Search found 151 matches

by Brent Walker
Mon Jun 08, 2009 6:02 pm
Forum: SILENT COMEDY MAIN
Topic: Hallroom Boys in "Conjuror James"
Replies: 26
Views: 48966

Re: Hallroom Boys in "Conjuror James"

I haven't seen the names Percy and Ferdie ever used in the Pathescopes 9.5s, and they used the name "James" a lot in the titles--which all gives me the impression that Pathe was selling these prints in Europe while trying to fly under the radar of (i.e. not pay royalties to) Hallroom Boys ...
by Brent Walker
Thu Jun 04, 2009 5:47 pm
Forum: Research Archive
Topic: Angry Telegrams to Mack Sennett
Replies: 7
Views: 20269

Re: Angry Telegrams to Mack Sennett

What is actually at play here is that Sennett took it upon himself to make a few two reelers, while Mutual only wanted one reelers from him. In December 1913/January 1914 (from when these telegrams date), two-reels was something of a special length, reserved only for prestige pictures--and then, as ...
by Brent Walker
Wed Jun 03, 2009 5:38 pm
Forum: SILENT COMEDY MAIN
Topic: Sacred Cows
Replies: 13
Views: 30071

Re: Sacred Cows

Biblically, Ben Turpin played John the Baptist (or actually an actor playing John the Baptist) in Sennett's SALOME VS. SHENANDOAH (1919).
by Brent Walker
Wed Jun 03, 2009 5:34 pm
Forum: SILENT COMEDY MAIN
Topic: Sacred Cows
Replies: 13
Views: 30071

Re: Sacred Cows

And while the Armenian genocide wasn't covered in silent comedy (though I don't think it was widely known about or publicized in the U.S. during the silent era), there sure were a lot of "Terrible Turks" in silent comedies.
by Brent Walker
Wed Jun 03, 2009 5:31 pm
Forum: SILENT COMEDY MAIN
Topic: Sacred Cows
Replies: 13
Views: 30071

Re: Sacred Cows

Abe Lincoln has factored into silent comedy, with Charles Dudley's impersonations in Arbuckle's THE BELLBOY and Stan Laurel's WIDE OPEN SPACES, and Georgie Billings in HANDS UP. Also in sound comedy, as when Rochester ends up landing in the lap of the Lincoln statue in the finale of IT'S A MAD MAD M...
by Brent Walker
Wed Jun 03, 2009 5:27 pm
Forum: SILENT COMEDY MAIN
Topic: A Funny Note About the Slapsticon
Replies: 1
Views: 7340

Re: A Funny Note About the Slapsticon

Actually I have a friend who hasn't gone (and is more of a casual fan of old movies) who has called it that as well, intentionally as a joke though, so I think that may be an easy word switch to make.
by Brent Walker
Wed Jun 03, 2009 5:23 pm
Forum: SILENT COMEDY MAIN
Topic: "The Keystone Kid" review?
Replies: 6
Views: 15254

Re: "The Keystone Kid" review?

Louie, definitely pick it up. It is a great read, with some great color on what it was like to grow up in 1910's/1920's Edendale around the movie studios. It's one of those memoirs that transcends the actual subject of movie history to be a "coming of age" type of story, which--with Coy re...
by Brent Walker
Tue Jun 02, 2009 2:19 pm
Forum: Research Archive
Topic: The Groucho Marx FBI Files
Replies: 5
Views: 15463

Re: The Groucho Marx FBI Files

I believe the trouble started when Billy Engle was being considered for a bit part in a Marx Brothers movie. J. Edgar Hoover got a second hand tip that "Marx and Engle are collaborating again" and went right into action.
by Brent Walker
Tue Jun 02, 2009 1:16 pm
Forum: SILENT COMEDY MAIN
Topic: A Chapter From My Upcoming Book on Glenn Tryon
Replies: 9
Views: 21790

Re: A Chapter From My Upcoming Book on Glenn Tryon

Thanks Richard! I just saw LONG PANTS at UCLA's Preservation Festival a month or two ago, and found it curious about it having the same title and similarities to the Langdon feature. This article clarifies that the Tryon film was indeed first.
by Brent Walker
Tue Jun 02, 2009 1:13 pm
Forum: SILENT COMEDY MAIN
Topic: Unidentified pic
Replies: 7
Views: 14634

Re: Unidentified pic

I'll second Steve's confirmation on Budd Ross. I don't know who the guy on the left who looks like an unholy combination of Harry Watson, Paddy McGuire and John Bunny is though, and from this still pose it seems like he's the star of this picture.