WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20: FAMOUS SILENT MOVIE
Profile America - Sunday, November 20th. One of the best known films of the silent movie era was released on this date in 1921 - "The Sheik," which catapulted Rudolph Valentino into stardom. The melodrama about the obsession of a desert prince for an Englishwoman even had women fainting in movie theaters. "The Sheik" treated physical desire frankly and its title became a slang word for a man who appealed to women. The movie also sparked a popular song, "The Sheik of Araby." While the film is Valentino's best remembered work, critics say it does not represent his true acting skills. When "The Sheik" was released, Americans spent just over $300 million a year going to the movies. That number now is over $10.5 billion annually. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.
Sources: Chase's Calendar of Events 2011, p. 567
Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970, p. 401
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2012, t. 1243
Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).
SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau
