What Happens When Comedy Meets Tragedy? -- April 17, 2019

Moving Picture World, 12-April-1919

100 years ago this month, in April, 1919, Charlie Chaplin met with actress Alla Nazimova and director Herbert Blaché to look at stills from her latest movie, The Brat.

Moving Picture World, 23-August-1919

A colorful ad for The Brat.

Moving Picture World, 05-April-1919

A severe windstorm hit "Hollywod" on 17-March-1917, damaging Chaplin's studio.  The article says he had finished shooting his next film, "Sunnyside."

Moving Picture World, 05-April-1919

Meanwhile, back at Essanay, they were pushing rereleases of Chaplin movies.

Moving Picture World, 05-April-1919

There is that word, "revivified," again.

Moving Picture World, 26-April-1919

World Film Corporation took over the distribution of some of the Essanays.

Moving Picture World, 26-April-1919

"Mr. Chaplin is the biggest box office bet in the world today because he projects entertainment pure and simple to all classes and conditions of audiences."

Moving Picture World 04-July-1914

The World Film logo featured an elephant.

Beatriz Michelena Studies Hypnotism -- November 28, 2015

Motion Picture World, 16-October-1915

George Middleton, a San Francisco automobile dealer, married the beautiful and celebrated prima donna (that's how she was billed), musical comedy actress Beatriz Michelena in San Francisco in 1907. She left the stage for a while, then returned in 1910. In 1912, Middleton, son of a famous family in the lumber business, founded the California Motion Picture Company in San Rafael, north of San Francisco. At first he made promotional films for his auto business, but in 1914 he began to produce dramatic features starring his wife. Salomy Jane still survives and is very impressive. Most of the CMPC movies were destroyed in a fire.

Motion Picture World, 30-October-1915

Salvation Nell was a popular play.  "It is not a drama of the religious type, but the Salvation Army is used as the background for a gripping story of life in a big city."  World Film Corporation was releasing CMPC movies.

Motion Picture World, 30-October-1915

"Miss Michelena, in particular, gives an impressive characterization."

Motion Picture World, 06-November-1915

"Most beautiful and versatile artist appearing in motion pictures..."

Motography, 13-November-1915

This article mentions that she plays a child of wealth rather than a poor woman. 

Motion Picture World, 30-November-1915

The Unwritten Law was being produced "on elaborate scale." 

Open-Air Stage of World Film Co at Fort Lee, N. J. -- June 2, 2015

Motography, 15-May-2015

A view of an open air stage of the World Film Company in Fort Lee, New Jersey.  Fort Lee was a big center of production during the Teens.  Note the cameraman's platform over the stringers.  I have seen that in other photos. 

Moving Picture World 04-July-1914

Selznick Practicing the "Poverty Flat" -- February 28, 2015

Moving Picture World, 13-February-1915

George Middleton, a San Francisco automobile dealer, married the beautiful and celebrated prima donna (that's how she was billed), musical comedy actress Beatriz Michelena in San Francisco in 1907. She left the stage for a while, then returned in 1910. In 1912, Middleton, son of a famous family in the lumber business, founded the California Motion Picture Company in San Rafael, north of San Francisco. At first he made promotional films for his auto business, but in 1914 he began to produce dramatic features starring his wife. Salomy Jane still survives and is very impressive. Most of the CMPC movies were destroyed in a fire.

 By the time of the ad above, the CMPC had moved its distribution from Alco, which was in financial trouble, to Lewis J Selznick's World Film Corporation. 

Moving Picture World, 06-February-1915

George Middleton was probably able to get some of his society acquaintances to let the company use their homes. 



Motography, 13-February-1915

Michelena was injured during the shooting of Salomy Jane. 

Moving Picture World, 13-February-1915

I think the Motography and Moving Picture World articles were copied from the same press release. 

Moving Picture World, 20-February-1915

I wonder if anyone has a collection of this publication. 

Motography, 27-February-1915

I like the use of original gowns. 

Moving Picture World, 27-February-1915

Lewis J Selznick, father of David O and Myron, was the head of World Film Corporation.  The Cliff House is still there.  I'd like to see the "Poverty Flat Trot." 

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Happy 100th birthday to Zero Mostel, a force of nature.  The Producers.  The Front.  A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.  He was blacklisted. 

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www.listal.com

Every time I told someone that Louis Jordan had died, that person said "I thought he was dead."  Every time.  He sure was good-looking, and he could act.  He worked for the Resistance during World War II.  I remember Hitchcock telling Truffaut that Jourdan was too good-looking and clean for his part in The Paradine Case, but that is hard to hold against someone.  I didn't like Gigi, but I liked most of the movies I saw him in. 

