The Aporia · Long-lost 1919 silent comedy found in dusty antique shop in Japan

Long-lost 1919 silent comedy found in dusty antique shop in Japan — it’ll finally be seen again

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Cruz, B. (2026, September 28). Long-lost 1919 silent comedy found in dusty antique shop in Japan — it’ll finally be seen again. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/09/28/entertainment/long-lost-1919-silent-comedy-found-in-dusty-antique-shop-in-japan-itll-finally-be-seen-again/

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Quick Summary

Film student Kohei Okita discovered a long-lost silent comedy from 1919 called "Van-ar-chy" starring Billy B. Van in an antique shop in Japan while researching films about anarchy. New Hampshire film archivist John Tariot restored the film, which will have its world premiere on November 1 at the Newport Opera House, where it was originally created, marking a rare screening of one of the approximately 75% of American silent films thought to be lost forever. The event includes live music and another rediscovered Van film from the same year, "Where Are Your Husbands?"

Written by AI on 2026-09-28, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

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Story summary

A long-lost 1919 American silent comedy film called "Van-ar-chy," starring Billy B. Van, was recently discovered by a Japanese student named Kohei Okita in an antique shop in Japan while he was researching films related to "anarchy." Okita contacted New Hampshire film archivist John Tariot, who confirmed the find and restored the film. "Van-ar-chy," along with another 1919 Van film, “Where Are Your Husbands?” will have its world premiere on Nov. 1 at the Newport Opera House in New Hampshire at 2 p.m., featuring live music performances. This rediscovery is significant as it highlights both international film history and local cultural heritage, considering that around 75% of American silent films from this era are lost forever.

Written for “Lost Silent Film Found” on 2026-10-31, grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.

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This article reads unscored and hedges 22% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

Century-old silent film made in New Hampshire found in Japan antique shop Same event

The Guardian

Hedges 1 of 16 claims Outlet record 66/100

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sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

22%

2 of 9 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

not political

takes no side on a contested political question

Publisher signals

66/100

New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

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Same framing elsewhere

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Who wrote this

Brandon Cruz

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Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 37 articles by Brandon Cruz →

Narrative

Claims (9 extracted, 2 hedged)

A mythical slapstick silent comedy that’s been missing for more than a century “miraculously” turned up inside a dusty antique shop in Japan. asserted

that → miss → Japan

The long-lost 1919 film “Van-ar-chy,” starring old-time comedy star Billy B. Van was found by film student Kohei Okita — who was researching films about “anarchy” at the time — when he bought a batch of old reels from an antique shop in Japan, according to the comedian’s website. uncertain

he → lose → website

Inside that batch, “the film miraculously surfaced,” and once Okita realized what he’d found, reached out to New Hampshire film archivist John Tariot, who restored the film. asserted

who → surface → film

Tariot is now planning to screen the film for the first time in 100 years, in the very same place it was created in New Hampshire. asserted

it → plan → Hampshire

[Van-ar-chy] was presumed lost forever, sadly the fate of roughly 75% of all American silent films,” said Kiki Keating, a spokesperson for Tariot. asserted

Keating → presume → Tariot

“An extraordinary story of international discovery, lost cinema, and local New Hampshire history is heading to the stage at [New Hampshire’s] Newport Opera House — the lost film is making its official world premiere back where it was created over 100 years ago,” Keating said. asserted

Keating → head → premiere

Van, born William Webster Van de Grift in 1870, was a star of vaudeville and Broadway before he built the Equity Motion Picture Company on the shores of Lake Sunapee in New Hampshire, which many historians believe was northern New England’s first movie studio. asserted

historians → bear → Hampshire

The film maker would cast locals in his slapstick comedies and shoot them on the region’s own streets — meaning New Hampshire natives might spot their great-grandparents or other past relatives on screen as extras. uncertain

natives → cast → extras

The premiere of the film is taking place on Nov. 1 at the Newport Opera House at 2 p.m. The screening will also feature live music performances and the premiere of another Van film, “Where Are Your Husbands?” — a role-reversal farce he also made in 1919 and was recently rediscovered more than a century later. asserted

he → take → 1919

Long-lost 1919 silent comedy found in dusty antique shop in Japan — it’ll finally be seen again

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Claims (9 extracted, 2 hedged)