Broken Silence by Michael G. Ankerich
If you love silent movies, have I ever got a book recommendation for you?! Broken Silence by Michael G. Ankerich (Amazon link) is a dream come true for those of us who love silent films almost as much as we love their wonderful stars.
Unfortunately, many of these stars don’t have a lot of quotes or interviews readily available in the media. To know what it was like when they were making these fascinating films and to learn more about their lives and experiences, we’d have to sit down and have a conversation with them.
Not highly likely, is it?!
Fortunately, author and silent film era expert Michael G. Andkerich has us covered. He interviewed 23 silent film stars (a beautifully eclectic group, too!) and complied them in one absolutely wonderful book. All we have to do to have our much desired conversation with these stars is to sit down in a comfortable chair and start with chapter one, Lew Ayers.
By the time you get to chapter twenty-three (beautiful Gladys Walton), you feel like you’ve stepped back in time and have not only met these 23 extraordinary stars but quite a few others along the way.
When stars talk about their films, friends, lovers, and co-stars, I get so wrapped up in the moment, I barely remember to breathe.
For example, in the author’s interview with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr, the iconic star has this to say about his co-star and wife of four years, Joan Crawford:
“Joan set a good example with her dedication and conscientiousness for her work and her devotion to perfecting everything she could… She never let up on improving herself, and she never sat back and took her success for granted.” ~ Douglas Fairbanks Jr, as told to Michael G. Ankerich
I LOVE that! It says so much about her, as well as his. The fact that he’d speak so highly of an ex makes him even more special than I expected him to be!
Broken Silence by Michael G. Ankerich (Amazon link) is an absolute delight in every way. Every single page.
When you click through the link above, you can see the 23 stars interviewed. You’re going to love each one. I highly recommend adding this lovely book to your old Hollywood library.
About the Author:
Michael G. Ankerich is a writer whose work focuses on the silent film era of Hollywood. A former newspaper reporter, he has written extensively for Classic Images, Films of the Golden Age, and Hollywood Studio Magazine, which featured his interview with Butterfly McQueen (Prissy) on the 50th anniversary of the release of Gone With The Wind. He can be reached at his website michaelgankerich.com.
Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
