Sunday, December 18, 2016

The Iron Mask (1929): Douglas Fairbanks and King Louis XIV of France


     Directed by Allan Dwan, The Iron Mask is an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' story based on the French legend of "The Man in the Iron Mask." The production was the final Silent Film in the wonderful career of Douglas Fairbanks, who reluctantly included a couple scenes of grand spoken narration. The 17th Century story focuses on the concept that King Louis XIII's wife gave birth to twin sons… one was kept and bred for the crown, the other was sent away to Spain. One of the identical twins (depending on the story) was imprisoned and forced to wear an iron mask to disguise his royal appearance. Douglas Fairbanks is great, as always, as a swashbuckling musketeer. The rest of the cast does a great job as well.

The Iron Mask. 1929: Douglas Fairbanks

The Iron Mask. 1929: Douglas Fairbanks

The Iron Mask. 1929: Douglas Fairbanks

The Iron Mask. 1929: Douglas Fairbanks

The Iron Mask. 1929: Douglas Fairbanks

The Iron Mask. 1929: Douglas Fairbanks

The Iron Mask. 1929: Douglas Fairbanks

The Iron Mask. 1929: Douglas Fairbanks

The Iron Mask. 1929: Douglas Fairbanks

The Iron Mask. 1929: Douglas Fairbanks

The Iron Mask. 1929: Douglas Fairbanks

The Iron Mask. 1929: Douglas Fairbanks

The Iron Mask. 1929: Douglas Fairbanks

The Iron Mask. 1929: Douglas Fairbanks

The Iron Mask. 1929: Douglas Fairbanks

The Iron Mask. 1929: Douglas Fairbanks

The Iron Mask. 1929: Douglas Fairbanks

The Iron Mask. 1929: Douglas Fairbanks

The Iron Mask. 1929: Douglas Fairbanks

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Micheal Leonard, Worshipful Master of Trinity Lodge. Clinton, Massachusetts. by Travis Simpkins

Micheal Leonard. Worshipful Master of Trinity Lodge. Clinton, MA. by Travis Simpkins


Portrait Sketch of
Micheal J. Leonard
32° Freemason
Worshipful Master of
Trinity Lodge - Clinton, Massachusetts
Chairman of
Benjamin Franklin Chapter - Order of DeMolay
International Order of the Rainbow for Girls
by Travis Simpkins


Micheal Leonard and his daughters, Mackenzie Leonard and Taylor Leonard


For more info, please visit:


Micheal Leonard. Freemason. by Travis Simpkins. Trinity Lodge. Clinton, MA

Travis Simpkins Visits the Newport Tower. The Knights Templar? The Vikings?

Travis Simpkins. Newport Tower. Knights Templar. Vikings

     I spent a cold Winter afternoon at the mysterious Newport Tower in Newport, Rhode Island. While there, I thought about the insightful theory regarding the site set forth by Tim Wallace-Murphy

     The age and origin of the medieval-style structure continues to elude scholars… Is it really part of a 17th Century windmill? or is it, any many maintain, much older… created by either the Knights Templar or the Vikings, centuries before Europeans are supposed to have first visited America?

Travis Simpkins. Newport Tower. Knights Templar. Vikings

Travis Simpkins. Newport Tower. Knights Templar. Vikings

Travis Simpkins. Newport Tower. Knights Templar. Vikings

Travis Simpkins. Newport Tower. Knights Templar. Vikings

Travis Simpkins. Newport Tower. Knights Templar. Vikings