"Live" on Fri., Oct. 24, 2025
28th Annual
Silents in the Cathedral
This free event is sponsored by
The Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library
with the cooperation of
Kansas Silent Film Festival, Inc.
Grace Cathedral, 701 SW 8th St., Topeka, KS
Doors open @ 6:30 PM | Start Time: 7 PM

Music by
Dr. Marvin Faulwell, Playing the Cathedral organ
with Bob Keckeisen, Percussion
Together Marvin & Bob will be playing a dazzling "live" music score for these short subjects and feature movie, using the cathedral's organ.

Introductions by
Denise Morrison, Film Historian

Short Subjects:

THE PUMPKIN RACE  (1908 - Gaumont):
This early trick film from one of the earliest producers in film history, France's Leon Gaumont, shows how an overturned cartful of pumpkins is chased all over town-including some very unusual places.  

ALICE'S SPOOKY ADVENTURE   (1924 - Walt Disney):
This little film was part of a series by a young Kansas City animator/filmmaker named Walt Disney. His ''Alice'' films were part animation and part live action with a little girl who has many adventures created by Disney's team from 1923-1927. In this adventure Alice braves a haunted house to fetch a lost ball. (6 min.)

THE MERRY WIDOWER  (1926 - Hal Roach):
Finlayson spent many years at the great comedy studio of Hal Roach as second banana to Laurel and Hardy. But here, he's the star playing a husband who's losing his wife because of too many hunting trips. To get her back, he cooks up a scheme that involves fortune tellers and a trip to a graveyard. With a cameo by Charley Chase. (20 min.)

There will be a brief intermission between the shorts and the feature presentation.

Feature:

THE BAT  (1926)
Starring Louise Fazenda / Jack Pickford / Jewel Carmen / Arthur Houseman
Directed by Roland West   (86 minutes)

Our feature film for the 28th annual ''Silents in the Cathedral'' is THE BAT, one of the best and most enjoyable of the old dark house film genre. Based on a play by Mary Roberts Rhinehart, THE BAT thrilled audiences on the stage long before it was transferred to the screen in 1926. Director Roland West was a master visual stylist with a penchant for the macabre.

For this film, he gathered a top-notch crew, combining the efforts of expert art director, William Cameron Menzies (later famous for his work on GONE WITH THE WIND - 1939), and ingenious cameramen, Arthur Edeson and Gregg Toland (CITIZEN KANE - 1940). The cast included comedienne, Louise Fazenda, robbery suspect Jack Pickford (younger brother of Mary) and Jewel Carmen (actress/wife of director West). They work as a team supporting the ominous mood while providing plenty of laughs. A hit when it opened, the film also had a profound effect on the young Bob Kane who cited this film and its sound remake (THE BAT WHISPERS) as his main inspiration for the creation of Batman.

The story follows the exploits of a masked master criminal who can appear and cause harm (or havoc) anywhere under the most difficult circumstances. A theft of rare emeralds right under the noses of multiple policemen and the murder of the gentleman owner is accomplished in the movies first ten minutes. The Bat leaves a bat-shaped note for the police, saying he will be traveling to the country. In a spooky old house (out in the country), a number of characters have assembled and all are suspicious that the Bat will be making an appearance. He not only appears. He seems to be trying his best to drive everyone 'nuts' with each mysterious appearance (or disappearance)! Of course, he gets caught at the end and 'unmasked' to reveal...? We're not telling, but we think you'll love this remarkable little feature film.

THE BAT was previously shown at our 2014 ''Silents in the Cathedral'' event, but this time, it has been recently restored by Undercrank Productions and its owner, Ben Model from 35mm film elements preserved by the UCLA Film and Television Archive. Our hostess, Denise Morrison will provide some fascinating background details about THE BAT and its director, Roland West who was a party to real-life criminal activities in the Hollywood of the 1920s.

Organist Marvin Faulwell and Percussionist Bob Keckeisen have put together a dazzling music score for this feature and they will be playing it 'live' at the Cathedral.