Capitolfest 10, a festival of vintage films, silents and early talkies built around Swedish-born character actor Warner Oland, runs in the Capitol Theatre, 220 W. Dominick St. from noon Friday through about 6 p.m. Sunday.
There are seven "sessions" including a total of 14 features and many short subjects with tickets available for the entire weekend at $60, $54 for members, $38 for children age 12 and under. Single day tickets are $30/$26/$18.
The growing festival attracted 406 last year 21 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, and England. This year three from Sweden are registered.
Theater Executive Director Art Pierce notes that while Oland became best-known in the talkie era as Charlie Chan, he had a long career dating back to the early 1900s. "We’ll be showing talkies as well as silents with him, and even one short film in which he plays himself." The Friday noon opener is a video presentation of the TV documentary on the life of Warner Oland, "The Chinaman from Bjurholm."
Capitolfest’s silent film line-up includes organ accompaniment for each film on the Capitol’s 1928 Möller theater organ, by musicians Avery Tunningley, Dr. Philip C. Carli, and Bernie Anderson, Jr.
The seven sessions begin at Friday noon, Saturday 9:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 8:20 p.m. and Sunday 9:30 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. The schedule was listed in Sunday’s Seven Day Sentinel and is online at www.romecapitol.com/capitolfest.html with information about the movies.
The capitolfest webpage notes that Oland was born Johan Verner Olund in the village of Nyby, Sweden on Oct. 3, 1879. His family emigrated to the United States in 1902. Educated in Boston, Mass., he spoke English and his native Swedish. After several years in theater, including appearances on Broadway, in 1912 he made his silent film debut in Pilgrim’s Progress, a film based on the John Bunyan novel. Over 15 years Oland appeared in more than 30 films, including a major role in 1927’s The Jazz Singer, the first successful talking feature from a studio. He portrayed the evil Dr. Fu Manchu in four films. He starred in 16 Charlie Chan movies and in Werewolf of London (1935).
On the net: www.romecapitol.com/capitolfest.html
