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Silent Clowns Film Series ‘Show People’ and ‘Sure-Mike!’, with Piano Accompaniment, at Bruno Walter Auditorium (Site)
Saturday June 10, 2017, 2:30 pm
FreeMarion Davies is best remembered today as the mistress of wealthy newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, and as the prototype for Susan Alexander in Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane (’41). What’s overlooked is that she was a wonderful comedienne and terrific mimic who made a number of sly and sophisticated comedies like The Patsy and The Cardboard Lover (both ’28). Show People (’28) is perhaps her best, which puts her into a rags-to-riches story about a young girl who works her way up from slapstick comedy shorts to become a glamorous dramatic star (based on Gloria Swanson). Hollywood conventions and pretensions are roasted in this very funny feature. Opening for Ms. Davies is Martha Sleeper, a charter member of the Hal Roach Studio stock company, in her only starring comedy short Sure-Mike! (’25).