Thursday, April 29, 2021

That Wonderful Boy Breezy Eason -- April 29, 2021

 

Motion Picture News, 09-April-1921

B Reeves Eason, Jr, often billed as Breezy Eason, Jr was the son of director B Reeves Eason. The elder Eason directed his son in several movies. Carmel Myers was born in San Francisco. Her father was a rabbi.

Motion Picture News, 16-April-1921

"...the fascinating little flapper." Gladys Walton retired in 1925.

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Douglas Fairbanks -- Just As Good As The Mark of Zorro -- April 27, 2021

 

Motion Picture News, 02-April-1921

The Nut was Douglas Fairbanks last modern-dress movie until his second talkie, Reaching for the Moon, in 1930. I like this ad. 

Motion Picture News, 09-April-1921

Motion Picture News, 23-April-1921

Doug's next production, The Three Musketeers, was ready to start shooting. 

Sunday, April 25, 2021

Chaplin -- The Picture That is Sweeping America -- April 25, 2021

 

Motion Picture News, 16-April-1921

Charlie Chaplin's first self-directed feature film, The Kid, co-starred Jackie Coogan. They made a wonderful team. This newspaper ad makes interesting use of a pair of baggy pants.

Motion Picture News, 16-April-1921

Motion Picture News, 16-April-1921

Motion Picture News, 16-April-1921

Motion Picture News, 16-April-1921

Motion Picture News, 23-April-1921

Motion Picture News, 16-April-1921

Chaplin's next production was a short film. The final title was "The Idle Class." 

Motion Picture News, 16-April-1921

Charlie's brother Sydney had been away from the screen for a while. King, Queen and Joker was a flop.

Friday, April 23, 2021

Buster Keaton in The High Sign -- April 23, 2021

 

Motion Picture News, 16-April-1921

I remember when "The High Sign" was thought to be a lost film. I am glad they found it.

listal.com

A high sign is a subtle hand signal, as we see in this example with Paul Newman in The Sting, used by members of a group to communicate secretly with each other. As you see in the example from "The High Sign," the high sign used by the Blinking Buzzards, a Black Hand-style gang of criminals, is a little less subtle. 

Learn more about Buster Keaton's silent shorts in my blogathon post: https://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/2021/03/buster-keatons-silent-shorts-reel-one.html

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Horror Shockers -- Rodan -- April 21, 2021

 



Vampirella 51, 1976

When I was young, I read Warren Publishing magazines like Famous Monsters of Filmland and Vampirella. The magazines always carried ads for back issues, posters and movies. I didn't have a film projector, so I read the ads with envy. Eventually, I got a Super-8 projector, but I didn't have enough money to buy any of these films. A friend had Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein and I was fascinated by the way it had been cut down to less than 20 minutes.

This section of an ad has Rodan, Varran the Unbelievable and The Werewolf. I like Japanese monster movies like Rodan. Varran the Unbelievable is a Japanese movie I have never seen. The Werewolf is a 1956 American film produced by Jungle Sam Katzman. 

Vampirella 51, 1976

Vampirella 51, 1976

Vampirella 51, 1976

Monday, April 19, 2021

Tim Curry, 75 -- April 19, 2021

 

listal.com

Actor, singer and dancer Tim Curry was born 75 years ago today, on 19-April-1946. His most famous performance was as Dr Frank N Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Years later, when our daughter was growing up, I thought it was funny that he appeared in many movies for children, especially Disney films. 

listal.com


Sunday, April 18, 2021

Universal's International Mirror #2 -- April 18, 2021

Universal Weekly, 16-December-1922

Today is the 115th anniversary of the 1906 Earthquake and Fire in San Francisco.

Universal's International Mirror #2, "part of a series recording historical events in the United States," showed images taken before and after the Earthquake and Fire.

Universal Weekly, 16-December-1922


Saturday, April 17, 2021

Fausto Theater, Havana -- April 17, 2021

 

Motion Picture News, 16-April-1921

"Havana's Best Known Theater."

Cine-Mundial, January, 1921


Friday, April 16, 2021

Peter Ustinov 100 -- April 16, 2021

 

listal.com

Peter Ustinov, actor, novelist, stagewright, director and all sorts of other things, was born 100 years ago today on 16-April-1921. He brought dry humor to many roles. 

