Women and Early Cinema in Chicago: Untold Stories Behind the Silent Screen

Discover untold stories of three women who helped shape early cinema in Chicago. Through HD footage of locations where these women lived and worked, you'll explore their often overlooked contributions to the early film industry.

Start in Chicago's western suburbs at a modest Frank Lloyd Wright home, where you'll uncover a woman's impressive connection to pre-cinema through her work at the Art Institute of Chicago. Then, stroll down a 140-year-old brick-paved road to the Morse Theatre to hear about its innovative female ownership and why it was once hailed as "the theatre of the future." Finally, visit the old Essanay studio lot in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood, where a silent-era screenwriter worked before becoming one of Hollywood's most powerful gossip columnists.

Led by a Ph.D. who taught film for more than a decade, this program offers a unique glimpse into Chicago's cinema history, highlighting three (of countless!) oft-overlooked women who made their mark on the early days of film.

Featured image: Anna Held and a mutoscope, c. 1901. LOC Prints & Photographs.