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.

The Fighting Roosevelts -- January 6, 2019

Moving Picture World, 25-January-1919

Former president Theodore Roosevelt died at his family home, Sagamore Hill, near Oyster Bay, New York 100 years ago today, on 06-January-1919. He was only 60 years old. Vice President Thomas R Marshall said "Death had to take him in his sleep, for if he was awake there'd have been a fight."

Perhaps it is cynical of me, but I'll bet the producers of The Fighting Roosevelts, a movie about TR and life before the presidency, were not prostrated by the news.  It probably helped business.

Moving Picture World, 25-January-1919

"...Colonel Roosevelt was giving his close attention to its production up to the last week of his life..."

Moving Picture World, 25-January-1919

The Heart of Humanity -- January 5, 2019

Moving Picture World, 25-January-1918

The Heart of Humanity was a Universal film starring Dorothy Phillips.  Erich von Stroheim made a big impression as an evil Hun.   The war was over, but there were many war films to be released.

ZaSu Pitts 125 -- January 3, 2018

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Actress ZaSu Pitts was born 125 years ago today, on 13-January-1893.  In the image, she explains the derivation of her name.

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ZaSu Pitts began her movie career playing roles in short silent comedies.  Director Erich von Stroheim surprised her and many other people by casting her as Trina, the female lead in Greed, his adaption of Frank Norris' novel McTeague. I thought she was wonderful in the part.

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When talkies arrived in Hollywood, ZaSu Pitts mostly played comedy character parts.  She starred in a series of two-reelers with Thelma Todd for Hal Roach.

Carole Landis 100 -- January 1, 2019

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Curvaceous actress Carole Landis was a popular pin-up during World War Two. She appeared in some very good movies and toured to entertain soldiers in the South Pacific. With her career in decline and a complicated life, she committed suicide in 1948 when she was 29 years old.

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www.listal.com Her career took off when DW Griffith selected her to play the lead in Hal Roach's One Million BC.

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Five Years -- January 1, 2019

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I launched this blog five years ago today, on 01-January-2014. I split it from my other blog, The Pneumatic Rolling-Sphere Carrier Delusion.

In 2018, I participated in one blogathon and one webchallenge:

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Buster Keaton Goes to War
https://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/2018/02/buster-keaton-goes-to-war-february-12.html

Springtime Silent Movie Challenge
In the Beginning...
http://moviessilently.com/2018/03/27/springtime-silent-movie-challenge-in-the-beginning/

Moving Picture World, 05-January-1918

In January, I started a series of posts about the 100th anniversary of the release of the first Tarzan movie.  I wrote about Tom Mix at Fox. I started a series about Harry Carey.  I started a short series about Essanay rereleasing Broncho Billy's movies.

I wrote about the 50th anniversary of the recording of Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison. I wrote about the 125th birthdays of Ivor Novello and Conrad Veidt.  I wrote about the 75th birthday of Sharon Tate.

Actress Dorothy Malone died.

Seattle Star, 15-February-1918

In February, I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the wartime death of dancer Vernon Castle.  This was very popular on Facebook.  I wrote about a golf tournament that Larry Semon participated in while he was still a newspaper cartoonist.  In honor of the beginning of the Lunar New Year, the Year of the Dog, I posted an image of Strongheart.  On the day of the Chinese New Year parade, I posted an image of Rin-Tin-Tin.

I wrote about what may have been the 125th anniversary of Edison's Black Maria.  I wrote about the 100th anniversary of Charlie Chaplin starting production on his first film for First National.

I wrote about the 100th birthday of actress, writer and director Ida Lupino.  I wrote about the 75th birthday of actress Blythe Danner.  I wrote about the 75th anniversary of the death of directory Woody Van Dyke.

Silent film actress Lassie Lou Ahern died. Actress Nanette Fabray died, but I did not write about her.

Actor David Ogden Stiers, who had a great voice, died in March, but I did not write about him.

In March, I started news series on cowboy stars Broncho Billy Anderson and William S Hart.

I wrote about the 150th birthday of writer Booth Tarkington.  I wrote about the 100th birthday of writer Mickey Spillane. I wrote about the 75th birthday of Monty Python's Eric Idle.

I wrote about the 50th anniversary of the death of pioneering director Alice Guy-Blaché.

