Mary Pickford Returns to Short Skirts and Curls -- June 16, 2025

Photoplay, June, 1925

Mary Pickford usually played young girls, but in Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall she played a girl of 18. In Rosita, directed by Ernst Lubitsch, she played a street singer who was old enough to get married. In Little Annie Rooney, a very funny movie, she returned to playing a younger character. William Beaudine directed.

Clara Bow -- A Jazz-Eyed Flapper -- July 21, 2024

Photoplay, July, 1924

Clara Bow's career was skyrocketing 100 years ago this month, in July 1924. "There is a wistfulness, an ingenuousness about Clara in this picture that is not of the flapper type."

Newark Leader, 25-July-1924

When I wrote about Clara appearing in Grit, I didn't remember that it was based on an unpublished short story by F Scott Fitzgerald.

Indianapolis Times, 26-July-1924

This ad for Daughters of Pleasure has a nice picture of star Marie Prevost, but Clara played an important role as her best friend. William Beaudine directed. BP Schulberg produced. 

Indianapolis Times, 28-July-1924

"But the honors of the production go to Clara Bow as the jazz-eyed flapper."

Kansas City Star, 13-July-1924

Clara was the leading lady in Poisoned Paradise, a story about gamblers. "Robert W Service's famous novel of the exciting present-day life in Paris and Monte Carlo, that is banned by the police of those cities, because it tells too much!" Louis Gasnier directed.

Kansas City Star, 13-July-1924

"The story is laid in Monte Carlo, where Mr Service now resides, and deals so frankly with gambling conditions in that resort that the book has been prohibited publication in the principality of Monaco."

Tacoma Daily Ledger, 08-July-1924

There was some controversy about Clara winking in a scene with her love interest, Kenneth Harlan. She always did it well.

Century Comedies -- Consistently Good -- February 29, 2024

Motion Picture News, 02-February-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 another adaption. 

Motion Picture News, 02-February-1924

Motion Picture News, 02-February-1924

I hope the kids at New York's Hebrew Orphan Asylum enjoyed Baby Peggy's first feature, The Darling of New York. 

Motion Picture News, 23-February-1924

Century carried on with other comedy series. "A Barrel of Real Fun!"

Motion Picture News, 23-February-1924

Al Herman had just finished directing his thirtieth Century comedy for the Stern Brothers. 

Motion Picture News, 16-February-1924

Giant Jack Earle starred with Harry McCoy in Century's "Keep Going." Robert Kerr directed. 

Motion Picture News, 23-February-1924

Young Buddy Messinger starred in "Quit Kidding," directed by Al Herman.

Motion Picture News, 09-February-1924

Century Studio was at 6100 Sunset Boulevard, which is now a parking lot. At the corner of North Gower, it was near what is now Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles. 

Film Daily, 11-February-1924

I know almost nothing about Sherwood MacDonald and I know even less about Butterfly Comedies. I think this is the only time I have seen the word "filmbrand."

Motion Picture News, 23-February-1924

Christie Comedies: "Fast and Funny." "The Best Bet for a Balanced Program." "In the Front Line of Laughmakers." Lots of tag lines. 

Motion Picture News, 16-February-1924

Please excuse the racism. Jimmie Adams seems to have done a lot of blackface. William Beaudine directed "Aggravating Papa." 

Motion Picture News, 02-February-1924

Christie Comedies are "Crammed With Laughs and Action." Dorothy Devore was a popular Christie star. Scott Sidney directed "Stay Single." 

Film Daily, 25-February-1924

Film Daily, 08-February-1924

Al Christie was planning to make feature-length comedies."  

Film Daily, 25-February-1924

Dorothy Devore and Walter Hiers were going to star in the first Christie feature, Hold Your Breath. 

Motion Picture News, 23-February-1924

Film Daily, 08-February-1924

Camera, 02-February-1924

The Christie Studio was at 6101 Sunset at Gower. There is nothing remarkable there now. 

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. 

Meet Jobyna Rulston -- June 27, 2022

Moving Picture World, 10-June-1922

Jobyna Raulston's career progressed rapidly from support Paul Parrot (Charley Chase's brother) in Hal Roach one-reelers to supporting Harold Lloyd in features to starring in Wings. In almost no time, the press learned how to spell her last name. 

Moving Picture World, 03-June-1922

Mack Sennett produced many short comedies starring Billy Bevan.

Moving Picture World, 10-June-1922

Mack Sennett also produced features starring Mabel Normand.

Film Daily, 11-June-1922

Mal St Claire directed many short comedies for Sennett and with Buster Keaton. 

Film Daily, 11-June-1922

Al Christie produced popular short comedies. William Beaudine was one of his directors. 

Moving Picture World, 10-June-1922

In the Teens, Joe Rock and Earle Montgomery made a lot of short comedies for Vitagraph, but few survive. Joe Rock went on to produce comedies with Stan Laurel, and later the Ton of Fun movies.

Film Daily, 07-June-1922

Sidney and Charles Franklin went on to produce or direct many feature films. 

Film Daily, 25-June-1922

Bull Montana was a big ugly Italian-American guy who had once been a professional wrestler.

Film Daily, 09-June-1922

Max Linder was the biggest star in film comedy before Charlie Chaplin.

Mack and Mabel and Hal and Al -- September 27, 2021

Moving Picture World, 17-September-1921

Mack Sennett produced mostly short comedies, but Mabel Normand returned to make features after her contract with Goldwyn ended. Molly O' was a great success.

Exhibitors Herald, 17-September-1921

Mack Sennett and Associated Producers must have paid a fair amount for this four-page ad with color. 

Exhibitors Herald, 10-September-1921

"Producer's Costliest Film" -- Sennett was famous for being stingy.

Exhibitors Herald, 10-September-1921

Indiana Daily Times, 03-September-1921

Ben Turpin, the 'Handsomest Man in the World," was Sennett's biggest star in short subjects, and he  appeared in the occasional feature.

Moving Picture World, 24-September-1921

Harold Lloyd was still Roach's biggest star, but he was becoming more independent. The rest of Roach's comedy performers were not major leaguers. Please excuse the racism in this item about Eddie Boland's current movie. I won't quote the title. 

Moving Picture World, 24-September-1921

Harold Lloyd's brother Gaylord went nowhere. 

Motion Picture News, 25-June-1921

Hal Roach ads were sparse 100 years ago this month, so here is an ad from June, that features Snub Pollard and Sunshine Sammy Morrison. 

Film Daily, 24-April-1921

The Christie Film Company was a major producer of short comedies from 1911 to 1933. Al Christie was the director and Charles Christie ran the business. The Christies featured situation comedy more than the slapstick favored by Mack Sennett and Hal Roach.