News of the Week April 29, 1916 -- April 29, 2016

The 29-April-1916 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels.

"just a sample of preparedness at Fort Scott, California.  Infantry at drill before a Selig-Tribune camera."  Fort Winfield Scott was established within the Presidio of San Francisco to command the Artillery District of San Francisco. After World War II, Fort Scott became a sub-post of the Presidio.  My father was stationed here.  "Preparedness" became a popular term as events led towards the US entering the Great War.

"When the 'bos'un' pipes "Coal Ship" the boys get busy.  Caught at Guantanamo Bay by a Pathe man."  Coal burning warships were coaled (loaded with coal) by their crews.

"Fifteen automobile ambulances for service in the battle fields of Russia, the gift of the American Red Cross.  Pathe."  An Orthodox priest blesses the new ambulances.

"Uncle Same is make new arms and legs for the crippled soldiers in Europe.  British supervisor at work.  Universal."  The war led to much new development in the science and art of prosthetics. 

"How the Selig-Tribune gathers Chicago camera news for its semi-weekly.  Editor Jack Wheeler with driver."  Someone who knows more about autos could probably identify this one. 

"Unloading supplies from the States of the U.S.A. field headquarters at Cascas Grande, Mexico.  Mutual News."  The Punitive Expedition chasing Pancho Villa established its headquarters at Casas Grandes, Mexico. 

Ann-Margaret 75 -- April 28, 2016

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Eighth Wonder of the World Ann-Margaret was born seventy-five years ago today, on 28-April-1941.  She has been nominated for Academy Awards and Grammys and she has won Emmys and Golden Globes.  She projects a wildly sexy image.

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But I haven't mentioned movies yet.  She was in Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas with Elvis Presley, Carnal Knowledge and Tommy.

xxxx

Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree in The Scottish Play -- April 23, 2016

Moving Picture News, 26-February-1916

Today is the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, on 23-April-1616.  Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, a famous British actor, came to Hollywood in 1916, the 300th anniversary, to play MacBeth for Triangle under the supervision of DW Griffith.  In My Autobiography, Charlie Chaplin wrote about how one of Tree's daughters was hot for Charlie.  Constance Collier played Lady MacBeth. I like the image of Wilfred Lucas as MacDuff. 

Motography, 05-February-1916

Moving Picture News, 26-February-1916

News of the Week April 22, 1916 -- April 22, 2016

The 22-April-1916 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels.

"The good ship Jerome Jones taking to the water for the first time, at Bath, Maine.  Pathe News."  Jerome Jones, a five-masted schooner, was launched on 31-March-1916 by GG Deering.

"Raw! Raw! for Hawvahd! The crimson crew off for first spring practice, and Captain D. P. Morgan."  The Crimson crew went on to win the 23-June-1916 regatta against Yale. 

"The allies of Uncle Sam in the 'Mexican war.'  Troops of Carranza at a noontime pause.  Selig-Tribune." Venustiano Carranza was the leader of the Constitutionlists during the Mexican Revolution and President under the new constitution in 1917.

"Ambulance of Troop G, Eighth Cavalry, picking up wounded in Mexico.  Caught by a Mutual camera reporter."  The 8th Cavalry Regiment participated in the Punitive Expedition against Pancho Villa. 

"The triple train wreck near Amerst, Ohio, recently in which twenty-five persons were killed.  Pathe News."  On 29-March-1916, three New York Central trains ran into each other in a thick fog.  About 30 people died.  The trains included the Twentieth Century Limited.

"'Getting Villa' American cavalry working their way into the mountains of Mexico.  Hearst-Vitagraph Pictorial."  Pancho Villa withdrew to the mountains to avoid pursuing US cavalry.

When the Earth Trembled -- April 18, 2016

The Motion Picture Story Magazine, September, 1913

"When the Earth Trembled" was a 1913 Lubin three-reeler which included the 1906 Earthquake and Fire in San Francisco among its events.  Reviewers remarked on how long it was and how effective were the "mechanical effects." 

