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I'm would think a list like this exists, but I'm having a hard time looking for one. especially for the later silents, when film speed varied. Some silent films were from 20 frames to even 24 frames per second, when some still remained at 18 frames etc. any help would be appreciated.

The truth is, silent films ran at whatever speed the projectionist set on the projector, which required balancing artistic intent, comic effect, excitement, realism, catching up to your schedule after repairing a film break, cramming more shows in an evening because you sell a lot of tickets for a Mary Pickford film, and ending the evening earlier when the projectionist has a hot date (and there is historic evidence for all of those reasons being used). The filming speed varied as well, so that in films like The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse the tango sequence runs much faster than the rest of the film, and some projectionists like to slow it down. Others feel that maybe the filmmaker meant it that way.

So, any list claiming to have THE speed for certain silent films would be incomplete and misleading, though certainly historical evidence for film speeds used at certain theaters would be worth finding and evaluating.

There's a useful article by Kevin Brownlow here, but if you read the details, you'll note that he only guessed at the actual filming speed based on a subjective estimate of what they felt looked natural. Sometimes you'll come across historic directions on original cue sheets and scores to run certain films at certain speeds, or even to change speeds during the run of the film, but rarely are these instructions traceable back to the film-makers -- largely these decisions were made by musicians and theater operators in New York City, based on what they felt was right for the film.

To be honest, as long as you get it close, few will notice much or care (other than the musicians, if they're playing from a score designed to be played at a particular speed). Even in video releases you'll find wide discrepancies, for instance the Kino and Image "Mark of Zorro" were transferred at 24 fps, the Flicker Alley release at 20 fps. Very few critics seemed to notice.

So, decide what looks right to you. For films earlier than 1918 I'd start with 18 fps, and adjust from there. From 1918-1920 I'd try 20 fps, for 1921-1923 I'd try 22 fps, and by 1924 I'd try 24 fps. If you're presenting a show, talk to the projectionist and musicians about what's best or possible. By 1927, if a soundtrack was added to a film, it was run at 24 fps by necessity, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's the best speed.

There are some big exceptions -- The Italian Straw Hat, from 1928, is way too fast at 24 fps, The General is often shown at 25 or 26 fps and works fine, some late Griffith Biographs want to be really slow since he was trying to cram a lot of plot into one or two reels, and you can find certain films that are intolerable at any speed.

Generally working with a super 8, which only gives the choice between 18 or 24, that can be a big difference. For instance I recently got a super 8 print of The Ten Days That Shook The World. I had read, that was shot at multiple speeds, and since it was shot in 1927 I first tried showing it at 24, but that seemed far too fast. 18 frames seems a lot closer, but not perfect. I wish like my 8mm Keystone projector, it had a dial so you could get it closer. I would bet 20 frames, would seem perfect.

Most earlier silent films for sure run smoothly at 18 frames, but when you get into films from 1924 on, it varies. I would think there would be a list or even book, that would tell the speed, at which a film was shot. Having a weekly film series during the winter, I try and make it close as possible.

I doubt it, there can only be an ancillary response to this topic. As you go back further into silent films the time in minutes becomes varied. A knockabout comedy can be speeded up faster than it was shot for added comedy effect at the will of any given projectionist. Even when silent films were given soundtracks in the late 20s a fixed time in minutes could now be had however the filmmaker could still speed up a scene for a comic effect or to make a given running time. That's why the running time in some original silent literature(ie posters,lobby cards, slides, newspapers etc) is given in "reels" rather than hours and minutes.

Mr. Moore, since you have a weekly silent film series it would seem to me that you would do well to invest in a Super 8 projector with fully variable speeds. Plenty of them were made and I should not think it would take long for one to turn up on eBay. Then you could do as the Romans did, and set the speed(s) by eye according to your own judgment, just as any good musician picks his or her own performance tempo for a given work.

David Shepard