Silent Visions

Highlighting visions of a bygone age preserved in the background of Harold Lloyd’s films, this history explores the urban landscapes of Hollywood, Los Angeles, and New York—popular settings for his films—through archival photographs, vintage maps, and scores of  then-and-now photographs. From Coney Island to Catalina Island and from Brooklyn to Beverly Hills, Lloyd’s timeless movies reflect visions of early 20th-century America unequalled on the silver screen and exemplified in the historical settings found in such classics as Safety Last, Girl Shy, The Freshman, and Speedy. Tracing Lloyd’s career from his early work to owning and operating his own studio, this account illuminates Lloyd’s mastery of his oeuvre—an actor and director more popular than Keaton, more prolific than Chaplin, and who sold more tickets than any other comedian of his era, as well as a comedic genius whose expert staging and editing have influenced films for decades.