“Hooray for Trinidad: Mitchell and the Movies”

August 15 – October 4, 2008
Film Festival – each weekend in September

 
Code of the Range- 1927

            Ever since 1907 when the first theatrical film, a travelogue titled From Mexico City to New York City, came to be produced in part in the Trinidad area, the region has been fascinated by film culture. From mid-August through September, it’s “Hooray for Trinidad” as Trinidad becomes Hollywood East with two exhibits and a film festival in celebration of Colorado’s movie industry. Look for “Mitchell and the Movies” on display at the A.R. Mitchell Museum.

            The A.R. Mitchell Museum reflects Trinidad’s fascination with early films (especially westerns) through Arthur Roy Mitchell himself. From an early age, Mitch had avid interests in movie traditions and the eastern pulp magazines. The magazines led to his career as a famous illustrator. The movies led to long-term ties such as his relationship with actors John McIntire and his wife Jeanette Nolan which began in the late thirties. Among the A.R. Mitchell Museum holdings is Mitch’s extensive collection of promotional movie stills dating primarily from the period when Mitch was working as an illustrator (late 1920’s to early 1940’s).

            During this same period, the Trinidad area was also exporting a new generation of artists, writers, businessmen and technicians who made their own mark on the films of their day including:

·        David (Levy) Lewis, the most notable, who was a major producer between 1933 and 1957

·        Bennett Cohen whose filmography lists 173 films crediting his involvement from the early silents to relatively modern motion pictures (1914-1953)

·        Forrest Sheldon who made his mark working in the early film industry for over fifteen years (1921-1939)

Subsequent to Terry Malick’s Badlands work in Las Animas County and Trinidad, the economic development program established a film commission in 1986. Trinidad State Junior College has established a state-of-the-art video production program.

            The “Hooray for Trinidad” special program will involve several Trinidad cultural organizations including the A.R. Mitchell Museum, the Trinidad Area Arts Council and the Carnegie Library, as well as the cooperation of the Aurora History Museum and the Pikes Peak Library Association.

Find out about "Mitch"
as:

an artist

an illustrator

a friend of
the famous!

A.R. Mitchell Museum Schedule:

Thursday, May 1, 2008
Museum opens for the season.

May 1-June 14, 2008
Special exhibit titled “Our Colorado Legacy: Wildlife and Wild Places by Sarah Woods” 

Friday, May 9, 2008
Artist’s Reception for Sarah Woods from 5:00 to 8:00 

Saturday, June 14, 2008
Show Closing brunch for Sarah Woods from 10:00 to 12:00 

June 24-August 9, 2008
Special exhibit titled “Train Tracks Through Trinidad: Historic Aultman Studio photographs and original art by John Graber”

 Thursday, June 26, 2008
Artist’s Reception for John Graber from 5:00 to 8:00 

August 15 – October 4, 2008
Special exhibit titled “Hooray for Trinidad: Mitchell and the Movies” 

Sunday, August 24, 2008
“Will Rogers Now!” – Lance Brown as Will Rogers
Presentation in two acts from 2:00-4:00