Cobblestone articles from January 2007

Cobblestone archives from January 2007

Editor's note.(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Hollywood! Today, the name brings to mind images of lights, cameras, action, and a film industry known around the world. But at one time, Hollywood was just a tiny town in California with a population of 500 and more fruit trees than...

Hollywood's rise to fame.
January 1, 2007... Many cities or towns might have become the moviemaking capital of the world, but only Hollywood, California, can claim that title. This happened through a mix of luck, location, and business need. Hollywood story begins on the East Coast,...

The Hollywood sign.(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... No one can leave Hollywood without seeing the tremendous "HOLLYWOOD" sign perched high on Mount Lee overlooking Los Angeles: Each of the nine giant letters is 50 feet high and 30 feet wide! The sign, erected in 1923, was intended to advertise a...

From stage to screen.
January 1, 2007... A man gives a signal to start, and a horse and rider go galloping down a track. They past a row of cameras set up alongside the track. Attached to the shutter of each camera is a string that stretches across the path of the oncoming horse. As...

Vaudeville: forerunner to the movies.
January 1, 2007... From the 1880s through the 1920s, vaudeville was America's most popular form of entertainment. A kind of variety show, vaudeville featured comedy, magic, song and dance, animal tricks, acrobats, and many other acts. The word "vaudeville" comes...

Behind the scenes.
January 1, 2007... Have you ever watched film credits roll up a screen and wondered why it took so many people to make a movie? Here's a who's who of people "behind the scenes" of Hollywood. The Producer is the head decision-maker in the filmmaking process....

Movie moguls and studio sharks.
January 1, 2007... In the early days of Hollywood, running a movie studio was not easy. The filmmaking industry could be cutthroat. Those who succeeded--many of whom were immigrants--were tough. They lived by their wits and took big risks. DRIVING AMBITION...

Walt Disney animation pioneer.(Biography)
January 1, 2007... Most people associate Walt Disney with the theme parks and television channel that bear his name. His greatest legacy, however, may well be his influence on cinema. In the early 20th century, Disney created groundbreaking cartoons that expanded...

Silent stars.
January 1, 2007... Any celebhe physical beauty of early film actors and actresses drew audiences larger than any celebrities had before. Early motion pictures, with their short, simple stories and their silence, could be enjoyed by almost anyone, anywhere. It...

What's in a name?(stage names of actors)
January 1, 2007... If you were considered an amazing actress and a beautiful woman, would you want a cute, but plain, farm-girl name like Norma Jeane Baker? Being gorgeous and sophisticated, it is likely you would prefer a more glamorous name--a name such as...

Did You Know?(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... The earliest references to a camera date back to ancient Greece and the philosopher Aristotle, who described a concept later called camera obscura (Latin for "dark chamber"), as he observed the Sun shining through a square hole to make a...

Makeovers--Hollywood style.
January 1, 2007... Have you seen King Kong? Which of the three versions? In the original 1933 movie, a giant 50-foot ape from foggy Skull Island is brought back to New York. In this black-and-white film's climax, Kong climbs the Empire State Building,...

Saving the art of the silver screen.(Interview)
January 1, 2007... The 50-room estate of photographic pioneer George Eastman is now a museum that houses a huge photo and film archive. This state-of-the-art archive in Rochester, New York, holds more than 27,000 film titles, and groups and scholars can arrange...

Walk of fame.(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... More than 2,000 entertainers have been honored with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. With their names and logos set in brass and mounted into pink marble stars, these plaques decorate the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard. Volunteers...

And the Oscar goes to ...(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... On 1939, "Oscar" became the official nickname of the awards presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. First given out in 1929, when films with sound, or talkies, were introduced, the Oscars recognize outstanding achievement...

Making movie magic.(THE PAST IS PRESENT)
January 1, 2007... Special effects have come a long way since the early days of film. variations on those original techniques still are being used in movies today, however. Georges Melies, a magician living in Paris, France, pioneered photographic special...

Computer magic.
January 1, 2007... With computer-generated imagery (CGI), today's filmmakers can produce special effects that otherwise would be impossible. Superhero movies like Spiderman (2002) and The Fantastic Four (2005), which show people swinging from skyscrapers or...

Wrinkles, scars, and stitches.
January 1, 2007... All actors in movies, even men, wear makeup. Without makeup, the bright lights of the camera equipment would wash out their features. Makeup also changes actors' appearances, so that they look older or younger, or even as if they have been...

Foreign film fest.(Going Global)
January 1, 2007... Everyone loves the movies--and people make 'em all over the globe. Here are a few places that do it in high style. HOORAY FOR BOLLYWOOD! Although you might guess that Americans must be the greatest movie lovers on the planet, think...

