Unidentified comedy western

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Karen Owen
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat May 28, 2011 9:44 pm

Unidentified comedy western

Postby Karen Owen » Fri Jan 25, 2013 12:10 pm

Hello All,

My name is Amber Bertin and I am a current student at the Selznick school of Film Preservation at George Eastman House. My mafia sister Karen Owen is helping me get in contact with you all to see if you can help me possibly identify the source material of a short clip of an unidentified comedy western (not sure if it's a short or a feature), possibly circa 1928-1929. Plot details I can ascertain include a comedic gag featuring Milburn Morante and another actor where both are hit by indian clubs, an exchange of money between the two men and Alfred Hewston, and an examination of some type of mineral (possibly gold). Steve Massa has already identified Alfred Hewston, Milburn Morante, and George Chesebro. I am still trying to identify any of the other actors or a production company. If you happen to recognize anyone or anything please respond. I have included images of two of the unidentified actors and a image of the western street that is featured in the film. If you want more information, more images, or have a suggested contact, please let me know.

Thank you very much,
Amber Bertin
Attachments
unidentified 5.jpg
unidentified 5.jpg (5.16 KiB) Viewed 17110 times
unidentified street.jpg
unidentified street.jpg (8.6 KiB) Viewed 17110 times
unidentified 3.jpg
unidentified 3.jpg (5.18 KiB) Viewed 17110 times

Richard M Roberts
Godfather
Posts: 2895
Joined: Sun May 31, 2009 6:30 pm

Re: Unidentified comedy western

Postby Richard M Roberts » Fri Jan 25, 2013 1:28 pm

Who appears to play the lead? Is it Chesebro? I know Chesebro and Morante appear together in WOLFS BLOOD (1925), but that's a logging story, not a mining story. Both Morante and Chesebro worked endlessly in the independent film industry in the 20's and 30's and still have a good deal of unidentified credits. It appears to be a western of some sort, is that correct?

More images would help, even of the already identified actors.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Karen Owen
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat May 28, 2011 9:44 pm

Re: Unidentified comedy western

Postby Karen Owen » Fri Jan 25, 2013 2:12 pm

Hello Richard,

Thank you for responding. Alfred Hewston appears to be in the leading role, although I only have a 3 1/2 minute clip so it is difficult to say for sure. There are two different threads. One with Morante and an unidentified actor in an interior. The other involves Cheseboro and the two actors from the above stills. Hewston is the only actor who appears in both threads and he is consistently center frame during his scenes. It is definitely a Western, but the Morante scene is extremely comedic. It might be comic relief in a larger Western, or the film might be a comedy that just happens to be set in the West.

Here are three more images one of Morante in character, one of the other actor in the scene with him, and one of Hewston in the same scene with them. I can only upload three at a time, but if you would like more, just let me know. I would upload another screenshot of a set, but the only other sets are nondescript interiors and an exterior of Hewston standing next to a car with Chesebro. (Oh, the interior set that Morante is in has pennants in the background. The only one I can make out says "ASH FORK" on it. A second might say "CONWICK" or "CONNICK". The third is too dark to read.) I can send you an image of that if it would be helpful.

PS: Ed and Karen say "to say 'Hi', to Linda"
Attachments
unidentified 11.jpg
unidentified 11.jpg (6.66 KiB) Viewed 17099 times
unidentified 2.jpg
unidentified 2.jpg (8.01 KiB) Viewed 17099 times
Unidentified 1a.jpg
Unidentified 1a.jpg (7.9 KiB) Viewed 17099 times

Richard M Roberts
Godfather
Posts: 2895
Joined: Sun May 31, 2009 6:30 pm

Re: Unidentified comedy western

Postby Richard M Roberts » Fri Jan 25, 2013 2:51 pm

Post all of the images you have, I'm still not convinced that this is necessarily a western.

Linda says "hi" back to Karen and Ed, as do I.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

Karen Owen
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat May 28, 2011 9:44 pm

Re: Unidentified comedy western

Postby Karen Owen » Fri Jan 25, 2013 3:24 pm

Hello Richard,

Here are more images:
Attachments
unidentified 6.jpg
unidentified 6.jpg (9.07 KiB) Viewed 17094 times
unidentifed 4.jpg
unidentifed 4.jpg (5.87 KiB) Viewed 17094 times
banners.jpg
banners.jpg (59.34 KiB) Viewed 17094 times

Karen Owen
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat May 28, 2011 9:44 pm

Re: Unidentified comedy western

Postby Karen Owen » Fri Jan 25, 2013 3:26 pm

More Images:
Attachments
unidentified 10.jpg
unidentified 10.jpg (8.04 KiB) Viewed 17094 times
unidentified 9.jpg
unidentified 9.jpg (8.84 KiB) Viewed 17094 times
unidentified 7 and 8 - Copy.jpg
unidentified 7 and 8 - Copy.jpg (8.93 KiB) Viewed 17094 times

Steve Massa
Capo
Posts: 262
Joined: Sun May 31, 2009 10:55 pm

Re: Unidentified comedy western

Postby Steve Massa » Fri Jan 25, 2013 4:20 pm

Hi guys
The fat guy in the scan with Moranti where he's vacumning looks like it could be Clifford Cook, who appeared with him in a couple of those "taxi shorts" such as STEPPING ON THE GAS ('27).

The fellow that I though was Alfred Hewston was the scan in the lower group of the guy in the cowboy hat and plaid jacket. If it's the same actor as the young man in the nice suit it isn't Hewston.

Steve Massa
Capo
Posts: 262
Joined: Sun May 31, 2009 10:55 pm

Re: Unidentified comedy western

Postby Steve Massa » Fri Jan 25, 2013 4:33 pm

Are the young man in the suit and the young man in the cowboy hat and plaid jacket the same actor? They look a bit similar but not sure it's the same guy.

Could this be two separate fragments - one a western and the other a comedy with Moranti and Cook?

Richard M Roberts
Godfather
Posts: 2895
Joined: Sun May 31, 2009 6:30 pm

Re: Unidentified comedy western

Postby Richard M Roberts » Fri Jan 25, 2013 5:06 pm

I wish you could post larger pics of these frame grabs, they blow up pretty fuzzy.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

Richard M Roberts
Godfather
Posts: 2895
Joined: Sun May 31, 2009 6:30 pm

Re: Unidentified comedy western

Postby Richard M Roberts » Fri Jan 25, 2013 8:13 pm

Yep, this is another of those J.C. Cook-Sovereign-Sun Pictures two-reelers called THREE FACES WEST (1927). The star is Kenneth MacDonald, who's in the suit, and the plaid shirt, the heavy-set guy is Cliff Cook, the gal is Clara Horton, and the older guy is MIlton Fahrney, and, of course, MIlburn Morante. I didn;t see George Chesebro or Alfred Hewston anywhere here.

There are prints of this around.


RICHARD M ROBERTS


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