RKO Two-Reelers

This forum is nearly identical to the previous forum. The difference? Discussions about comedy from the SOUND era.
Ed Watz
Associate
Posts: 424
Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2011 7:35 pm

Re: RKO Two-Reelers

Postby Ed Watz » Sat Jan 07, 2012 11:32 am

ralph celentano wrote:I enjoyed Ed Watz's WHEELER & WOOLSEY book EXCEPT for the Clark & McCullough negative comment.
In my opinion, Clark is a high energy Woolsey. As for McCullough's support, it compliments Clark.


Thanks Ralph for the nice words about my W & W book. Regarding C & McC, we agree to disagree, and I'm fine with that.

They don't annoy me like the Ben Blue/Billy Gilbert Taxi Boys series. WHAT PRICE TAXI and THUNDERING TAXIS are the 2 best shorts. No Ben Blue.


I agree on those particular Taxi Boys entries. Besides not having Ben Blue around to ruin the gags, WHAT PRICE TAXI and THUNDERING TAXIS contain those marvelous & elaborate Del Lord taxi cab sequences. Too bad their postproduction foley work was limited, proper sound effects would've boosted those shorts further (think Lord's OLD SAWBONES and others chases he staged at Columbia just a few years after this series for Roach).

I'll add THE COLUMBIA COMEDY SHORTS main fault was the panning of some amusing shorts. I'll agree that some are far from classics, but the
novice reading this book will think that most are not worth watching.


Point taken, Ralph. Keeping in mind that I was co-author on COLUMBIA COMEDY SHORTS and not responsible for the whole show, I agree with you. That book is due to for an expanded and revised edition. It was published in 1986 at a time when McFarland kept their film books to a set number of pages. About a quarter to a third of the MS was cut and we had submited at least 60 additional stills which were not included in the book. McFarland reissued it in paperback about 10 years ago without updates.

My newest RKO acquisition is the 1931 HIGH HATS AND LOW BROWS from the Rufftown series. James Gleason, Harry Gribbon, & Mae Bush star.


I recently picked up three very nice tv prints of my favorite RKO comedy star, Edgar Kennedy: PARLOR BEDROOM & WRATH (with Lucy Beaumont & Arthur Housman), GRIN & BEAR IT (with Fred Kelsey), and IN LOVE AT FORTY (Charlie Hall has a great bit where the angry Italian wife of his barber starts to give him a shave - not a good idea!). IN LOVE AT FORTY includes a terrific introspective line from Edgar: "I fall in love the same way I get angry: ALL AT ONCE!"
"Of course he smiled -- just like you and me." -- Harold Goodwin, on Buster Keaton (1976)

ralph celentano
Associate
Posts: 31
Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2009 9:01 am

Re: RKO Two-Reelers

Postby ralph celentano » Sat Jan 07, 2012 1:27 pm

I do own both Bert Wheeler Columbia shorts. 1. INNOCENTLY GUILTY is frantic and 2. THE AWFUL SLEUTH * is better paced.
One was acquired from England and 2 Canada.

*Note: JUNGLE MONARCHS 1953 w/Morey Amsterdam narration was also included.

THE CHAMPS STEP OUT 1951; HIS BAITING BEAUTY 1950 (Emil Sitka's biggest role) ; & THE RING & THE BELLE 1941 Clyde (not in tv pkg) are 3 other Columbia rarities in my collection.

I did locate HALFWAY TO HOLLYWOOD 1938 with original titles, but there was a negative cut where the sword is thrown. I put the the titles on my complete Official Films print.

I'm looking for any Harry Sweet RKO comedies in 16mm.

ralph celentano
Associate
Posts: 31
Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2009 9:01 am

Re: RKO Two-Reelers

Postby ralph celentano » Sat Jan 07, 2012 1:39 pm

I do have 2 Kennedy & 1 Errol print downs. ART IN THE RAW 1933 w/Pangborn and SOCK ME TO SLEEP 1935 w/Tom Kennedy.

