Duck Soup Cinema

The Signal Tower

Clarence L. Brown | USA | 1924 | 84 minutes | 35 mm

Dave Taylor (played by Rockliffe Fellowes) and Sally Taylor (played by Virginia Valli) embrace each other in a scene from "The Signal Tower (1924)."

Saturday, June 13

2pm & 7pm

Capitol Theater

$12.55

Both performances will have an ASL interpreter.

Age Recommendation

10 and up

Climb aboard for “The Signal Tower,” a gripping tale of love, loyalty and danger on the rails. Dave Taylor (Rockliffe Fellowes), a hardworking mountain railroad signalman, is devoted to his wife Sally (Virginia Valli) and young son Sonny (Frankie Darro). But when new colleague Joe Standish (Wallace Beery) moves in as a boarder, his barely concealed attraction to Sally threatens to derail their lives. Filmed on breathtaking Northern California locations—complete with an authentic signal tower built just for the movie—this rare screening showcases one of only two 35mm restoration prints from Photoplay Productions, meticulously dye-tinted to match the colors of the few surviving 16mm originals. A stunning slice of silent-era drama you won’t want to miss.

Source: Photoplay Productions 
Organist: Jelani Eddington
Vaudeville: Doc the Rube

Featuring a special short film, “The Life and Death of 9413: A Hollywood Extra,” with live accompaniment by Nick Zoulek.

LEARN MORE

  • Sat, Jun 13, 2026

    2:00 PM

  • Sat, Jun 13, 2026

    7:00 PM

Banner reads: "Overture Center's Duck Soup Cinema 25/26 Season." A graphic of two film strips with black and white images from silent films is depicted on the right of the title text.

Duck Soup Cinema

Our 2025/26 season invites you into a world where dreams take flight and lives are transformed. From a millionaire’s moral awakening to a boy who never grows up to a family tested by temptation, each silent film blends fantasy, heart and change—brought to life with dazzling restorations and live organ accompaniment. 

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Film Stills

  • Dave Taylor (played by Rockliffe Fellowes), a man with a light complexion wearing a fedora hat, looks through a train car window in a scene from "The Signal Tower (1924)."

  • Dave Taylor (played by Rockliffe Fellowes), a light complexion man in a fedora hat and trenchcoat, uses a long wrench to loosen a railroad tie while a train approaches out of the frame in a scene from "The Signal Tower (1924)."

  • Sally Taylor (played by Virginia Valli) and Joe Standish (Wallace Beery). embrace each other lovingly in a scene from "The Signal Tower (1924)."

  • Sally Taylor (played by Virginia Valli) and Joe Standish (Wallace Beery). speak to their child in a scene from "The Signal Tower (1924)."

Short Film with Live Accompaniment

A closeup of a light complexion person with wide-open eyes, staring directly into the camera, with the numbers "9413" written in marker on their forehead in the short film "The Life and Death of 9413: A Hollywood Extra."

Short Film

The Life and Death of 9413: A Hollywood Extra

Robert Florey and Slavko Vorkapić | USA | 1928 | 11 minutes

A landmark of the first wave of American experimental filmmaking, “Life and Death of 9413” tells the story of a man who arrives in Hollywood seeking stardom, only to be degraded by studio executives who treat extras like cattle. Florey and Vorkapić both went on to careers in Hollywood, as did Gregg Toland, whose work as the cinematographer on “The Grapes of Wrath” and “Citizen Kane” is now legendary. 

Source: Bruce Posner 

Saxophonist / Composer

Nick Zoulek

Nick Zoulek is a Chicago-based saxophonist and composer who builds immersive, cinematic sound worlds from breath, brass and reeds. His focus on performance, collaboration, multimedia art and improvisation has led to a diverse portfolio of distinctive artistic ventures, performing across the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and France. 

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