Monday, July 31, 2023

Feet the Whole World Worships -- July 31, 2023

Motion Picture News, 07-July-1923

George du Maurier published a novel called Trilby in 1895 and it was a best seller. Someone named a hat after the heroine. 

In 1923, First National released the fourth of eight movie adaptions. French-born actress Andree Lafayette played Trilby, a beautiful artists' model known particularly for her feet. That would explain the image in this trade ad. Arthur Edmund Carewe, whose name I have always liked, played villainous musician and hypnotist Svengali, who is obsessed with Trilby. Trilby is beautiful but she can't carry a tune in a picnic basket. Svengali hypnotizes her and makes her a great singer. This was Andree Lafayette's first and last film in the US. She went back to France and continued her career. James Young directed. 

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

Motion Picture News, 21-July-1923

listal.com

The first talkie adaptation, titled Svengali, starred John Barrymore and Marian Marsh. This had to have been a great role for Barrymore. Archie Mayo directed. 

Sunday, July 30, 2023

The Duncan Sisters -- July 30, 2023

San Francisco Examiner, 01-August-1923

Rosetta and Vivian Duncan were experienced vaudeville performers. In 1923 they started to tour in a musical comedy, Topsy and Eva, based on the characters from Uncle Tom's Cabin. Rosetta played Topsy in blackface. Vivian, playing Eva, served as the straight person. In 1927, they starred in a movie adaption. Please excuse the racism.


Saturday, July 29, 2023

Hunchback Showing Soon -- July 29, 2023

Film Daily, 03-July-1923

The Hunchback of Notre Dame, starring Lon Chaney, was being prepared for release. 

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

"Elaborate Showings Will Exploit Feature Previous to General Release." 

Friday, July 28, 2023

Magic -- Mirth -- Mystery -- Magnificence -- July 28, 2023

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

Director Maurice Tourneur began making films for Éclair in France. In 1914 he came to America to make movies for Éclair's subsidiary. Later he moved to other American companies. He went back to France after disagreements with M-G-M.

The Brass Bottle was based on a novel by British author Thomas Anstey Guthrie. It was about a man , played by Harry Myers, who purchased an antique, which turned out to contain a genie. The first film adaption of the book was made in 1914. 

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

The four-page ad is beautiful. 

listal.com

There was a talkie version in 1964, which ironically starred Barbara Eden, who did not play the genii. Tony Randall played the man who met the genie. 

The story clearly inspired the television show I Dream of Jeannie, where Barbara Eden did play the genie. 

Thursday, July 27, 2023

Never a Penrod Like Ben Alexander! -- July 27, 2023

Motion Picture News, 07-July-1923

Indiana author Booth Tarkington was very 100 years ago, but I don't think people read his stories and novels much today.  When I was a kid, the only thing I knew about him was that he wrote the novel that Orson Welles used as the basis for The Magnificent Ambersons.  I was already in college when I learned that F Scott Fitzgerald was a great admirer of Tarkington.  Inspired by this, I went to the Anza Branch Library and took out Penrod: His Complete Story, a collection of stories about a boy who grows up.

In 1922, a movie based on Penrod, starring Wesley Barry and directed by Mickey Neilan, was a hit.

In 1923, First National released a sequel, Penrod and Sam, starring Ben Alexander. William Beaudine directed again. This would be the first of three adaptions. William Beaudine also directed the 1931 version. 

Motion Picture News, 28-July-1923

In 1908, Booth Tarkington and Harry Leon Wilson wrote a play called Cameo Kirby. It was filmed in 1914, and then John Ford directed a remake in 1923, starring John Gilbert. In 1930, it was remade as a talkie musical starring some guy I have never heard of. 



Wednesday, July 26, 2023

DeMille Filming Last Biblical Scenes -- July 26, 2023

Motion Picture News, 28-July-1923

Cecil B DeMille's first production called the Ten Commandments was mostly set in the present day, but included a spectacular prologue set during Exodus. Jeanie Macpherson wrote the script. 

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

Motion Picture News, 28-July-1923


Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Douglas Fairbanks -- Eight Centuries Brushed Aside by Camera Lens -- July 25, 2023

Los Angeles Evening Express, 03-July-1923

100 years ago this month, Douglas Fairbanks' huge production of Robin Hood was now showing at popular prices around the US and Canada.

Brownsville Herald, 15-July-1923

Calgary Albertan, 07-July-1923

"First Time in Western Canada at These Popular Prices."

Calgary Albertan, 07-July-1923

I like the design of this ad.

