CAMERA Comedy Clippings, September 22, 1923

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Joe Moore
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Re: CAMERA Comedy Clippings, September 22, 1923

Postby Joe Moore » Fri Feb 12, 2010 8:40 am

Flashes from Frisco by Agnes Kerr Crawford

Edgar Kennedy, former Olympic Club championship boxer, and now a shining light in the picture circles of Hollywood, was a visitor in San Francisco last week. He came north to witness the local showing of two of his latest efforts, “The Leather Pushers” and “The Pony Express.” He has returned to the southern city to commence work on another of “The Leather Pushers.”

Ruth Roland, the serial queen who has risked her life and limb a thousand times in making thrillers for the screen, is making her vaudeville debut as a headliner of the bill at the Golden Gate Theatre this week. She will be heard in a number of songs with Ralph Pollack at the piano.

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 23 pg. 6)

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I had completely forgotten that Edgar Kennedy also appeared in the Leather Pushers series until I ran across clipping. I don't know how many of these survive or how many Edgar was in. Grapevine had a couple available on video and more recently the Serial Squadron has been putting some out on DVD.

After Ruth Roland finished her two two serials THE TIMBER QUEEN and WHITE EAGLE) co-produced with the Hal Roach Studio for 1922 release she produced two more serials on her own for 1923 release (THE HAUNTED VALLEY and RUTH OF THE RANGE). This vaudeville tour helps explain why she didn't appear in any serials released in 1924.

Joe Moore

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Re: CAMERA Comedy Clippings, September 22, 1923

Postby Joe Moore » Sat Feb 13, 2010 10:39 am

Flashes from Frisco by Agnes Kerr Crawford

Eugene O'Brien, favored here of all film fans, arrived in town Monday to open at the Curran theatre next week in the play that marks his return to his old love, the spoken stage. The play is “Steve,” and it comes to this city after a successful run of five months in Chicago. The story is a romantic comedy, and deals with the movies, with scenes laid on an island off the coast of Maine.

Frank Lloyd and the company making “Black Oxen,” from Gertrude Atherton's famous best seller, will arrive in San Francisco on Saturday to film dock and waterfront scenes. While here Mr. Lloyd is also to hold conference on the making of the picture with Mrs. Atherton.

Alice Lake spent last week in town on a little holiday trip, and left for the South on Sunday.

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 23 pg. 20)

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After appearing as Roscoe Arbuckle's most consistent leading lady in the Comique comedies Alice Lake continued acting (appearing more often in dramas than comedies) and had earlier in 1923 appeared in a couple of comedy features -RED LIGHTS (with Raymond Griffith and Marie Prevost) and MODERN MATRIMONY (with Owen Moore, Victor Potel and Snitz Edwards).

Looking over the "Flashes From Frisco" column for the comedy bits I noticed that several Hollywood notables (including Jack Pickford, Leatrice Joy and Tom Forman) were staying at the St. Francis Hotel at this time so apparently its connection to the Arbuckle scandal wasn't keeping away any further business from the Hollywood elite.

Joe Moore

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Re: CAMERA Comedy Clippings, September 22, 1923

Postby Joe Moore » Sun Feb 14, 2010 11:32 am

George Bunny, of Jack White comedies, is recovering from a broken bone in his foot, incurred while watching a company work out a “gag” which he had devised. A cable broke, allowing a truck on which he was seated to plunge down an incline, and jolt him off. His foot will be out of the cast in two weeks.

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 23 pg. 6)

[photo of Andrew Arbuckle]
ANDREW ARBUCKLE
Popular Comedian who is with the Jack White Corporation.

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 23 pg. 7)

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I've got Andrew Arbuckle as appearing in a Lloyd Hamilton comedy in 1923. Anybody know of any other work he was doing for Jack White at this time?
Likewise George Bunny. This short piece makes it sound as if he was working as a gagman.

Joe Moore

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Re: CAMERA Comedy Clippings, September 22, 1923

Postby Rob Farr » Mon Feb 15, 2010 8:43 am

Re: Edgar Kennedy and The Leather Pushers. It would be fun to see Kennedy box with the skill for which he was renowned. Does he box in any of his comedies, silent or sound?

