Sunday, June 18, 2023
Silent screen actress Barbara La Marr was a legend in her time, leading an astounding life described by newspapers of the day as "a wilder story than she ever helped to film." Join me at the Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo as I portray Barbara in a self-authored performance piece, then present a slideshow lecture about her, detailing her oftentimes scandalous life from her humble beginnings to her tragic death at age twenty-nine in 1926. Barbara's banishment from Los Angeles at age seventeen for being "too beautiful"; her notable careers as a dancer, a vaudevillian, a screenwriter, and an actress; her impact upon cinematic history; and her fierce determination to forge her own destiny amid the constant threat of losing it all to scandal and, ultimately, death will be spotlighted. The program, beginning at 2:30 p.m. and roughly an hour and a half long, will also feature clips from some of Barbara's films, musical accompaniment by Pete Eveland, and a question-and-answer session. The Old Town Music Hall, a cherished cultural landmark, is located at 140 Richmond Street, El Segundo, CA 90247. Click here to purchase tickets.
(Top photo: Barbara La Marr and me as Barbara. Bottom photo: Old Town Music Hall.)