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Some of you old timers will remember Doug Moore, from Kansas City. He hosted a Cinecon there that was my first one, the one where I fell in love with silent film truly and deeply. Doug was my film teacher at the University of Missoui/Kansas City and I took classes in DW Griffith and Chaplin from him. He taught film at Virginia Tech before that. His students were called "Douglings" and he has been held in high esteem and with genuine affection. Unfortunately he is in very poor health and with hospice now,at 80. I just heard about this tonite and thought you might like to know. I'm sure any gesture of affection or humor would be greatly appreciated by Doug and his large family. There are so many Doug stories that you could write a book about them! He will be missed by many people, his students going back into the 70's. He has been doing "Dr. Doug" film reviews in Kansas City for 20+ years, always with a smile and a joke. If you would like more information, feel free to write me. I haven't been to the conventions in years, but I remember many of you fondly. Claire Baker

clairedelunatic wrote:Some of you old timers will remember Doug Moore, from Kansas City.

I remember Doug Moore with affection. He was a raconteur with a million stories about his life, family, old films and those he met along the way. He taught film at a succession of schools, and had enthusiastic students who absorbed his love and enthusiasm for the art of film. He was as interested in cinema's failures as its successes, and I think I first saw the Halperin Brothers' A NATION AFLAME (1937) via Doug.

I remember particularly his interest in Griffith and Biograph. He kept in contact with Blanche Sweet - once calling her to ask if she remembered what material was used to make the Biograph logo visible in the background of the films - and Roy Aitken among others. Long, long before such things were fashionable, he, or perhaps one of his classes, made a faux Biograph short, very much in the style of the master. And Doug's dissertation was on the differences in the intertitles between the original and reissue versions of THE BIRTH OF A NATION. Not the difference in the two editions - just the difference in the intertitles.

But most of all, I remember Doug as being in the tradition of the WC Fields character in THE OLD FASHIONED WAY. Doug Moore was always a lovable rascal - you were smiling even as you were shaking your head in amazement at his audacity.

He will be both remembered and missed.

David Pierce

Doug is a great lover of Griffith and I have had many wonderful phone conversations with him. I was always trying to get him to send me a copy of his dissertation to read, but he only had the one and could never get out to copy it....He is very important to me...He once owned the Epoch releasing stock book (The company that was formed to release Birth of a Nation) but at one point needing funds in the 70's sold it to David Shepard...Doug said he was afraid the book would be broken apart to sell off the Griffith autographs so he made an exact colored photocopy duplicate down to every small detail including the placement of every pin or paperclip. About 4 years ago Doug sent me the book (along with some polaroids he took of Griffiths' retirement home)...I only wish I could have taken a class with him as he has a wealth of knowledge...I was worried something might be wrong since I saw his nitrate copy of the rereleased BOTN (along with the sound discs) was recently sold on ebay....

From Kansas Silent Film Festival regular Jane Barthlolomew:


Esteemed Kansas City Film Critic, movie memorabilia collector, and teacher Dr. Douglas C. Moore, 80, passed away peacefully on Saturday evening at 8:00 p.m. CDT with his family in attendance. Services will be held on Saturday, July 17, at 1:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Grandview, Mo. (1416 Main Street, Grandview, 816/763-2200). In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Doug's name to:

Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care
12000 Wornall Road
Kansas City, MO 64145-1117

Watch for the official obituary in coming days in The Kansas City Star or at http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/kansascity/.

I'm very sorry to hear this. I haven't seen Doug in many years, but back in the day we had many the laugh together and I remember him fondly. Also have fond memories of the Cinecon he chaired in '81, and of meeting his "Aunt Polly," Fox contract player Pauline Moore.

Estate of Douglas Moore. I have never reached out to a group before like this and I do not wish to be disrespectful to the memory of Mr. Moore. I was doing an internet search on Doug Moore and came across this site. I am handling the Sale of Mr. Moores Movie Memorabilia and thought that this group might be interested in knowing about it. Out of respect I don't want to turn this into an advertisement for the sale, but the sale will be in early December 2013. If you want more info please contact me through this forum or call me directly at (816) 304-5557.

Clay C.
Absolute Estate Sales

Here's a news story on this estate sale. Unfortunately they are not selling things to out-of-town buyers because there is so much local interest. The films are about 80% 8mm and the rest 16mm with a few 35mm prints.

http://fox4kc.com/2013/12/05/hundreds-o ... cs-estate/

I was able to attend his estate sale. As you can imagine, it was bittersweet. In the books I bought I noticed how he went through with his red pen and made corrections - and not just regarding grammar and punctuation, but on facts, people/names, and other technical details. Pretty cool.