Re: Andrew Arbuckle. What a hard-luck name to have in 1923! If he continued in show-biz, he certainly must have changed it.
Rob Farr
"If it's not comedy, I fall asleep" - Harpo Marx

Joe Moore
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Re: CAMERA Comedy Clippings, September 22, 1923

Postby Joe Moore » Tue Feb 16, 2010 8:58 am

Who’s Who and What’s What in Filmland This Week

BUGS RELEASED
A congratulatory wire from Sol Lesser of Principal Pictures Corporation to Louis H. Tolhurst announces the conclusion of negotiations in New York which provide for the distribution of a series of twelve “Secrets of Life” microscopic motion pictures through Educational Film Exchanges, Incorporated.
Mr. Lesser advises Mr. Tolhurst, the inventor of the microscopic processes, that a most advantageous arrangement for the widest possible distribution of these pictures has thus been completed and that their popularity with the multitude is assured. Arrangements for the distribution of a “non-theatrical” series of the same subjects are being closed as well as foreign rights and distribution.
Negotiations with Educational followed the recent New York preview of Tolhurst's pictures of the Bee, the Spider and the Ant. A representative audience voted them 100 per cent entertainment devoid of pedantic elements but in the highest degree instructive. In this verdict the critics of the New York press joined or led the way enthusiastically and praised the enterprise as worthy of the highest traditions of the cinema art.
Mr. Tolhurst is now proceeding to photograph the “Life of the Butterfly” and when this is completed will begin on the ubiquitous Flea.

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 23 pg. 13)

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These "microsopics" were the other short series that Sol Lesser had in production (in addition to the Langdon shorts) at this time. Since he worked a distribution deal for these with Educational I wonder if he also tried to get Educational to distribute the Langdon shorts?

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Re: CAMERA Comedy Clippings, September 22, 1923

Postby Joe Moore » Wed Feb 17, 2010 6:59 pm

Who’s Who and What’s What in Filmland This Week

Auto Be More Careful

What might have been tragedy was laughed off, turned into mirth and offered to every motorist along the road, a comedy without charge by Al St. John, Fox screen funster, who in the ordinary routine of business gets about as much for every laugh provided as any of them.
St. John with a party of friends was whirling merrily southward in one of St. John's big cars when all of a sudden and without warning, the car ahead stopped. St. John put on the brake in a hurry and came to an abrupt standstill within two inches of the leading car's rear bumper. Just as he heaved a premature sigh of relief he heard a crash. The car behind smacked into him.
The blow ripped the tire rack, trunk and fenders on St. John's car but fortunately didn't get the gas tank.
The comedian waived claims, hopped into his car and rode off, but first prepared and hung on the rear of the car a sign reading “Another Smash.”
(Camera Vol. 6 No. 23 pg. 13)

__________________________________________________

Wanna bet Al had been drinking?

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Re: CAMERA Comedy Clippings, September 22, 1923

Postby Joe Moore » Thu Feb 18, 2010 10:08 am

News and Gossip About the Moving Throngs of Movieland

STAGE AND SCREEN STAR SIGNED BY LLOYD
Harry Mestayer, descendant of America's oldest theatrical family, has been cast as Jim Oglethorpe in Frank Lloyd's independent production of “Black Oxen,” soon to be released through First National. Mr. Mestayer's ancestors were prominent on the American stage in the days of George Washington and John Adams.

James Cruze will complete the casting of “To the Ladies” within the next three days and production work on this adaptation by Walter Woods of the stage play by the same name by Marc Connolly and George S. Kaufman will start next week.
Edward Everett Horton, who played the title role of “Ruggles of Red Gap,” will play the chief masculine role in this Paramount picture.

Thomas Meighan will defend his title of “Filmdom's greatest transcontinental commuter by departing for New York as soon as “Woman Proof,” his current Paramount picture, is completed at Paramount's West Coast studio.

Except for a few scenes, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., has completed his first screen starring vehicle, “Stephen Steps Out,” which Joseph Henabery directed for Paramount.

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 23 pg. 8)

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Re: CAMERA Comedy Clippings, September 22, 1923

Postby Joe Moore » Sun Feb 21, 2010 9:26 am

CAMERA'S WEEKLY WAKE-EM-UP

Congratulations To and From Peggy

Baby Peggy Montgomery is the recipient today of a congratulatory telegram from Peggy Hopkins Joyce, on the little Peggy's newly signed three year contract with Sol Lesser.
Peggy Joyce says”: Congratulations on your new contract. I am happy to see another Peggy rise to full stardom. It more than ever convinces me the name is a lucky one. Signed, Peggy Hopkins Joyce, care Vanities of 1923, Earl Carroll Theatre, New York City.”
The two Peggys met when Miss Joyce was in Hollywood sometime ago, and a warm friendship sprang up between them. Peggy Hopkins Joyce thinks the tiny star is the dearest ever, and Baby Peggy in turn thinks Miss Joyce is a grand, beautiful lady.
The baby's first production for Principal Pictures will be announced in a short time, and it will likely be an adaptation from a well-known story. She will take up quarters at the new studio sometime in October, and begin work prior to Mr. Lesser's return from abroad.
A suite of rooms is being equipped in the East wing of the dressing room building at Principal Pictures Studio on Santa Monica Boulevard, for the advent of the little star. Cunning devices are being installed to fill the needs of the little girl, and in truth a royal suite it will be when the little princess arrives on the lot.
Her director and story will be announced shortly after the return of Mike Rosenberg from New York, where he has been in conference with the Lessers, Sol and Irving, for the past four weeks.