Autumn at its Finest.(your Letters)(Poem)
January 1, 2007... Autumn at its Finest My autumn eyes behold orange jack-o-lanterns glowing in the dark night, yellow leaves blanketing the dry ground, and a white moon creating a luminescent glow on the silent land....

Life.(your Letters)(Poem)
January 1, 2007... Life Life is the cherry on an ice cream sundae. Life is the flower that sits in a vase. Life is the little bug that is trapped in your room. Life is the soccer ball heading for the goal. Life is the...

Hate.(your Letters)(Poem)
January 1, 2007... Hate Hate sounds like people yelling bad words. Hate smells like smoke coming from a forest fire. Hate tastes like a bunch of rocks in your mouth. Hate looks like a friend turning his back on you. Hate feels like a...

Freedom.(your Letters)(Poem)
January 1, 2007... Freedom Forgetting that I have to follow all the rules. Remembering I can do what I want, when I want. Enjoying my time. Enjoying my personal opinions without being told I'm wrong. Determined to...

The Brightest Star.(your Letters)(Poem)
January 1, 2007... The Brightest Star Before I go to sleep at night, when the air is cool and the sun is asleep, I stare up toward the sky. In that black cloak studded with stars I find the brightest one, the one with the...

Seals.(your Letters)(Poem)
January 1, 2007... Seals Seals living in the Arctic and Pacific--you might say they're dull, but I say they're terrific. I love to see how they swim and flip for fish. To swim with seals is my wish. They love to eat fish...

In the works.
January 1, 2007... JOHHN F. KENNEDY (MAY 2007) KEN BURNS'S THE WAR (SEPTEMBER 2007) THE DUTCH SETTLE NEW NETHERLAND (OCTOBER 2007) Write to us! Draw a picture or write a poem or short essay that relates to one of the COBBLESTONE themes on which we currently...

Attack of the Killer Video Book: Tips & Tricks for Young Directors.(BOOKS TO READ)(Children's review)(Book review)(Brief review)
January 1, 2007... Attack of the Killer Video Book: Tips & Tricks for Young Directors by Mark Shulman and Hazlitt Krog (Toronto: Annick Press, 2004, www.annickpress.com) is a lighthearted look at filmmaking, with an emphasis on the basics of planning, writing,...

Before Hollywood: From Shadow Play to the Silver Screen.(BOOKS TO READ)(Children's review)(Book review)(Brief review)
January 1, 2007... Before Hollywood: From Shadow Play to the Silver Screen by Paul Clee (New York: Clarion Books, 2005, www.clarionbooks.com) describes the inventors and inventions that led to the development of motion pictures, from the camera obscura of the...

Eyewitness: Film.(BOOKS TO READ)(Children's review)(Book review)(Brief review)
January 1, 2007... Eyewitness: Film by Richard Platt (New York: DK Publishing, 2000, www.dk.com) is packed with photographs of the history and technology of filmmaking and behind-the-scenes information on how sets are built, stunts are performed, special effects...

Movie Magic: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Filmmaking.(BOOKS TO READ)(Children's review)(Book review)(Brief review)
January 1, 2007... Movie Magic: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Filmmaking by Robin Cross (New York: Sterling Publishing Co., 1995, www.sterlingpub.com) is an easy-to-read, colorfully illustrated introduction to movies and how they are made. Organized mainly by...

The Young Oxford Book of the Movies.(BOOKS TO READ)(Children's review)(Book review)(Brief review)
January 1, 2007... The Young Oxford Book of the Movies by David Parkinson (New York: Oxford University Press Children's Books, 1997, www.oup.com) traces film history from its earliest years to modern-day blockbusters. This extensive reference source covers all...

The Young Producer's Video Book: How to Write, Direct, and Shoot Your Own Video.(BOOKS TO READ)(Children's review)(Book review)(Brief review)
January 1, 2007... The Young Producer's Video Book: How to Write, Direct, and Shoot Your Own Video by Donna Guthrie and Nancy Bentley (Brookfield, Connecticut: Millbrook Press, 1995, www.simonsays.com) gives young readers all the advice they need to dream up,...

The Hollywood Studio Museum.(PLACES TO VISIT)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... The Hollywood Studio Museum, Hollywood, California. Housed in the barn where Hollywood's first feature-length movie was filmed in 1913, visitors here learn how Hollywood became the movie capital of the world, as well as about the era of silent...

ZEUM.(PLACES TO VISIT)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... ZEUM, San Francisco, California. At this art and technology center for children, visitors can use video cameras and other equipment to create their own multimedia movies.

