Taking a Break 2022 -- December 6, 2022

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While recovering from an operation and dealing with a death in the family, I am taking a short break. Some regular items like the cat pictures will continue unabated.

Judy Garland -- Thanksgiving 2022 -- November 24, 2022

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Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I'm grateful for health and life, my family, my students and my coworkers.

The photograph shows Judy Garland dressed as a Pilgrim and a turkey dressed as a turkey.

Universal Joy Week -- November 21, 2022

Film Daily, 12-November-1922

Baby Peggy Montgomery grew to become Century's biggest comedy star, even surpassing her old comrade Brownie the Century Wonder Dog. I like the caricatures of the Century stars, especially Brownie and Queenie the Trick Horse.

Motion Picture News, 25-November-1922

Motion Picture News, 11-November-1922

The Christie Film Company was a major producer of short comedies from 1911 to 1933. Educational distributed their films. Al Christie was the director and Charles Christie ran the business. Life Magazine film critic Robert E Sherwood wrote "The Christies are about the only comedy producers since Sidney Drew died who have been able to strike a happy medium between light farce and slap-stick, and it is to be hoped that they will continue the good work -- for the field is limitless."

Motion Picture News, 25-November-1922

A Classic Photodrama You Will Long Remember -- November 20, 2022

Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, 30-November-1922

This ad for The Schemers, a Reol Production, is one of the more elaborate designs that I have seen for a race film. That's a pretty girl, but I don't know she was. I wonder if she was Edna Morton. "You will be proud to see what strides have been made by the colored artists who enact the principal roles in this picture."

Twin City Daily Sentinel, 16-November-1922

On 15-April-1922, the Tuskegee Institute, now Tuskegee University, dedicated a monument, “Lifting the Veil of Ignorance,” to its first principal, educator Booker T Washington. Reol Productions made "A Tuskegee Pilgrimage," a short documentary about the ceremonies.

Topeka Daily Capital, 26-November-1921

Spitfire was another Reol production. It starred Edna Morton and Lawrence Chenault. "Go-Get-'Em-Hutch" was a mainstream movie serial. 

Vicksburg Evening Post, 22-November-1922

The Crimson Skull was a western directed by Richard E Norman. The all African-American cast starred Lawrence Chenault and Anna Bush. The run at Vicksburg's Princess Theater featured a personal appearance by Steve Reynolds, who many will remember as the hero's one-legged friend and mechanic in The Flying Ace, a later Norman production, and the only one which is known to survive. Why Men Forget was a mainstream film starring Evelyn Brent. 

Vicksburg Evening Post, 24-November-1922

"6 Reel Western with Plenty of Action." Fightin' Devil was a mainstream western directed by and starring Robert McKenzie. 

Vicksburg Evening Post, 22-November-1922

"Race Talent Score Triumph."

Dallas Express, 25-November-1921

I have mentioned before that I greatly admire John Harris, owner and manager of the Grand Central Theater in Dallas, who had a policy of showing race films. Unfortunately, there were not enough race films in distribution to allow him to show only race films. This week he showed Erich von Stroheim's popular Foolish Wives.

Daily Ardmoreite, 30-November-1922

Springfield Ohio was soon to have its first movie theater for African-American audiences. 

Sioux Falls Argus-Leader, 18-November-1922

I could not find any references to race film pioneer Oscar Micheaux's movies, but here is a review of his latest novel. I can't tell if the tone is sincere or snarky. I think it is sincere, but it could be read as snarky.

F Scott Fitzgerald -- The Beautiful and Damned -- November 19, 2022

Film Daily, 26-November-1922

Warner Brothers promoted their planned adaption of Fitzgerald's second novel, The Beautiful and Damned. I need to read that again.

Marie Prevost played Gloria Gilbert and Kenneth Harlan played Anthony Patch. Prevost later married Harlan in real life.

Universal Changes Name -- November 18, 2022

Moving Picture World, 25-November-1922

The Universal Film Manufacturing Company changed its name to the Universal Pictures Corporation. Management worried that the old name made them sound like a company that produced raw film stock. 

A Few of the Thrills in Sherlock Holmes -- November 17, 2022

Casper Daily Tribune, 07-November-1922

John Barrymore played Sherlock Holmes in a loose adaption of William Gillette's play. I didn't enjoy the movie much, but Barrymore certainly looked like Holmes. I like the illustration. Notice that at the bottom of this ad for the America Theater in Casper, Wyoming There is a pass for Mrs Jessie M Haggerty plus one. 

Casper Daily Tribune, 08-November-1922

Another ad for the American has an Annie Oakley for M N Castle plus one. 

Seattle Star, 13-November-1922

"The shadow of Moriarity on the wall." Thrilling. 

Motion Picture News, 04-November-1922

Educational supported Children's Book Week with an ad for the British-produced series of short films which starred Eille Norwood as Holmes.