Question regarding THE STAGE HAND

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Richard M Roberts
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Re: Question regarding THE STAGE HAND

Postby Richard M Roberts » Sun Jan 22, 2012 10:25 pm

Educational had its own lot when Langdon started working there in '32 - it was the former Principal Pictures Studio at 7250 Santa Monica Blvd. It became Western Service Studios in late '33. Up to that point, Arvid Gillstrom had continued to utilize the lot even after he'd switched distribution to Paramount. Langdon's final Gillstrom short, PETTING PREFERRED, was shot at General Service Studios in January 1934.

Langdon returned to General Service that December to shoot LOVE, HONOR AND OBEY (THE LAW) for B.F. Goodrich, which was produced in between his second and third Columbia shorts (hence the "courtesy of Columbia Pictures" on the titles). It was copyrighted in May 1935 and played for free that spring at various schools, civic auditoriums and vacant theaters, along with a newsreel and a feature entitled HIGHWAY PATROL.

Michael


Educational didn't own the Principal Pictures lot either. Remember, those Gillstrom Langdons were basically independent productions that Educational distributed, which is why Gillstrom switched to Paramount for better distribution so easily when he had the opportunity. Western Service became another busy rent-a studio just like General Service.

The closest thing Educational, who was essentially just a distributor of all sorts of independent short product, had for their own studio was the old Astra Studios that they set up Jack White in during the 20's to produce the majority of their mid-late-20's short product. Earle Hammons then bankrolled a big chunk of Al Christies new sound studio as part of that KBS-World-Wide fiasco that was the straw that finally broke Educationals back. When that fell through, Educational shot the last of their West Coast product at rented General Service Studios, then high-tailed it out to Astoria where they made everything apart from a few Keaton shorts after 1935.



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Ian Elliot
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Re: Question regarding THE STAGE HAND

Postby Ian Elliot » Sun Jan 22, 2012 11:06 pm

According to Film Daily, 12/24/34, Leigh Jason directed LOVE, HONOR AND OBEY (THE LAW!)

I recognize Fred Toones and Robert Graves in this film, but I'm curious about the other cast. One of the bridesmaids looks rather like Mabel Langdon to me. The actress playing the bride looks familiar, does anyone know who she is?

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Re: Question regarding THE STAGE HAND

Postby Michael J Hayde » Sun Jan 22, 2012 11:20 pm

Richard M Roberts wrote:Educational didn't own the Principal Pictures lot either. Remember, those Gillstrom Langdons were basically independent productions that Educational distributed, which is why Gillstrom switched to Paramount for better distribution so easily when he had the opportunity. Western Service became another busy rent-a studio just like General Service.

The closest thing Educational, who was essentially just a distributor of all sorts of independent short product, had for their own studio was the old Astra Studios that they set up Jack White in during the 20's to produce the majority of their mid-late-20's short product. Earle Hammons then bankrolled a big chunk of Al Christies new sound studio as part of that KBS-World-Wide fiasco that was the straw that finally broke Educationals back. When that fell through, Educational shot the last of their West Coast product at rented General Service Studios, then high-tailed it out to Astoria where they made everything apart from a few Keaton shorts after 1935.

RICHARD M ROBERTS


Agreed that the Gillstrom Langdons were independent productions. Nevertheless, Educational did, at one time, own the Principal lot; probably beginning around 1925. The photo at far left at this site shows their logo on one of its buildings: http://wikimapia.org/6545152/Movie-Stud ... rical-Site.

Check the third photo (taken in 1937, when the studio was Grand National), and you'll see that same building on the left side. The side windows have been sealed up, but it's the same structure.

Gillstrom leased space and made all but one of his 11 Langdon shorts there. By the time Gillstrom set up shop, if it hadn't already, Educational Studio was about to become a rental lot.

In the January 24, 1933 issue of THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, a blurb states, "The name of Educational Talking Pictures, Ltd. has been changed to Western Service Studios." Western Service, a Western Electric subsidiary, took control of both Educational and Metropolitan Studios (1040 N. Las Palmas). Within a year, Metropolitan became General Service, and Educational was renamed Western Service, before becoming, in order: Grand National, PRC, Eagle-Lion, American National, Ziv and Ziv-UA.

Regardless of when Educational actually sold the lot and Western Electric acquired it, they DID own it at one time. The trades referred to it as "Educational Studios" until the name was changed around '34.

Incidentally, Richard, thank you for all the info at the start of this thread: namely that "The Show Goat" turned into THE STAGE HAND between its February 1932 production and September 1933 release. Pity that Educational didn't release the three-reeler Langdon actually made.

Michael

Richard M Roberts
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Re: Question regarding THE STAGE HAND

Postby Richard M Roberts » Sun Jan 22, 2012 11:41 pm

Ian Elliot wrote:According to Film Daily, 12/24/34, Leigh Jason directed LOVE, HONOR AND OBEY (THE LAW!)

I recognize Fred Toones and Robert Graves in this film, but I'm curious about the other cast. One of the bridesmaids looks rather like Mabel Langdon to me. The actress playing the bride looks familiar, does anyone know who she is?



I'd doubt Leigh Jason had a hand in it, it's very klunkily made, and Jason was a better director than that.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

Richard M Roberts
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Re: Question regarding THE STAGE HAND

Postby Richard M Roberts » Sun Jan 22, 2012 11:47 pm

Agreed that the Gillstrom Langdons were independent productions. Nevertheless, Educational did, at one time, own the Principal lot; probably beginning around 1925. The photo at far left at this site shows their logo on one of its buildings: http://wikimapia.org/6545152/Movie-Stud ... rical-Site.

