Hollywood 

The definitive documentary about the American silent film industry.

Stars:

James Mason, Viola Dana, Byron Haskin

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
James Mason	...	Himself - Narrator 13 episodes, 1980
Viola Dana	...	Herself / ... 8 episodes, 1980
Byron Haskin	...	Himself / ... 8 episodes, 1980
Colleen Moore	...	Herself / ... 8 episodes, 1980
Allan Dwan	...	Himself / ... 7 episodes, 1980
Adela Rogers St. Johns	...	Herself / ... 7 episodes, 1980
Karl Brown	...	Himself 6 episodes, 1980
Henry King	...	Himself / ... 6 episodes, 1980

Storyline

Distilled (un-credited) from Kevin Brownlow's 1968 book "The Parade's Gone By...", this 13-part mini-series follows the rise and fall of the American silent film industry. Each episode focuses on a different aspect of silent film history and production. Several silent film makers - stars, writers, directors, producers, stunt-men and crew - and their family and friends are interviewed. Also included are hundreds of film clips and behind-the-scene photographs, how-did-they-do-that spoilers and lots of trivia.

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Plot Keywords:

silent filmmaking | tv mini series | film history | hollywood | place name in title | 

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Genres:

Documentary | History

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 February 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hollywood: A Celebration of the American Silent Film

Filming Locations:

BBC Enterprises, Wood Lane, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Thames Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min 676 min (13 Episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Agnes de Mille: There was great excitement, and great fervor, and great sense of romance, romantic adventure. They didn't know what they were working in. They didn't know what the future would be. They didn't know what they were doing. They knew that every picture broke boundaries. Some one new thing would be done. A new way of handling the camera. A new way of cutting. A new way of lighting. And they would be so excited by it! And my father used to say, always, "We are not real artists. None of us. We are ...

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Connections

Features The Wedding March (1928)

User Reviews

The best silent documentary ever produced

This series is a definite must-have for silent film buffs and film lovers in general. Several years in the making (late 1970s), "Hollywood" covers the directors, stars, and films that made Hollywood world famous in the 1920s. Rare clips from silent classics are presented with James Mason's wonderful narration.

The big draws are the interviews with surviving silent stars who lived into the late 1970s. Interviews with Colleen Moore, Ben Lyon, and many others permeate the series with their unique perspectives. Of particular note is a rare interview with Louise Brooks -- a "must see" for Brooks fans.

"Hollywood" also discusses the scandals that made the film industry shiver, such as the deaths of William Desmond Taylor and Wallace Reid.

The series concludes with a review of the coming of sound and how many silent stars were forgotten with the coming of talkies; the faded careers of Clara Bow, John Gilbert and many others are discussed and analyzed.

I first saw this series on television as a teenager in 1981 and became hooked on silent films thereafter. There has never been a period when movies were more thrilling and popular than the silent era; I heartily recommend "Hollywood" to prove this assertion. The best documentary series about the silent era ever produced. 10 out of 10.