The Funniest Pictures of the World's Greatest Funny Man -- September 11, 2019

Moving Picture World, 06-September-1919

100 years ago this month, Charlie Chaplin was so popular that another comedy producer published an ad with a testimonial letter from Chaplin.  I have seen a lot of ads for Smiling Bill Parsons comedies.  They don't look funny.

Moving Picture World, 06-September-1919

Meanwhile, Essanay continued to try to squeeze everything it could out of Chaplin's earlier movies.

Chaplin's twelve productions for Mutual are one the two greatest series of silent short comedies, along with Buster Keaton's short movies. Mutual made a big deal out of rereleasing them, labelling them "Chaplin Classics." I like the images of Chaplin in this ad.

Moving Picture World, 06-September-1919

This item reports that Charlie and his friend Douglas Fairbanks were going to take flying lessons with the Syd Chaplin Aircraft Corporation, owned by Charlies brother Sydney.

Moving Picture World, 20-September-1919

Chaplin's next movie did not feature "funny stunts with an airplane."

Moving Picture World, 27-September-1919

Last month we saw Syd receive an elaborate send-off as he left for Europe to make movies there.  He came back after finding that conditions in France, which had suffered terribly during the war, were not suitable.  I think the movie that he partly shot in France was King, Queen and Joker.

Moving Picture World, 20-September-1919

Mildred Harris, Chaplin's wife, was preparing to make a series of movies for Louis B Mayer.

Tom Mix in A Mile-a-Minute Western Drama -- September 9, 2019

Moving Picture World, 13-September-1919

100 years ago this month, Tom Mix was busy making movies. Note that this ad mentions two features, Rough Riding Romance and The Speed Maniac.

Moving Picture World, 06-September-1919

Pearl White was moving to Fox.  Both Pearl White and Tom Mix were known for doing their own stunts.  I like the word "pufflicists."

Moving Picture World, 06-September-1919

Speaking of stunts, Tom bulldogged a buffalo (I know, bison).

Moving Picture World, 06-September-1919

Part of The Feud was shot on location in Oklahoma.

Moving Picture World, 06-September-1919

I would like to have seen Tom Mix in A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court, but it didn't happen.  In 1921, Fox released an adaption of the Mark Twain novel A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court starring Harry Myers.  That movie is lost.  Don't believe the IMDB review by the late F Gwynplaine MacIntyre.

Moving Picture World, 06-September-1919

Tom and his crew were planning to visit the San Francisco Bay Area for some location shooting.

Moving Picture World, 20-September-1919

Moving Picture World, 20-September-1919

I wonder why Tom was in a dress suit.

Moving Picture World, 20-September-1919

I didn't know Tom could play the fiddle.

Moving Picture World, 27-September-1919

Selig rereleased its 1917 production, The Heart of Texas Ryan.

The Lobby of the Superba -- September 7, 2019

Moving Picture World, 13-September-1919

Quinn's Superba Theater was at 518 South Broadway in Los Angeles.

Mrs Sidney Drew Acts in Lake George Locale -- September 5, 2019

Photoplay, September, 1919

Sidney Drew starred in the Mr and Mrs Sidney Drew comedies with his first wife, Gladys Rankin Drew and his second wife, Lucille McVey. Sidney's sister, Georgiana Drew, was the mother of Ethel, Lionel and John Barrymore. Sidney and his first wife were the parents of S Rankin Drew. The Mr and Mrs Sidney Drew series was a success for Vitagraph, then Metro and then Paramount. Sidney Drew died on 19-April-1919.

Lucille went on to write, direct and star in movies on her own.

Motion Picture News, 06-September-1919

"A Sisterly Scheme" was Lucille's first production without Sidney.

Moving Picture World, 06-September-1919

The movie was shot at the resort town of Lake George, New York.

Moving Picture World, 27-September-1919

Hobart Henley directed A Gay Old Dog, a feature adapted from an Edna Ferber story by Lucille McVey.

Moving Picture World, 27-September-1919

Pathé released The Gay Old Dog.

Moving Picture World, 20-September-1919

We saw back in May, 1918 that S Rankin Drew, son of Sidney and Gladys, was killed in battle:
http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/2018/05/s-rankin-drew-100-years-may-19-2018.html

When show business people in New York formed a branch of the American Legion, an organization for war veterans, they named it after S Rankin Drew.  Lucille sent a gracious note to thank them.  

A Heavywieght Elimination Bout -- September 3, 2019

Film Daily, 15-September-1948

Middleweight champ Tony Zale, the Man of Steel, defended his title against European champion Marcel Cerdan, the Casablanca Clouter, on 21-September-1919. Cerdan knocked out Zale in the 12th.
Jersey Joe Walcott did not fight against Gus Lesnevich.  I haven't found out why.

The Organizer -- September 2, 2019

www.listal.com

In honor of Labor Day, hers is I compagni, a 1963 Italian film starring Marcello Mastroianni.  His character is on the run from the police, but meets a group of Turninese factory workers who are starting a strike.  He helps them organize.

Larry Seamon -- September 1, 2019

Great Falls Daily Tribune, 07-September-1919

I suppose Larry Semon's family name got misspelled all the time.  The Sexton Theater in Great Falls, Montana also ran a William S Hart feature.