has just released "Dreamy Dud: Wallace A. Carlson's Animation Classic," about the silent era cartoon 1915-1920. A little book put together with a lot of love! I thank Mr. Beck for the opportunity to compile and write for it! https://www.amazon.com/dp/1973774712/ref=sr_1...

Finishing writing for "Luther Jay Pollard: Ebony Film Corp." about Pollard and the company, ups and downs. It will be published July 2017.
http://lutherjpollard.blogspot.com/" target="_blank

June 13 at the Annual McCay Day Celebration in Winsor McCay's hometown of Spring Lake, Michigan (1867-1885) I'll be showing a photo of the pioneering animator's first commerical drawing, made at age 13, on his school blackboard. It was the sinking of a ship called the Alpena, Winsor drew it the end ...

Thanks, I'll check it out! In my Swain book, I'm highlighting the Ambrose films in particular.

Yes, and what I'm digging up is very amusing. He got arrested in 1893 suspected of being in a gang of armed robbers and his alibi checked out - he was practicing his rag dancing with a friend for a venue he appeared at called Wonderland. His pals got convicted, but he wasn't with them... no interest...

Mark Hamilton was born in Washington, DC on Dec. 8, 1889, according to what I have. I'll snoop around for any vaudeville connections.

I am currently writing a book on comedian Mack Swain. Expect it out by July. Interesting childhood this fellow had. His dad went to jail when he was 8-years-old for having 3 wives.

Who was your grandfather?
- Kevin

Just published, a new book on Western silent film actor Monroe Salisbury and the making of the 1918 lost classic, "The Eagle." Complete bio of Salisbury, the movie's cast, story outline, crew and photos, posters and related promotional materials. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1546905847/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UT...

The book "The First Bat Man" has been published. It's a little book that compiles the tale of the making of Roland West's 1926 silent film "The Bat." https://www.amazon.com/First-Bat-Man-Making-Roland/dp/1546689842/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494951841&sr=8-1&keywords=The+First+Bat+Man%3A+The+Making+of+...

Your book sounds very nice... the amount of research and work are appreciated!

I am finishing up my book on Roland West's 1926 silent film "The Bat" and stumbled onto something completely unknown. Another actor was cast in the role of the character Richard Fleming, who was the nephew of the bank President in the film. The man we see in the role, Arthur Housman (who's the guy w...

Craig, true. My wife and I were talking about that the other day, I'm a huge comic book fan, Kane basically ripped of The Bat movie to create Bat-Man. Finger was a great writer, Kane really wasn't a great artist, famous, yes, but he wasn't Jack Kirby.

I am compiling a short book on the 1926 Roland West film silent "The Bat." If you are a film historian or big fan of the work, could you extend a helping hand? I'm looking for little known facts about the making of the film that haven't become a part of the mainstream narrative about the film. I've ...

Hamilton, Many different entertainment magazines from circa 1907 until Dooley's death in 1938, and Library of congress newspapers, LanternMediaHistory online, Family Search and ancestry sites. Other sources were film collectors, etc. There was really nothing to be found in other books on silent film...

A book I wrote on silent film comedian Billy Dooley has just been published. I was a fan of this guy as a kid because my dad had some of his movies on 8mm we could show on our home projector. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1546500308/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494007743&sr=8-1&keywords=Billy+Dooley+A+Misfit...