FIXING A STEW 1934 Errol (not in tv pkg)

Frank Flood
Cugine
Posts: 80
Joined: Wed Jun 03, 2009 12:04 pm

Re: RKO Two-Reelers

Postby Frank Flood » Sat Jan 07, 2012 1:46 pm

ralph celentano wrote:I did locate HALFWAY TO HOLLYWOOD 1938 with original titles, but there was a negative cut where the sword is thrown. I put the the titles on my complete Official Films print.


So did it feature head-shots on the main title? I like how Columbia took the time in the 1930's to prepare these titles, even for featured star like El Brendel or Polly Moran who made few comedies for the company.

ralph celentano
Associate
Posts: 31
Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2009 9:01 am

Re: RKO Two-Reelers

Postby ralph celentano » Sat Jan 07, 2012 9:27 pm

Frank Flood wrote:
ralph celentano wrote:I did locate HALFWAY TO HOLLYWOOD 1938 with original titles, but there was a negative cut where the sword is thrown. I put the the titles on my complete Official Films print.


So did it feature head-shots on the main title? I like how Columbia took the time in the 1930's to prepare these titles, even for featured star like El Brendel or Polly Moran who made few comedies for the company.


It has both faces.

Bob Birchard

Re: RKO Two-Reelers

Postby Bob Birchard » Wed May 02, 2012 3:23 pm

Ed Watz wrote:It surprised me when I read that Paul McCullough was originally the "star comic" of the team and Bobby Clark only assumed the top spot when audiences began to laugh at his adlibs. If that story is true it makes McCullough's subsequent demotion to chuckling at his partner and an occasional "okay!" sound like a real life BLUE ANGEL story.



Star comic, or star? It was customary for the straight man to be the "lead" and to make more money.

Ed Watz
Associate
Posts: 424
Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2011 7:35 pm

Re: RKO Two-Reelers

Postby Ed Watz » Wed May 02, 2012 10:51 pm

Bob Birchard wrote:
Ed Watz wrote:It surprised me when I read that Paul McCullough was originally the "star comic" of the team and Bobby Clark only assumed the top spot when audiences began to laugh at his adlibs. If that story is true it makes McCullough's subsequent demotion to chuckling at his partner and an occasional "okay!" sound like a real life BLUE ANGEL story.



Star comic, or star? It was customary for the straight man to be the "lead" and to make more money.


Makes perfect sense, Bud Abbott certainly provided the solid structure to Abbott & Costello's routines while Sidney Fields was probably the greatest straightman of all time, also "Mr. Fields" could be brilliantly funny with his convoluted logic.

Paul McCullough however doesn't function as a straightman - he's "out there" but doesn't really connect with Clark in any way that helps build a routine. He's more of a "yes man" in the tradition of Clayton & Jackson playing up to Durante, although they at least provided a high energy level dancing around Jimmy, whereas poor McCullough simply stands around. It seems as if McCullough's nadir is itself supposed to be the "inside joke." I just can't figure them out.
"Of course he smiled -- just like you and me." -- Harold Goodwin, on Buster Keaton (1976)

Louie Despres
Associate
Posts: 348
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2009 3:31 pm
Contact:

Re: RKO Two-Reelers

Postby Louie Despres » Mon Jul 16, 2012 3:41 pm

Frank Flood wrote:
ralph celentano wrote:I did locate HALFWAY TO HOLLYWOOD 1938 with original titles, but there was a negative cut where the sword is thrown. I put the the titles on my complete Official Films print.


So did it feature head-shots on the main title? I like how Columbia took the time in the 1930's to prepare these titles, even for featured star like El Brendel or Polly Moran who made few comedies for the company.


Frank,
Ralph asked me to take some photos of the screen from last night's showing of the "Halfway to Hollywood" short:

Image
Image

Frank Flood
Cugine
Posts: 80
Joined: Wed Jun 03, 2009 12:04 pm

Re: RKO Two-Reelers

Postby Frank Flood » Mon Jul 16, 2012 11:25 pm

Louie Despres wrote:Frank,
Ralph asked me to take some photos of the screen from last night's showing of the "Halfway to Hollywood" short:


Thanks Ralph and Louie. I find these Columbia titles very cool. Simple minds, simple pleasures, I guess.


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 65 guests