Unidentified pic

[Louie Despres]

I purchased this photograph at the recently passed Cinevent and after showing it around and getting no answer as to the people in the scene, Paul Gierucki suggested that I post it here when SCM went on line, so some of the experts could have a crack. I thought it may be a comedy still as the guy on the left has slap shoes on. So here it is:



Also, to the admin here, is there a photo size limit? I tried to post a larger scan here and 1/2 of the right side got cut off.

[Steve Massa]

Hi Louis
The actor all the way on the right is Bud Ross, probably best remembered for being part of Billy West's stock company in his King Bee comedies. In the early and mid 'teens Ross worked for a lot of different companies, including the Gaumont comedies POOL SHARKS and HIS LORDSHIP'S DILEMMA with W.C. Fields. This photo looks in it's from the 'teens, but I don't recognize anybody else. It's a great shot.

Steve

[Louie Despres]

Thanks Steve! Paul actually said, "if there's anyone who'll know it'll be Steve Massa".

Interestingly, this still was found in a pile of mostly modern (50's - 70's) stills and was the only silent one I could find after looking at approximately 1,500.

[Paul E. Gierucki]

Louie,

Glad to see that you made it here; doubly so that Steve could help!

As to the file size concern, we are still feeling our way around the board software. I don't believe that there is an area limit rather there is a file size limit. I'll look into it and get back to you as soon as possible.

Otherwise, welcome!

-- PG

[Brent Walker]

I'll second Steve's confirmation on Budd Ross. I don't know who the guy on the left who looks like an unholy combination of Harry Watson, Paddy McGuire and John Bunny is though, and from this still pose it seems like he's the star of this picture.

[Frank Flood]

Better late than never, I guess, but the handsome gent on the left is Harry Vokes, a vaudeville comedian and member of the team of Ward & Vokes. In late 1915, he appeared in two of the Casino Star Comedies produced by Gaumont, BEAUTY IN DISTRESS and THE HOUSE PARTY. Budd Ross supported W.C. Fields and others in this series, so I believe that the photo is from one of those two films. His co-star in the first film was Dorothy Rogers and in the second, Eleanor Fairbanks, so I assume the woman in the picture is one of those two actresses.

Frank

[Steve Massa]

Hi Frank - Great detective work on Harry Vokes. I have a portrait of he and Hap Ward, but without that bizarre make-up that makes him look half man and half French poodle.

I've found synopsis for both BEAUTY IN DISTRESS ('15) and THE HOUSE PARTY ('15), and it looks like Louie's shot is from BEAUTY IN DISTRESS. Here's the synopsis from the 11/20/1915 issue of Motography (pg. 1103):

"BEAUTY IN DISTRESS - Casino - November 21
Freckles are the bane of Mrs. Devere's life. Mr. Devere is called out of town and his wife phones for the beauty doctor. While the doctor is working over Mrs. Devere with odd tools and plenty of sticking plaster, a knock is heard at the door. Devere has missed his train and returned. Armed with a revolver, Devere breaks in, and his wife, terrified, hides the doctor in a trunk, but a sneeze gives him away. Then follows a duel, and the husband and wife chase the beauty doctor until he takes refuge in the grounds of an insane asylum. There he is seized by the guards, for he proves to be an escaped patient. This paves the way for a quick reconciliation between husband and wife."

The smoking gun on this I think is the mention of the duel. The synopsis for THE HOUSE PARTY says that it's about a mistaken identity of a burglar at a society house party.

Love to see more of these Casino Comedies. I've seen maybe four or five, and from surviving photos it looks like Budd Ross was in all of them supporting Fields, Cissie Fitzgerald, etc.

[Louie Despres]

Wow! Thanks guys!