Rock Island Argus, 27-April-1918

In April, I started work on the Springtime Silent Movie Challenge: In the Beginning...  I wrote one entry every Saturday until mid-June.

We marked the 100th anniversary of the release of Charlie Chaplin's first film for First National. We marked the 100th anniversary of the release of the first Tarzan movie with a short series.  I wrote a little bit about the Ebony Film Corporation.

We marked what would have been Spike Milligan's 100th birthday.  Anne Shirley and William Holden would have turned 100 on the same day.

Animator Isao Takahata and director Miloš Forman died.  Magician and comedian Harry Anderson died.

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In May, we marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of actress Patricia Ellis.  Chaplin's Keystones, Essanays, Mutuals and First Nationals were all in release or rerelease.

Monty Python member Michael Palin turned 75.

In May, we marked the 100th anniversary of the death of Army pilot S Rankin Drew, the son of Sidney Drew.  

Actress Margot Kidder died.

Moving Picture World, 15-June-1918

In June, I finished the Grauman's Chinese series until the next time we go.

We celebrated the 75th birthday of actor Malcom McDowell.

We marked the 75th anniversary of the death of actor Leslie Howard.

Motion Picture News, 20-July-1918

In July, I posted about Big V comedies, the namesake of this blog.  I started a series on war films.  I posted about the release of Winsor McKay's animated documentary, "The Sinking of the Lusitania."  I started a new series on Fox-Lehrman Sunshine Comedies.  I continued my irregular series on Ebony Comedies.  I started a new series on Mary Miles Minter.

We marked the 100th birthdays of Ingmar Bergman and Edward Herrmann.

Moving Picture World, 24-August-1918

In August, I started a series about The Yellow Dog.

I wrote about James O'Neill, who spent many years playing The Count of Monte Cristo.

Actress Mary Carlisle died at 104.  Playwright Neil Simon died.

We marked the 100th birthday of director Robert Aldrich.  On the same day, we marked the 125th birthday of Mae West, the 100th birthday of Evelyn Ankers and the 75th birthday of Robert De Niro.  We marked the 75th birthday of Tuesday Weld.  

Scientific American, 02-September-1916

In September and October we went through a hellish process which wound up installing a deeply unworthy person on the Supreme Court. He and his buddies reminded me of the people who used to pick on me in school.

In September I posted a 1916 article, "Artisans of the Motion Picture Films." I continued my series about The Yellow Dog.

Actress Gloria Jean died.  Actor Burt Reynolds died.

In September, we celebrated the 75th birthday of actress Valerie Perrine.

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100 years ago in October, World War One was rushing to a climax.  We marked the 100th anniversary of Alvin C York's remarkable feat.  We also marked the 100th anniversary of the release of Charlie Chaplin's second film for First National release, "Shoulder Arms."  I started a new series on the serial Wolves of Kultur.  I started a new series on the so-called Spanish Influenza pandemic.

We marked the 125th birthdays of Lillian Gish and Gummo Marx.  Those are two names I never thought I would type in one sentence.  We observed the 100th birthdays of Robert Walker, Teresa Wright and Rita Hayworth.  We celebrated the 75th birthday of Catherine Deneuve.  We also covered the 100th birthday of Baby Peggy Montgomery, who is still with us.

Moving Picture World, 21-December-1918

In November, I observed the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day.  In November, 1918, news of Charlie Chaplin's marriage to Mildred Harris became public.  I started a new series on Mabel Normand.  I wrote about the 100th birthday of the opening of the Coliseum Theater in my old neighborhood.  The opening was delayed by the influenza pandemic.  I started a new series on Harry Houdini's movie career.

In November we marked the 150th birthday of Marie Dressler.  We observed the 100th birthday of Art Carney.  We noted the 75th birthdays of Sam Shepard and Lauren Hutton.

Stan Lee and directors Nicolas Roeg and Bernardo Bertolucci died.

Moving Picture World, 23-December-1918

In December, I wrote about a movie starring a member of the Lafayette Escadrille.  Helen Keller visited Charlie Chaplin.

I noted the 25th anniversary of the death of Don Ameche.

Actress Sondra Locke died.  Director and actress Penny Marshall died.  Sister Wendy Beckett died.

Happy New Year from Jean Harlow -- December 31, 2018

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I wish everyone a happy and peaceful New Year.

Beautiful actress Jean Harlow appeared in some great movies during her brief career. She died at the age of 26 in 1937.