Two quickies. 1. What silent film(s) do you suggest most to newly interested viewers? Once I get past the staples and well known of those I'm not sure what to suggest. 2. Do you think some films today are over edited? I watched a couple of minutes of one of the "Lord Of The Ring" movies a...

Hey Bob! Thanks so much for joining us this week. I really appreciate it. I am loving all the questions and all the new info I am learning. Couple of things: 1) Why do you think that the DeMille side of the Mank/DGA gets portrayed as DeMille as the bad guy instead of the truth? (There's that John F...

Thanks very much for the great answers about DeMille , Bob. I'm sure that I'll never see as many early talkie movies as I'd like, but I've genuinely enjoyed most of those that I've seen. I think The Squaw Man (1931) is very moving and Madam Satan (1930) is a great deal of fun. I mentioned Dynamite ...

Thanks for the great answer about the origins of your passion for the movies. Here are a few more queries: Cecil B DeMille 's impact on the movies and the public's perception of him seems to have changed over time. Do you think that his style evolved much during the transition from silents to the s...

Mr. Birchard, welcome to SSO and it's nice having you visit with us. Perhaps you can give us the details about the death of Tom Mix on October 12, 1940 in a single auto accident in Arizona? Also is either of his daughters still living? Many thanks, Joe There is a pretty detailed account in my book,...

I thought your description of the editing process very informative. That leads me to ask how has the process changed over the years? Of older movies how much of what we see is the editor's decision as compared to the director's leading? Thanks. The director-editor relationship is dynamic, just as a...

Dear Mr. Birchard, Miss Gish once said that "I've never been in style, so I can't go out of style," but maybe you might illuminate those moments when she was "in style." Her longevity, and her brilliant performance in Night of the Hunter decades after her first screen performanc...

Chat groups, like newspapers, are at best a first draft of history, and I need to make a little correction from an earlier post here. Tom Mix made nine films for Universal, so it was on the third (not the fifth) film of the season on which he had the accident that led to the setting aside of his Uni...

Dear Mr. Birchard, I feel we are so privileged to have you with us here at SSO, and we are all grateful to Lynn for arranging your visit. One of my favorite actresses is Lillian Gish, and I was wondering what insights you might give us about her life and her films, and if she and Mr. De Mille ever ...

Good evening Bob: It is very nice to be able to have some sort of direct contact with you. I leave you a sheet music from Argentina that I won't be able to locate, since I am in Massachusetts. However, it could be interesting to find it (it shouldn't be impossible) and to locate the original still ...

Mr. Birchard: Since my buddy jondaris read my mind and asked my question about Mr. Mix' voice, I'll simply ask about Tony. What happened to him? I know Mr. Mix owned a lot of land, did he just turn him out to pasture when he grew too old for the circus, or what? Secondly, you mention Tom was very h...

BTW I forgot to mention that "North of Hudson Bay" (1924) directed by Ford does survive, as well, though incomplete and with Czech titles. Hi Mr. B! As a huge John Ford fan, I'd like to know if you can tell me whether or not this particular movie is available anywhere for viewing? Thank y...

Thank you for the answer. My question was actually intended for your knowledge of Mix's films that no longer exist. What would be considered his best film that is not on the list of survivors. A film that is forever lost but that you may have knowledge of, even if you never had the chance to see it...

Hello Mr. Birchard, What is that best Tom MIx picture that we will never be able to see since it has been long since lost or destroyed and about what percentage of his films exist in watchable condition? Thank you. Hard to even guess about what you haven't seen. The best surviving Fox silent is pro...

Welcome, Bob! First off, do you pronounce your last name: " bur - CHARD", "BURR-churd" or "burr-SHAWR"? Might seem silly to some, as this medium is entirely visual, but I want to know in particular 'cause I tend to mentally "verbalize" conversations as I comp...