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Calling Yair Solan!

A few months ago on that other minor silent comics newsgroup we were trying to identify a still of a Hank Mann Arrow comedy that had Mann, Madge Kirby, Charley Chase, and Vernon Dent dressed in medieval garb. Well, another still from the film turned up on ebay and the title of the film is apparently THE JEST.

I think that is a new Mann Arrow title as far as I know. Anyone else?

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Hi Richard
Never have come across the title THE JEST either. For discussion sake here's a list of Hank Mann Arrow comedy titles that I've gathered from screenings, trade magazines, etc.

THE BASHFUL BLACKSMITH (a.k.a. THE BLACKSMITH)
BEACH NUTS
THE BILL POSTER
BOXING BOMBO
BROKEN BUBBLES
CLIFF DWELLERS
A CLOSE SHAVE
THE COY COPPER
CUTE KID AND KISSES
THE DENTIST
DON’T CHANGE YOUR MRS.
DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE
AN EYE FOR FIGURES
FOR HEAVENS SAKE
THE GAS ATTACK
A GUM RIOT
A HAREM HERO
HOPPING BELLS (a.k.a. THE BELL HOP)
HOT DOGS
IN HOCK
THE JANITOR (a.k.a. THE JAZZ JANITOR)
J-U-N-K
A KNOCKOUT
LEAP YEAR
THE LOST DETECTIVE
THE MESSENGER
MYSTIC MUSH
NAUGHTY NURSES
THE NICKEL SNATCHER
THE PAPER HANGER
PAPER, PASTE AND POULTRY
PARADISE FOR BIRDS
THE PLUMBER
A ROAMING ROMEO
STRIPES AND STARS
TAR BABY
TENDERFOOT LUCK
TROUBLE
WAY OUT WEST
WHEN SPIRITS MOVE
WHO’S YOUR GROCER?

I haven't included years as many of them are hard to pinpoint since this was a states rights series. A number of them seem to have floated around the country for a couple of years

Steve

Richard M Roberts wrote:Calling Yair Solan!

A few months ago on that other minor silent comics newsgroup we were trying to identify a still of a Hank Mann Arrow comedy that had Mann, Madge Kirby, Charley Chase, and Vernon Dent dressed in medieval garb. Well, another still from the film turned up on ebay and the title of the film is apparently THE JEST.

I think that is a new Mann Arrow title as far as I know. Anyone else?

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Hi Richard, I've seen that still on eBay as well and it seems THE JEST refers to the Broadway play it's spoofing rather than to the title of the Hank Mann comedy. I know that the seller of the still is unsure about the real title of the Mann/Parrott Arrow comedy.

Here's a still from the 1919 production of THE JEST, with Maude Hanaford, Lionel & John Barrymore, and Arthur Forrest:



And this is the still from the Hank Mann film, which looks an awful lot like the production above, same character types, costumes, etc:



So it looks like the title of the comedy might still be a mystery. Does anyone happen to have any more info on this Mann-Parrott short?

Forgot to include UP IN THE AIR.

Steve

Ah-ha! Well, if they're spoofing the Barrymore play, and both stills indicate they're doing broad theatrical acting, that might indicate that they are actually doing a play in the film, rather than the film being set in medieval times. So look for a Hank Mann comedy with a theatrical theme. THE BILL POSTER perhaps ?

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Hi Guys and Gals, is that still a scene from A Roaming Romeo? I thought it was a dream sequence from the film.
But other than that, I have a few additional Hank Mann - Arrow titles, tho I'm not sure if they are work-titles or actual releases:

Chased Out of Town
Did He Jazz - He Did
The Last Delusion
A Picnic for Hank
A Soft-Boiled Yegg
Why Change Your Mrs?

Speaking of Hank, I once read when he began his Arrow series, other than his main company, he was going to hire only veterans of the war.
(Reminds me of Keaton and his preference for stage players.)
And sorry to digress, but I recently heard that Vernon Dent had some roots in Philadelphia as a reporter for The Public Ledger; wonder if he and Larry Semon ever knew each other from Philly(?).

SteveR

Steve Rydzewski wrote:Hi Guys and Gals, is that still a scene from A Roaming Romeo? I thought it was a dream sequence from the film.

That is what I had suggested back on that other minor silent comedy newsgroup, but Steve Massa said he had seen the film at MOMA and it wasn't there.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Yeah, Ben Model and I viewed Hank's ROAMING ROMEO at MoMA and didn't see a scene from that still. Maybe the print wasn't complete - don't know.

Steve