Rex the Marvelous Stallion in The Devil Horse -- February 17, 2026

In honor of the beginning of Chinese New Year, the Year of the Fire Horse, here is Rex, King of the Wild Horses, starring in The Devil Horse.  Rex was a big stallion who appeared in features produced by Hal Roach and serials for Mascot. 

The Old Corral (http://www.b-westerns.com/) has some nice stories about Rex and links where you can download some of his movies. 

The ad is from the 06-June-1926 Film Daily.

Today is also Mardi Gras and the beginning of Ramadan.

Harold Lloyd -- No Limit of Una-Lloyd Joy! -- June 15, 2024

Casper Daily Tribune, 13-June-1924

I like this pair of ads for Harold Lloyd's Girl Shy that appeared in the Casper Daily Tribune. Here we see Harold hanging onto the pole of a trolley car during the movie's great chase. 

"Lloyd-laughs galore!
Chills and thrills by the score!
And love? See the world's
play-boy step! Such pep!
No limit of Una-Lloyd joy!"

It took me a minute to see that "Una-Lloyd joy!" was a play on "unalloyed joy." I must be getting slow in my old age. 

Casper Daily Tribune, 15-June-1924

"Actually, he feared

the pretty girls --
But in his dreams?
Oh, B-B-Boy!
What a Romeo"

Casper Daily Tribune, 15-June-1924

Casper Daily Tribune, 17-June-1924

"Oh Boy! It's Funny."

Casper Daily Tribune, 17-June-1924

"Conspicuous in his support is pretty Jobyna Ralston ... Jobyna brings to the screen a distinctive type of beauty, young, dainty and refreshing." 

Photoplay, June, 1924

Photoplay, June, 1924

Film Daily, 15-June-1924

Harold's next movie was released as Hot Water. That is a better title than Hubby. 

Photoplay, June, 1924

Before he developed "The Glass Character," Harold Lloyd played Lonesome Luke. Bebe Daniels was his leading lady in most of the Luke shorts. 

Photoplay, June, 1924

Snub Pollard supported Harold in the Lonesome Luke shorts. Bebe is not involved in this shot. 

Photoplay, June, 1924

Harold consults with Hal Roach, who produced all of his short films. 

Dumb Dora Does Her Daily Dozen -- December 29, 2023

Motion Picture News, 01-December-1923

Baby Peggy Montgomery was Century's biggest comedy star.

Motion Picture News, 15-December-1923

Baby Peggy's first feature film appearance was in The Darling of New York, which was directed by King Baggott.

Motion Picture News, 08-December-1923

Baby Peggy had recently signed a contract to make features for Sol Lesser's Principal Pictures. Her first production would be Captain January, an adaption of the book by Laura E Richards. Shirley Temple later starred in an adaption of the same book. 

Photoplay, December, 1923

Motion Picture News, 08-December-1923

Pal the Dog was another popular Century star. 

Film Daily, 22-December-1923

Christie advised exhibitors to stop stoking the egos of big producers and start entertaining their customers with well-made short films. 

Film Daily, 14-December-1923

Educational offered free ad mats for their short subjects. These could be run as stand-alone newspaper ads or inserted into larger ads. Dorothy Devore as "Dumb Dora Does Her Daily Dozen" in "Kidding Katie." Lots of Ds and Ks. I like the dog.

Film Daily, 28-December-1923

Motion Picture News, 08-December-1923

Educational released series of short comedies made by many different producers. Cameo Comedies were one-reelers.

Motion Picture News, 08-December-1923

"Laurel is making 'em all look to their laurels." That is an awful picture of Stanley. 

Motion Picture News, 08-December-1923

Motion Picture News, 22-December-1923

Motion Picture News, 22-December-1923

"Real people doing really funny things in a really human way." Hal Roach's Spat Family movies were situation comedies. 

Motion Picture News, 22-December-1923

Hal Roach's Our Gang pursues Baby New Year 1924. 

Motion Picture News, 15-December-1923

Motion Picture News, 08-December-1923

Snub Pollard appeared in a series of two-reelers for Hal Roach. 

