Best Desmond Serial Ever Made! -- January 30, 2025

Universal Weekly, 10-January-1925

The Riddle Rider (great title) was a movie serial produced by Universal. William Desmond and Eileen Sedgwick starred and William Craft directed. 

The Riddle Rider --November 27, 2024

Universal Weekly, 22-November-1922

The Riddle Rider (great title) was a movie serial produced by Universal. William Desmond and Eileen Sedgwick starred and William Craft directed. I like the illustration.

Fred Thomson and His Marvelous Horse Silver King -- June 21, 2024

Film Daily, 14-June-1924

Fred Thomson (no relation) had a diverse career. While attending the Princeton Theological Seminary, he earned the Amateur Athletic Union's All-Around Champion trophy in 1910, 1911 and 1913. After being ordained as a Presbyterian minister, he joined the Army and served as a chaplain during World War One. He went into the movie business after he married director and screenwriter Frances Marion. In time, he became a major western star. Sadly, he died of tetanus in 1928.

Springfield News-Sun, 15-June-1924

I like the image in this ad for The Dangerous Coward. Albert S Rogell directed. 

Arizona Republic, 01-June-1924

"Fred Thompson
Greatest College Athlete
of all times. Holder of all
the world's College records
and the finest built
man in America with a
great horse
SILVER KING"

Paducah Sun-Democrat, 07-June-1924

I like this image of Hoot Gibson. Ride For Your Life was directed by Eddie Sedgwick.

Riverside Daily Press, 14-June-1924

I like old Hoot's checks and polka dots. 

Riverside Daily Press, 14-June-1924

Boston Globe, 15-June-1924

Eddie Sedgwick also directed Broadway or Bust. I would go to this double bill which featured Hoot Gibson and Buck Jones.

Exhibitors Herald, 07-June-1924

Film Daily, 27-June-1924

Exhibitors Herald, 07-June-1924

Universal released a series of twelve five-reel westerns "featuring the famous Universal Ranch Riders." Six starred Jack Hoxie and six starred William Desmond. 

Photoplay, June, 1924

"Jack, seated upon his huge white horse, comes riding into the picture just when he's needed most..."

Riverside Daily Press, 13-June-1924

This is not a good drawing of Jack Hoxie. 

Riverside Daily Press, 13-June-1924

Clifford Smith directed Ridgeway of Montana. 

Exhibitors Herald, 14-June-1924

Bill Cody (his real name) was not the same guy as Buffalo Bill, Jr (Jay Wilsey). Both appeared in westerns.

Hoot Gibson -- The Greatest of All Outdoor Stars -- December 11, 2023

Motion Picture News, 08-December-1923

"Three Knockouts in a Row!" Cowboy star Hoot Gibson was on a hot streak. 

Motion Picture News, 22-December-1923

Looking for material for Hoot Gibson, Universal bought an original story by Johnston McCulley, who wrote The Mark of Zorro. The movie may have been Ride for Your Life.

Motion Picture News, 22-December-1923

Fred Thomson (no relation) had a diverse career. While attending the Princeton Theological Seminary, he earned the Amateur Athletic Union's All-Around Champion trophy in 1910, 1911 and 1913. After being ordained as a Presbyterian minister, he joined the Army and served as a chaplain during World War One. He went into the movie business after he married director and screenwriter Frances Marion. In time, he became a major western star. Sadly, he died of Tetanus in 1928.

I was surprised to see the name Monogram. This Monogram apparently had no relation to the famous B-movie studio of the 1930s.

Motion Picture News, 15-December-1923

Jack Hoxie was a real cowboy and rodeo performer who became a big star in the early 1920s. The Red Warning was directed by Bob Bradbury. 

Motion Picture News, 29-December-1923

Yakima Canutt (not "Yakime") was a rodeo champion. The Riddle Rider was a Universal serial that starred William Desmond and Eileen Sedgwick. He had a long career as a stuntman and a stunt director. Canutt and his buddy John Wayne are often credited with developing the art of stunt fist fighting. 

The Serial Tremendous -- May 28, 2022

Moving Picture Weekly, 27-May-1922

William Desmond prepares to clout a hungry wolf. Perils of the Yukon is touted as "The First Alaskan Chapter-Play Ever Made." Perhaps chapter-play sounded classier than serial.

Film Daily, 06-May-1922

Universal jumped on the latest American fad and produced a serial called The Radio King. If I read the Morse Code correctly, it says "BEWARE. I AM THE VOICE IN THE AIR." in both ads. I added the punctuation.

