Selma -- January 20, 2025

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Today we celebrate Dr Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday. Ava DuVernay's Selma was well-received but has some inaccuracies. David Oyelowo played Doctor King.

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Laurence Olivier Presents Hamlet -- January 19, 2025

Syracuse Post Standard, 13-January-1950

Seventy-five years ago this month, filmgoers in Syracuse could see Laurence Olivier's Academy Award-winning adaption of William Shakespeare's Hamlet. We watched this again on TCM a few weeks ago. 

Bob Uecker and David Lynch, RIP -- January 18, 2025

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Bob Uecker had a short and undistinguished career as a catcher. Then he turned making fun of himself into a fine art. He announced Brewers games until last year. People who are old enough remember his commercials for Miller Lite. Almost everyone I know says "Just outside" when they hear his name. We will miss him.

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David Lynch made a bunch of movies and one television show that were surreal and often violent. My favorite movie of his is The Straight Story, which was not surreal or violent.

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Harry Langdon -- The Acid Test -- Clocking the Laughs -- January 17, 2025

Moving Picture World, 10-January-1925

"Show these two rib-rockers in your house."

Moving Picture World, 10-January-1925

Jack Hoxie -- Thundering Your Way -- January 16, 2025

Universal Weekly, 10-January-1925

Jack Hoxie was a real cowboy and rodeo performer who became a star in the early 1920s. I like the image in this trade ad.

Calgary Albertan, 22-January-1925

Fred Thomson (no relation) had a diverse career. While attending the Princeton Theological Seminary, he earned the Amateur Athletic Union's All-Around Champion trophy in 1910, 1911 and 1913. After being ordained as a Presbyterian minister, he joined the Army and served as a chaplain during World War One. He went into the movie business after he married director and screenwriter Frances Marion. In time, he became a major western star. Sadly, he died of Tetanus in 1928.

Note that Jack Hoxie starred in Flying Hoofs and Fred Thomson starred in Thundering Hoofs.

Lethbridge Herald, 26-January-1925

"Fred Thomson World's Champion Athlete, and his Wonder Horse Silver King." I like the image of the two together.

Orange County Plain Dealer, 13-January-1925

I like the style of the lettering of the title.

Moving Picture World, 03-January-1925

Birmingham News, 18-January-1925

Buddy Roosevelt starred in a series of silent westerns and played small parts in many talkies.

Norfolk Ledger-Star, 05-January-1925

Bill Cody (Buffalo Bill Jr) also starred in a series of silent and early sound westerns.

Lon Chaney in His Greatest Role -- January 15, 2025

Tulsa Daily World, 03-January-1925

I have not written about Lon Chaney often enough. Swedish director Victor Sjöström (billed as Victor Seastrom) directed Chaney, Norma Shearer, John Gilbert and Tully Marshall in He Who Gets Slapped, based on a play by Leonid Andreyev. Chaney gave a remarkable performance as a man who acted out his humiliation every day as a clown. This M-G-M's first production. 

Winnipeg Free Press Evening Bulletin, 24-January-1925

Note "Extra! Cross-Word Puzzle Fun For the Film Fans." Crossword puzzles were a craze in 1925.

Omaha Bee, 11-January-1925

Elfelt to Direct Maynard Pictures -- January 14, 2025

Los Angeles Evening Post-Record, 17-January-1925

Cowboy star Ken Maynard was just starting his career 100 years ago. When I was young, I read a lot about him in books, but did not get to see many of his movies. Ken and his white horse Tarzan were a popular team. Ken was known as a great horseman. Clifford S Elfelt directed most of his first series of films.