Silent Scrum
Posted on January 28, 2010 | Posted by Amanda Emily
Filed Under: politicians, scrums, silent era, washington dc
Filed Under: politicians, scrums, silent era, washington dc
Early 1920s scrum of newsreel photographers interviewing Calvin Coolidge.
Isn’t that DC politician Calvin Coolidge himself? Probably saying as little as possible?
Might be Coolidge. If it is him, Coolidge loved the press and the press loved him. He very accessible and had a heck of a sense of humor and more than willing to dress up in outlandish costumes for gag shots. Mrs. Coolidge also was friendly towards the press and has on one known occasion, bailed out a newsreel photog by the name of Jim Lillis when Lillis ran out of film on a story (she loaned him her own personal Eyemo to use when Lillis found none of his fellow shooters had a spare roll).
Now the Secret Service on the other hand certainly hasn’t changed in their behavior…
I’ve seen the photo of Coolidge in Indian garb. The story about Mrs. Coolidge is one I’d never heard before.
I blame you for making me look up Coolidge in Wiki. It not only shows the photo you posted, but it also says that Coolidge was the first sitting president to be recorded in office with sound-on-film.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_coolidge#1928_Election
A soundman by the name of Chic Peden who was at the Coolidge party when he dressed up in Indian garb wrote a blurb about the photo and Lillis. I have the actual book, but its also on Archive.org since its in the public domain.
http://www.archive.org/stream/newsreelman011497mbp#page/n27/mode/2up/search/coolidge
live apt fire: Amanda mention Chic Peden. He was my dad. When I saw your note about Coolidge in Indian garb, I thought, that sounds familiar. I think my dad mentioned that or there is a picture of that in his book. And sure enough Amanda filled me in. She is something else with all her research. It blows my mind.
mm