Monday, July 24, 2023

Give Your Passions a Free Ride to Hollywood. Play Souls for Sale -- July 24, 2023

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

Novelist Rupert Hughes, uncle of Howard Hughes produced, wrote and directed Souls for Sale, a feature-length farcical film about Hollywood. Souls for Sale was thought to be lost for many years, but turned up in the late 20th Century. The film is remembered for a skad of cameos by various stars and directors. 

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

Sunday, July 23, 2023

To Give Radio Talks on Pictures -- Juy 23, 2023

Motion Picture News, 07-July-1923

Radio was a new medium in 1923. Station WOR, Newark was about one year old. Alfred J McCosker is cited as being "of The New York Morning Telegraph," but at some point he was president of WOR. McCosker was going to do a series of talks called "Current Moving Pictures" which would consist of "films news and reviews."

Motion Picture News, 07-July-1923

"broadcasted"

Washington Evening Star, 09-July-1923

 

Saturday, July 22, 2023

Happy Snappy Peppy - July 22, 2023

Motion Picture Magazine, July, 1923

Jocko, a stuffed animal, receives instructions from Baby Peggy.

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

A New York doll manufacturer made a deal with the Stern Brothers of Century Comedies to make a Baby Peggy doll. This is not related to the Baby Peggy dolls made by disabled artist Peggy Wheeler:

Motion Picture News, 07-July-1923

Fox promoted Imperial Comedies, their new brand of two-reelers. "Because of the standard set for these productions the distribution schedule is limited to 12 releases for the season."

Cine-Mundial, July, 1923

Al St John had his own series of two-reel comedies for Fox.

Motion Picture News, 07-July-1923

The Covered Wagon was the first epic western and an enormous hit. Many parodies followed, such as Hal Roach's "The Uncovered Wagon." Paul Parrott, Charley Chase's brother, was the star. JA Howe directed. 

Motion Picture News, 07-July-1923

The hero and heroine escape from jeopardy by catching a streetcar which is running across the open prairie. 

Motion Picture News, 07-July-1923

"...full of whimsey and good for a round of laughs."

Motion Picture News, 21-July-1923

This ad for Hal Roach's one-reel comedies features Paul Parrott, Stan Laurel and the Dippy-Doo-Dads. I see a dog sitting in a police vehicle, a monkey dressed as a fireman and a duck who appears to be in distress. 

Motion Picture News, 07-July-1923

"Pick and Shovel," was directed by George Jeske and starred Stan Laurel.

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

In "Kill or Cure," Stanley played a patent medicine salesman whose product could be used as "a varnish, stove polish, or bug exterminator -- delightful after shaving."  Scott Pembroke directed. 

Motion Picture News, 28-July-1923

With Harold Lloyd having flown the coop, Hal Roach's biggest success was the Our Gang Comedies. 

Motion Picture News, 28-July-1923

"Lodge Night" was directed by Robert McGowan. 

Motion Picture News, 28-July-1923

Billy West started as a Chaplin imitator but later developed his own character. He starred in an Arrow series called Broadway Comedies. 

Motion Picture News, 07-July-1923

Eddie Lyons starred in another series for Arrow. "The Love of Tut" was one of many films inspired by the recent discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun.

Motion Picture News, 28-July-1923

A bevy of performers from Christie comedies. 

Motion Picture News, 07-July-1923

Snub Pollard appeared in a series of two-reelers for Hal Roach. I have always liked the title of Snub's film "The Courtship of Miles Sandwich."

Motion Picture News, 07-July-1923

Sid Smith was a veteran comedian. He starred in a new series of two-reel films distributed by Grand-Asher, which was a fairly new company. "The Joke Smith and Gloom Chaser." 

Motion Picture News, 28-July-1923

"The Boy That Packs Em In." "King of Komedies." 

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

Grand-Asher distributed series with Sid Smith and Monty Banks. "Happy Snappy Peppy."

Motion Picture News, 07-July-1923

Scenes with Sid Smith and Monty Banks. 

Motion Picture News, 07-July-1923

"The Monarch of Mirth." "The Covered Schooner" was another parody of The Covered Wagon

Motion Picture News, 28-July-1923

"12 Two Reel Comedies/Every One a Knock-Out." 

Motion Picture News, 07-July-1923

Comic T Roy Barnes ("Do you know a man by the name of LaFong? Carl LaFong? Capital L, small a, Capital F, small o, small n, small g. LaFong. Carl LaFong.") signed with Grace Page Productions to star in a series of "two-reel domestic comedies." Domestic comedies usually went light on the slapstick. 

Paul Terry's animated Aesop's Film Fable was "The Covered Push-Cart." Another satire of The Covered