Arts, Dining & Entertainment

Brandon silent film series to feature Hollywood’s first openly gay leading man

Saturday, Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. — BRANDON — He was the Tom Hanks of his time: a leading man with a breezy charm who always got the girl. But the film career of William Haines, one of early Hollywood’s brightest stars, was cut short for an unfortunate reason: at a time when sexual preference was a taboo subject, Haines was openly gay.

See Haines at the peak of his popularity in “Show People” (1928), an MGM comedy co-starring Marion Davies that spoofs the movie industry, pitting high drama against low comedy. Showtime is Saturday, Aug. 16, at 7 p.m. at the historic Brandon Town Hall and Community Center on Route 7 in downtown Brandon.

All are welcome to this family-friendly event; admission is free. The screening is the latest in the Brandon Town Hall’s silent film series, and will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating scores for silent films.

Any free will donations will go toward Town Hall restoration. The screening of “Show People” is sponsored by the Brandon Town Players and Bill & Kathy Mathis In Memory of Maxine Thurston.

For more info, visit brandontownhall.org

Mountain Times Newsletter

Sign up below to receive the weekly newsletter, which also includes top trending stories and what all the locals are talking about!