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The Documentary: Sister Aimee

The Documentary: Sister Aimee: Sister Aimee

Aimee Semple McPherson

25/11/2014 GMT

Sister Aimee

BBC World Service - The Documentary, Sister Aimee, Sister Aimee

How Aimee Semple McPherson mixed glamour and gospel to invent broadcast evangelism in LA

How Aimee Semple McPherson mixed glamour and gospel to invent broadcast evangelism in 1920s LA.

Naomi Grimley tells the story of how a farm girl invented broadcast evangelism, becoming among the most famous and glamorous women in America in the 1920s and 30s. 

Canadian-born Aimee Semple McPherson underwent a conversion and took to the road as a Pentecostal preacher, touring cities across the US. She finally settled in Los Angeles where she built a huge temple for her movement. Her mix of Hollywood glitz and conservative religion came together in her famous 'illustrated sermons' - part bible reading, part music hall turn. 

Dressed in eye-catching costumes, she acted out her sermons for thousands of followers who queued round the block to see her in action. And long before the arrival of televangelism, she pioneered the use of radio to spread her message across the airwaves. Her allure was such that even Charlie Chaplin was a fan. But with celebrity came loneliness and scandal. In 1926, she disappeared after swimming on Venice Beach only to mysteriously reappear in Mexico five weeks later. She claimed she had been kidnapped - while her critics believed she had run off with a married man. 

Naomi Grimley explores the compelling life story of Sister Aimee, visiting her temple in LA and the remote castle she built to escape the prying eyes of the press. Naomi asks what this extraordinary woman’s life tells us about two of America’s enduring themes - faith and fame.

Producer: Nick White

(Photo: Aimee Semple McPherson. Copyright protected. Used by express consent of The International Church of the Foursquare
Gospel)

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Naomi Grimley tells the story of how a farm girl mixed glamour and the gospel to invent broadcast evangelism in 1920s LA.

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