Film Daily, 09-May-1922

Moving Picture Weekly, 13-May-1922

Universal established its own radio station. This item also says that William Desmond was injured while making Perils of the Yukon.

Moving Picture Weekly, 27-May-1922

This ad lists all of Universal's chapter-plays that were presently in release, including two with Eddie Polo.

Film Daily, 13-May-1922

Colonel William Selig was using the residents of the Selig Zoo in The Jungle Goddess. 

Moving Picture World, 06-May-1922

Eddie Polo, who had gone independent was releasing Cap'n Kidd on a States Rights basis. 

Moving Picture World, 06-May-1922

Movie Serials -- The Leap That Will Startle the World -- April 29, 2022

Moving Picture World, 08-April-1922

Charles Hutchison wrote, directed, acted and performed stunts in many Pathé serials (Pathéserials). "At a speed of 50 miles per hour he jumps his motorcycle from a ferryslip to the ferryboat yards away." This reminds me of an old San Francisco story whose punchline was "Yumpin' yimeny, what a yump."

Moving Picture World, 22-April-1922

Moving Picture World, 29-April-1922

Looks exciting.

Moving Picture World, 01-April-1922

"Polo's First Independent Serial!" Eddie Polo was a popular serial star. He started out as a trapeze artist in a circus. He appeared in many serials in the US and then went to Germany, where he starred in action films. He later worked as a makeup artist.

Moving Picture World, 01-April-1922

This serial must have a good-sized costume budget.

Moving Picture World, 08-April-1922

Moving Picture Weekly, 01-April-1922

Harry Myers, who had recently starred in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, played the lead in Universal's serial adaption of The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. Noble Johnson played Man Friday.

Moving Picture Weekly, 08-April-1922

Note that the cast included Spottiswoode Aitken. I have always liked his name. 

Moving Picture Weekly, 15-April-1922

Moving Picture World, 29-April-1922

Universal's Perils of the Yukon starred Big Bill Desmond. 

"Buck" Discarded at Church Christening -- November 14, 2021

Motion Picture News, 19-November-1921

100 years ago, cowboy star Buck Jones was thinking of going back to his birth name, Charles Jones.

Moving Picture World, 12-November-1921

Buck Jones was baptized into the Episcopal Church on 30-September-1921 at Saint Mary of the Angels Church in Hollywood. The article says that he might drop the "Buck" and go by "Charles." 

Moving Picture World, 12-November-1921

Moving Picture World, 05-November-1921

Hoot Gibson was a contemporary of Tom Mix and Buck Jones. His movies tended to emphasize humor. He starred in Universal productions.

Motion Picture News, 05-November-1921

Exhibitors Herald, 05-November-1921

Lester Cuneo had worked with Tom Mix at the Selig Polyscope Company and then served in the army during World War One. Unable to deal with the death of his wife, Cuneo died by his own hand in 1925. Mrs Wallace Reid was Dorothy Davenport. Learn more about her here: 

Dorothy Davenport: Her Life and Career 

http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/2017/03/dorothy-davenport-her-life-and-career.html

Moving Picture World, 05-November-1921

Bill Fairbanks, no relation to Doug, appeared in many westerns during the 1920s.

Albuquerque Evening Herald, 02-November-1921

The Ideal Theater in Albuquerque offered a double bill of Hearts of the West starring Bill Fairbanks and The Show Down, starring Art Acord. 

Motion Picture News, 12-November-1921

Art Acord was the star of Winners of the West, a Universal serial.

Moving Picture World, 12-November-1921

Guinn "Big Boy" Williams was a tall, muscular guy who had worked as a cowboy and played professional baseball. Will Rogers helped to get him into the movies and gave him the nickname. Big Boy had been an Army officer during World War One. He remained active during the talkie era.

Snowy Baker was an athlete who first appeared in Australian movies and made several in the US. 

Exhibitors Herald, 05-November-1921

Al Jennings was a former bank and train robber who once shared a prison cell with O. Henry. The Lady of the Dugout, which stars and was produced by Al Jennings, was allegedly based on true events in his life. Jennings was known for telling stretchers, so I wouldn't accept the movie as a documentary, but it does have a very realistic feel to it. The only parts that didn't feel real were the Mojave Desert standing in for Oklahoma and Tehachapi with its huge mountains representing a Texas town. Jennings and his brother Frank were good, understated performers.

William Desmond was a popular actor, who appeared in many serials. Fightin' Mad was a feature. 

Moving Picture World, 19-November-1921