The Pathé Rooster -- January 28, 2017

Moving Picture World, 26-December-1914

In honor of the beginning of Chinese New Year, the Year of the Rooster, here is the Pathé rooster, symbol of the second-oldest movie production company in the world.  Pathé Frères was founded in 1896 by Charles, Émile, Théophile and Jacques Pathé.

"Ham," the Kalem Fun-Maker -- January 27, 2017

Moving Picture World, 06-January-1917

In his wonderful book The Silent Clowns, Walter Kerr suggested that Lloyd Hamilton was one of the great silent comics whose reputation has diminished. This is because many of the solo movies Hamilton made for Educational during the 1920s are lost. Perhaps this is also because he was not able to succeed as a star in feature films.

Mary Tyler Moore, RIP -- January 26, 2017

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I was sad to learn of the passing of Mary Tyler Moore.  I first saw her in reruns of The Dick Van Dyke Show.  Later I watched The Mary Tyler Moore Show on first run or rerun.  "The Death of Chuckles" was one of the best sitcom episodes I have ever seen.  Mary was always delightful.  Mary and Dick Van Dyke were a team.  She played a housewife, but insisted on dressing like a real person.  On her own show, she played in independent woman who had to compete with men in the workplace, and did a good job.  She demanded equal pay for equal work.  Her production company made many good situation comedies and dramas.  She was nominated for the Best Actress Academy Award for Ordinary People.  She spent much of her life educating people about diabetes and fighting for better treatment of animals.  What a wonderful person.

www.listal.com

www.listal.com

I Am Here to Make Your Patrons Laugh -- January 25, 2017

Moving Picture World, 06-January-1917

Meanwhile, back at Essanay, partner George Spoor was looking for a comedian to take Charlie Chaplin's place.  He signed international star Max Linder.  Linder had appeared in early Pathé slapstick comedies in France. He became a major star before World War One.  There is some confusion about what he did in the war, but he was wounded or became seriously ill and newspapers reported that he had died.  This was not true, but the French film industry, the most powerful in the world before the war, had mostly shut down.  Max took the offer from Essanay and came to America, signing a deal to make six short films.  The first two did poorly and the third did only a little better, so that was the end of the series.

Moving Picture World, 13-January-1917

Moving Picture World, 13-January-1917

Moving Picture World, 20-January-1917

Max Linder's first US production was "Max Comes Across."  He directed with the help of interpreters. 

Ernest Borgnine 100 -- January 24, 2017

www.lucywho.com

Actor Ernest Borgnine would have been 100 years old today.  In interviews, he always sounded like a wonderful grandfather or uncle.  In movies, he often played murderous villains.  I first remember seeing him in reruns of McHale's Navy.  Then I saw him in Emperor of the North Pole.  Then The Dirty Dozen, then Marty, then Bad Day at Black Rock.  I was confused about him, but I always knew he was a good actor, who wasn't afraid to open the throttle. 

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Patria -- The Serial Supreme -- January 23, 2017

Moving Picture World, 06-January-1917

The Wharton Brothers produced Patria, a fifteen-chapter serial starring Irene Castle, for William Randolph Hearst.  Warner Oland, who made a career out of playing Asian parts, was a Japanese spy.  Baron Huroki and his spy ring want to destroy American munitions plants, many of which are owned by Patria Channing, who was played by Irene Castle.  .  Milton Sills is a Secret Service agent who is after the spy ring.  At one point in the serial, the Japanese ally with Mexico to attack the United States.  While the film was being release, President Woodrow Wilson learned about the themes of the film and asked the producers to change the nationalities of many of the characters.

Irene Castle had become famous, with her husband Vernon, as a ballroom dancer.  He left the act in early 1916 to return to his native Britain, where he joined the Royal Flying Corps.  He was a successful pilot, earning the Croix de Guerre.  He was sent to Canada and then the United States to train new pilots.  He died in a flying accident in 1918.

Moving Picture World, 20-January-1917

The Manchurian Candidate -- January 20, 2017

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We're going to miss Barack Obama and Joe Biden.