Need info on "Help Yourself" (1927) NOW WITH PICTURES

[Louie Despres]

Hey all,
I am looking for ANY info on a 2 reeler entitled "Help Yourself". The date I have associated with it is May 29, 1927. The film stars El Brendel (of course) and Patricia Caron, directed by Joe Pasternak and produced by Bill Wilkerson. THANKS!

Louie

[Louie Despres]

Really?? Nobody??? I thought there would be at least one review to be had.

[Joe Moore]

Louie,

The only thing I found in the copyright catalog that might be your film was a 1925 Fox two reeler by that name. It was copyrighted March 22, 1925 (renewed May 1, 1952). Director was Bryan Foy with a story by Murray Roth.

Joe Moore

[Louie Despres]

Louie,

The only thing I found in the copyright catalog that might be your film was a 1925 Fox two reeler by that name. It was copyrighted March 22, 1925 (renewed May 1, 1952). Director was Bryan Foy with a story by Murray Roth.

Joe Moore

Thanks, Joe, but that's not it. Here are a few images (hopefully someone can identify some of the other players):


unknown, Joe Pasternak (director), Bill Wilkerson (producer), El Brendel


unknown except for Pasternak in the center

[Steve Rydzewski]

Hello Louie...

The young feller playing in the sand wearing the long robe
(also seated at the table in the other still)
sure looks like Matty Kemp to me.

SteveR

[Steve Rydzewski]

Wow this is a big link! Louie, here's one pose of Matty Kemp. You'll see a few others searching Google Images.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 9,r:15,s:0

SteveR

[Cole Johnson]

Hello, Louie---Just a wild guess, but could HELP YOURSELF be something from one of the --shall we say--"economically challenged" studios, like Bray, Pizor or Weiss Brothers? They are always difficult to find any info on, pretty much ignored by the press.

[Louie Despres]

Hello, Louie---Just a wild guess, but could HELP YOURSELF be something from one of the --shall we say--"economically challenged" studios, like Bray, Pizor or Weiss Brothers? They are always difficult to find any info on, pretty much ignored by the press.

It appears so, or was an independent production. Jack Theakston found this info from the NY State Archives:

Selected Motion Picture Film Title: Help Yourself
Date: 1928
Country: United States
Manufacturers: W R Wilkerson
Exchange: Big Three Exch
Determination: Approved
File # - Box #: 11220-2741

[Louie Despres]

Yup, still beating a dead horse over here but another clue in the puzzle was provided by the AMAZING Steve Massa today:



The William R. Wilkerson is this dude (pretty long and crazy career):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wilkerson

Tec Art Studios is a little bit of a mystery but I did find this:

The studio was built during the 1920's by William H. "Billy" Clune and called the Clune Studios. Clune also built Clune's Broadway theater in downtown Los Angeles. The studio was the California Studio in the 30's when William Boyd and Gabby Hayes made their popular "Hopalong Cassidy"films here. Future president Ronald Reagan filmed "Death Valley Days"here in the early 1960's when the studio was aptly called the Producers Studio. 650 N. Bronson, Central Hollywood. It still exists as Raleigh Studios today.

It appears that Clune Studios was also called California Studio, and later, Producers Studios Inc. According to the ALWAYS reliable IMDB, a number of shorts and films were produced here: http://www.imdb.com/company/co0049988/

Anybody else have any information on Tec Art?

[Frank Flood]

There are four other titles produced by W.R. Wilkerson and released in New York by the Big Three Exchange, which were reviewed by the New York Motion Picture Division in 1928, and cleared for showing in New York: A GOOD DEBT, HIS MOMENT, A NIGHT WATCHMAN, and THE SINGER. These are at least candidates for additional El Brendel titles.

As to Tec-Art, many small producing firms used it as rental studio space. The 1927-28 Henry & Polly Comedies were made here (until the producing firm was foreclosed upon), as were the sound comedies from C.C. Burr, the Fowler Varieties and a Meglin Kiddies series, some of which apparently featured the Gumm Sisters, which included a very young Judy Garland. The address usually given for Tec-Art back then was 5360 Melrose. As the studio is on the corner of Melrose and Bronson, they must have turned the front door around as some point.

Frank