Jiggs in Society -- April 29, 2020

Cartoonist George McManus created Bringing Up Father, the story of Maggie and Jiggs, in 1913.  It was still appearing in the Sunday Examiner-Chronicle when I was a kid.  It finally stopped in 2000.

The Christie Company produced Jiggs in Society, starring Johnny Ray as Jiggs, Margaret Cullington as Maggie and Laura La Plante as their daughter Nora.

August Wilson, RIP -- April 27, 2020

www.listal.com

Playwright August Wilson was born 75 years ago today, on 27-April-1945.  I have not seen his whole Pittsburgh Cycle, but I have enjoyed everything of his that I have seen.  He was great with language.

Clarine Seymour 100 Years -- April 25, 2020

Washington Times, 25-April-1920

Clarine Seymour dazzled audiences in films like DW Griffith's The Idol Dancer but died after an operation.

YOUNG FILM STAR DIES

FOLLOWING OPERATION

Miss Clarine Seymour Appeared Here On Screen Last Week in "The Idol Dancer."

NEW YORK, April 27 -- Miss Clarine Seymour, one of the youngest and most popular motion picture players, died here on Sunday evening following an operation at the Misericordia Hospital from intestinal ailment. The passing of Miss Seymour removes from the motion picture screen an exceptionally talented player, one whose career was just blossoming into a particularly bright future. Her work In "The Girl Who Stayed at Home." "True Heart Susie," "Scarlet Days" and "The Idol Dancer" established her as an actress of unusual charm and beauty. Funeral services will be held tomorrow at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Albert V. Seymour, her parents, at New Rochelle, N. Y. Miss Seymour appeared on the screen here last week In "The Idol Dancer," which was featured at the Rialto Theater.

Indiana Daily Times, 02-April-1920

www.listal.com

Down on the Farm -- April 23, 2020

Film Daily, 01-April-1920

Film Daily offered two single column advertising cuts for Mack Sennett's feature Down on the Farm.  I see Ben Turpin in the left one, and perhaps Marie Prevost.  I see Teddy the Dog in the other. 

Not a Movie Serial -- April 21, 2020

Motion Picture World, 03-April-1920

Escapologist Harry Houdini wanted to expand his exposure to the public, so he began to appear in movies starting in 1918 with the serial The Master Mystery. Terror Island was his second full-length feature.  The South Seas plot was silly. 

Brian Dennehy, RIP -- April 19, 2020

www.listal.com

I remember seeing actor Brian Dennehy on television and in movies for most of my life.  He reminded me of some of the old Irishmen at Saint Monica's.  I don't think he died of COVID-19. 

www.listal.com

www.listal.com

San Francisco Earthquake -- April 18, 2020

New York Clipper, 20-May-1906

Today is the 114th anniversary of the 1906 Earthquake and Fire in San Francisco.

A mere month after the 1906 Earthquake and Fire in San Francisco, Lubin offered several films showing the city before and after the disaster.

The Following Films are Ready for Delivery:

PANORAMA OF SAN FRANCISCO IN FIRE AND SMOKE

REFUGEES ON MARKET STREET

ARRIVAL OF REFUGEES AT OAKLAND

THE FIRST TROLLEY CAR AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE

WATERFRONT REFUGEES LEAVING SAN FRANCI8CO

THE DOOMED CITY
Showing Falling Houses and Burning Homes.

REFUGEE8 AT THE GOLDEN GATE PARK
Soldiers Feeding the Starving People.

PANORAMAS OF NOB HILL, CHINATOWN, ST. FRANCIS HOTEL
Showing the Terrible Havoc Wrought by Earthquake and Fire.

PANORAMAS OF MARKET STREET, THE CITY HALL, TAKEN FROM THE ROOF OF THE U. S. MINT

THE MISSION
This Section has been Entirely Destroyed.

REFUGEES IN JEFFERSON SQUARE
An Appalling Sight.

SHOT FOR LOOTING
Showing the Dead Bodies of Human Hyenas.

AND 36 OTHERS. ALSO 100 SLIDES NOW READY.

FILMS 11 CENTS PER FOOT.

Bebe Daniels in Everywoman -- April 17, 2020

Arizona Republican, 04-April-1920

After Bebe Daniels left Harold Lloyd's company, she made a series of successful movies for Paramount-Artcraft. 

Griffith Does it Again -- April 15, 2020

Motion Picture News, 03-April-1920

DW Griffith's The Idol Dancer starred Richard Barthelmess and Clarine Seymour. Clarine Seymour dazzled audiences but died later in the same month.

www.listal.com

Mort Drucker, RIP -- April 13, 2020

Mad Magazine, December 1972

Mad Magazine's Mort Drucker has died.  It was not because of COVID-19.  When I read Mad, his film and television parodies were my favorite feature.  I could tell which actresses he liked.

Happy Easter, 2020 -- April 12, 2020

www.listal.com

Happy Easter, everyone.  Harvey is my favorite rabbit. 

Wire Briefs from Coast -- April 11, 2020

Motion Picture News, 10-April-1920

Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks married in a quiet ceremony at Doug's house.  It was the second marriage for each. 

"Buster Keaton will be featured in a Metro two-reel comedy to be made under the supervision of Lou Anger..."

Grocery Store Advertises Semon Comedy at the Rialto -- April 9, 2020

Motion Picture News, 03-April-1920

San Francisco's Rialto Theater created a grocery store in its lobby to advertise Larry Semon's comedy "The Grocery Clerk." 

El Paso Herald, February 28, 1920

Honor Blackman, RIP -- April 7, 2020

www.listal.com

I was sorry to learn about the death of actress Honor Blackman.  She was Cathy Gale, John Steed's partner before Emma Peel, on The Avengers.  She was accomplished at judo.  She may be best remembered for playing Pussy Galore in Goldfinger.  My daughter laughs every time she hears that name. 

Charles Chaplin in The Ham Artist -- April 5, 2020

Alaska Daily Empire, 27-April-1920

Juneau, Alaska's Palace Theater feature Charlie Chaplin in "The Ham Artist," a reissue of Keystone's "The Face on the Bar Room Floor."  Treat 'Em Rough was a Fox film starring Tom Mix. 

Golden Gate Park 150 -- April 4, 2020

The City of San Francisco had planned to have a big celebration today for the 150th birthday of Golden Gate Park.  It will be rescheduled because of the pandemic.

I don't know the date of the park's actual birthday.  I grew up a couple of blocks uphill from the park.  I spent a lot of time there with my family, my friends and on my own.  I never completed my project to walk around the perimeter of the whole park.

In 1915, while Charlie Chaplin was making movies for Essanay across the bay in Niles, his team shot most of the second half of "A Jitney Elopement" in the western end of Golden Gate Park and along the Great Highway.  Here we see the Dutch windmill in operation.

The official website.

Harold Lloyd in His Second New $1000,000 Comedy -- April 3, 2020

Great Falls, Montana Daily Tribune, 20-April-1920

Harold Lloyd's name was in larger type than the star of the feature's, William Farnum.  I also threw in an ad for DW Griffith's Broken Blossoms. 

Toshiro Mifune 100 -- April 1, 2020

www.lucywho.com

Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune, Akira Kurosawa's muse, would have been 100 years old today.  I have enjoyed every movie in which I have seen him. 

Keaton and Costello -- April 1, 2020

Motion Picture Classic, October, 1926

Producer Joe Schenck tried to borrow Dolores Costello from Warner Brothers to star with Buster Keaton in Romeo and Juliet.