Highlights of "The Big Parade" Event
The Big Parade appeared in all caps on the marquee of the Paramount theater in Charlottesville, Virginia, October 19, 2000. But it felt more like 1925, the year the film premiered. The Paramount, a grand old theater that is going to be renovated in the near future, is one of many quaint buildings flanking the pedestrian mall in the historic district.
Since the Paramount will not be open to the public for quite some time, the film played down the stret at the Vinegar Hill Theater that night. Using the new equipment that had just been installed in the theater, the management projected "The Big Parade" video onto the big screen.
Sandy DeKay, who is a member of the John Gilbert Appreciation Society and also a member of the Paramount Guild, was active in planning "The Big Parade" event as a fundraiser for the Paramount restoration project.
Before the film began, Sandy introduced Leatrice Fountain (John Gilbert's daughter) to the audience, and Leatrice introduced the film. The audience, attentive throughout the event, was composed of a broad mix of people who varied widely in age.
A question and answer period followed the film. The questions were good ones. "How much did it cost to make the film?" someone asked Ms. Fountain. Another wanted to know about Gilbert's transition from silent films to talkies (he made eleven talkies before his untimely death) and about his problems with L.B. Mayer.
The day after the film, Sandy gave Ms. Fountain a tour of the Paramount, which included a sneak preview of what the palatial theater will look like after it's renovated.
"The Paramount is scheduled to break ground for restoration April 2001 and will hopefully reopen in 2002," Sandy said.
Donations to the Paramount (paramount-charlottesville@juno.com) may be sent to The Paramount, P.O. Box 2263, Charlottesville, VA 22902.