On April 1, 1986, the Silent Society was launched with a clear purpose: to return silent cinema to the big screen at a time when the era was largely overlooked. Four decades later, that mission continues to resonate, with close to 400 silent features and shorts presented to audiences across Los Angeles.
On April 13, Hollywood Heritage celebrates this milestone with a special double feature of The Cheat and The Golden Chance, both directed by Cecil B. DeMille in 1915. The screening will feature live musical accompaniment by Michael Mortilla.
The event takes place at the historic Lasky-DeMille Barn, now home to the Hollywood Heritage Museum. Originally built in 1901 and later used by Cecil B. DeMille and Jesse L. Lasky for some of Hollywood’s earliest film productions, the barn remains one of the oldest surviving film structures in Los Angeles and a powerful link to the industry’s earliest days.
Event Details
April 13, 2026
7:30 PM to 9:30 PM PDT
Hollywood Heritage Museum
2100 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90068
Through preservation, exhibitions, and public programming, Hollywood Heritage continues to connect audiences with the origins of filmmaking. Support from the Golden Globe Foundation helps sustain this work, ensuring that silent cinema and early film history remain accessible to new generations.
Header image: Fannie Ward and Jack Dean in Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Cheat” (1915)
Alt text: Black-and-white still from “The Cheat” (1915) showing actors Fannie Ward and Jack Dean standing close together in a dim interior, both looking off to the side with tense expressions.
