Silents Please: The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

An episode titled "The Hunchback of Notre Dame” from the documentary series Silents Please. It consists of a single reel of black-and-white acetate film with optical sound.

The episode features actor Lon Chaney in the silent film The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Footage from the film accompanies the narration. Additionally, the narrator describes elements of the film's production including makeup and prosthetics used to create the character Quasimodo (played by Lon Chaney).

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1961
• Directed by: Saul J. Turell, American, 1921 - 1986
• Written by: Saul J. Turell, American, 1921 - 1986
• Produced by: Paul Killiam, American, 1916 - 1998
• Subject of: Lon Chaney, American, 1883 - 1930
• Owned by: D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
• Type: documentaries
• Type: sound films
• Type: black-and-white films (visual works)
• Type: short subjects
• Type: 16mm (photographic film size)
• Medium: acetate film
• Dimensions: Duration: 25 Minutes
• Dimensions: Length (Film): 900 Feet
• Place used: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Actors
• Topic: Documentary films
• Topic: Film
• Topic: Hollywood (Film)
• Topic: Television
• Object number: 2017.55.66.1a
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Transferred from the DC Public Library
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.