Tag Archives: silent film star

wild prairie influence…

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My focus (obsession) continues to be my paternal great-granduncle, author & Sioux Falls, South Dakota dentist—William Otis Lillibridge 1879-1909. His 1905 book, Ben Blair was turned into a silent film in 1916, seven years after his death. His widow, Edith Keller Lillibridge was instrumental in getting the film made by Paramount.

I’ve sort of adopted my Uncle Will as my muse…a fellow creative. Reading his work and researching his life has made him feel quite real to me. I’ve learned a lot about his parents, siblings, the home he grew up in on the border of the Dakota Territory in Akron, Iowa, and his life in Sioux Falls. NOTE: I went to college in Sioux Falls and never knew his dental office was down the block from one of our favorite restaurants, Minerva’s.

“As everywhere upon the prairie, the quiet was almost a thing to feel.” —Ben Blair

We certainly have a shared love of the prairie. Maybe he would approve of me recasting myself in his film just for fun…or possibly find no humor in these images whatsoever. From what I’m learning, he seems like he was a rather serious fellow. However, with no one left one to ask, I’m left with little to base my hunches on.

BEN BLAIR—ACT I

The Sanity of the Wild

…in the warm sunny plat south of the barn, a small boy and a still smaller girl were engaged in the fascinating occupation of becoming acquainted. The little girl was decidedly taking the initiative.
…she had an independence, a dominance, born perhaps of the wild prairie influence, that at times made her parents almost gasp.
…bleared faces and keen hawk-like eyes were more closely drawn. The dull rattle of poker chips lasted longer, frequently far into the night, and even after the tardy light of morning had come to the rescue of the sputtering stumps in the candlesticks.

Florence touched his arm. “Ben,” she pleaded,

“Ben, forgive me. I’ve hurt you. I can’t say I love you.”

The End

SOURCES: 

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0510388/

BEN BLAIR on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NfwmMA3JNBE?feature=shared
READ ONLINE: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17844/pg17844-images.html

ADVANCED STYLE—burlington edition?

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This week my friend and highly fashionable jewelry designer Ina Deane (http://www.eenadee.com/) suggested that I watch the documentary “Advanced Style”. The documentary is about gorgeous, stylish New York City women over the age of 60 and it’s a blast.  (Available on Netflix, Google Chrome and Amazon for streaming). I remember seeing Ari Seth Cohen’s book a few years ago and just loving the spunk & style of these women.  So inspiring! Scroll down to the bottom of this post to read about the most memorable fashion moments of my life.

MY FANTASY PROJECT: I want to do a Burlington, Vermont version of Advanced Style.

I would love to put together a gathering and maybe even hire Ari Seth Cohen to come speak in Burlington sometime.  Wouldn’t that be a blast?

If you know of fashion forward men and women in Vermont please get in touch with me.  E-mail is best: lllillibridge@gmail.com

About ARI SETH COHEN from Advanced Style blog

http://advancedstyle.blogspot.com/

 “My name is Ari Seth Cohen. I roam the streets of New York looking for the most stylish and creative older folks. Respect your elders and let these ladies and gents teach you a

thing or two about living life to the fullest. Advanced Style offers proof from the wise and silver-haired set that personal style advances with age.”

  photos by Ari Seth Cohen

When I watched Advanced Style this week I was reminded of these two big Advanced Style moments in my own life.

1.  A few years ago while waiting in line to check-in at The Accessories Show at The Javits Center in NYC with Maggie Pace I got to talk briefly with Iris Apfel.  She was wearing the most beautiful pink driving mocs when I spoke to her. Perhaps they were PRADA.  It was one of those moments when I found myself so happy to even get to say hello to her. Iris has been quite an inspiration to a girl from South Dakota.  New York City was like going to the moon when I was growing up on the prairie.  I was twenty-one when I first had the privilege of seeing NYC and I never get to go there enough.

2. In October of 2004 I was in New York City for the wedding of my cousin.  My mother and I were walking up to the Jewish History Museum and we saw a women hail a cab.  This woman had a long, grey ponytail, stright dark jeans, a gorgeous neutral sweater, boots with the perfect heel, a scarf impeccably tied and lots of bracelets.  She looked so NYC cool and confident that the image of her is etched in my mind.

 Iris Apfel

I think my own style as I age will veer toward the aging silent film star.  Halloween 2014.