Motion Picture News, 29-November-1913

The Motion Picture Story Magazine, September, 1913

The Motion Picture Story Magazine, September, 1913

The Motion Picture Story Magazine, September, 1913

The Motion Picture Story Magazine, September, 1913

The Motion Picture Story Magazine, September, 1913

The Motion Picture Story Magazine, September, 1913

The Motion Picture Story Magazine, September, 1913

The Motion Picture Story Magazine, September, 1913

News of the Week April 15, 1916 -- April 15, 2016

The 15-April-1916 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels.

"Not a submarine victim.  The wreck of the 'Herman Winter' off Boston.  From the Selig-Tribune News Films."  SS Herman Winter, carrying 800 bales of cotton, caught fire on 14-March-1916.

"Flyers are not so light on their 'feet.'  Freighting one of Uncle Sam's 'planes to Mexico. Pathe News."  The First Aero Squadron used Curtiss JN3s to perform liaison duties and aerial reconnaissance for the punitive expedition.

"Uncle Sam's boys receiving supplies on the troublesome Mexican border.  Scene from Hearst-Vitagraph News."  On 09-March-1916, Pancho Villa attached the town of Columbus, New Mexico:
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2016/03/columbus-raid-100-years-march-9-2016.html

"Rescue of an adventurous horse who plunged into a New York subway.  Taken from the Universal Weekly."  Sources say that the pavement had to be cut away to free the horse. 

"The first United States dirigible navy airshop, just previous to its first trials.  Pathe News."  This looks like the DN-1, which was based on the Parseval type, but it didn't makes its first flight until 1917.
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/parseval-airship-february-1-2011.html

"Specialists in the business of war.  Scene in the trenches at Solmka, from the Hearst-Vitagraph News."  In 1915, an Allied expeditionary force occupied the Greek port of Salonika to support the Serbians.

Wallace Reid 125 -- April 15, 2016

Cine-Mundial, May, 1921

Happy 125th birthday to actor Wallace Reid who was born on 15-April-1891.  He died tragically young on 18-January-1923. 

Everything I have read about him says what a nice guy he was, and I don't think it was just people who were trying not to speak ill of the dead. 

He worked for DW Griffith, having important parts in Birth of a Nation and Intolerance.  He starred in many comedies, including several that involved auto racing. 

He was injured in a train wreck and became addicted to morphine.  This led to his early death. 

I have enjoyed all of his movies that I have seen. 

Motography, 23-October-1915

Photoplay, January, 1921

Julie Christie 75 -- April 14, 2016

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Happy 75th birthday to beautiful British actress Julie Christie, who was born on 14-April-1941.

When the recent adaption of Thomas Hardy's Far From the Madding Crowd opened, I was telling my wife and daughter about a comment by Mick LaSalle in the San Francisco Chronicle.  I explained that Bathsheba Everdene had a problem, that every man she met fell madly in love with her.  "What a terrible problem to have," said my daughter; I detected a hint of sarcasm. 

Mick LaSalle wrote: "The ultimate failure of Far From the Madding Crowd, the latest screen adaptation of the Thomas Hardy novel, resides mainly in an area almost too delicate to mention. But as there’s no gain in hinting or talking around the issue, there’s really no alternative ... In the 1967 adaptation, directed by John Schlesinger, Bathsheba was played by Julie Christie, so the spectacle of grown men falling all over themselves made perfect sense.

 "In this new version, Bathsheba is played by ... Carey Mulligan.

"Now let’s just say straight out that it’s hardly unthinkable that a man could be in love with Carey Mulligan. Nor is it outside the realm of possibility that three men could be in love with Carey Mulligan. But three for three? Three out of three implies four out of four. It implies an irresistible force, capable of ensnaring anyone. But that force isn’t there. If it could be acted, Mulligan could do it — she’s a fine actress. But charm on that scale can’t be acted. It’s either there or it’s not."

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Coincidentally, Julie Christie was born on the same page as disgraced baseball player Pete Rose.  I find it difficult to think of two people who could be more different. 