The George Eastman House.(PLACES TO VISIT)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... The George Eastman House, Rochester, New York. This is the world's oldest photography museum and one of the world's oldest film archives, with more than 25,000 film titles produced between 1894 and the present.

The Edison National Historic Site.(PLACES TO VISIT)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... The Edison National Historic Site, West Orange, New Jersey. Re-opened after renovations, this site contains a replica of the Black Maria, Thomas A. Edison's original movie studio.

Hearst San Simeon State Historic Monument.(PLACES TO VISIT)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Hearst San Simeon State Historic Monument, San Simeon, California. The palatial home of newspaperman and movie-studio owner William Randolph Hearst regularly hosted parties for early Hollywood's biggest stars.

Paramount Pictures, Hollywood, California; Warner Brothers, Burbank, California; and Universal Studios, Universal City, California.(PLACES TO VISIT)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Paramount Pictures, Hollywood, California; Warner Brothers, Burbank, California; and Universal Studios, Universal City, California. Hollywood's major film studios offer tours to the public. Guests often can peek behind the scenes at the sets,...

More media.(Digging Deeper)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... The best place to learn about Hollywood is at the movies. You can Find Films From Hollywood's Golden Age in the classics section of your local video store: Try It's o Wonderful Life, Top Hat, or The Wizard of Oz. If you are looking for a wider...

www.hollywoodsign.org.(on the web)
January 1, 2007... www.hollywoodsign.org is a fascinating look at this piece of Hollywood history. At this site, you can read sign facts, view early black-and-white photos, and get a real-time look at Los Angeles from a camera positioned behind the sign.

www.eastmanhouse.org.(on the web)
January 1, 2007... Sometimes, the next-best thing to being there (see Places to Visit) is seeing something on the Web. At www.eastmanhouse.org, you can view the museum's impressive photo collection on-line.

www.filmsite.org/silentfilms.html.(on the web)
January 1, 2007... Get a feel for the era of silent films at www.filmsite.org/silentfilms.html. Many of the titles mentioned in this issue's articles are included here.

Ethan rates it ...(www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/historyonline/hollywood.cfm )
January 1, 2007... ***** For decades, Hollywood has been a metonym for the film and motion picture industry. The Web site www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/historyonline/hollywood.cfm does not so much describe the origins of Hollywood and as what Hollywood represents....

Walt Disney: a photo-illustrated biography.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
January 1, 2007... (Mankato, Minnesota: Capstone Press, 2003, www.capstonepress.com). Every American is aware of the legacy Walt Disney left when he died in 1966; his characters, stories, and theme parks have captured the imagination of children and adults alike...

From the archives.
January 1, 2007... To learn more about Hollywood and its role in U.S. history, check out the following from OBBLESTONE and its sister publications: I Love Hollywood (CCR0003) describes the Golden Age of Hollywood and gives you the scoop on the studios, moguls,...

Shirley Temple child star.(FLASHBACK TO...)(Biography)
January 1, 2007... In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "During this Depression, when the spirit of the people is lower than at any other time, it is a splendid thing that for just 15 cents an American can go to a movie and look at the smiling face of a...

Brain ticklers.
January 1, 2007... GIVE YOUR BRAIN A LITTLE TICKLE TO SEE HOW WELL YOU READ AND UNDERSTOOD THIS ISSUE ON THE RISE OF HOLLYWOOD. IF YOU BELIEVE THE ANSWER TO BE FALSE, GIVE YOURSELF THE ULTIMATE TEST AND SEE WHETHER YOU CAN EXPLAIN WHY IT IS FALSE. ANSWERS BELOW....

A final word.
January 1, 2007... DO YOU THINK MODERN TECHNOLOGY'S HOME ENTERTAINMENT CENTERS, INDIVIDUAL DVD PLAYERS, AND PHONES THAT INCLUDE SCREENS WILL CHANGE HOW AMERICANS FEEL ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF GOING TO THE MOVIES AND SEEING SOMETHING ON THE BIG SCREEN? DO YOU LIKE...

Cartoon connection with Ebenezer & The Colonel.(Comic)(Cartoon)
January 1, 2007... We're here at GRAUMAN's Chinese Theatre where one of our era's GREATEST TALENTS will add his claw prints to Hollywood's WALK of FAME!! No other birds career has spanned so many kinds of movie... We'll always have Paris... I'll...

What is it?(TELLING AMERICA'S STORY)
January 1, 2007... That featherbrained Colonel scrambled this photo of a scene connected to Hollywood. Can you unscramble these boxes and put the image back together? Try making a copy of the cover and then cutting out the pieces to move them around. The full...