Traces the Stanislavski system for realism in acting from its origin within Moscow Art Theater, through its modification by Lee Strasberg and Elia Kazan in the Actor's Studio, to its use in modern American films. (JMF)

Explores silent film actress Norma Talmadge's "star persona" in the 1920s. Focuses on the public discourses that provide the background for Talmadge's departure from the screen. Analyzes why her two "talkies" failed commercially and critically. Concentrates on promotional and publicity materials and on the films themselves. (PA)

Describes Elbridge T. Gerry's work from 1874 to about 1900 as founder and director of the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Notes his place at the center of the controversy surrounding children on the professional stage in New York. (SR)

The Swedish ethnic theatre in the United States flourished and provided a vigorous cultural expression among Swedish immigrants for over five decades beginning in San Francisco in 1863. Swedes in Chicago alone produced between 9 and 24 plays per season from 1888 to 1915. All over the United States, Swedish settlements had their own Swedish…

An address before the University Film Association (1980) in which a filmmaker/university teacher talks about the Hollywood studio system and various aspects of film: acting, directing, editing, writing, and teaching. (PD)

This 30 to 40 minute drama for elementary school students takes place in and around the Pennsylvania State House, Philadelphia, on September 17, 1787, the day the Constitutional Convention ended. The drama focuses on five major points: (1) the Colonial Confederation's situation at that time, which necessitated calling for such a convention; (2)…

Although Will Rogers often described himself as "just a cowboy with a lot of luck," he was more than that. At one time or another he was a vaudeville entertainer, film star, world traveler, author, columnist, and after-dinner speaker. The most beloved figure of his time, this famous humorist was also part Cherokee Indian. Rogers was born…

This 30 to 40 minute drama for secondary school students takes place in the Pennsylvania State House, Philadelphia, on September 17, 1787, the day the Constitutional Convention ended. James Madison serves as the drama's spokesman. The drama focuses on five major points: (1) the Colonial Confederation's situation at that time, which necessitated…

This publication resulted from a project of the British Film Institute (bfi). The aim was to emphasize that cinema takes a number of different forms, fulfills a variety of roles within different societies, and has different models of its social function. Toward this end, film-makers from all over the world were invited to write a diary about the…