CAMERA Comedy Clippings, June 30, 1923

[Joe Moore]

Okay I'm moving back to 1923 to begin the next issue of CAMERA clippings. No particular reason. I just sorta picked it at random.

Enjoy

Joe Moore

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FLASHES FROM FRISCO by Agnes Kerr Crawford

James Cruze and thirty members of the cast and staff engaged in the making “Ruggles of Red Gap” for the Famous Players-Lasky company, arrived in San Francisco last Saturday morning, spent the day at the Palace Hotel, and left in the evening for Eureka on location. Among the leading members of the organization are Ernest Torrence, Fritzi Ridgeway, Anna Lehr, Lois Wilson, Edward Everett Horton, and Charles Elliott. Vernon Keys is assistant director and Karl Brown is head cameraman.
(Camera Vol. 6 No. 1 pg. 6)

[Joe Moore]

Casts of the Week

Warner Bros Presents
Wesley Barry in
“THE COUNTRY KID”
By Julien Josephson
William Beaudine, Director
CAST
Wesley Barry
Helen Jerome Eddy
Bruce Guerin
"Spec” O'Donnell
Kate Toncray
George Nichols
Edward Burns

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Universal Presents
Gladys Walton In
“THE WILD PARTY”
By Marion Orth
Scenarized by Hugh Hoffman
Herbert Blache, Director
CAST
Gladys Walton
Edward Burns
Freeman Wood
Lewis Sargent
George A. Williams
Esther Ralston
Joseph Girard

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Paramount Presents
“RUGGLES OF RED GAP”
By Harry Leon Wilson
Adapted by Thomas Geraghty
James Cruze, Director
CAST
Edward Horton
Ernest Torrence
Lois Wilson
Fritzi Ridgway
Charles Ogle
Louise Dresser
Lillian Leighton
William P. Austin
Anna Lehr
Frank Elliott
Guy Oliver
Thomas Holding
Milt Brown

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 1 pg. 6)

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THE COUNTRY KID was one of "Spec" O'Donnell's earliest roles.

Joe Moore

[Joe Moore]

Along New York's Rialto by Raymond McKee

Mr. and Mrs. Raymond McKee are leaving New York to settle in Hollywood. Ray has a log cabin on Cherokee Avenue all furnished with animal skins and rustic things from all parts of the globe. So there they will live until his tenants vacate from his bungalow. It will be Mrs. McKee's first visit to the land of flowers. She was Marguerite Courtot. Remember?

Eva Tanguay, the cyclonic comedienne, is wearing mourning over the death of her dog. Miss Tanguay's “Baby” croaked in Omaha while she was playing in the Orpheum Circuit. The dog's heart has been sealed up in a jar of alcohol, and his skin is being stuffed by a taxidermist. The lady is overwhelmed with grief.

Herbert Corthell and Walter Catlett have been engaged for important roles in “Second Youth,” which Distinctive Pictures has put in production as a feature vehicle for Alfred Lunt and Mimi Palmer.

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 1 pg. 6)

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Raymond McKee had been working steady in films since the early teens when he penned this column. He did equally well in comedies and dramas but I best remember him for his role as Jimmy Smith in Sennett's delightful "Smith Family" series of 1926-1929. He seems to have pretty much left films after talkies came in although he lived until 1984 passing away at the age of 91.

Walter Catlett played comedic roles in tons of talkies but he also made a few silents. I believe that SECOND YOUTH (which was released in 1924) was his earliest film role.

The whole piece on Eva Tanguay just sounds weird.

Joe Moore

[Joe Moore]

Although this article might not seem to have anything to do with silent comedy I'm including it here because it was during this period that Sol Lesser's Principal Pictures Corporation was producing the Harry Langdon short comedies and I felt that any articles dealing with Lesser/Principal might give us some good background regarding this important early stage of Harry's career.

