SilentComedyMafia.com

If I may be allowed some shameless self-promotion, my book titled Presenting Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew is now available from Split Reel http://www.split-reel.com/ and Amazon.com. With an introduction from SilentComedyMafia godfather Richard M Roberts, the book is the first and only definitive biography of both interations of the Drews (the first was largely a stage and vaudeville act and the second were in the movies). Until, this team has been sadly neglected by all but the most devout silent comedy fans. You can download a sample from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Presenting-Mr-Mr ... 289&sr=1-1

Plug away, I got my copy recently, and it's great!

Just a note that Amazon has cut the prices on both the hardback and paperback versions of Presenting Mr. and Mr. Sidney Drew. The paperback is selling for $42.59 and the hardback from $41.83, 24% off!

John McElwee's Greenbriar Picture Shows posted a nice review yesterday, which I quote in full here:

PRESENTING MR. AND MRS. SIDNEY DREW --- Neither odd nor an ad, this instead a new book by Rob Farr that explores the lives of Sidney Drew and the two Mrs. Drews, first who appeared with him on stage with second spouse filling in for movies after death of the first. Greenbriar has on several occasions dropped in on the Drews. They were funny on “genial” terms of comedy that stopped short of slapstick, deliberate device to set them apart from Sennett. For all their mirthing, no Drew threw a pie to my knowledge. They were successors in a sense to John Bunny who also got laughs from expression and reaction to absurd situations, stuff that could happen to any of us his fodder for fun. Bunny died premature and the Drews sort of took up his mantle. Author Farr does not confine himself just to their films however. There was stage drudge before to remind us how artists starved and struggled along inhospitable rail lines and tank towns where one night stands was misery few among moderns could stand, never mind dedication to art or craft. Sidney Drew was kin to the Barrymores. Farr explains the links and that enriches his telling of the Drew saga. Sidney was often (nearly always?) broke on the road, threatened with jail, stranded troupes, poor attendance, bombing in Butte and other sites, stiffing a hotel, threatened with a pistol and/or carving knife, dragged off a train and bashed for owing someone or other. Such actor’s life would sure not have been for me or thee I’d venture. We all would take vanilla after reading the Drews’ harrowing account. Rob Farr knows vaudeville plus film lore and recounts it beautifully. This is show history not to be put down, and for sure enriches whatever we watch of the Drews from now on (Rob Stone indicates a Blu-ray collection is coming). In a meantime, the Drews are spread amongst silent and comedy DVD/Blu collections. Kino’s of-late Vitagraph disc set has much of Drew humor and is not to be missed.

The book took a little time to cross the big pond (I know that Bor Enots was doing his best to save overseas subscribers some money - which was much appreciated).

I received my copy recently and must agree with William Ferry, John McElwee and Trav S.D. - the book is terrific, and the amount of uncovered information - dating back to before there were any Barrymores - is simply overwhelming.

Rob’s writing is engaging and fun throughout, and the book is so thick with fascinating details that I hied away from the family for some time to really savor it. PRESENTING MR. AND MRS. SIDNEY DREW should be read by anyone interested in the early history of the movie industry, as well as those who want to learn about theater in the gaslight era. And of course - everyone else who is interested in silent comedy needs this book!

The films of the Drews that I’ve seen are delightful and so different from the dominant slapstick of the teens. Now I’m eagerly looking forward to the eventual Blu-ray set of Metro-Drew comedies. Sidney Drew was quite a character!

Thanks so much for the kind words, Ed.