Never a Penrod Like Ben Alexander! -- July 27, 2023

Motion Picture News, 07-July-1923

Indiana author Booth Tarkington was very 100 years ago, but I don't think people read his stories and novels much today.  When I was a kid, the only thing I knew about him was that he wrote the novel that Orson Welles used as the basis for The Magnificent Ambersons.  I was already in college when I learned that F Scott Fitzgerald was a great admirer of Tarkington.  Inspired by this, I went to the Anza Branch Library and took out Penrod: His Complete Story, a collection of stories about a boy who grows up.

In 1922, a movie based on Penrod, starring Wesley Barry and directed by Mickey Neilan, was a hit.

In 1923, First National released a sequel, Penrod and Sam, starring Ben Alexander. William Beaudine directed again. This would be the first of three adaptions. William Beaudine also directed the 1931 version. 

Motion Picture News, 28-July-1923

In 1908, Booth Tarkington and Harry Leon Wilson wrote a play called Cameo Kirby. It was filmed in 1914, and then John Ford directed a remake in 1923, starring John Gilbert. In 1930, it was remade as a talkie musical starring some guy I have never heard of. 

Fox Film Corporation -- 20 Years of Progress (Part Three) -- July 1, 2023

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

100 years ago last month, the Fox Film Corporation celebrated "20 Years of Progress." 

Fox paid for a gaudy color section to promote its wares. 

William Fox purchased his first nickelodeon in 1904. He went on to develop a nationwide chain of movie theaters and to found one of the major production companies on the film industry. He overexpanded and lost everything in the Great Depression.

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

I wonder what the third sister could not have gotten away with. 

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

Swedish director Mauritz Stiller made The Blizzard in America. "And it ain't a fit night out for man or beast!"

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

Does it Pay? I don't know, does it? The film is probably lost.

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

Lambert Hillyer, who directed a lot of westerns, made The Plunderer. This film is also probably lost.

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

Cameo Kirby was based on a play by Booth Tarkington. John Ford Directed.

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

Soft Boiled looks unique; it may still survive. The leading lady was Billie Dove. John G Blystone directed.

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

Most of Fox's famous authors are not famous today. I have read or at least heard of Booth Tarkington, Maurice Maeterlinck, Selma Lagerlöf, Gouverneur Morris and Zane Grey. 

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

Shirley Mason was Viola Dana's sister. Fox was trying to change Buck Jones' billing to Charles Jones. I like Buck better.

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

Some of Fox's "World's Foremost Directors and Scenario Writers" are still well-known, like John Ford and J Gordon Edwards. Note that is only one woman.

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

Al St John and Clyde Cook had their own series of short comedies. Fox introduced a new line of Imperial Comedies. I like image of the Sphinx being tickled. Egyptian subjects were very popular because of the recent discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb.

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

"More Thrills, Prettier Girls, Funnier Gags" Fox Sunshine Comedies frequently featured pretty girls and animals. Fox Educational Entertainments were "Thrilling, amusing, different and yet Informative..." 

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

Fox News, later Fox Movietone News, produced newsreels in the United States until 1963. The television network later disgraced the name Fox News. 

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

Fox Film Corporation -- 20 Years of Progress (Part One) -- June 29, 2023

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

100 years ago this month, the Fox Film Corporation celebrated "20 Years of Progress." 

Fox paid for a gaudy color section to promote its wares. 

William Fox purchased his first nickelodeon in 1904. He went on to develop a nationwide chain of movie theaters and to found one of the major production companies on the film industry. He overexpanded and lost everything in the Great Depression.

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

"The Motion Picture Version/Mightier Than the Book."

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

The Governor's Lady was based on a novel by Alice Bradley and a play produced by David Belasco. Belasco, a native of San Francisco, liked naturalism. For The Governor's Lady, he built a Child's Restaurant onstage and the actors prepared food in the kitchen. 

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

Great image. Notice that Bela Lugosi played a supporting role. 

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

John Ford directed Tom Mix in North of Hudson Bay. Dig that sweater. 

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

Gentle Julia starring Bessie Love, was based on a novel by Booth Tarkington.

 

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

"Mr Gallagher and Mr Shean -- First Appearance in Pictures." Ed Gallagher and Al Shean were a vaudeville comedy team. Al Shean was the Marx Brothers' uncle. Their mother Minnie was his sister.

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

"Old King Tut would marvel at The Shepherd King. Egyptian subjects were very popular because of the recent discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb.

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

The Shadow of the East was based on a novel by EM Hull, the man who wrote The Sheik.

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

Six Cylinder Love was based on a play by William Anthony McGuire. Ernest Truex starred in the play on Broadway and then in the movie.

Motion Picture News, 30-June-1923

The Temple of Venus shot partially in Santa Cruz, California, was to star Jean Arthur (very young) and Phyllis Havers. Jean Arthur was replaced by Mary Philbin early in the shooting.

The Magnificent Ambersons -- February 18, 2022

Motion Picture News, 11-February-1921

One hundred years ago this month, the Vitagraph announced plans to film Booth Tarkington's 1919 novel The Magnificent Ambersons. The now-lost film was released in 1925 as Pampered Youth. 

Mansfield Ohio News-Journal, 01-February-1922

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The more famous adaption was Orson Welles' version made in 1942.

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In 2002, the A&E Network produced an adaption based on Welles' original script. 

Booth Tarkington 150 -- March 14, 2018

Time, 31-December-1929

Indiana author Booth Tarkington was born 150 years ago, on 14-March-2018.  I don't think people read his stories and novels much today.  When I was a kid, the only thing I knew about him was that he wrote the novel that Orson Welles used as the basis for The Magnificent Ambersons.  I was already in college when I learned that F Scott Fitzgerald was a great admirer of Tarkington.  Inspired by this, I went to the Anza Branch Library and took out Penrod: His Complete Story, a collection of stories about a boy who grows up.

Seattle Star, 23-January-1915

Booth Tarkington and Harry Leon Wilson wrote a play called Cameo Kirby.  It has been filmed several times.  Dustin Farnum, who had played the role on stage, starred in the 1914 version.  John Gilbert played the part in a 1923 version directed by John Ford.  Irving Cummings directed a 1930 version which starred J Harold Murray.  I have never heard of him, either.

Motion Picture Magazine, February, 1922

As far as I can tell, 1922's Penrod, starring Wesley Barry and directed by Mickey Neilan, was the first movie based on a Penrod story.  Ben Alexander played Penrod in a 1923 adaption of Penrod and Sam, also directed by Mickey Neilan.  Ben Alexander played Jack Webb's first partner on the television version of Dragnet.

Billy Mauch played Penrod in three talkies, Penrod and Sam (1937), Penrod and His Twin Brother and Penrod's Double Trouble, both in 1938.

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Monsieur Beaucaire was a play by by Booth Tarkington and Evelyn Greenleaf Sutherland.  Rudolph Valentino and Bebe Daniels starred in a 1924 version.  Bob Hope and Joan Caulfield appeared in a 1946 adaption.

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In 1942 Orson Welles based his second feature film on The Magnificent Ambersons, but the movie got butchered by the studio after he left for another project.  There was also a television adaption in 2002.