Bessie Love in Cupid Forecloses -- July 31, 2019

Moving Picture World, 19-July-1919

I have always been fascinated by the career of actress Bessie Love. She was born in Texas. Her name was Juanita Horton. Her family moved to Los Angeles and she went to Los Angeles High School. Looking for work, she met director DW Griffith and got a small part in Intolerance. She appeared in movies with William S Hart and Douglas Fairbanks. She was a 1922 WAMPAS (Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers) Baby Star. She played many leading roles, most famously in The Lost World, but never broke through until the talkies came, when she starred in The Broadway Melody. Her career was hot again for a few years, but then tailed off. She continued to appear in small parts in movies until the early 1980s.

Moving Picture World, 12-July-1919

In the Vitagraph feature Cupid Forecloses, Bessie played a schoolteacher who has to deal with a debt owed by her grandfather.

Pearl White's Final Thriller -- July 29, 2019

Moving Picture World, 19-July-1919

100 years ago this month, serial queen Pearl White was making the transition from making serials for Pathé to appearing in features for Fox.

Moving Picture World, 05-July-1919

Director George B Seitz blew up a tunnel for one of the last scenes shot for the serial In Secret, which was released as The Black Secret.

Moving Picture World, 12-July-1919

This was Pearl's last serial except for Plunder, which was released in 1923.

Moving Picture World, 12-July-1919

This article about people who write serials mentions the upcoming The Black Secret and other Pearl White serials.

Moving Picture World, 12-July-1919

Pathé took out a multi-page ad which included a list of the seven serials that they planned to release in 1919-1920.  

Moving Picture World, 12-July-1919

Here is the section devoted to The Black Secret, which would be released in November.  

Moving Picture World, 19-July-1919

Fox talked about how Pearl would new appear in "Multiple-Reel Features."  "Mr Fox will build a producing until around his new star which will exploit her to the utmost." The meaning of the word "exploit" has changed over the years. 

Moving Picture World, 19-July-1919

This ad has Pearl as one of the "Five Stars Who Make Up the Feminine Constellation for the Serial Program of Pathe."

Buster Keaton is Back in the Cast -- July 27, 2019

Film Fun, July, 1919

"This is Fatty -- no, this is Magnate Roscoe Arbuckle, president and owner of the Vernon Club of the Pacific Coast League."

Moving Picture World, 05-July-1919

Buster Keaton was back from his service in the Army.  Roscoe made his next film, "Back Stage," in a leased studio in Glendale.  It is a good one.

Moving Picture World, 12-July-1919

Roscoe and Henry Lehrman were planning to share a new studio they were building in Culver City.

Moving Picture World, 12-July-1919

"Buster Keaton is back in the cast ... The company is working at the Astra Studio in Glendale, Cal., pending preparation of a new studio located probably in Culver City."

Motion Picture News, 05-July-1919

Buster talked about his deafness, which resulted from the horrible climate in Europe.

Moving Picture World, 19-July-1919

Roscoe explained that he was not entering into a partnership with Pathé Lehrman, but would "become a tenant of the plant."

Moving Picture World, 26-July-1919

The new studio in Culver City was going to be near Thomas H Ince's studio.

Moving Picture World, 05-July-1919

Not only did Roscoe own a professional baseball team, he was also a big fight fan. He rode on a special train with other celebrities to see the Dempsey-Willard heavyweight championship which took place in Toledo, Ohio on 04-July-1919:
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2019/07/fight-should-have-ended-in-one-round.html

Walter Brennan 125 -- July 25, 2019

www.listal.com

Actor Walter Brennan was born 125 years ago today, on 25-July-1894.  Walter Brennan was incredibly old when I was a kid.  I don't think I ever watched The Real McCoys on first run or in syndication, but I knew he was the old guy with the hat.  When I got older, I saw that he was incredibly old in the late 1930s, in movies like Sergeant York and The Westerner.  He served in the Army in World War One.

www.listal.com

David Hedison, RIP -- July 24, 2019

I vaguely remember Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (I almost typed 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea). My sister was the science fiction fan, so she was probably the one who wanted to watch it.  I remember David Hedison, who played the Captain of the sub.  He had a distinctive voice.  Later I saw The Fly and the James Bond movies where he played Felix Leiter.

Doug Turned on the Jazz -- July 23, 2019

Moving Picture World, 26-July-1919

Douglas Fairbanks was one of the biggest stars in the movies. VIPs who came to Hollywood wanted to meet him. Here Doug serenades America's ace of aces, Eddie Rickenbacker.

Moving Picture World, 19-July-1919

Fairbanks was making a western.  The cowboys put on a rodeo to honor Captain Eddie.

Moving Picture World, 19-July-1919

The manager and owner of San Francisco's Rialto Theater visited Doug.  The item mentions that Doug "was working on his first release for 'Big-4'." This had become a common term for United Artists, based on the combination  of Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin and DW Griffith.

Moving Picture World, 26-July-1919

Doug had three units working on his first UA film, His Majesty, the American.

What Is a Super-Picture -- July 21, 2019

Moving Picture World, 05-July-1919

"Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and DW Griffith represent the very height of box-office power."

Moving Picture World, 12-July-1919

"And power alone -- box-office power -- makes the super-picture." "First Release September 1st A DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS PICTURE."

Moving Picture World, 19-July-1919

"United Artists Corporation is building solely on this basis -- the products of real stars with demonstrated and unrivalled box-office profits." 

Moving Picture World, 26-July-1919

"Arm yourself with the quality product of the screen's foremost artists and you need fear no competition."

