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2011 THOMAS MEIGHAN DIGITAL ART & FILM FESTIVAL

11/19/2010

The Thomas Meighan Film Festival is based on the historical past of New Port Richey becoming the next Hollywood. Thomas Meighan was a famous Hollywood silent movie star of the twenties. In 1919, he hit stardom in one of his best known films at the time, The Miracle Man, unfortunately it is now lost in small fragments due to film deterioration. Today, Meighan’s most recognizable role is in the film, Male and Female, directed by one of Hollywood’s legendary directors Cecile B. Demille. Meighan’s popularity continued through the Roaring Twenties with him starring in several pictures. During this time, Meighan visited Florida and fell in love with New Port Richey leading him to build a home and became a resident. The Meighan’s entertained the Hollywood crowd and attracted celebrities to the area. He believed that New Port Richey would be the ideal location for motion picture studios, shortly after representatives of Paramount Pictures came to town to discuss such plans. However, the Great Depression along with the invention of talkies ended his dreams.

Today the historic Meighan Theatre stands as a constant reminder of the Hollywood days of New Port Richey. On Saturday April 9, 2011, The Thomas Meighan Film Fest will premiere at the Historic Meighan Theater, the first film festival in the area showcasing film, video & animation shorts as a tribute to Thomas Meighan’s Vision.

More information is available at www.tmfilmfest.com.

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