During World War Two, he served in the British Army. Private Ustinov worked with Lieutenant Colonel David Niven on a movie script. The only way they could respect etiquette and work together was for Ustinov to be appointed as Niven's batman (military valet).

listal.com

listal.com


Thursday, April 15, 2021

The Cabinet of Dr Caligari -- April 15, 2021

 

Motion Picture News, 23-April-1921

In 1919, German director Robert Weine created The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, an expressionist horror film. The movie premiered in Germany in early 1920. 100 years ago this month, it premiered in the United States and caused an uproar. I think I first saw it on KQED-Channel 9, our local PBS station. 

Conrad Veidt played Cesare, the Somnambulist.

Motion Picture News, 23-April-1921

Werner Krauss played Doctor Caligari.

Motion Picture News, 23-April-1921

Lil Dagover played the unfortunate Jane.

Motion Picture News, 23-April-1921

Cesare and Caligari.

Motion Picture News, 30-April-1921

Caligari at the fair.

Motion Picture News, 16-April-1921


Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Tom Mix Lobby Display -- April 13, 2021

 

Motion Picture News, 16-April-1921

The Star Theater in Portland, Oregon used this elaborate lobby display to advertise Tom Mix's movie The Untamed.

Motion Picture News, 30-April-1921

The Moon Theater in Omaha used this poster to advertise Tom Mix in The Road Demon. It ran during the same week as the Auto Show. 

Sunday, April 11, 2021

So Excruciatingly Funny -- April 11, 2021

 

Motion Picture News, 30-April-1921

In his wonderful book The Silent Clowns, Walter Kerr suggested that Lloyd Hamilton was one of the great silent comics whose reputation has diminished. This is because many of the Mermaid Comedies that Hamilton made for Educational during the 1920s are lost. Perhaps this is also because he was not able to succeed as a star in feature films.

Jimmie Adams appeared in many silent comedies and, for a time, was one of the Hallroom Boys

Saturday, April 10, 2021

Chuck Connors 100 -- April 10, 2021

 


Actor and athlete Chuck Connors was born 100 years ago today, on 10-April-1921. He played basketball for the Boston Celtics and baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Chicago Cubs and the Pacific Coast League Los Angeles Angels. I never saw The Rifleman, but some of my friends loved it. They grew up in markets where the reruns were on television. I have seen him in many movies and television shows, but the only one that comes to mind is Airplane II: The Sequel

Friday, April 9, 2021

William S Hart Says Wear Your Mask -- April 9, 2021

 

Great Falls Tribune, 16-April-1921

William S Hart reminds us to wear our masks. I love the design of this ad.

Motion Picture News, 30-April-1921

The Palace Theater in Des Moines advertised O'Malley of the Mounted.

Motion Picture News, 16-April-1921

When I saw Neal Hart's name, I assumed he was one of many actors who changed their last names to match famous stars, but Neal Hart was this gentleman's real name and he was said to be a distant cousin of William S Hart.

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

The Laughs That Lloyd Builds -- April 7, 2021

 

Motion Picture News, 23-April-1921

I like the locomotive. 


Motion Picture News, 02-April-1921

Here we see a two-page trade ad for Harold's latest. 

Monday, April 5, 2021

Roscoe Arbuckle -- Excellent Use of Cut-Outs -- April 5, 2021

 

Motion Picture News, 30-April-1921

The Garden Theater in Des Moines promoted Brewster's Millions with this display.

Motion Picture News, 16-April-1921

The Rivoli Theater in Philadelphia promoted The Life of the Party with cardboard cutouts.

Motion Picture News, 23-April-1921

I thought it was ironic that Roscoe's frequent leading lady at Comique was going to appear in a movie with Al Roscoe. I found a photo of him,. but he doesn't look that interesting. 


Sunday, April 4, 2021

Happy Easter, 2021 -- April 4, 2021

listal.com

Happy Easter, everyone. Actress and director Ida Lupino poses with a darned big Easter Bunny.

Saturday, April 3, 2021

Larry Semon -- The Rent Collector -- April 3, 2021

 

Motion Picture News, 30-April-1921

100 years ago this month, the Vitagraph featured Larry Semon in "The Rent Collector."

Motion Picture News, 02-April-1921