Friday, January 31, 2020

Anne of Green Gables -- January 31, 2020

Moving Picture World, 31-January-1920
Mary Miles Minter played Anne Shirley in an adaption of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables.  The director was William Desmond Taylor.

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Daredevil Jack -- January 29, 2020

Moving Picture World, 31-January-1920
Recently crowned heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey appeared in Daredevil Jack, a Pathé serial. The supporting cast included Lon Chaney.


Monday, January 27, 2020

Here's How They Advertise the Wurlitzer Organ -- January 27. 2020

Motion Picture World, 16-October-1926
This shows how a York County Traction Company advertised the new Wurlitzer organ at the Hippodrome Theater

Saturday, January 25, 2020

The Year of the Rat -- January 25, 2020

Film Daily Yearbook, 1929
In honor of the beginning of Chinese New Year, the Year of the Rat, here is the most famous rodent in cinema, Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse.  Mickey made his debut in 1928.


Friday, January 24, 2020

Terry Jones and Jim Lehrer, RIP -- January 24, 2020

www.listal.com
I was sad to learn of the death of medieval historian, organist, director, writer, pepper pot, Arthur Pewtey and Cardinal Biggles, Terry Jones.  Monty Python's Flying Circus was a big deal when we first saw it on PBS.  Polymath Terry Jones wrote many sketches with Michael Palin.

www.listal.com
Newsman and debate moderator Jim Lehrer has died.  He was a major bus enthusiast, with a big collection of memorabilia and buses.

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Raymond Griffith 125 -- January 23, 2020

www.listal.com
Raymond Griffith was a prominent silent comedian, but he is widely forgotten today because only one and 6/7s of his silent features are readily available.  Hands Up! is a Civil War comedy and Paths to Paradise is a caper film that is missing its last reel.  His career ended with the coming of talkies because he could only speak in a whisper.  He made one last appearance, a tiny role in All Quiet on the Western Front, and then moved to the production end of the business. Raymond Griffith was born 125 years ago today, on 23-January-1895.

Exhibitors Trade Review, 04-July-1925
Griffith's trademark was a top hat and evening clothes.  His characters were always cool, calm and collected.


Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Special Two-Reel Feature Comedy -- January 21, 2019

Seattle Star, 15-January-1920

"From Hand to Mouth" was Harold Lloyd's first film starring his new leading lady and future wife, Mildred Davis.  The "Prizma Scenic" was shot using an early color process.


Monday, January 20, 2020

DeForest Kelley and Federico Fellini 100 -- January 20, 2020

www.listal.com
I was interested to find that DeForest Kelley, Dr McCoy on Star Trek, and Federico Fellini, director of many great films, were born on the same day.

www.listal.com
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Sunday, January 19, 2020

A Screamingly Funny Comedy -- January 19, 2020

Seattle Star, 15-January-1920
"The Garage" is one of my favorite shorts starring Roscoe Arbuckle and Buster Keaton.

Seattle Star, 15-January-1920

Friday, January 17, 2020

Charles Chaplin in the Comedy Everybody Has Laughed At -- January 17, 2020

Seattle Star, 15-January-1920
The two reeler "A Day's Pleasure" is considered one of Chaplin's lesser efforts, but it received billing above the feature at the Liberty Theater in Seattle.


Saturday, January 11, 2020

Buck Henry, RIP -- January 11, 2020

www.listal.com
I was sorry to learn that Buck Henry has died.  He did all sorts of interesting things.  He was one of the creators of Get Smart.  He wrote the screenplays for movies like The Graduate, What's Up, Doc? and Catch-22.  He acted in movies like The Man Who Fell to Earth and Heaven Can Wait.

www.listal.com

Friday, January 3, 2020

Dew Drop Inn -- January 3, 2019

New Ulm Review, 31-December-1919
This ad features an interesting caricature of Larry Semon, who was appearing in "Dew Drop Inn."

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Six Years -- January 1, 2020

www.listal.com
I launched this blog six years ago today, on 01-January-2014. I split it from my other blog, The Pneumatic Rolling-Sphere Carrier Delusion.

