On Friday, April 19, the silent movie era of the 1920s will come alive at Samuel Slater Experience when silent movie entertainer Richard Hughes presents “IT.” 

A pianist and historian, Hughes will share the adventure, drama, romance, and comedy which characterized the silent movies of the Roaring Twenties.

This show is a trip back in time. The first part begins with movie clips from newsreels, cartoons, slap stick comedy clips and clips of groundbreaking movies. 

Audience members will have an opportunity to synchronize sound effects like a wind machine, locomotive sounds, a slap stick, ahooga horn, and more to these movie clips.

Then we will screen “IT,” starring Clara Bow with her leading man Antonio Moreno. Now if you don’t know what “IT” is, come and get “IT” because “She’s Got “IT.” In fact, there was a popular song called “She’s Got It” that Richard will sing before accompanying the film. 

Clara Bow grew up as a tomboy, loved sports and could out-pitch and out-hit all the neighborhood boys in baseball. She attended PS111 in Brooklyn and then graduated from an all-girls high school where she excelled in athletics. With all of her family problems, Clara escaped to Coney Island, Luna Park and Dreamland in summers. After all, it was only a street car ride away. She probably would have become an athletics instructor if that newspaper ad for a chance to become an actress wasn’t published. Her father encouraged her to fill out the application and include a picture, which he paid for.  Although she was one of 300 contestants at the audition, her self-confidence, determination, and ambition won her first place. With persistence and just being a pest around the studio agency, she got a small part in a local movie which started her career. By 1929, she rose to stardom and was the most popular actress at the box office. Not bad considering she was just 24 years old. Come and get some of This … I mean “IT”.

What goes around, comes around … Taylor Swift has just issued her new release with a song in the final track position entitled Clara Bow. 

Admission is free. Popcorn and seltzer will be available for a donation.  

Night at the Museum: Silent Movies with Richard Hughes at the Samuel Slater Experience, 31 Ray Street, Webster, Mass., Friday, April 19, from 5:30 -7:00 p.m., is sponsored by the Webster Cultural Council.  Reservations are encouraged at samuelslaterexperience.org. 

About Samuel Slater Experience

Samuel Slater Experience, which opened in March 2022, employs state-of-the-art 4-D digital technology to tell the story of Samuel Slater, the beginnings of the American Industrial Revolution, and the founding of Webster, Massachusetts, in the early 19th century.   

The museum is located in the former National Guard Webster Armory at 31 Ray Street, Webster, Massachusetts, and open to the public year-round. Daily Schedule: Fridays & Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday: Noon to 4 p.m. Ticket purchases for school trips, private events, and groups can be arranged directly with staff.

 For more information and tickets, visit samuelslaterexperience.org