Museum's Silent Film Benefit

Catalina Island Museum’s Silent Film Benefit on Saturday

Avalon, CA –May 10, 2011  Hollywood’s silent film era returns for its annual visit to Avalon when the Catalina Island Museum kicks off its Silent Film Benefit on Saturday, May 14th at 1:00 pm.

“We couldn’t be more excited about this year’s film,” Michael De Marsche, Executive Director of the museum said. “The Sea Hawk is well known for its action sequences and was named by many as the best film of 1924. In fact, Warner Brothers took the battle scenes from this silent and used them in their 1940 Errol Flynn re-make. All of the scenes were filmed off the coast of the island. So, it’s very appropriate for us to show this film.”

The movie stars Lloyd Hughes and was directed by Frank Lloyd. Of the many special guests attending the event will be Hughes’ daughter, Isabel Falck. Frank Lloyd’s grandchildren Antonia Guerrero and Christopher Gray will be at the event and provide commentary about their grandfather’s life. Ron Doutt will be the emcee for the event, and noted film historian Joseph Yranski will introduce the movie.

But according to Gail Fornasiere, the Catalina Island Museum’s Director of Operations, one of the real stars of the benefit is Robert Salisbury and the Casino’s famous 1929 Page Theater Pipe Organ, one of only four remaining in the United States.

“Robert writes an original score for every film we show at the benefit,” Fornasiere said. “It’s an incredible amount of work. But it makes our event absolutely unique. Our print of the film is the best. It was restored by the UCLA Film and Television Archive. Where else could you view a silent film in one of the great movie palaces of the era, accompanied by an original score?”

Tickets for the Benefit are only $15 for General Admission and $13 for members of the museum and children under 12 years of age. Group discounts are available, call for more information. Purchasing tickets is easy. For tickets by phone, call 310-510-2414 or go to the events page of the museum's website www.CatalinaMuseum.org. Tickets are also available at the museum’s store and at the door the day of the Benefit (doors open at 12:30 pm).  The Catalina Island Museum is located on the ground floor of Avalon’s historic Casino, and is open 7 days a week, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.