Writer and critic Walter Kerr discusses his book "The Silent Clowns," about the film era's greats including Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Raymond Griffith, and Harry Langdon. Studs begins by reading an excerpt from James Agee's "Death in the Family" with music in the background followed by Kerr reading from his book. They begin talking about how silent films affected the audience, lesser known stars Lloyd Hamilton and Charley Chase, and then analyze several famous Charlie Chaplin scenes to assess the complex nature of his characters.

The essayist and biographer discusses her book, Mabel: Hollywood's First I-Don't-Care Girl, and how she attempted to separate the myth from the reality of the life of Hollywood actress, director, and screenwriter Mabel Normand.*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations 

Marcel Marceau, world renown mime, talks about when he performed in prisons in France, Germany, and Chicago, including death row inmates who he could not see. He also discusses moments where he met famous silent actors such as Charlie Chaplin, Harpo Marx, and Stan Laurel. They then discuss childhood and aging. Content Warning: This conversation has the presence of outdated, biased, offensive language. Rather than remove this content, we present it in the context of twentieth-century social history to acknowledge and learn from its impact and to inspire awareness and discussion.