Mabel Normand

In 1913, 26-year-old Arbuckle established one of the staple moves of slapstick comedy, the pie in the face.

It was in the movie A Noise From The Deep, which co-starred his frequent co-star Mabel Normand.

One year later, Paramount offered him $1,000 a day, 25% of all profits, as well as complete artistic control to produce movies with him and Normand.

Unfortunately, in 1916, 29-year-old Arbuckle faced the threat of getting his leg amputated when developing a severe carbuncle.

Yeah, no, I think it's great.

And going back to the silent era, too, I mean, films like Alice Guy Blaché, Lois Weber, Elvira Notari, Mabel Norman, those should all be in the Criterion Collection.

But there's not, like I said, nothing made before 1920 in the whole Criterion Collection.

Well, maybe if they go that direction, you can be the essayist, the commentary, you can do it all.

[upbeat big band music][outro jingle] Mack and Mabel.

Well, who were Mack and Mabel? Two of the biggest stars of the silent films, Mack Sennett and Mabel Normand.

Now, the fourth band to feature in our program tonight is another that has created a formidable reputation for itself.

It's the Eikanger-Bjørsvik Band, north of Bergen, and their principal cornet, Jane Vestervik, brings us Philip Sparke's "Song and Dance".

Gods and goddesses strolled the boulevard in those days and rode to the studio in their $20,000 custom-built Rolls Royces.

It was the era of Valentino and Mabel Norman and Wallace Reed, of Barbara Lamar and William Desmond Taylor and William S. Hart.

and the great vamps, Nita Naldi, Paula Negri, and Peter Barrow.

It was the era, too, of Anthony Kendall, matinee idol turned movie king, and his leading lady, Rina Chalfante, who used to be called the golden flame of the silver screen.