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In the one movie she made in Chicago, the openly bisexual author-actress "bares her very soul." In February 1918, openly bisexual author Mary MacLane starred in the silent movie Men Who Have Made Love to Me , released by Chicago’s Essanay Studios.⁣ ⁣ Mary MacLane wrote her first book, The Story of Mary MacLane , at age 19. Shocking, confessional, and banned in some cities, her diary-like book sold extremely well, over 100,000 copies in the first month alone.⁣ ⁣ MacLane’s third novel caught the attention of George Spoor, who ran Essanay Studios in Chicago. The two made one movie together, Men Who Have Made Love to Me (1918), adapted for the screen by MacLane from her own short story. Like about 75% of silent films, MacLane’s 90-minute movie is now thought to be lost.⁣ In the 1920s, Mary MacLane moved to a predominately black neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago, where her companion, a black artist named Harriet Williams, cared for her until her death at age 48. ⁣ ⁣⁣ Read more about Mary MacLane’s fascinating life and short-lived film career at Columbia University’s Women Film Pioneers Project . Images: Wikimedia Commons; Central Jersey Home News (24 Feb 1918).⁣

Long before Hollywood dominated the industry, early filmmaking in Chicago was taking shape in surprising ways. Discover how The Tramp and the Dog (1896) reveals the city’s first steps into this new medium. Shhh, the pie is cooling. Screenshot from The Tramp and the Dog (1896). Before Hollywood dominated American cinema, Chicago was one of the earliest centers of film production. For National Silent Movie Day (September 29), we revisit The Tramp and the Dog (1896), a silent short linked to Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood and the early filmmaking experiments of William Selig . Guard Dogs and Warm Pies: The Tramp and the Dog Explained The Tramp and the Dog  (1896) is an 80-second movie directed by William Selig and set in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood . It features three characters:   Baker Thief (or Tramp) Dog   There is also a man behind the fence (at far R) who's either enjoying or perhaps co-directing the scenario.   The gist of the short film, which you can watch above, is this:   A woman sets down a pie on a chair to cool it. When she leaves, a man tries to steal the pie. In the process, a white dog latches onto the man's backside. As the dog and tramp tussle, the baker returns, chasing away the latter with her broom.   The Tramp and the Dog , screenshot. A Closer Look: What The Tramp and the Dog Reveals About Early Filmmaking in Chicago After multiple viewings, here are three things I noticed in The Tramp and the Dog : Tramp pretends to eat the pie before taking it Baker looks at the camera The dog-Tramp fight moves out of frame The Baker, breaking the fourth wall, looks back at the camera. Where'd they go? The action (inadvertently) moves offscreen. What seems obvious now—that a character needn’t mime eating, look back for direction, or shift the primary action outside the frame (even if said action was unplanned)—was not yet standard practice in 1896 [1]. At the time, filmmakers and performers were still negotiating the basic grammar of cinema.   Such "mistakes" are endearing (and fun to seek out)—because they capture people, in this case Chicagoans, in real time, learning how to create silent moving pictures. If you're interested in exploring these kinds of stories, check out my public talks on Chicago film history , where we look at how early onscreen experiments continue to shape the way we understand movies today. UPDATE (Jan. 29, 2026): The Tramp and the Dog  is now part of  the National Film Registry, underscoring its importance in early American cinema. Want to walk through Chicago’s cinematic past? Beyond the screen, Chicago’s streets are filled with hidden movie history. From the sites of early silent studios to modern filming locations, join us for a Chicago walking tour  or book a movie talk  for your group today—including this one on Rogers Park movie theaters . Notes: [1] William Selig , who directed The Tramp and the Dog , was interviewed in the February 1920 edition of Photoplay . In the interview, Selig says the last beat of the movie—"the fence [breaking] under the weight of the tramp"—was not part of the scripted scenario but the action "gave [the film] a concluding punch." Whether planned or not, Selig did not shift the camera to follow the action, as a filmmaker would do in a few years' time. Indeed, he and the actors were still learning the basics of cinematic storytelling. Sources Photoplay . Photoplay Magazine Publishing Company, Chicago, Feb. 1920. “ Selig Polyscope’s The Tramp and the Dog  (1896) Joins the 2025 National Film Registry .” Selig Film News, 29 Jan. 2026. Selzer, Adam, and Michael Glover Smith. Flickering Empire: How Chicago Invented the U.S. Film Industry . Columbia University Press, 2018. Dig Deeper into Silent Movies From loudspeakers outside theaters to live music accompaniments inside, along with audience participation and occasional dialogue, the silent film era was anything but quiet. Learn more in the video below, " Were Silent Movies Truly Silent ."