Joe Moore

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CAMERA'S WEEKLY WAKE-EM-UP

PLANT FOR MANUFACTURING FILM-MAKING ACCESSORIES WILL BE FOUNDED HERE

That Los Angeles will not only be the production and financial center of motion pictures, but the nucleus of the manufacturing of accessories that accompany finished film products, is the firm belief of Sol Lesser and Michael Rosenberg of Principal Pictures Corporation.
According to these film executives, steps are now being taken to create in Los Angeles, a huge manufacturing plant in which will be created and made, all accessories pertaining to film productions made and released by Principal Pictures Corporation.
New York, Chicago and Cleveland have at the present time the “corner” so to speak on the accessories output for the film world. With Principal Pictures' plans, Los Angeles will jump into the ring and take a big stride forward in this respect as well.
Few people outside the industry realize, according to Sol Lesser, the many “tools” necessary to “put over” a motion picture after it is made. The exhibitors require lithographs, press books, special exploitation mats, cuts, and advertising matter. Novelties in hundreds of different varieties are made up in million quantities by these eastern firms and distributed to the many film exchanges throughout the world.
According to Messers. Lesser and Rosenberg, a large tract of industrial property will be purchased, and upon this site will be erected buildings suitable for manufacture of all accessories necessary for the products of the Principal Pictures Corporation. These will include lithographs, press books, special exploitation advertising, novelties of every description, including bookmarks, dolls, statues, tags, heralds and every conceivable piece of advertising attractive to the theatre owner wanting to exploit pictures on a big basis.
(Camera Vol. 6 No. 1 pg. )

[Joe Moore]

CAMERA'S WEEKLY WAKE-EM-UP

FILM FOLK'S CAR COLLIDES WITH SHEEP

A narrow escape from extreme injuries and perchance death was experienced by several important film artists this week in Prescott, Arizona, when the closed automobile in which they were riding to location ran amuck in a huge flock of sheep.
The film company is located in Prescott making Harold Bell Wright's “When a Man's a Man” for Principal Pictures Corporation. Thos seated in the unfortunate car were Marguerte De La Motte, leading woman for the company, Mrs. Edward F. Cline, wife of the director making the picture, Mrs. A. L. Bernstein, wife of the production manager, and John Bowers, star of the company.
The occupants were hurrying to Williamson Valley, the scene of their camerawork, some thirty miles from Prescott. The driver of the car was pointing out an interesting piece of scenery along the road and did not notice the herd of sheep crossing. The car struck the animals while several hundred were along the roadway and the impact threw the machine from one side of the road to the other, it finally halting on one side in a shallow slope along the road.
Seven of the sheep were killed by the onrushing car and had it not been for the strong grip on the steering wheel by the driver, a complete somersault would have been inevitable. The occupants were badly shaken and received minor bruises. They were given first aid treatment and sent back to Prescott, while director Cline made the best of matters by filming episodes in which they do not appear.
The low valleys of this particular portion of Arizona are a grayish hue which makes it difficult to see the sheep which thrive in large numbers and it is always general warning among the residents of that country to keep your eyes on the road ahead.

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 1 pg. )

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WHEN A MAN'S A MAN was the only other picture that Principal Pictures Corporation had in production at this time outside of the Harry Langdon shorts.

Joe Moore

[Joe Moore]

CAMERA'S WEEKLY WAKE-EM-UP

ACTOR WINS HIGH HONORS IN CONTEST

Creighton Hale, debonair leading man of stage and screen, has not only firmly established himself with the theatre-going public as one of the screen's most versatile and clever leading men, but last Friday evening in the Rose Room of the Ambassador hotel when a number of prominent motion picture stars appeared in the National Dance Tournament to compete for the championship of Southern California, Mr. hale won high honors for his ability as an exponent of the art of terpsichore.
Mr. Hale made his debut in pictures several years ago, but not until last year had he been given an opportunity to work before the camera at one of the Hollywood studios. Victor Hugo Halperin, having been seriously attracted by the actor's brilliant work as the professor in D. W. Griffith's “Way Down East,” and with his work in many other notable film plays, transported him from New York to Hollywood to play the leading role in his picture “Tea-With a Kick,” which is shortly to be shown at Grauman's Million Dollar theatre.
Upon the completion of that picture Mr. Hale was prevailed upon by the management of the Mason Opera House, Los Angeles, to present his play, “Just Suppose,” for a week's run. This play was previously presented by him at the Columbia thetare in San Francisco where it scored a tremendous hit and it went over equal success at the Mason.
Then Mr. Hale was engaged to play the part of “Billy” in the Richard Walton Tully production of “Trilby” and according to all reports his performance is one of the highlights of the pictures. At present he is under contract with Goldwyn where he is portraying the role of “Alick” in the current Victor Seastrom production, “The Master of Man.”
(Camera Vol. 6 No. 1 pg. 10)

[Joe Moore]