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 23 pg. 10)

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Here we see Sol Lesser signing on his second comedy star (after Harry Langdon). At this point and even though she was just shy of her fifth birthday Baby Peggy had something over Langdon-she was already a comedy film star and a proven success in motion pictures. Of course it wouldn't take Langdon long to to catch up and then surpass Baby Peggy in popularity
Baby Peggy had been alternating between Century comedy shorts and Universal features up until she signed with Sol Lesser. Universal/Century must have had a good backlog of her films because shorts and an occasional feature kept coming out regularly into the Summer of 1924, overlapping with the first Lesser/Principal Pictures release.
Lesser's first Baby Peggy feature was the Eddie Cline directed CAPTAIN JANUARY (later remade with Shirley Temple) followed later in 1924 by the comedy feature HELEN'S BABIES (costarring a teenage Clara Bow on her rise to stardom) and then that was that for her work for Lesser and Principal Pictures.
She popped up, in a supporting role, in the 1926 comedy feature APRIL FOOL and then had no more acting work in films until the 1930s when she began popping up in bit parts (not long ago I saw her doing a small part in the 1934 serial RETURN OF CHANDU-also a Sol Lesser production) which fizzled out before she was out of her teens.
Both of her Lesser features survive (as do some of her films for other producers). Grapevine used to have several available on VHS and currently has both CAPTAIN JANUARY and THE FAMILY SECRET on DVD-R.

Joe Moore
Last edited by Joe Moore on Thu Feb 25, 2010 1:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Joe Moore
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Re: CAMERA Comedy Clippings, September 22, 1923

Postby Joe Moore » Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:09 am

CASTS OF THE WEEK

Famous Players Lasky Corp.
present
THOMAS MEIGHAN
in
WOMAN PROOF”
Directed by Al E. Green.
Photographed by Chas. Clark.
CAST:
Tom Lockwood...........Thomas Meighan
Louise Halliday...........Lila Lee
Milo Bleach.................John Sainpolis
Wilma Lockwood........Louise Dresser
Dick Lockwood...........Robt. Agnew
Violet Lynwood...........Mary Astor
Cecil Updike................Edgar Norton
Uncle Joe Gloomer......Chas A. Sellon
Joe Burleigh.................Geo. O'Bryan
Celeste Lockwood........Vera Reynolds
Col. Lynwood...............Hardee Kirkland
Wistful Wooer.............Martha Mattox
Isaac Dirge...................Phil Gonder
Foreman.......................Mike Donlin
(Camera Vol. 6 No. 23 pg. 6)

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Re: CAMERA Comedy Clippings, September 22, 1923

Postby Joe Moore » Thu Feb 25, 2010 1:28 pm

Work was completed yesterday on the first Jack White Special comedy, directed by Norman Taurog for Educational release.
Mr. White believes that this picture, as yet untitled, with the cyclone which is its thrill climax, and its cast including such well known laugh-makers as Neely Edwards, Lillian Hackett, Hank Mann, Mack Swain, Jack Lloyd and many others, will set a new mark in two-reel comedy production.


Billy Sullivan is being starred in the Leather Pushers, replacing Reginald Denny. In between pictures he goes into strict physical training.

Jimmy Aubrey is taking things easy for a week in between pictures, having just completed his third two-reeler in as many months.

(Camera Vol. 6 No. 23 pg. 22)

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I've been trying to figure out which film the unnamed Jack White comedy referred to above is and have a few likely candidates- FLYING FINANCE-released January 6, 1924, MIDNIGHT BLUES-released April 13, 1924, THERE HE GOES-released April 27, 1924 and RUNNING WILD-released October 28, 1923. The later film is extant. If anyone here has seen it can they confirm whether or not it contains a cyclone sequence.

Neely Edwards appeared in a Universal comedy with Bert Roach that was released in February 1924 whose title,THE FEATHER PUSHERS, was a spoof on THE LEATHER PUSHERS.

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