A new film series celebrating film producer Edward Small is headed back to his roots with a screening of Solomon and Sheba on Sunday, September 7th at the JEA.
The Edward Small Legacy Classic Film Series aims to celebrate the work of the independent film producer. Small produced the 1959 biblical epic Solomon and Sheba, which stars Yul Brynner and Gina Lollobrigida as King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, respectively.
With raw talent and boundless rebellion, Eddie got his “start” in film by skipping school and venturing into the Savannah Theatre to pass the days. Enduring verbal and physical abuse from his father, he followed his heart’s calling and earned a spot in a traveling minstrel show at the age of seven.
When Eddie returned a year later, the abuse continued and at age eleven, Eddie ran away from home to New York City where he hustled and slept in flophouses to survive. Eddie secured a job as a pageboy at the Astor Hotel where he brushed shoulders with likes of Barrymore, Bernhardt, Belasco and more, leading to a career in scouting and booking talent. As his roster grew with names like George Burns and Mae West, he started the world’s first talent agency for film actors and directors.
Small eventually added movie producer to his resume, shaping early Hollywood and championing a model of independent film production that defied the major studio monopolies. In addition to Solomon and Sheba, Small produced films such as 1934’s The Count of Monte Cristo, 1939’s The Man in the Iron Mask, and 1957’s Witness for the Prosecution.
Join us for this special afternoon with Roy Cranman, Shellie Schmals and Karen Botnick Paz, the team behind the Edward Small Legacy, for a Q&A and screening of this classic film. Tickets are $7 and can be purchased at the door or in advance.