Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Baby Peggy -- The Biggest Little Star in the World -- July 31, 2024

Exhibitors Herald, 12-July-1924

Baby Peggy Montgomery had been Century's biggest comedy star. She moved on to starring in features for Universal and Sol Lesser's Principal Pictures. Captain January was based on a book by Laura E Richards. Shirley Temple starred in a later adaption. Eddie Cline directed.

Exhibitors Herald, 26-July-1924

"It is the big picture of the year!"

Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924

I don't know anything about Wanda Wiley, except she appeared in a large number of short comedies during the 1920s.

Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924
 
Juvenile comedian James Berry or Barry was billed as "Bubbles." Arthur Trimble later played Buster Brown.

Exhibitors Herald, 19-July-1924

Buddy Messinger and James Berry appeared together in "Budding Youth." Arvid Gillstrom directed.

Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924

Arvid Gillstrom directed a heck of a lot of short comedies. 

Exhibitors Herald, 19-July-1924

Hilliard Karr was a heavy-set comedian. He later appeared in the "Ton of Fun" series. Al Herman directed or acted in almost 100 shorts and features. Betty Welsh had a short career in films. Al Alt was a busy actor. I don't know anything about director Edward I Luddy. 

Exhibitors Herald, 12-July-1924

Another photo of Betty Welsh.

Exhibitors Herald, 12-July-1924

The Christie Brothers, Al and Charles, produced comedies in Hollywood. Charles took care of the business and Al produced their films and directed many of them. Educational released their short comedies. 

Exhibitors Herald, 12-July-1924

Exhibitors Herald, 12-July-1924

Exhibitors Herald, 19-July-1924

The Christie Studio at Sunset and Gower.

Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924

The brothers pose with their mom and a Scottie.

Exhibitors Herald, 19-July-1924

Harold Beaudine directed Jimmie Adams in "Nerve Tonic."

Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924

Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924

Jack Duffy played old guys. Harold Beaudine directed hundreds of short films and features. Jimmie Harrison appeared in short and feature comedies. 

Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924

Bobby Vernon was a popular comedian. 

Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924

Exhibitors Herald, 12-July-1924

Dorothy Devore appeared in shorts and features for Christie. 

Exhibitors Herald, 26-July-1924

Another ad for Hold Your Breath, a feature, refers to Dorothy Devore as a "female Harold Lloyd." This feature was distributed by Hodkinson.

Exhibitors Herald, 26-July-1924

T Roy Barnes is best remembered for his small and obnoxious part in WC Fields' It's a Gift. Producers Distributing Corporation released this Christie feature. 

Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924

Besides the Christie films, Educational distributed many short comedies made by other producers.

Exhibitors Herald, 12-July-1924

At this time, Lloyd Hamilton was Christie's biggest star. The title "A Self-Made Failure" was used again by a wonderful modern silent film created by Dizzy Daniels. It is available on multiple streaming services.

Exhibitors Herald, 12-July-1924

Exhibitors Herald, 12-July-1924

Lloyd Bacon directed Lige Conley and Peggy O'Neil in "Wedding Showers," a Mermaid comedy.

Exhibitors Herald, 26-July-1924

Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924

Jack White directed and produced his own series of comedies for Educational. Here he poses with Al Christie and a nice dog.

Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924

Arthur Stone was a vaudeville comic whom Hal Roach had just signed for movies. Katherine Grant was a native of Los Angeles who competed in the Miss America pageant. Martha Sleeper "Baby Star" was only 13 in 1924. 

Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924

Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924

Arthur Stone and Martha Sleeper perform an Apache dance. 

Exhibitors Herald, 12-July-1924

Charley Chase was one of Roach's most popular comedians. He starred in "Jefferies Jr" with Ena Gregory and former heavyweight champ James J Jeffries. Leo McCarey directed.

Exhibitors Herald, 12-July-1924

Stan Laurel was another popular Roach comic. Goerge Jeske directed "Wide Open Spaces."

Exhibitors Herald, 12-July-1924

Photoplay, July, 1924

The members of Our Gang keep up with their schoolwork. 

Exhibitors Herald, 19-July-1924

This item says that a fire destroyed half of Hal Roach's studio and that "It is not likely that the fire will interfere with the delivery of pictures." That seems contradictory.

Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924

"Mack Sennett Comedies Make the World Rock With Laughter." F Richard Jones directed many Sennett comedies. Ben Turpin and Harry Langdon were popular comics. Ralph Graves wrote, directed and acted in many films. Alice Day, Madeline Hurlock and Natalie Kingston were regular leading ladies for Sennett. 

Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924

Madeline Hurlock and Ben Turpin interpret Romeo and Juliet.

Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924

Del Lord directed Ben Turpin's short comedies. 

Middlesboro Daily News, 02-July-1924

Conductor 1492 with Johnny Hines was not a short comedy, but I like the image.

Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924

Universal's Hysterical History Comedies sound like something I might enjoy. 

Exhibitors Herald, 19-July-1924



Tuesday, July 30, 2024

Oscar Micheaux Moves Fast -- July 30, 2024

Baltimore Afro-American, 07-July-1924

Oscar Micheaux was a pioneer in producing what were known as race films. He not only produced films, but he roamed the country finding theaters willing to play them. 

Birmingham News, 15-July-1924

100 years ago this month, Micheaux's film Deceit was playing at Birmingham's Famous Theater. I do not know if the photo is Oscar Micheaux or an actor who appeared in the film. Evelyn Preer appeared in several race films. I know the photo is not her.

Atlanta Constitution, 29-July-1924

Meanwhile, Micheaux's Birthright, which also starred Evelyn Preer, was playing at Atlanta's Paramount, "The Home of Screen Classics." Note the section header "Amusement for Colored." 

Atlanta Constitution, 29-July-1924

"No advance in admission" means the theater was not charging extra for this show.

Atlanta Constitution, 25-July-1924

There were never enough race films produced to keep a theater like the Paramount ("For Colored Only") fully booked, so they also played mainstream films.





Monday, July 29, 2024

Mae Murray -- Bizarre But Picturesque Effects -- July 29, 2024

Exhibitors Herald, 12-July-1924

Actress and dancer Mae Murray had been a headliner in the Ziegfeld Follies. Murray is most famous today for starring in Erich von Stroheim's The Merry Widow. I like the layout of this ad for her film Circe, the Enchantress. Her husband, Robert Z Leonard, directed. 

Exhibitors Herald, 12-July-1924

The "Z" stands for "Zigler."

Exhibitors Herald, 19-July-1924

Mae Murray played a dual role, grandmother and granddaughter, in Mademoiselle Midnight. This was also directed by her husband. 

Motion Picture Magazine, August, 1924

To "Mlle Midnight" she brings the demure grace and beauty in which she is pictured above."

Photoplay, July, 1924

"This striking pose and costume illustrate the bizarre but picturesque effects which Mae Murray is so successful in obtaining." Fashion Row was a 1923 picture, also directed by Robert Z Leonard.