✨ THE SILENT SOCIETY ✨

ABOUT: 

​

Founded on April 1, 1986, at what was then the Hollywood Studio Museum (now the Hollywood Heritage Museum), the Silent Society, emerged at a time when silent cinema was rarely accessible outside major archives. Its inaugural program brought Cecil B. DeMille's The Cheat (1915) and Abel Gance's Mater Dolorosa (1917) to Hollywood - reuniting these early works with the very same barn where the motion picture industry was born. ​​​

​

Established by Randy Haberkamp, David Shepard, Kenn Honeychurch, Sean McCord, and Donna Fisk, together with Museum Director Richard Adkins and a dedicated team of collaborators, the Silent Society quickly became an integral part of Hollywood Heritage. In 1989, it was formally recognized as a committee of the organization, and since then has presented nearly 400 silent film programs.​

​

The Silent Society is best known for its beloved Silent Under the Stars series at Paramount Ranch, as well as special events such as the 1989 Charlie Chaplin Centennial celebration held at Chaplin's former studio. Programs frequently feature live musical accompaniment by distinguished performers, along with appearances by filmmakers, historians, and family members connected to the silent era. ​

​

In addition to screenings at the Hollywood Heritage Museum, the Silent Society has presented programs throughout Southern California, across the United States, and internationally -including appearances at the renowned Pordenone Silent Film Festival in Italy.​

​

Through fundraising efforts and key partnerships -most notably with the UCLA Film & Television Archive -the Silent Society has helped preserve more than 20 silent-era works, including rare and previously lost films. ​

​

For nearly four decades, the Silent Society has played a vital role in preserving, presenting, and celebrating silent cinema, ensuring that this foundational chapter of film history remains accessible and inspiring to audiences today.​