One of Chicago’s newest museums encourages you to explore public housing history in the U.S. and an exhibit devoted to the TV series Good Times . Small exhibit in the National Public Housing Museum devoted to Good Times . (Photo: Chicago Movie Tours) I recently visited the National Public Housing Museum  located in Chicago's Near West Side . The museum opened in April 2025, and admission is free.   Inside, you learn about the histories of public housing in Chicago and nationwide—including discriminatory policies and practices like redlining  that help shape said housing developments and the families living within them. On view, you'll find everyday objects from public housing : a Pyrex dish, dog collar, wedding dress, and yellow rotary phone. Optionally, a Historic Apartments tour  allows you to visit recreated apartments that reflect different families’ experiences in public housing history between the 1930s and 1970s. That tour, which I enjoyed, is $25/person. Finally, if you're Gen X —or perhaps the owner of a tour and public talks company that researches Chicago-based movies and TV—then one exhibition inside the museum will likely catch your eye. Exterior, National Public Housing Museum. (Photo: Chicago Movie Tours) Seeing Yourself on TV: The Good Times Exhibit at the National Public Housing Museum Tucked away in the museum's lower level is a space devoted to Good Times , the 1970s sitcom about a Black family living in Chicago public housing. Good Times , which ran on CBS for five years (1974-79), centers on Florida and James Evans and their three children, James Jr. (J.J.), Thelma, and Michael. Throughout the series, the family attempts to overcome poverty in inner-city Chicago, always doing so with a sense of humor and impeccable comedic timing. That's not to say Good Times shies away from difficult topics. Racism, gang wars, unemployment, and evictions factor into storylines. And we should recall that real-life conflicts between producers and actors occurred as well, causing involuntary cast dismissals and voluntary resignations. Still, according to the National Public Housing Museum, "the first time public housing residents saw themselves on mainstream television" was on Good Times . The Evans family, from left: Ralph Carter (Michael), BernNadette Stanis (Thelma), Jimmie Walker (J.J.), Esther Rolle (Florida), and John Amos (James). (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) Good Times Filming Locations: Cabrini-Green and Chicago History Good Times never mentions the family's Chicago housing project by name. We are only given the address: 963 North Gilbert Avenue, Apt. 17C. (For the curious, here's the Evans' apartment floor plan .) But based on the following, we can deduce the fictional Evans family likely lived in Chicago's real Cabrini-Green public housing development . For example, Good Times ' opening credits reveal actual location shots of Cabrini-Green. The show's co-creator Eric Monte grew up in Cabrini-Green . Notably, Monte also wrote Cooley High  (1975), a film set and shot on location in Cabrini-Green. Adding to this, in the museum's small installation, you can watch clips from the series—all selected by  current Cabrini-Green residents . The National Public Housing Museum offers a thoughtful look at the lived experiences, systemic challenges, and cultural legacy of public housing in America. From personal artifacts and immersive apartment recreations to a nostalgic yet critical nod to Good Times , the museum invites you to reflect on the past while considering the future of housing and community. Explore More Chicago TV History If you enjoyed learning about the real-life inspiration behind the Evans family home and Good Times filming locations in Chicago, let’s keep the cameras rolling. Request a talk or book a tour today to see Chicago through the lens of your favorite classic shows and movies!

Search our portfolio of 200+ past programs delivered at venues city- and nationwide. Browse our track record and find inspiration for your next Chicago film history event. Chicago Film History Speaker: Past Programs Every program I deliver is backed by over 15 years of academic research , peer-reviewed publications , and university teaching . Below, you can search a comprehensive history of my guest speaking engagements—featuring over 300 presentations for historical societies, libraries, and community organizations. To see current topics available for booking, visit Talks Catalog . Filter by Program(s) Filter by Venue Filter by Host Type Filter by Delivery Reset Filters We're Fixing a Glitch! A temporary website error is preventing our Film History Talks listings from displaying correctly. We're actively working on a solution and hope to have everything back online shortly. Thank you for your patience.

Discover Chicago’s cinematic history through expert-led walking tours and 50+ film history talks. Led by Kelli Marshall, Ph.D. Explore Chicago movie locations today. Ph.D.-Led Walking Tours and Presentations Book a Tour Step into the frame and explore Chicago’s iconic filming locations with expert-led, on-site storytelling. Book a Talk Bring the cinema to your group with 50+ scholarly and engaging presentations on film history and Chicago culture. Chicago Film. Expert Insight. Hi, I'm KELLI , a Ph.D. film scholar and the founder of Chicago Movie Tours & Talks. I offer expert-led Chicago movie tours and 50+ film history talks that explore how the city’s filming locations connect to its culture, history, and identity. From walking tours to engaging presentations for libraries, senior centers, and groups, each experience brings Chicago’s cinematic story to life. Chicago Movie Tours & Talks: By the Numbers 135 Years of Chicago film history covered 50 Unique movie history talks available 300 Programs and tours presented 15+ Years of teaching and research experience Reviews of Chicago Movie Tours & Talks Guests consistently rate both tours and programs 5 stars for depth, insight, and storytelling. Sherman Art of Ferris Bueller average rating is 5 out of 5 Kelli was awesome! Clear instructions on where and when to meet, then prompt start of the tour. She clearly knows art so that was the one aspect I did not expect. It was wonderful to hear about the background of the artists to give some context to the painting/sculpture. Definitely more and better than I expected. Thank you. Mitchell Szczepanczyk Hollywood on the Rails average rating is 5 out of 5 Kelli at Chicago Movie Tours gave a fantastic tour of Union Station for her tour "Hollywood on the Rails." She didn't just teach us about movies and TV shows, which were plentiful (I didn't realize that "The Sting" was filmed in part at Chicago Union Station); the tour also touched on points from a variety of fields, including architecture, art and design, history, technology, and of course, Chicago. It was a wonderful way to spend two hours, very informative and engaging, and very much worth your time, whether your interests lie in film, pop culture, history, architecture, or the Windy City! Tommy From Fairground to Film Set average rating is 5 out of 5 As knowledgeable as I thought I was about movies (especially those with Chicago connections), I learned so much more from my recent Chicago Movie Tours event with host Kelli. Even with things I kind of knew before, I was able to look at them in a new light. Engaging, detailed presentations and an eagerness to answer questions made this a top-notch experience. Highly recommended. In the News Walking Tours Featured Watch Dr. Kelli Marshall break down Chicago film history on WGN Morning News. Film History Talks Featured Hear about the Windy City's links to The Wizard of Oz with Kelli on NBC 5 Chicago.