Customer Reviews

Silent Stars Speak: Interviews With Twelve Cinema Pioneers

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Tony Villecco writes articles on silent and sound films for CLASSIC IMAGES magazine and he has assembled twelve of his articles for this book. Subjects range from clild actors Baby Peggy Montgomery and Jean Darling to major stars like Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and even a director, Andrew Stone. The book has very detailed filmographies of each person profiled, except for director Stone. This book is a fast read, and it would be a great introduction to someone who is new to silent films. Many of the people profiled in the book had long careers in sound films also. The best parts of the book are when he interviews some little know people like director Stone, actress Pauline Curley, and actress Priscilla Bonner and they actually talk about their careers and filmmaking. Sometimes the subjects just give us a list of the many people that they worked with and don't give us much detail about their experiences. In fairness to the author, his subjects were all very old at the time and may not have been able to remember that many details. If you are really interested in interviews with silent film stars, Kevin Brownlow's THE PARADE'S GONE BY and William Drew's AT THE CENTER OF THE FRAME are much better. Baby Peggy's story is told much better in hour autobiography, HOLLYWOOD' CHILDREN.

"Silent Stars Speak" is a superb book! This is a treasure chest of information about Hollywood's roots. Tony Villeco's interviews with the 12 stars are facinating. He's done a marvelous job, giving us a glimpse into the past. Since many of these stars have now passed on, he's captured wonderful memories and a bit of history as well. It was a joy to read, as well as informative and insightful. The book is full of beautiful, vintage pictures that truly take the reader back to the magical era of silent films. Tony Villeco has created a work of art, in this wonderful book. One can only hope to read more from him future! Bravo!

Tony Villecco takes 12 cinema pioneers, many whom are forgotten, and brings them back to the forefront. We learn, in their own words, how they helped to create the industry that made them stars. As the years roll by, we continue to lose the precious few silent stars we have left. Out of the 12 that Mr. Villecco interviewed, only 3 survive. This book is one of the last great references we have that uses the stars own words to tell us about their history.

A friend told me recently that he came upon this book, & knowing of my interest in old Hollywood, I read it. It is a truly terrific, extremely well done series of interviews with the silent film pioneers that anyone with any interest at all in show business will find totally compelling. I always love reading fun backstage & behind the scenes stories, & this collection was put together wonderfully by Tony Villecco. How fortunate he could get a hold of these surviving stars who made their debuts on the silver screen incredibly as early as the teens, 1920,s & early 1930's! Actors, Directors, Screenwriters, Producers, ANYONE who follows Movies will benefit from this concise, very well written book- It was really neat to read about the East Coast's role in early movie-making, too! Let's hope this author has something else in store soon! How about vaudeville & burlesque, & when movies came onto that scene? Anyway, FIVE STARS to this terrific book of interviews. If the author reads this, I would love to know how to get in touch with him.

"Silent Stars Speak" is a superb book! This is a treasure chest of information about Hollywood's roots. Tony Villeco's interviews with the 12 stars are facinating. He's done a marvelous job, giving us a glimpse into the past. Since many of these stars have now passed on, he's captured wonderful memories and a bit of history as well. It was a joy to read, as well as informative and insightful. The book is full of beautiful, vintage pictures that truly take the reader back to the magical era of silent films. Tony Villeco has created a work of art, in this wonderful book. One can only hope to read more from him future! Bravo!

Tony Villecco takes 12 cinema pioneers, many whom are forgotten, and brings them back to the forefront. We learn, in their own words, how they helped to create the industry that made them stars. As the years roll by, we continue to lose the precious few silent stars we have left. Out of the 12 that Mr. Villecco interviewed, only 3 survive. This book is one of the last great references we have that uses the stars own words to tell us about their history.

On a 1956 segment of "I've Got A Secret", Gary Moore escourted a 96 year old man on stage. The frail looking man had an interesting secret, when he was 5 years old he witnessed Abe Lincoln's shooting by John Wilkes Booth. It was Historic...

Anthony Villecco has compiled an excellent history of silent films from interviews with tweleve of these pioneers. This is an important and excellently researched work. Complete lists of each pioneers work appear in the book along with many excellent and rare photos. We can only hope that Anthony will continue this work. It is important that besides efforts to preserve early films, books like this one document what happened with the people who were there. Anthony does an excellent job ! Bravo!

I have been a cinema fan quite while, silent films more recently as I research. Finally, I see a book on the market where the author actually sought out former stars and interviewed them!
We get a sense of their personalities and the whole era through this book;
I recently bought SILENT PLAYERS, thinking it a similiar book but many of the subjects were dead before the author wrote it and those who are quoted have little or nothing to say. The chapters are one page at most.
I hope for more good reading. It is sad now but I imagine all the silent players are gone. Are there any still alive? If so, who are they and have they been interviewed?
Another good read is the new bio of Valentino. He must have been quite the loverboy!

Finally we get the real scoop from the stars who made Hollywood in its infancy! This author was fortunate to interview (yet alone locate!) 12 former silent films stars and a director. I didn't think we were lucky enough to have anyone left! What Mr. Villeco has given us is a book with great photos as well as remembrances from these early stars about their careers so many years ago. It is a fascinating read. For anyone who wants to know how Hollywood really started and what a jolt it was when talking films came in, this is the one! I rate it 5 stars.

Mr. Villecco interviews 12 former silent film players and a director Andrew Stone. We learn about the early scandals and first Academy Awards and early working conditions. It is fascinating. These pioneers really worked, often under undesirable conditions. As far as sex, drugs and rock and roll, the 1920's were no different. Read the chapters on Baby Peggy, Anita Page and Pauline Curley! It's also amazing that Villecco was able to even locate living silent stars. Are there any left?
I rate this book 5 stars-the photos and filmogs are also wonderful.