The 2010 calendar project is over, so check in the fall for the 2011 edition. I produce this calendar every year with generous contributions of photographs from silent film fans, as a benefit to silent film preservation. This year the funds will benefit the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum (see below).

The Silent Movies Benefit Calendar features silent film artwork and birthdays of silent-era film stars and personalities, as well as notable marriages, deaths, film openings, and other significant dates. The artwork ranges from promotional stills for major Hollywood releases to rare star mug shots and informal pictures of stars from Colleen Moore to Gary Cooper.

The cost of the calendar is $15 for the first calendar to a particular address, plus $12 for any additional calendars going to the same address. Shipping is $2.49 for one calendar, $3.09 for two, or $4.95 for three or more. For an easy calculation, check the pop-up menu below.

PLEASE NOTE: There will be a short hiatus while I get more calendars printed. I should be able to mail them as soon as Monday, January 4, 2010. Your credit card will not be billed until the calendar is ready to be shipped.

This calendar is done as a benefit project. Total net proceeds (after printing expenses) are used to benefit silent film restoration.
  • The 2010 silent film calendar will benefit the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum in Niles California http://www.nilesfilmmuseum.org/. Not only do they do preservation work (mostly on Essanay films, of course) but they have an impressive program of silent films with live music that gives the public access to a wide variety of silent films, many of which are unlikely to ever get a DVD release. "Thanks very much for your contribution to the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum film preservation program. This will enable us to begin work on preserving The Bride of Marblehead, a Universal Victor drama released on October 23, 1914, starring Harry Myers, Rosemary Theby and Brinsley Shaw. As far as we can tell, our 35mm nitrate print of the first reel from this two-reeler is all that has survived, underlining once again the losses to our collective silent film heritage and the need to save what still remains for future generations to study and enjoy. We look forward to adding this film to the list of those available to be seen once again. Sincerely, David Kiehn, historian, Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum."
  • The 2009 calendar funds supported an internship in film preservation through the San Francisco Silent Film Festival.
  • The 2008 calendar funds supported the video restoration of Bardelys the Magnificent through Film Preservation Associates and Lobster Films.
  • The 2007 calendar funds were donated to the George Eastman House.
  • The 2006 calendar benefitted Film Preservation Associates.
  • The 2004 alt.movies.silent calendar raised $1442.06, enough money to fund two projects. We funded a print of This Way Out (1916), which features a young Babe Hardy among others, which made the film's preservation by the Library of Congress a priority. We also funded copying of some unique tinted nitrate outtakes from The Thief of Bagdad that were deteriorating.
  • The 2003 calendar made possible a donation of $671.07 to the UCLA Film and Television Archive, earmarked for preservation activities in silent film.