In 2019, I participated in one blogathon and one web challenge:

The Fifth Annual Buster Keaton Blogathon:

Paramount Comedy Releases Press Books (Sep 1918-Sep 1919)
Comique: Roscoe, Buster, Al and Luke
http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/2019/02/comique-roscoe-buster-al-and-luke.html

October, 2019 Movie Challenge


https://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/2019/10/october-2019-movie-challenge-october-31.html

Battleboro Daily Reformer, January 9, 1919

In January 2019 I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the founding of United Artists. I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the death of Theodore Roosevelt.

I wrote about the 125th birthday of actress ZaSu Pitts and the 100th birthdays of actress Carole Landis, actor Robert Stack, genius Ernie Kovacs and baseball player and civil rights activist Jackie Robinson.

I noted the death of actress Carol Channing and actor Dick Miller.

I commended Fritzi, the host of the blog Movies, Silently, who published an article in Smithsonian Magazine's website.

International Motion Picture Almanac - 1937-1938

In February, 2019 I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of United Artists.

I wrote about the beginning of the Year of the Pig.

I noted the 125th birthdays of directors John Ford and King Vidor and comedian Jack Benny.  I noted the 100th birthdays of Eva Gabor and Jack Palance.

I wrote about the death of actress Julie Adams, actor Albert Finney, Monkee Peter Tork and director Stanley Donen.

Moving Picture World, 01-March-1919

In March, 2019 I wrote about a DVD produced by Fritzi, the proprietor of the wonderful blog Movies Silently.

I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the birth of actress Jennifer Jones.

I mourned the death of director Agnès Varda.
www.listal.com
In April, 2019 Notre Dame de Paris caught fire.  It suffered great damage.

I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the death of actor Sidney Drew.

I wrote about the deaths of actress Bibi Anderson and director John Singleton.

Moving Picture World, 24-May-1919
In May, 2019 I posted on the 150th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad.

I noted the 125th anniversary of the birth of comic writer and performer Fred Allen. 

I wrote about the deaths of actor Peter Mayhew, actress Peggy Lipton, singer Doris Day, actor Tim Conway and actress Machiko Kyo.

Motion Picture World, 28-June-1919
In June, 2019 I wrote about the musical Hamilton.

I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the births of critic Pauline Kael and actor Slim Pickens.

I wrote about the deaths of actress Peggy Stewart and director Franco Zeffirelli.

Wid's Daily, 02-July-1919
In July, 2019 I noted the 100th anniversary of the Dempsey-Willard fight.  I wrote about the end of Mad Magazine.  I noted the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing.

I marked Walter Brennan's 125th birthday.

I wrote about the deaths of comedian Arte Johnson, actress Valentina Cortese and actors Rip Torn and David Hedison.


Moving Picture World, 06-September-1919

In August I wrote about the bomb explosion that nearly cost Harold Lloyd his career and his life. 

I wrote about how Lucille McVey, Mrs Sidney Drew, returned to making movies after Sidney Drew died in April. Mildred Harris Chaplin returned to acting after the death of her newborn son. A Goodyear Blimp crashed through the roof of a Chicago bank, killing many. I wrote about the famous lost film The Miracle Man. United Artists was getting ready for its first release. I wrote about the famous not-lost film The Eyes of Youth, which starred Clara Kimball Young and featured an early appearance by Rudolph Valentino. 

We noted the 200th birthday of Herman Melville. 

DA Pennebaker died, as did Peter Fonda. 

listal.com

In September I wrote about the 100th anniversary of United Artists' first release. I wrote more about The Eyes of Youth with Clara Kimball Young. 

I noted the 125th birthdays of Billy Gilbert and Jean Renoir. I wrote about the 100th birthdays of Diana Lewis and Barbara Britton. 

At the end of September, I took another break. 

Exhibitors Herald, 27-June-1925

In October, I was taking a break so I didn't write much.

I wrote about the 125th birthday of Del Lord. 

Diahann Carroll died. 

lucywho.com

In November, I continued to take a break. 

I wrote about the 200th anniversary of George Eliot's birth. 

listal.com

In December, I continued to take a break. 

Actress Anna Karina died. 

At the top of this post we see actress Rochelle Hudson, who had a long career in movies.