Motion Picture News, 15-December-1923

Jobyna Ralston --- October 6, 2023

Picture Play, October, 1923

Jobyna Raulston's career progressed rapidly from supporting Paul Parrot (Charley Chase's brother) in Hal Roach one-reelers to supporting Harold Lloyd in features to starring in Wings. She was beautiful. 

People Love Dog Stories -- September 29, 2023

Motion Picture News, 08-September-1923

One of Jack London's most popular novels, set in the Klondike Gold Rush, The Call of the Wild, has been made into at least five motion pictures and one television series.  This is a beautiful image of Buck. Hal Roach produced this version and Fred Jackman directed. Jack Mulhall played John Thornton, Buck's last master. People love dog stories. 

Motion Picture News, 29-September-1923

Look at that face. 

Motion Picture News, 22-September-1923

Strongheart was born in Germany and trained to work for the police and the Red Cross during World War One. After the war, the dog's owner could not afford to keep him, so he placed him with a kennel in the United States. Director Lawrence Trimble saw Strongheart and persuaded screenwriter Jane Murfin to purchase him. Trimble trained Strongheart and directed him in four movies. Strongheart got burned by a studio light in 1929 and died from a tumor caused by the burn. Strongheart was one of the first German Shepherd dogs to star in a movie. I love the goggles on Strongheart and Lady Jule.

Motion Picture News, 08-September-1923

Rin-Tin-Tin was the biggest dog star of all. During the last days of World War One, Lee Duncan, an American soldier who loved dogs, found Rinty and his sister with their dying mother in a damaged German kennel. Duncan tried to bring the puppies to America, but the female died. Duncan trained Rinty and got him into the movies, where he showed great natural talent. Chester Franklin directed Where the North Begins. 

Marie Mosquini -- September 6, 2023

Cine-Mundial, September, 1923

Cute Italian-American actress Marie Mosquini starred in hundreds of short comedies. Hal Roach often teamed her with Snub Pollard. I remember her best as Buster Keaton's wife in "One Week." They had great chemistry together. After she retired from movies around 1930, she married her second husband, Phonofilm inventor Lee De Forest. 

Los Angeles Times, 01-February-1922

This item says Marie Mosquini and Snub Pollard got engaged. I think she was already married to her first. They never married each other, as far as I know. Anyway, they look happy.

Lloyd's First Serious Attempt at Straight Farce -- August 7, 2023

Motion Picture News, 11-August-1923

Why Worry?, despite some racist elements, is one of Harold Lloyd's funniest films. It was his first film with new leading lady. Jobyna Ralston. Harold and Jobyna are supported by a giant, John Aasen.

Motion Picture News, 04-August-1923

"Why Worry? is Lloyd's first serious attempt at straight farce." "Serious"/"Farce"? Interesting combination. 

Motion Picture News, 04-August-1923

Industry big shots saw Why Worry?  in a private screening and commended it.

Motion Picture News, 04-August-1923

I have been searching through Sunday Chicago Tribunes from the summer of 1923 and I haven't found this "full page Sunday comic."

Motion Picture News, 25-August-1923

This article and the next one mention Lloyd's practice of previewing his films. 

Motion Picture News, 11-August-1923

Motion Picture News, 25-August-1923

Harold's movie, Girl Shy, would be his first production after his breakup with Hal Roach. 

Motion Picture News, 25-August-1923

Harold awarded his new leading lady, Jobyna Ralston, with a three-year contract.

Motion Picture News, 11-August-1923

Contrary to popular rumors, Harold did not plan to shift the distribution of his independent features from Pathé to United Artists. 

Motion Picture News, 04-August-1923

Safety Last continued to do well in wide distribution. Exhibitors tried various gimmicks to promote the movie. An exhibitor in Charlotte used a streetcar decorated with banners and posters. An aviator made a stunt flight to promote the film. 

Motion Picture News, 04-August-1923

Meanwhile Hal Roach and Pathé were redistributing Harold's one-reelers. I wonder if these include Lonesome Lukes and glass pictures, or just the latter. I like the image of Harold in an auto. 

Motion Picture News, 04-August-1923

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:

Big V Riot Squad: Baby Peggy and Big Peggy -- January 26, 2023

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