Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival

Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival
Saturday, Jul 26, 2025 at 10:00am
Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum
37417 Niles Boulevard
510-494-1411

Schedule Of Events:

9:00 Am - 1:00 Pm - Farmer's Market In Niles Plaza 

Portable Breakfast Is Served, Music, Snacks… Sit-Down Restaurants Are Also Open For Morning Meals Including The Nile Cafe, Devout Coffee And Skilletz Cafe

10:00 Am- Special Early Bird Presentation By Author Mary Mallory

First Women Of Hollywood: Female Pioneers In The Early Motion Picture Business 

Largely Created By Immigrants, The Film Industry Evolved Over Its First Few Decades Thanks To The Work Of People Outside The Traditional Ruling Class - Immigrants, People Of Color, Women—Partly As A Result Of Elites Denigrating The Fledgling Field. As The Moving Picture Industry Transitioned From Neophyte To Powerhouse, Young And Ambitious Rebels Energized Its Output. 

Mostly Written Out Of History, Women Provided An Important Component For Popularizing Silent Film And Making It A Financial Success. Women Were Integral In Producing Entertaining Films To Keep Up With Exploding Demand. Men Often Resented Their Power And Success, And As The Studio System Took Hold, Women Found Themselves Out Of Favor And Replaced. First Women Of Hollywood Explores The Invaluable Contributions Of These Mostly Forgotten And Unacknowledged Pioneers. Books Will Be Available For Sale After The Program.

11:00 Am - Walking Tour Of Niles ($5 Donation)

Wear Some Walking Shoes And Find Out What Happened Here One Hundred Years Ago. Important Landmarks Will Be Discussed And Stories Will Be Shared! Meet At The Museum And Bring Your Camera. Includes Your Own Copy Of Our Museum’s Walking Tour Of Niles Booklet.

Film Screening At The Edison Theater (Free Program) 
When The Movies Came From Niles (1964)
Kpix Documentary Film About The Early Film Career Of Gilbert M. "Broncho Billy" Anderson (B. Max Aronson 1880 D. 1971) And The Essanay Film Company In Niles (California), Which Produced Westerns, Comedies And Other Features Between 1912-16. Includes Extensive Scenes Of Silent Films Produced At The Studio (Including Early Charlie Chaplin Features), Recollections Of Life On The Studio Lot In Niles, Reflections On Anderson's Contribution To The Western Movie Genre And Views Of Him Accepting An Honorary Oscar For His Work In 1958. This Film Was Narrated By Don Brice, Gilbert M. Anderson And Bill Cato And Written And Produced By Ray Hubbard. (Digital)

1:00 Pm - Essanay Film Manuacturing Company Shorts

We Will Screen A Selection Of 35mm Film Prints Of The Essanay Film Manufacturing Company Short Films Made In Chicago, El Paso, Niles And Elsewhere.

Greg Pane, Piano Accompaniment
The Haunted Lounge (1909, Chicago)  
Electric Insoles (1910, El Paso)  
When Wealth Torments (1912, Chicago)  
From The Submerged (1912, Chicago)  
An Indian’s Friendship (1912, Niles)  
The Laird Of Mcgillicuddy 
(1913, Chicago)  
Sweedie Learns To Swim (1914, Chicago)

3:15 Pm - David Drazin, Piano Accompaniment 

Feature Film: 
Mary Pickford Documentary 

Preceded By:
Mary Pickford American Biograph Restored Shorts

A Decree Of Destiny (1911)  A Young Artist In Failing Health Is Advised To Go South Where The Balmy Air Is 
Conducive To A Betterment Of His Condition.

The Englishman And The Girl (1910)  A Small-Town Drama Group's Rehearsal Is Interrupted When One Of 
Their Members Receives A Letter Telling Him His English Relative Is Arriving For A Visit.

7:30 Pm - Evening Film Presentation 

Doors Open 7:00 Pm
$8 Museum Members; $10 Not Members Yet

Jon Mirsalis, Kurzweil Keyboard Accompaniment 
My Best Girl (1927, A Department Store's Stock Girl Falls In Love With A Co-Worker, The Son Of The Store's Manager; The Feeling Is Mutual Though He Is Engaged To A Debutante. 

Starring And Produced By Mary Pickford. Also Starring Charles "Buddy" Rogers.Directed By Sam Taylor. 

Preceded By: 
Mary Pickford American Biograph Restored Shorts

Just Like A Woman (1912)  A Fortune Hunter Is The Accepted Suitor Of The Daughter Of An Apparently Wealthy Widow, But When She Receives Notice That The Oil Stocks, In Which Her Late Husband's Fortune Is Invested, Are Worthless, He Finds The Young Girl Less Attractive.

The Awakening (1909) Aka A Bride To Order  A Confirmed Bachelor Learns That He Will Inherit His Late 
Uncle's Fortune Only If He Marries, Which He Does Reluctantly.

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