Check the third photo (taken in 1937, when the studio was Grand National), and you'll see that same building on the left side. The side windows have been sealed up, but it's the same structure.

Gillstrom leased space and made all but one of his 11 Langdon shorts there. By the time Gillstrom set up shop, if it hadn't already, Educational Studio was about to become a rental lot.

In the January 24, 1933 issue of THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, a blurb states, "The name of Educational Talking Pictures, Ltd. has been changed to Western Service Studios." Western Service, a Western Electric subsidiary, took control of both Educational and Metropolitan Studios (1040 N. Las Palmas). Within a year, Metropolitan became General Service, and Educational was renamed Western Service, before becoming, in order: Grand National, PRC, Eagle-Lion, American National, Ziv and Ziv-UA.

Regardless of when Educational actually sold the lot and Western Electric acquired it, they DID own it at one time. The trades referred to it as "Educational Studios" until the name was changed around '34.

Incidentally, Richard, thank you for all the info at the start of this thread: namely that "The Show Goat" turned into THE STAGE HAND between its February 1932 production and September 1933 release. Pity that Educational didn't release the three-reeler Langdon actually made.

Michael



Thats right, Hammons bought it from Sol Lessor when White expanded production. Fair enough, brain fart I guess. But they had lost it by the time Gillstrom was doing the Langdons there. And I thought Metropolitan and General Service were the same studio.


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ralph celentano
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Re: Question regarding THE STAGE HAND

Postby ralph celentano » Mon Jan 23, 2012 3:27 am

Rich Finegan has recently discovered the production number assigned to LOVE, HONOR AND OBEY (THE LAW!) crediting Educational as the maker of this short.
He will provide this info shortly.
Last edited by ralph celentano on Mon Jan 23, 2012 9:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Ed Watz
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Re: Question regarding THE STAGE HAND

Postby Ed Watz » Mon Jan 23, 2012 7:04 am

Richard M Roberts wrote:
Ian Elliot wrote:According to Film Daily, 12/24/34, Leigh Jason directed LOVE, HONOR AND OBEY (THE LAW!)

I recognize Fred Toones and Robert Graves in this film, but I'm curious about the other cast. One of the bridesmaids looks rather like Mabel Langdon to me. The actress playing the bride looks familiar, does anyone know who she is?



I'd doubt Leigh Jason had a hand in it, it's very klunkily made, and Jason was a better director than that.


RICHARD M ROBERTS


According to The Hollywood Reporter Stanley E. Rauh wrote the film and he was under consideration to direct it - would've been his debut as a director - but no followup article (or I never located one) whether Rauh actually did helm LOVE, HONOR AND OBEY (THE LAW!).
"Of course he smiled -- just like you and me." -- Harold Goodwin, on Buster Keaton (1976)

Frank Flood
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Re: Question regarding THE STAGE HAND

Postby Frank Flood » Mon Jan 23, 2012 12:50 pm

As noted above, Educational bought the old Lesser studios (7250 Santa Monica) in the mid-1920's. The Metropolitan Studios at 1040 N. Las Palmas had been built / expanded / controlled by Al and Charles Christie. It was converted to sound production, and the Christies moved their base of operations to "Metropolitan Sound Studios" at about the same time that Mack Sennett moved to Studio City.

Into 1930, Metropolitan remained busy as both the home of Christie production (winding down for Paramount and gearing up for Educational) and as a rental lot for independent producers. Then, under circumstances of which I am still not completely clear, it all fell apart. A lot of the independents left, and the Christie interests seemed to have sort of merged into (or were taken over by) Educational. So then, Educational had two operating studios: Educational where the Mermaids, Ideals, Hamiltons (second series) and such were being made by Roscoe Arbuckle among others, and Metropolitan where the Christie-produced Vanities, Gayeties and Tuxedos were made.

At which point, Educational proceeded to slip into its own downward slide, burdened by two separate studio operations, a nationwide network of exchanges, the whole KBS-World Wide-Tiffany thing, and big studio theater chains whose affiliates were producing their own comedy shorts. Oh yeah, and The Great Depression.

Everything that happened after early 1933 was creditor (Chase Bank and Western Electric / ERPI) driven. The studios were taken over by ERPI, which also had taken over Paramount's Astoria operation. ERPI now had important rental facilities on both coasts. Production was consolidated first at Metropolitan (now General Service), and then in Astoria (Eastern Service). The exchanges were closed and Fox (another Chase debtor) began handling physical distribution of the Educational films. Hammons could stay in business as a producer only or close up shop. This was at the exact same time - to the week almost - that Paramount and RKO went into equity receivership (bankruptcy). It's amazing that Educational survived at all.

Richard M Roberts
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Re: Question regarding THE STAGE HAND

Postby Richard M Roberts » Mon Jan 23, 2012 5:50 pm

Everything that happened after early 1933 was creditor (Chase Bank and Western Electric / ERPI) driven. The studios were taken over by ERPI, which also had taken over Paramount's Astoria operation. ERPI now had important rental facilities on both coasts. Production was consolidated first at Metropolitan (now General Service), and then in Astoria (Eastern Service). The exchanges were closed and Fox (another Chase debtor) began handling physical distribution of the Educational films.



Now, were the Educational Exchanges closed, or sold off?


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Frank Flood
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Re: Question regarding THE STAGE HAND

Postby Frank Flood » Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:35 am

Richard M Roberts wrote:Now, were the Educational Exchanges closed, or sold off?


RICHARD M ROBERTS


I think I have read that they were closed, and Educational's exchange employees (at least some of them) moved over to the Fox exchanges to handle sales of short subjects.


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