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Lost Mary Pickford film to be screened | Lost Mary Pickford film to be screened |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A long-lost movie starring actress Mary Pickford, the silent star known as "the girl with the golden curls", is to be restored and shown to the public. | A long-lost movie starring actress Mary Pickford, the silent star known as "the girl with the golden curls", is to be restored and shown to the public. |
Pickford received her first on-screen credit in Their First Misunderstanding, made in 1911. But the film was thought to have disappeared by historians who followed the performer's career. | Pickford received her first on-screen credit in Their First Misunderstanding, made in 1911. But the film was thought to have disappeared by historians who followed the performer's career. |
A solitary copy was discovered in a barn by carpenter Peter Massie in 2006. | A solitary copy was discovered in a barn by carpenter Peter Massie in 2006. |
The US Library of Congress is now funding a project to restore it. | The US Library of Congress is now funding a project to restore it. |
Massie found the film, along with six other vintage reels, in New Hampshire seven years ago. | Massie found the film, along with six other vintage reels, in New Hampshire seven years ago. |
They were languishing in a barn that had once been used as a summer camp for boys. It is believed the movies were shown to entertain the campers. | They were languishing in a barn that had once been used as a summer camp for boys. It is believed the movies were shown to entertain the campers. |
Not realising the nitrate film was highly flammable, Peter Massie kept the reels in his truck where he regularly smoked cigarettes. He later stored them near his woodstove at home. | Not realising the nitrate film was highly flammable, Peter Massie kept the reels in his truck where he regularly smoked cigarettes. He later stored them near his woodstove at home. |
Eventually he donated the discoveries to the nearby Keene State College, where scholars have since been working to identify and restore them. | Eventually he donated the discoveries to the nearby Keene State College, where scholars have since been working to identify and restore them. |
"This is the coolest thing I've ever found on any job," said Massie. "It's pretty fantastic, that's what I think. | "This is the coolest thing I've ever found on any job," said Massie. "It's pretty fantastic, that's what I think. |
"They were seconds away from going into a dumpster." | "They were seconds away from going into a dumpster." |
'Stunned' | 'Stunned' |
Pickford was 18 when she made Their First Misunderstanding, a 10-minute film about a wife's fight with her husband. | Pickford was 18 when she made Their First Misunderstanding, a 10-minute film about a wife's fight with her husband. |
"We have a list of all of Mary Pickford's films, but this was among the missing," film historian Leonard Maltin told CBS News. | "We have a list of all of Mary Pickford's films, but this was among the missing," film historian Leonard Maltin told CBS News. |
"It's like finding an early song by George Gershwin, or an unpublished short story by Mark Twain." | "It's like finding an early song by George Gershwin, or an unpublished short story by Mark Twain." |
The film was initially identified by Larry Benaquist, who founded the film school at Keene State. | The film was initially identified by Larry Benaquist, who founded the film school at Keene State. |
It took longer than usual, as the 35mm celluloid had degraded and stuck to itself. | It took longer than usual, as the 35mm celluloid had degraded and stuck to itself. |
Once a lab had separated the layers, Benaquist asked Pickford scholar Christal Schmidt to confirm his findings. | Once a lab had separated the layers, Benaquist asked Pickford scholar Christal Schmidt to confirm his findings. |
"I was really stunned, because a lot of those early films, you just figure they're gone," said Schmidt. "For that one to turn up was really exciting." | "I was really stunned, because a lot of those early films, you just figure they're gone," said Schmidt. "For that one to turn up was really exciting." |
Pickford was born Gladys Louise Smith in 1892 in Toronto, Canada. She went to work in the theatre at the age of five after her father died from a brain haemorrhage. | Pickford was born Gladys Louise Smith in 1892 in Toronto, Canada. She went to work in the theatre at the age of five after her father died from a brain haemorrhage. |
She moved to Broadway when she was 15. There she formed a working partnership with pioneering film director DW Griffith, head of the Biograph studio. | She moved to Broadway when she was 15. There she formed a working partnership with pioneering film director DW Griffith, head of the Biograph studio. |
She soon became known as the "Biograph girl" and made more than 40 short movies in 1909 alone. | She soon became known as the "Biograph girl" and made more than 40 short movies in 1909 alone. |
After audiences first learned her name in Their First Misunderstanding, Pickford became famous around the world. | After audiences first learned her name in Their First Misunderstanding, Pickford became famous around the world. |
She won two Oscars and later founded the United Artists film studio along with Griffith, Douglas Fairbanks - whom she married in 1920 - and Charlie Chaplin. | She won two Oscars and later founded the United Artists film studio along with Griffith, Douglas Fairbanks - whom she married in 1920 - and Charlie Chaplin. |
Pickford retired from the screen in 1933 but continued to produce. She died in 1979. | Pickford retired from the screen in 1933 but continued to produce. She died in 1979. |
Benaquist said that while the first minute or so of Their First Misunderstanding had been destroyed, the rest was in remarkably good condition. | Benaquist said that while the first minute or so of Their First Misunderstanding had been destroyed, the rest was in remarkably good condition. |
The restored film, a clip from which can be seen online, will be screened at Keene State in October. |