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I know many people who are more serious Trekkies than I will have a bad time dealing with the death of Leonard Nimoy.  I admired his acting, his directing and his frequent comments on society.  He was an NCO in the army.  I think the first movie serial I saw was Zombies of the Stratosphere.  A San Francisco television station, I think KPIX Channel 5, had a Saturday night locally produced magazine show to ran the Republic serial because of Star Trek.  Leonard Nimoy had a small part.  I had to watch every episode.  I wanted to be the Rocket Man or whatever he was called in that movie.  I remember his seasons in Mission: Impossible.  I liked it when he appeared on Fringe. 

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Working in the Roof of the Peerless Studio -- February 2, 2015

Motography, 27-February-1915

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 the World Film Corporation.  In this photo, we see him directing Alias Jimmy Valentine in the Peerless Studio in Fort Lee, New Jersey.  Earlier we saw another image of the Peerless studio:
http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/2014/03/peerless-features-producing-companys.html

When the photo appeared in the 11-July-1915 Washington Evening Star, this was the caption:
"'TO take the film 'Alias Jimmy Valentine' Maurice Tourneur built a fifty-foot platform, sent his camera man to the top of it, climbed up himself, and went to work. Below him was the bank, set for one of the famous scenes of this problem thriller. Ordinarily it is impossible to take more than two sides of one room in a movie. Tourneur took the whole of three rooms with one camera. He did it with this platform; and the resulting film showed three different bits of acting by three different sets of actors in three different rooms all at once.  The fact that the platform was not strong enough the first time that it almost threw the camera man and director to the floor below is a detail. It was rebuilt and the picture went on."

Tourneur was famous for making visually beautiful films.  His son was director Jacques Tourneur.

East Oregonian, 29-March-1915

This ad from Pendleton, Oregon's Pastime Theater shows the relative importance of the feature Alias Jimmy Valentine and the Chaplin Essanay short "The Champion." 

Greatest and Most Beatuful Artist Now Appearing In Motion Pictures -- January 27, 2015

Moving Picture World, 02-January-1915

George Middleton, a San Francisco automobile dealer, married the beautiful and celebrated prima donna (that's how she was billed), musical comedy actress Beatriz Michelena in San Francisco in 1907. She left the stage for a while, then returned in 1910. In 1912, Middleton, son of a famous family in the lumber business, founded the California Motion Picture Company in San Rafael, north of San Francisco. At first he made promotional films for his auto business, but in 1914 he began to produce dramatic features starring his wife. Salomy Jane still survives and is very impressive. Most of the CMPC movies were destroyed in a fire.
By the time of the ad above, the CMPC had moved its distribution from Alco, which was in financial trouble, to Lewis J Selznick's World Film Corporation.  This ad touts Michelena's portrayals of Salomy Jane, Mignon and Lovey Mary in Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch. 

Moving Picture World, 02-January-1915

Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch was based on a popular novel by Alice Hegan Rice.  It has been filmed at least four times.  WC Fields appeared in the 1934 Paramount production. 

Moving Picture World, 09-January-1915

Lewis J Selznick's World Film Corporation handled an ambitious number of movies.  This ad has the CMPC productions of Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch and Mignon, along with a feature starring Clara Kimball Young, "The Most Popular Star in Pictures." 

Moving Picture World 04-July-1914

The World Film logo featured an elephant. 

Moving Picture World, 09-January-1915

Here is a closer view of the Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch section of the ad. "A complete circus was used in one of the scenes of this great production."

Moving Picture World, 09-January-1915

And here is a closer view of the Mignon section.  Mignon was a popular opera by Ambroise Thomas.  Here the diva poses with a rabbit. 

Moving Picture World, 09-January-1915

"The role of Lovey Mary is taken by Beatriz Michelena, the beautiful California opera star...The beauty and intelligence of Beatriz Michelena in the role of Lovey Mary make her very acceptable."

Moving Picture World, 16-January-1915

Moving Picture World, 16-January-1915

This week's World Film Corporation ad still had the Clara Kimball Young film and Mignon, and adds a movie starring Lillian Russell, who had been a famous actress 20 years before. 

Moving Picture World, 16-January-1915

This week's Mignon section does not have Michelena or the rabbit. 

Moving Picture World, 23-January-1915

"The Most Artistic Work Ever Seen on the Screen." 

Moving Picture World, 23-January-1915

Here is a detailed view of Michelena and the rabbit.  I like the CMPC logo with the California Grizzly. 

Moving Picture World, 23-January-1915

This week's World Film Corporation ad still had Mignon and the Lillian Russell movie, along with Money, a United Keanograph production.  I like the name United Keanograph. 

Moving Picture World, 23-January-1915

This week's Mignon section has Michelena and the rabbit, but the rabbit does not look well. 

Moving Picture World, 23-January-1915

"The beautiful leading woman intelligently blocks out the part rather than distills its essence for us."

Moving Picture World, 30-January-1915

Moving Picture World, 30-January-1915

\"America's most beautiful prima donna in a film dramatization of a world famous grand opera."  It must be nice when one's spouse owns the production company.