The Double Life of Theda Bara: An Interview in AI

Theda Bara (1885-1955) was perhaps the first sex symbol of the movies, or at least of American films. But she became a sensation not merely in America, but around the world as well. Bara helped internationalize the popularity of American movies as much as any of the great directors of that day and, amazingly, her influence over time may have exceeded that of those directors. This presentation was created with Artificial Intelligence by animating a photograph of Ms. Bara and synchronizing its movements with a Text-to-Speech clone of her actual voice. The words are direct quotations that Ms. Bara spoke in a Photoplay magazine interview that was published in the June 1920 issue.

Transcript

Published in: on November 25, 2025 at 6:07 PM  Leave a Comment  
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A Few Minutes with Milton Sills in AI

Milton Sills was a major star of the silent screen and made a successful transition to talkies. Sadly, he succumbed to a heart attack at the age of 48 in 1930. Long known only to film buffs, Milton’s films have resurfaced on home video in DVD, Blu-ray, and at many international film festivals where they can be seen on the big screen in sparkling pictorial quality.

Now thanks to AI, we can quote his various magazine interviews and for good measure clone his voice from soundtracks. Now Mr. Sills can tell you his life story directly.

Published in: on October 14, 2025 at 2:11 PM  Leave a Comment  
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John Gilbert Talks! in AI “My Life” Part Three

Published in: on October 14, 2025 at 2:03 PM  Leave a Comment  
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John Gilbert Talks! in AI “My Life” Part Two

One of the most popular actors in the History of American Films, John Gilbert was also a talented writer. He knew how to tell a good story and this autobiography that he wrote in 1928 is proof of it. Gilbert’s memoir follows his career from the hard scrabble days when he worked as an unknown “extra” in films beginning in 1915 to eventual stardom in the 1920s.

Here we not only learn the rocky path he took, but through AI we also hear John tell his story via voice cloning of his actual voice. This tale captures a unique time in American history when new occupations were created – not unlike today.

Published in: on August 12, 2025 at 7:56 PM  Leave a Comment  
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John Gilbert Talks! – in AI Part One

The famed actor wrote his biography in 1928 for Photoplay magazine in the June to September issues. We have resurrected these memoirs but also utilized 21st century technology by using AI to allow Mr. Gilbert to tell us his autobiography in his own words. We cloned his voice from the soundtrack of QUEEN CHRISTINA (1933). The words you hear him speak have been taken verbatim from his Photoplay biography series.

Published in: on July 23, 2025 at 6:45 PM  Comments (2)  
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A Real Interview with Greta Garbo 1930

Despite the legend that film star Greta Garbo never gave interviews – “I want to be left alone” – she did open up during the early part of her film career at MGM in the late 1920s. Later when she was well-established, she declined any efforts to speak about her life or her career. However, in her early years at MGM before she felt she was established, Garbo acceded to the studio’s insistence that the public wanted to know something about her.

The resulting few interviews found the star being candid about her life and upbringing. This interview from 1930 is perhaps her best and may well be the last interview she ever granted. We have scrupulously transferred her words from the printed page to an AI voice clone that captures her voice reasonably well. We have not invented any words that she was not actually quoted in the magazine interview.

Published in: on June 16, 2025 at 10:57 AM  Comments (1)  
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Lon Chaney “discusses” the making of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME” (1923)

The “voice” is created by AI cloning using a sound file with the actual voice of Mr. Chaney. The text are direct quotations from published interviews that Lon Chaney gave at that time.

Published in: on July 6, 2024 at 10:34 AM  Leave a Comment  
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Conrad Veidt “speaks” about his First Trip to Hollywood in 1927 to make “The Beloved Rogue”

The “voice” is created by AI by cloning a voice filing of the Actual Voice of Mr. Veidt.

Published in: on July 5, 2024 at 1:43 PM  Leave a Comment  
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Lon Chaney Sr. “speaks” to Louella Parsons on the set of The Phantom of the Opera in 1925

The “voice” is created by AI cloning from a sound file of the Actual voice of Mr. Chaney.

Published in: on July 5, 2024 at 1:32 PM  Comments (2)  
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Welcome in 2024 with Calendars of the Stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood

A tradition for many years on this blog is to create some unique calendars featuring some of the unique stars from Hollywood’s Golden Age. That used to mean celebrities from the 1920s into the 30s. But in recent years the pool has expanded and now we hear that the “Golden Age” extends well into the 70s, the 80s, and most recently, even the 90s. But here we go back to First Principles and so we celebrate the Golden Age of Great Stars who defined the medium before there was anybody else there.

When we first began this annual celebration, many of the honorees had few films in circulation. And many of those were in poor shape. Today in only about a decade many films have been restored, and can be seen in sparkling Blu-ray quality on big screens. We have much to celebrate so let’s begin our gallery of Great Stars for 2024.

Best Wishes for a Happy and Healthy 2024!

Published in: on January 4, 2024 at 6:15 PM  Comments (1)  
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