Silent film history is alive in La Crescenta.

By Lynn SHER

In the early 1900s through the 1930s, silent film projectionists, affectionately called “itinerants,” traveled across the country carrying reels of film and projectors in convoy, bringing the cinema experience to small towns and villages that didn’t have movie theaters. The itinerants brought their own dramatic flair, wearing colorful magician-inspired clothing. Since motorized projectors were expensive and heavy, the itinerants preferred hand-cranked projectors.

Film historian, silent-film enthusiast, archivist and projectionist Joe Rinaudo explained, “The itinerant projectionist thought that he was a big part of the performance as he could speed up or slow down the action on the screen as he saw fit.”

The projectionist, according to Rinaudo, essentially controlled the flow of the movie.

“The thing that was way cool about the early nickelodeon days is that the projectionist was a showman,” said Randy Haberkamp, executive vice president of Library, Archive and Sci-Tech at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Living much like gypsies, the itinerants never knew where or how they would set up these makeshift movie theaters.

“It could be on a sheet hung on the side of an old barn with a beat up old piano, or it could have been in a church with a pipe organ,” Rinaudo said.

Sometimes they were paid only with food and a place to sleep for the night, much like the touring indie musicians of today.

This Saturday, July 29, at Two Strike Park in La Crescenta, 5107 Rosemont Ave., folks can go back in time and experience an itinerant silent film screening precisely as they were presented 120 years ago. Rinaudo, also a La Crescenta resident and somewhat of a local celebrity (he was even recently featured on “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert), will be presenting some of his favorite silent films featuring stars like Laurel and Hardy, Charley Chase and Harold Lloyd. He will be hand-cranking the 35mm film with his fully restored 1909 hand-crank Power’s Model 6 cameragraph motion picture machine and projecting the film onto a 12×12 foot screen. A pianist will provide live accompaniment. As Rinaudo changes film reels, his assistant will keep the audience entertained with a Magic Lantern slideshow, just like the itinerants used to do, using the same projector and light source. Magic Lanterns were first used in the 1840s and 1850s. According to Wikipedia, “[They were] an early type of image projector that used pictures –paintings, prints or photographs – on transparent plates (usually made of glass), one or more lenses, and a light source” to essentially project images to a screen. The slides will contain entertaining messages for the crowd “educating” them on how to behave in the movie theatre setting. But instead of, “Please don’t answer your phone during the movie!” directives will be more like, “Everyone please remove your hats!” or “Gentlemen, don’t spit on the floor!”

Silent Movies In The Park is an experience not found anywhere else.

“I am the only one in the United States who does this,” Rinaudo said. “There’s nobody else exhibiting hand-cranked 35mm films.”

Showtime is 8 p.m., though Rinaudo suggests getting to Two Strike early to get a good location to set up chairs and blankets. Last year close to 300 people attended and the event grows larger every year. Popcorn, beverages and baked goods will be available (some for sale) through The Historical Society of Crescenta Valley, though folks are welcome to bring their own snacks.

Admission is free, though the event itself is priceless. After all, “It’s a lost art,” said Rinaudo.