Colonel Tim McCoy 125 -- April 10, 2016

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Happy 125th birthday to western star Colonel Tim McCoy.  He was born in Michigan on 10-April-1891.  He became a rancher in Wyoming and got to know the Native American tribes, treating them with respect.  They taught him to talk sign.

He served in the US Army during World War One.  After the war, he became Adjutant General of the Wyoming National Guard.  He served in the Army again during World War Two.

He got involved in movies by serving as a consultant on the silent epic The Covered Wagon.   He starred in a series of silent features for MGM.  When talkies came, he worked for Columbia and lesser studios.  After the war, he performed on an early television show, teaching children about western history.

I own a copy of his memoirs, Tim McCoy Remembers the West. He spoke very respectfully of the Native Americans he knew and worked with.  He reminds me a lot of a couple of my uncles, what they used to call a straight arrow.  

Moving Picture Magazine, August, 1928

News of the Week April 8, 1916 -- April 8, 2016

The 08-April-1916 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels.

"Chubby little future Jess Wiilards being weighed at Chicago's Baby Week.  A scene from the Universal Weekly."  National Better Baby Week took place in March, 1916.  Jess Willard was the very large heavyweight champion.

"One of the many varieties of gas masks used in the European war.  Pathe News Weekly."  Gas warfare took place starting early in the war.  I'm not sure this is a soldier in a gas mask.  It may be a Red Cross worker spraying disinfectant. 

"Seminole Indians give the Sun Dance before a big society affair at West Palm Beach, Florida.  Selig-Tribune.  " The Seminole Sun Dance was a festival held in West Palm Beach from 1916 to 1923 to try to get people to come to Florida.

"The cause of the Mexican war of 1916.  Funeral of the Columbus raid victimes.  Hearst-Vitagraph News."  On 09-March-1916, Pancho Villa attached the town of Columbus, New Mexico:
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2016/03/columbus-raid-100-years-march-9-2016.html

"All aboard the 'Aero sled' and we're off at forty miles an hour.  From the Mutual Weekly."  Not long after World War One, an older uncle of mine and some of his friends put an airplane engine and propeller on an ice boat.  He said it was a wonder they didn't get killed.

"These mermaids of Long Beach, California, may look 'tired' but they're not.  The tires hold 'em up.  Pathé."  Bad pun.

Gregory Peck 100 -- April 5, 2016

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Actor Gregory Peck was born 100 years ago, on 05-April-1916.  He began acting while attending Cal Berkeley.  He went to New York to pursue acting and became a life long friend of Lauren Bacall. 

In movies, he usually played a solid American man, often one with noble qualities.  His most noble performance was as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird.  Roman Holiday is one of my daughter's favorite movies. 

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News of the Week April 1, 1916 -- April 1, 2016

The 01-April-1916 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels.

"The 'boys' at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, near Chicago, awaiting the order to entrain to Mexico.  Selig-Tribune."  These soldiers may have joined the punitive expedition against Pancho Villa.  Fort Sheridan closed in 1993.

"Looks like spring!  Larry Doyle, 'king of second baseman' of New York Giants, at early practice.  Mutual Weekly."  New York Giant Laughing Larry Doyle won the batting title in 1915. 

"A thousand dollars for a dress design.  J. A. Pugh presenting prize to (M)arguerite Johnson, after the Chicago dress-making contest.  Universal Weekly."  Commodore James Pugh put up a $1000 reward for the best American-designed gown.

"Hattie is a dainty girl, but she enjoys playing 'horse' in the snow with the keepers of Central Park, New York.  Pathe News."  It looks as if Hattie is pulling a snow plow. 

"This picture, from the Pathe Weekly, gives an idea of how Villa and his men put the '___l' in Columbus, New Mex."  On 09-March-1916, Pancho Villa attached the town of Columbus, New Mexico:
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2016/03/columbus-raid-100-years-march-9-2016.html

"This is said to be a good sample of the troops Villa has gathered about him.  Hearst-Vitagraph News Pictorial."

The New Miss Marple -- April 1, 2016

The new Miss Marple movie, Vengeance at the Vicarage,  has been delayed because Agatha Christie has objected to the script, adapted by Mickey Spillane.