Where the Strong Win -- June 27, 2020

Pendleton East Oregonian, 01-June-1920

100 years ago this month, Tom Mix was appearing in Rough Riding Romance at the Arcade Theater in Pendleton, Oregon, along with a Big V Comdey starring Earle Montgomery and Joe Rock, "Throbs and Thrills." 

Larry Semon Says That His New Comedy Will Be the Funniest Ever -- August 3, 2019

Moving Picture World, 02-August-1919

100 years ago this month, in August, 1919, Larry Semon was busy making two reelers for Vitagraph.

Moving Picture World, 02-August-1919

"Between the Acts" was set in a vaudeville theater.  Larry appeared as a member of the audience and "a combination call-boy and property man."  This reminds me of Chaplin's "A Night at the Show."

Moving Picture World, 09-August-1919

"The subject, following the comedian's idea of having each comedy based on an entirely different theme, in no resembles his former efforts."

Moving Picture World, 23-August-1919

Most of the Vitagraph comedy units were on location.  Joe Rock had poison oak.

Moving Picture World, 23-August-1919

Larry was scouting for locations for a film set in a logging camp.

Moving Picture World, 23-August-1919

"Tootsies and Tamales" sounds like fun.  I don't know what is a "Yat."

Moving Picture World, 30-August-1919

Charles Amador got sued by Charlie Chaplin when he changed  his name to Charlie Aplin and became a Chaplin imitator.

Moving Picture World, 30-August-1919

The comedy crews at the Vitagraph were busy.

Moving Picture World, 30-August-1919

Larry's comedies were being greeted with enthusiasm in New  York.

They've Seen and Laughed at Larry Semon Comedies -- May 3, 2019

Moving Picture World, 17-May-1919

100 years ago this month, in May, 1919, the Vitagraph released the second film in its new Larry Semon comedy series, separate from the Big V comedies. The Larry Semon Comedies were two-reelers. How about those pants?

Moving Picture World, 17-May-1919

"Many scenes are shown, but no plot is left in the spectator's mind."

Moving Picture World, 24-May-1919

"Larry Semon is seen as a house detective..."

Moving Picture World, 10-May-1919

Larry in prison stripes and his assistant MS Pebbles (I can't find him in the IMDB) work on the third Larry Semon comedy, "The Star Boarder." Update 05/08/2019 -- Thank you to Tommie Hicks and Steve Massa for identifying Larry's assistant as Mort Pebbles.

Motion Picture News, 24-May-1919

Larry and the Mysterious Mr Pebbles go over the script.

Moving Picture World, 03-May-1919

Larry shot some thrill scenes in downtown Los Angeles.  There were rumors that Montgomery and Rock of the Big V comedies were splitting up, but Earle Montgomery appeared in one movie while Joe Rock was co-director.

Moving Picture World, 24-May-1919

Larry treated his company to a vacation at Big Bear Lake in the San Bernadino Mountains.

Motion Picture News, 17-May-1919

While his co-workers spent time fishing and relaxing, Larry worked on the script for his fourth movie in the Larry Semon series.

Moving Picture World, 03-May-1919

Jan Rubini was a young Swedish violinist.  I do not know about "The Music of the South Pole."

Moving Picture World, 03-May-1919

Moving Picture World, 03-May-1919

This item appears twice in the same issue.

Semon Comedies Proving Popular -- March 1, 2019

Moving Picture World, 01-March-1919

100 years ago this month, in March, 1919, the Vitagraph announced that Larry Semon would have his own comedy series, separate from the Big V comedies.

Moving Picture World, 01-March-1919

The Big V comedies would feature Montgomery and Rock and Jimmy Aubrey.

Moving Picture World, 22-March-1919

Exhibitors liked getting a Larry Semon movie every month.

Moving Picture World, 29-March-1919

Larry wrote, directed and starred in "Well, I'll Be," I don't know how it wound up with a title that was not alliterative.  The separately listed Big V Comedies had proper titles.

Exhibitors' Herald, 29-March-1919

"The comedies will be published once a month..."  This is an unusual use of "published."

