The South Arkansas Historical Preservation Society announces a new summer schedule for their Silver Screen Series of vintage. Hollywood movies, shorts, and television serials. Beginning on Tuesday, June 25, and continuing each second and fourth Tuesday through August 13, the Silver Screen Series will offer a Youth Matinee from 10 a.m. until noon and an adult feature screening at 6:30 p.m.. Both screenings are free and open to the public.
Each film shown in the Silver Screen Series is selected from the Michael G. Fitzgerald Collection, which contains over 600 vintage original 16mm and 8mm film reels. The majority of the collection is rare and unseen by today’s audiences.
The Youth Matinee kicks off with a double feature. “My Dog Shep” & “Shep Come Home.” The role of Shep was played by “Flame”, a German Shepherd. It was his film debut, but he went on to act in 20 other movies in the late 40’s and early 50’s earning the name “Flame the Wonder Dog”. He played “Rusty” in a series of movies (“For the Love of Rusty”, “My Dog Rusty”. Rusty Leads the Way”. Rusty Saves a Life”), and the detective Pal (“Pal’s Adventure”, “Pal’s Return”, “Pal, Canine Detective”, “Pal, Fugitive Dog”, and “Pal’s Gallant Journey”). His last role came in 1954, in the TV series “Life of Riley”. He was the father of Golden Boy Jr., who starred in the “Rin Tin Tin” TV series from 1954-59.
The evening adult feature will be Universal Studios 1945 musical comedy “Honeymoon Ahead”, starring Allan Jones, Grace McDonald, and Raymond Walburn.
“Honeymoon Ahead” finds Jones in of all places, prison and leading the prison choir. That’s only natural since his avocation before incarceration was as a church choirmaster. The film runs 60 minutes and will be precede by the Castle Films musical short. “The Band Parade” featuring Ted Lewis and his orchestra.
The Silver Screen Series is hosted in the Gallery of History, located at 412 E. Faulkner, in the historic Murphy Hill District of El Dorado.
For more information about SAHPS’ Silver Screen Series call 870 862-9890 or visit us at soarkhistory.com.