Well.  These past two weeks the world of silent films has been very preponderant in my life.  First, for Valentine’s Day, Boni and I  went to see “The Artist.”  I loved it.   Then two days ago a European blogger did a piece on my grandfather, the actor.

I wanted to see it because:

1)    It was a silent movie.. A silent movie?  In 2012???  And French???   What kind of producer would take such a chance?  “This must be very inspiring” I thought.

2)     It was in black and white.  Obviously.  A silent movie in color would be a flop of the greatest magnitude.  And did I ever tell you that I absolutely love black and white? How could I miss this unique chance?

3)    This movie got me very close to my grandfather, a celebrated Italian actor of the silent era whose career has just been covered by a recent European blogger, Paul of Holland, which I have written about here the other day. (Look at my blog)

I came out of the movie inspired by the guts it took to produce such a movie.  Yes.  Success is determined by the risks you take and the criticism you can endure.  Leave them be.  Just do your own thing.    Now, after all the hoopla – first by the Cannes critics panning the movie and then doing an about-face – “The Artist” is poised to do a sweep at The Oscars.

I don’t have the crystal ball but I’ll bet the movie will get more than one!  And Jean Dujardin, the French actor in the leading role, will most certainly have his moment on the red carpet and on stage.  I am sure he will walk on stage with grace and not act like an imbecile the way Roberto Benigni did when he won Best Actor in 1999.

In art and soul.

~ Gino

P.S. They should give an Oscar for best performance by a dog to “Uggie” -  the scene stealer!

Gino Federici is a singe/songwriter, author, speaker,  living in Michigan and currently pursuing a music major at the Lansing Community College where he also performs with the 18 piece jazz band.   His music can be heard on major TV shows and at: www.GinoFederici.com    A food lover, he hosts his own cooking show at  www.TheItalianSingingGourmet.com.   He goofs around a lot!   He’s now preparing his new concert which he plans to take on the road this summer after a five year hiatus from 23 years of performances in Las Vegas. 

I always knew my grandfather had been a celebrated actor of the silent era.  I had seen many documents and contracts.  What I didn’t know was that his film credits were much more extensive that what I had imagined.

Yesterday, for reasons unknown, I thought of going into the Italian National Archive of Cinema – which is now in Turin, where the Italian cinema was born – and see if I could find him.

Sure enough, there he was.  Pictures of him I had never seen, and many pictures of him I still have that are not in the archive.  So I went a step further and checked the internet movies database.  It took me a while but, sure enough, there he was with all his filmography: 66 titles.  I doubled checked it against the Italian database and found another credit omitted in the internet database.  So, it looks like he had 67 films to his credit.

The story that he had a tough transition from silent to sound due to his high-pitched voice proved correct. He had a 12 year drought between 1927 and 1939 where he only had one film.  Beyond that he worked consistently till 1956.

He started when he was 15 and ended at 56.  I lived with him in Rome for a couple of months in 1965. He died of a heart attack in the Fall of that year.  He was 66 years old.

I remember him fondly and I now can pass the true story down to the next generation and see if some of his genes are going to surface again among the new brood.  I certainly was not the recipient of his acting skills.  But I can sing, and he did not. Ha, ha. We’re even!

Gino Federici is an international recording artist,  author, speaker living in the woods of Michigan with his wife, Boni, and a little chipmunk pet: “Chip” that never tires of gorging himself on seeds.  Last year he hoarded a full forty pound bag!  Gino hosts his own cooking show at: www.TheItalianSingingGourmet.com.  His music can be heard on major TV shows and at: www.GinoFederici.com   For any questions or comments please write to: gino@ginofederici.com