Make Him a Modern Jester in the Court of Good Will -- February 3, 2019

Motion Picture News, 08-February-1919

100 years ago this month, in February, 1919, Larry was featured in a full page ad for a "Big 'V' Special Comedy," Scamps and Scandal.  Vitagraph liked alliterative titles.

Motion Picture News, 01-February-1919

Larry receives a mention in the fine print of this ad.  Montgomery and Rock get larger billing and two photos from "Love and Lather."  More alliteration.

Motion Picture News, 01-February-1919

All twelve titles are alliterative, if I counted correctly.

Motion Picture News, 01-February-1919

Larry made a trip to New York for "routine business."

Facebook -- Vintage Graphic Design and Poster Art

Moving Picture World, 22-February-1919

If Larry took a fast train, like the Southern Pacific's Sunset Limited or Golden State or the Santa Fe's California Limited or Chief, the trip each way would have taken four nights.

Motion Picture News, 22-February-1919

Larry came back from New York with two more years on his contract.

Moving Picture World, 22-February-1919

Larry's former cameraman Troy Brown joined a new series with Max Davidson, who later made some wonderful movies with Hal Roach.

The New Vitagraph Big "V" Special Comedies -- January 7, 2019

Motion Picture News, 25-January-1919

100 years ago this month, in January, 1919, Big V comedies with Larry Semon and Montgomery and Rock showed up in a small section of a two page Vitagraph ad.

Motion Picture News, 25-January-1919

In addition to the companies making Larry Semon and Montgomery and Rock, Vitagraph added a company to produce comedies with Jimmy Aubrey.

Moving Picture World, 11-January-1919

Jimmy Aubrey's comedies would be directed by JA Howe, who had directed both Semon and Montgomery and Rock.

Moving Picture World, 25-January-1919

"Footballs and Frauds," another alliterative title, starred former Keystone comedian Slim Summerville.

Semon Working on Thrilling Comedy -- December 3, 2018

Motion Picture News, 28-December-1918

"Two-reel Big 'V' special comedies alternately featuring Larry Semon and Montgomery and Rock in the screen's speediest fun films.  One each week."

Moving Picture World, 07-December-1918

Amid an abundance of alliteration, we find "Hula Hulas and Hocus Pocus," which may have been the last one-reel Big V Comedy.

Moving Picture World, 14-December-1918

Larry Semon was working on a new comedy "which he says will introduce to picture play audiences more thrills and story plot than has ever been attempted in screen farce comedy."

In This Two-Part Rough-and-Tumble Farce -- November 1, 2018

Moving Picture World, 16-November-1918

100 years ago this month, in November, 1918, Larry Semon was starring in two reel Big V Special Comedies like "Frauds and Frenzies." Vitagraph liked alliterative names for comedies.

Motion Picture News, 23-November-1918

"There are three comedy companies at work."  But they only describe Montgomery and Rock and Larry Semon's companies.

Big V Special Comedies -- August 3, 2018

Motion Picture News, 24-August-1918

100 years ago this month, in August, 1918, Larry Semon was "the Producer and Principal Laugh-Getter In Some of the Vitagraph Big V Comedies."  That is not a bad photo of Larry.

Motion Picture News, 03-August-1918

"Big V comedy, one part, 'Dunces and Dangers,' featuring Lawrence Semon.  Written and directed by Lawrence Semon."  He loved alliteration.

Motion Picture News, 03-August-1918

This item hints at the extravagance that later caused Larry much trouble.

Motion Picture News, 17-August-1918

"Expressions of satisfaction already have begun to reach the Vitagraph home office on its decision to release Big V Comedies as two-reel features, beginning the week of September 16 ... Mr Semon, who was for several years cartoonist on the New York Evening Sun, writes all his own comedies and directs them, in adddition to playing the leading role in each."

Motion Picture News, 17-August-1918

"Larry Semon has just completed a Big V Comedy which is 'different' by way of its being made entirely in exterior scenes."

Motion Picture News, 24-August-1918

Motion Picture News, 31-August-1918

"Vitagraph's new series of two-reel feature comedies, the first of which will be released on September 16, will bear the brand name of 'Big V Special Comedies,' to distinguish them from the single-reel 'Big V Comedies' which the company has been issued for more than two years past."