Santa Barbara became the center of the movie-making world when the Chicago-based American Film Manufacturing Company opened the largest production facility in the country in 1913. Known as the Flying A due to its winged logo, the studio produced over twelve hundred films. Local papers and national movie magazines published the adventures – and misadventures – of the silent movie actors and film crews who gathered here all together for the first time.

Betsy J. Green began her writing career while working as an editor at Reader’s Digest and World Book Encyclopedia before switching to freelance writing and publishing. She is the author of 10 history books, and also writes The Great House Detective column for the Santa Barbara Independent.

Click here to purchase your ticket.