Shining Stars Reflected in Big Money at Your Box Office -- August 31, 2024

Exhibitors Herald, 23-August-1924

Baby Peggy Montgomery had been Century's biggest comedy star. She moved on to starring in features for Universal and Sol Lesser's Principal Pictures. Captain January was based on a book by Laura E Richards. Shirley Temple starred in a later adaption. Eddie Cline directed.

Exhibitors Herald, 16-August-1924

"To say nothing was left undone in an exploitation way in connection with Baby Peggy's 'Captain January' during its Broadway showing is to pass up showmanship ideas and stunts of real worth."

Exhibitors Herald, 30-August-1924

Century produced several series of short comedies. Series starred Pal, the Dog, Bubbles the Chimp, the Century Follies Girls, Wanda Wiley, Buddy Messinger, the Century Comedy Kids, Al Alt and Hilliard Karr. 

Exhibitors Herald, 09-August-1924

Wanda Wiley starred in "Her City Sport" with Harry McCoy and Hilliard Karr. Charles Lamont directed. 

Exhibitors Herald, 30-August-1924

Albert Herman directed Wanda Wiley in "The Trouble Fixer."

Exhibitors Herald, 23-August-1924

Albert Herman directed Al Alt in "Eat and Run."

Exhibitors Herald, 23-August-1924

The Christie Brothers, Al and Charles, produced comedies in Hollywood. Charles took care of the business and Al produced their films and directed many of them. Educational released their short comedies. 

Exhibitors Herald, 23-August-1924

Christie stars of the Bobby Vernon, Walter Hiers and Neal Burns comedies appeared in the "Greater Movie Season" parade in Los Angeles. 

Exhibitors Herald, 23-August-1924

Oscar Micheaux -- The Greatest Negro Photoplay of All Times! -- August 30, 2024

Oklahoma City Black Dispatch, 06-August-1949

Oscar Micheaux was a pioneer in producing what were known as race films. His last film, The Betrayal, premiered at a Broadway theater. This was a first for any race film. The movie is probably lost.

Note: "This is not a Chapter play, but due to its great length must be shown in three weekly installments!"

Saint Louis Argus, 24-August-1924

I couldn't find much about race films from 100 years ago this month, but I did see that Evelyn Preer, who appeared in many of Oscar Micheaux's movies, was touring in vaudeville with Edward Thompson (no relation), a fellow member of the Lafayette Players.

Sabatini's "The Sea Hawk" a Masterpiece -- August 29, 2024

Exhibitors Herald, 12-July-1924

Frank Llloyd made an epic production based on Rafael Sabatini's novel The Sea Hawk. The 1924 movie, which starred Milton Sills and Enid Bennett, bears no relation other than its title to the 1940 The Sea Hawk with Errol Flynn.

Exhibitors Herald, 14-June-1924

San Francisco Bulletin, 30-August-1924

I like the design of this ad, especially the sail and the waves. 

San Francisco Bulletin, 30-August-1924

The San Francisco Bulletin's critic approved.

Exhibitors Herald, 23-August-1924

Meanwhile, Vitagraph was preparing an adaption of another pirate novel by Sabatini, Captain Blood.

Charles Boyer 125 -- August 28, 2024

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French actor Charles Boyer was born 125 years ago today, on 28-August-1899. He appeared in some interesting movies in France and the US, like Algiers, Gaslight and The Constant Nymph. His voice inspired the Warner Brothers cartoon character Pepe Le Pew. He was a chevalier of the Légion d'honneur. (31/DSC_0049.JPG)

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Motion Picture Herald, 22-October-1955

In July, 2012 we paid a return visit to Hollywood and Grauman's Chinese Theater. Sid Grauman was a San Francisco showman who came to Los Angeles and built three major houses, the Million Dollar, the Egyptian, and the Chinese. The theater has hosted many film premieres, but is most famous for the hand and footprints (and hoofprints and nose prints and other types of prints) in the forecourt. Charles Boyer left his hand and footprints in the forecourt on 24-July-1942.

Exhibitors Herald, 23-August-1924

"Oh! What a kick!"

Bessie Love is a Veteran Trouper -- August 27, 2024

Picture Play, August, 1924

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.

Exhibitors Herald, 30-August-1924

Bessie Love starred in Sundown, a western story mostly shot in Texas. Laurence Trimble and Harry O Hoyt directed.

Picture Play, August, 1924

Bessie Love sits at her typewriter.

Exhibitors Herald, 23-August-1924

Harry O Hoyt also directed The Lost World, an adaption of Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World. Willis O'Brien used stop-motion animation to bring the dinosaurs and other prehistoric beasts to life.

Picture Play, August, 1924

Bessie Love "on location for 'All Day.'" I guess this is an alternative title for Dynamite Smith, which was set in Alaska. 

Exhibitors Herald, 23-August-1924

"The real thing!"

Marion Davies -- In the Days of 1776 -- August 26, 2024

Exhibitors Herald, 16-August-1924

Marion Davies appeared in a string of successful movies.

Exhibitors Herald, 02-August-1924

Janice Meredith was an epic tale of the American Revolutionary War. Here we see the Battle of Trenton and Janice Meredith meeting George Washington, who was played by Joseph Kilgour.

Picture Play, August, 1924

Here we see Washington crossing the Deleware, the Battle of Trenton and Marian with her co-star Harrison Ford. This is not the contemporary Harrison Ford.

Exhibitors Herald, 23-August-1924

New York's Cosmopolitan Theater was specially decorated for the premiere of Janice Meredith.

Exhibitors Herald, 09-August-1924

San Francisco Bulletin, 30-August-1924

Note Gino Severi's eyebrows. 

Exhibitors Herald, 23-August-1924

"It's hundred proof!"

Volatile Little Clara Bow -- August 25, 2024

Picture Play, August, 1924

"Volatile little Clara Bow will be given a splendid chance in the leading feminine role of "Wine," a Universal special production."

Exhibitors Herald, 23-August-1924

Gena Rowlands and Alain Delon, RIP -- August 24, 2024

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Gena Rowlands has died. She was wonderful in all sorts of movies and television shows. She appeared in many movies directed by her husband John Cassavetes. 

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Alain Delon died. He was good. 

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Shelley Long 75 -- August 23, 2024

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Actress Shelley Long was born 75 years ago today, on 23-August-1949. I remember her as the leading lady on Cheers.

Rialto Theater, Soerabaya, Java -- August 22, 2024

Exhibitors Herald, 16-August-1924

The Rialto Bioscope theater in Surabaya, Java featured The Dangerous Age, an American film. 

Buster Keaton's New Humorous Sketch -- August 21, 2024

Exhibitors Herald, 23-August-1924

Buster's The Navigator was set aboard an ocean liner that was adrift. Captain John A O'Brien (Dynamite Johnny) was a real-life captain and pilot on coastwise vessels.

The "Butler" is Charles Spencer Chaplin -- August 20, 2024

Exhibitors Herald, 16-August-1924

Charlie Chaplin tries to find his bearings while working on The Gold Rush in the High Sierras. 

Exhibitors Herald, 23-August-1924

Impresario Sid Grauman met with Charlie up in the mountains. 

Exhibitors Herald, 30-August-1924

Charlie's friends Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks returned from a 20,000 mile, six-month trip. Here we see Charlie helping with the luggage. Note his white shoes and Doug's two-tone shoes.