Appolo 11 50 Years -- July 20, 2019

50 years ago today, on 20-July-1969, Commander Neil Armstrong and Pilot Buzz Aldrin rode the lunar lander to the surface of the moon. Armstrong was the first person to step on the surface. Michael Collins manned the command module. We gathered at our house to watch and my mom made a cake that looked like the moon.

Harold Lloyd -- The Perils of Popularity -- July 19, 2019

Moving Picture World, 19-July-1919

100 years ago this month, in July, 1919, Harold Lloyd appears to be distracted in this scene from "At the Old Stage Door." Snub Pollard and leading lady Bebe Daniels appear to be unhappy.

Moving Picture World, 12-July-1919

Because Harold was wearing a top hat, "He is mistaken for the manager and treated royally, but later the deception is discovered, and he is hustled out in the rain."

Moving Picture World, 12-July-1919

Harold is in danger of catching flies.

Moving Picture World, 12-July-1919

Harold helps Bebe take aim in "Billy Blazes, Esq."

Moving Picture World, 05-July-1919

"This is a good burlesque."

Moving Picture World, 12-July-1919

"It is full of rapid, snappy action, and while it is a broad burlesque, still it some of the real thrill of the 'wild and wooly' border story."

Moving Picture World, 19-July-1919

We saw last month that  Bebe Daniels, Harold's leading lady since 1915, had signed to appear in features produced by Cecil B DeMille.

Moving Picture World, 12-July-1919

"She has just completed a comedy series with Harold Lloyd and Harry Pollard."  Only 18 years old, Bebe is rightly described as "ingenue and comedienne."

Did the Girl Finally Circumvent the Hooded Terror? -- July 17, 2019

Wid's Daily, 02-July-1919

Billy West, the Genuine Article -- July 15, 2019

Moving Picture World, 26-July-1919

Billy West closely imitated Charlie Chaplin in a long series of comedies for different studios. While Chaplin was making the excellent Mutual comedies, West was making imitations of Chaplin's Essanay comedies. Before we saw West move from King-Bee to Bull's Eye. This month we'll see him move from Bull's Eye to Emerald.

Moving Picture World, 26-July-1919

In this ad over his signature, Billy attests that he is now working for the Emerald Motion Picture Company.

Moving Picture World, 05-July-1919

Bull's Eye Film Corporation was still releasing Billy West comedies, along with movies starring Gale Henry and a monkey.

Moving Picture World, 05-July-1919

Exhibitors were happy with the Bulls Eye Billy West comedies.

Moving Picture World, 12-July-1919

"The Bulls Eye idea is: The funniest pictures from the two funniest stars, Billy West and Gale Henry."

Moving Picture World, 19-July-1919

Bulls Eye sued Billy, who had fulfilled three months of a two year contract, and then left to sign with Emerald, claiming that Bulls Eye "failed to live up to its agreement."  This article says that Billy prevailed.

Bastille Day, 2019 -- July 14, 2019

In honor of Bastille Day, here is an item about Pathés "All for Liberty," which featured the Bastille Day Victory Parade in Paris:

https://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2019/07/happy-bastille-day-2019-july-14-2019.html

Film Daily, 31-July-1919

Pathé News No. 62 celebrated Bastille Day.  

Charlie Chaplin as a Poor Farmer Romeo -- July 13, 2019

Moving Picture World, 26-July-1919

100 years ago this month, in July, 1919, Charlie Chaplin's third production for First National, "Sunnyside," was in release. This unique newspaper ad used a typewriter sketch.

Moving Picture World, 26-July-1919

"William Brandt, manager of Feltman's Open Airdome, hired an imitation Charlie Chaplin to lead a real cow up and down Surf Avenue..."

Moving Picture World, 05-July-1919

Chaplin's second First National release, "Shoulder Arms," was still setting records.

Moving Picture World, 05-July-1919

Chaplin was a big fight fan.  He rode on a special train with other celebrities to see the Dempsey-Willard heavyweight championship which took place in Toledo, Ohio on 04-July-1919:
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2019/07/fight-should-have-ended-in-one-round.html

Moving Picture World, 12-July-1919

Meanwhile back home, Chaplin's wife Mildred Harris was expecting.

Moving Picture World, 19-July-1919

Their child, Norman Spencer Chaplin, was born on 07-July-1919.

Moving Picture World, 19-July-1919

"Here's to Charles Chaplin, Junior!" Actually, Charlie was Charles Chaplin, Junior.  "May he live to laugh and grow fat, just fat enough, at the comedy of his father."

Moving Picture World, 26-July-1919

Norman Spencer Chaplin died three days after he was born, apparently from a birth defect.  "The  news of the doctor's discovery was kept from every one except the father, and Mrs. Chaplin was not told of her baby's condition until after the infant had passed away." 

Moving Picture World, 05-July-1919

The Clark Cornelius Corporation purchased the rights to Chaplin's excellent series of 12 two reelers which had been released by Mutual.

Moving Picture World, 12-July-1919

Essanay continued to try to squeeze everything it could out of Chaplin's earlier movies.

Moving Picture World, 26-July-1919

"Do you know him?" Sure.

Moving Picture World, 26-July-1919

Looking forward to making movies for United Artists, Chaplin "declares he will depart from jazz comedies..." This is an interesting use of the world "jazz."

Moving Picture World, 19-July-1919

Charlie's half brother Syd had started an airline to carry people from San Pedro to Catalina Island. Charlie's leading lady, Edna Purviance, christened the first airplane.

Moving Picture World, 12-July-1919

Syd planned to resume his acting career at Paramount.