“Legong: Dance of the Virgins” – Travelogue, or Timeless Love Story?
by Mitch Hemann “Out in the Dutch East Indies, just south of the equator, lies Bali – isle of perpetual summer. In this peopled paradise, untouched by civilization, lives a contented race who joyously...
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Brave Bessie Coleman – American Pioneer
by Mitch Hemann This weekend marks the 90th anniversary of the passing of Bessie Coleman, and Norman Studios would like to honor her incredible legacy as America’s first Black Female Aviator. Not...
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Q&A With Poet Teri Youmans Grimm
by Mitch Hemann Teri Youmans Grimm has been a great friend of Norman Studios over the years. She’s served on the board and volunteered countless hours of her time to our cause. Her latest book,...
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How Well Do You Know Clara Bow?
How well do you know America’s original It Girl? Here are 10 facts you may now know about the feisty, fabulous Clara Bow: She survived an impoverished and sometimes abusive childhood – perhaps a major...
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Thank You, Flying Ace Fans & Reunification Supporters
Norman Studios Board of Directors are deeply grateful to our intrepid FLYING ACE fans who attended our August 25 Reunification Fundraising Campaign Kick-Off. This was the first step toward bringing...
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Conrad Veidt – The Bad Guy Who Was A Good Guy
Conrad Veidt By Mitch Hemann Conrad Veidt is well known for his illustrious career on the silver screen, but the behind the scenes story of one of the silent era’s greatest villains is also deserving...
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Norman Studios Receives National Landmark Status
Jacksonville’s Norman Studios is among 10 sites announced today as new national historic landmarks by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and National Park Service Director Jonathan B....
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Richard Norman, III, Son of Late Silent Filmmaker Richard Norman, Jr., passes...
Richard E. Norman Obituary Richard E. Norman (Captain Dick Norman) age 91 and resident of Tallahassee passed away on Thursday, December 29, 2016. Dick was a beloved husband, father, grandfather and...
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James Weldon Johnson Writes Photoplays in Jacksonville
James Weldon Johnson By Barbara Wingo James Weldon Johnson, a native of Jacksonville, Florida, was one of the most exceptional and important figures of the first half of the twentieth century. As...
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The Rise and Fall of Ebony Films
By Mitch Hemann The story of the Ebony Film Corporation is one that was plagued with trouble throughout its short lifespan. Nevertheless, they produced a handful of films that even today are deemed...
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The Iconic Mr. Nobody: An Analysis of Silent Film Legend Bert Williams
By Cher Davis As a Black actress in today’s entertainment industry, I have often felt duty-bound to pay homage to those individuals who have, throughout history, paved the way for ongoing generations...
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The Duality of Brigitte Helm
By Mitch Hemann “There can be no understanding between the hand and the brain unless the heart acts as mediator.” Arguably one of the most recognizable and beloved vamps of the silent era, Brigitte...
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Keystone Teddy: America’s Best Friend
By Mitch Hemann Since the earliest days of motion pictures, producers have used animals for their innate ability to add humor, action, and a whole lot of heart to their stories. Among these fuzzy...
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Rudolph Valentino: Fighting Mad
By Mitch Hemann By the 1920s, Hollywood had seen many stars. Funny men like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton made us laugh, starlets like Mary Pickford and Lillian Gish drove men crazy, and debonair...
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Georges Méliès: The Magician In The Movie House
By Mitch Hemann Marie-Georges-Jean Méliès was born on December 8, 1861, in Paris France. His father, Jean-Louis-Stanislas Méliès, was a shoe maker, and by the time Georges came along he had a...
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Q&A With Archaeologist and Author Jeff Gardner
By Mitch Hemann Jeff Gardner is an archaeologist living in Jacksonville’s historic Springfield neighborhood. Recently retired, he’s been able to pursue many passion projects. One such project is a...
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Babe’s Busy Week: How a Baseball Legend Turned a Small Part Into a Big Deal
By Mitch Hemann Harold Lloyd’s final silent film, Speedy (1928), is arguably some of his finest work. In this delightful comedy, Lloyd plays a hapless, bespectacled fellow who loves baseball almost as...
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William Wellman’s Wings: A Loving Tribute to Our Veterans
By Mitch Hemann Just when the silent era was beginning to wind down, and “talkies” were about to become all the rage, William Wellman’s big budget war picture Wings (1927) flew into movie houses...
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Silent Sundays Goes Live with Bernie “PianoImproMan” Katzman
Fans of the Norman Studios’ Silent Sundays film series are in for a musical treat. Our next screening, featuring Norma Talmadge in 1916’s “The Social Secretary,” will also feature live musical...
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Norman Studios Meets Animation Pioneer Floyd Norman
By Dania W. Frink “Even though I worked hard at times, it was always magical. I have to confess I enjoyed every minute of it. Even the down times I enjoyed, because we were creating something that...
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