WHOSE BABY (1917) Gloria Swanson, Bobby Vernon

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Richard M Roberts
Godfather
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WHOSE BABY (1917) Gloria Swanson, Bobby Vernon

Postby Richard M Roberts » Sun Sep 07, 2025 8:20 am

What survives on a late Gloria Swanson-Bobby Vernon comedy released by Triangle-Keystone July 8, 1917, directed by Clarence Badger and featuring William Irving, Ethel Teare, Tom Kennedy and Edgar Kennedy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8esCgD1E3g8

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Ed Watz
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Re: WHOSE BABY (1917) Gloria Swanson, Bobby Vernon

Postby Ed Watz » Sun Sep 07, 2025 8:46 am

Thanks Richard - after watching TEDDY AT THE THROTTLE ad infinitum, WHOSE BABY? was a refreshingly new look at a Gloria and Bobby Sennett comedy. With all the hype over SUNSET BOULEVARD one couldn’t escape the image of a fiftysomething Swanson anywhere you looked on YouTube. Seeing Gloria here, particularly her expressive acting in that first brief scene, was a revelation all over again. I should’ve bought a print of this when Thunderbird (or was it Blackhawk?) was selling the abridged version. Seeing a youthful William Irving and the two Kennedys was icing on the cake.
"Of course he smiled -- just like you and me." -- Harold Goodwin, on Buster Keaton (1976)

Richard M Roberts
Godfather
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Joined: Sun May 31, 2009 6:30 pm

Re: WHOSE BABY (1917) Gloria Swanson, Bobby Vernon

Postby Richard M Roberts » Sun Sep 07, 2025 11:43 am

No Ed, it was Charlie Tarbox's Film Classics Exchange that had the second reel only (all that is known to exist) available in a beautiful print reduced from 35mm (I've got one). It does have a pretty wild storm sequence for it's finale.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Ed Watz
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Re: WHOSE BABY (1917) Gloria Swanson, Bobby Vernon

Postby Ed Watz » Sun Sep 07, 2025 2:27 pm

Richard M Roberts wrote:No Ed, it was Charlie Tarbox's Film Classics Exchange that had the second reel only (all that is known to exist) available in a beautiful print reduced from 35mm (I've got one). It does have a pretty wild storm sequence for it's finale.

RICHARD M ROBERTS


Thanks Richard for that info. A little sideline story - I was watching an episode of Fractured Flickers some years back on The Comedy Channel and clips from the storm scene started. It’s fast and frenetic as you well know, but my Dad happened to be crossing through the room and without missing a beat casually remarked, “Oh, there’s Tom Kennedy.” I guess I inherited his love of the great characters that we all enjoy at the SiCom Mafia.
"Of course he smiled -- just like you and me." -- Harold Goodwin, on Buster Keaton (1976)

William Ferry
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Re: WHOSE BABY (1917) Gloria Swanson, Bobby Vernon

Postby William Ferry » Mon Sep 08, 2025 9:22 am

That's a nice observation about Tom Kennedy. My dad always had the same reaction whenever we watched IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD.


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