CAMERA'S WEEKLY WAKE-EM-UP

RETURNS FROM TWO MONTHS IN ARIZONA

Principal Picture Corporation's “When a Man's a Man” company returned to Los Angeles this week after having spent the best part of two months in Prescott, Arizona, making exterior episodes for the noted Harold Bell Wright story.
A special car, thick with dust and piled high with props, cameras and picture equipment, carried the players and their valuable film from the Arizona town.
Among those who stepped from the platform of the car were Marguerite De La Motte, John Bowers, Robert Frazer, June Marlowe, George Hackathorne, John Fox, Jr., Fred Stanton, Charles Mails, Forrest Robinson and a host of others equally popular including Edward F. Cline, the director, and Arthur L. Bernstein, business and production manager for Principal Pictures Corporation.
“Glad to be home?” The members of the Wright cast looked at each other in silent approval.
“You bet,” laughed Miss De La Motte. “We had a wonderful trip and the Prescott folk treated us royally, but there's no place like home, you know.”
The next few weeks will be spent by the company making interior episodes. Work will be continued at Principal's Hollywood studios at once.
“When a Man's a Man,” is the first of a series of Harold Bell Wright novels to be filmed by Principal Pictures Corporation. Others will follow in line. There are nine volumes in the series, all of which have been purchased by the picture company.
(Camera Vol. 6 No. 1 pg. 10)

[Joe Moore]

I saw yesterday that Andrew posted an article from late 1924 about the birthday party for Mae Busch that Mabel Normand attended that year. Here's another article from the previous year in which Mabel also attended Mae's birthday festivities. So it seems that by 1923-24 Mae and Mabel had apparently buried the hatchet.

Joe Moore

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CAMERA'S WEEKLY WAKE-EM-UP

Mae Has Birthday Party
Paul Bern gave a delightful birthday dinner this week in honor of Mae Busch. Among those present were Mabel Normand, Corrine Griffith, June Mathis, Julanne Johnston, Carmel Myers, Carey Wilson, Walter Morosco, Joseph Jackson, William Haines and Goodman Bradley. Mr. Bern adapted to the screen “The Christian” and “The Master of Man,” Hall Crane novels, in both of which Miss Busch plays the leading feminine roles.

Dog is Popular Player
Buddy, the trained film canine, has just finished his work on Warner Brothers' latest picture, “The Country Boy,” directed by William Beaudine and starring Wesley Barry. According to Henry East, the dog's master, Buddy has now worked in a total of sixty-four pictures and is fast becoming the leader of canine actors.

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 1 pg. 10)

[Joe Moore]

CAMERA'S WEEKLY WAKE-EM-UP

A SURPRISE IN STORE FOR FANS OF OWEN MOORE
Whoever had decided that Owen Moore was permanently committed to starring in rollicking comedies such as he made so triumphantly for Selznick, have a surprise in store for them, because when they see him in “Thundergate” in which he is now playing the leading role for First National at the United Studios, they will discover him reaching zenith of intensely dramatic artistry-just the opposite to the sort of work he did in such successes as “Reported Missing.”
An additional element of surprise will be discovered in the fact that in “Thundergate,” Mr. Moore plays three different characters or rather portrays the dramatic feelings of an unusual man in three distinctly different transitions of his career as unfolded in this story of the entrancing Orient. Moreover, for the first time he essays the interpretations of a young Chinese character, and, according to reports emanating from those associated with him in the filming of this picture, his performance bids fair to be proclaimed one of the acting sensations of the current year.
Although those who are familiar with Owen Moore's long record for presenting screen characters of great variety do not need any proof of his versatility, those who know him only by his brilliant work as the star of the series of comedies he made during the last three years will no doubt be more surprised to see him so heavily dramatic as he is in “Thundergate.” Especially as a derelict is his work most challenging of seriousness although his interpretations of the young Chinese in the midst of most dazzling luxury is said to be exceedingly gripping.
(Camera Vol. 6 No. 1 pg. 11)

[Joe Moore]

CAMERA'S WEEKLY WAKE-EM-UP

OLD TIME GRIFFITH FIND CAST IN “THE BAD MAN”
Teddy Sampson, another member of the old D. W. Griffith school, who has become a screen favorite, has been engaged to play an important part in “The Bad Man,” which is to be produced and directed by Edwin Carewe for First National.
Miss Sampson has been cast in the role of “Angela hardy,” a semi-comedy part which will give her an excellent opportunity to demonstrate her talent.
Miss Sampson has recently returned to the coast after an engagement with Famous Players in which she appeared with Elsie Ferguson in “The Outcast.” She has been in films for nine years; previous to that she was in musical comedy and on the vaudeville stage.
It was while she was appearing with Gus Edwards in “School Days,” that D. W. Griffith was first attracted to Miss Sampson's talent. He advised her to desert the “speakies” for the silver-sheet, and she agreed.
Her first screen part was in “The Broken Bottle,” which was produced by the old reliance-majestic company, later the Triangle Company. She played leads and character parts in a number of features produced by this organization. Later she was with Selznick and for a year she starred in a series of Christie comedies.
(Camera Vol. 6 No. 1 pg. 11)

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I like the term "speakies" used here to refer to stage productions.

Joe Moore