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John Bengtson: Preserving Vanished Cityscapes Through Silent Film

3/17/2026

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Summary

Story summary

John Bengtson died on January 29 at age 68 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Over more than 30 years, he matched silent films with archival photos and maps.
He revealed vanished cityscapes in Hollywood, San Francisco, and New York.
His work provided a visual record of these locations.
Charles Wolfe, a film studies professor, described Bengtson's approach as navigation through time.

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Story summary

John Bengtson died on January 29 at age 68 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Over more than 30 years, he matched silent films with archival photos and maps.
He revealed vanished cityscapes in Hollywood, San Francisco, and New York.
His work provided a visual record of these locations.
Charles Wolfe, a film studies professor, described Bengtson's approach as navigation through time.