Sunday 30 September 2018

Douglas Scott

Born: 31 May 1925, Seattle, Washington, USA
Died: 23 June 1988, Concord, California, USA

Night Work (1930) as Oscar, the Orphan

With Sally Starr.
































Frances Upton

Born: 15 April 1904, Pennsylvania, USA
Died: 27 November 1975, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Frances Upton was an actress and comedienne who acted almost exclusively on the stage and appeared on Broadway in the 1920s and 1930s including having featured roles in 'Ziegfeld Follies of 1928' and 'Whoopee' co-starring Eddie Cantor. In 1931 she starred in one of the very first experimental television broadcasts in New York City, appearing with Gertrude lawrence, Lionel Atwill and boxer Primo Carnera.

In films she was only seen in one feature, 'Night Work (1930)' starring Eddie Quillan. Frances Upton retired from performing in 1933 when she married.

Night Work (1930) as Aggie

















Sally Starr

Born: 23 January 1909, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Died: 5 May 1996, South Park Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA

Sally Starr was an actress and singer.

Night Work (1930) as Mary



















Pardon My Gun (1930) as Mary Martin



















Marion Ballou

Born: 17 October 1870, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Died: 25 March 1939, Hollywood, California, USA

Marion Ballou was a character actress in films of the 1930s. Before this she was a stage actress and she debuted on Broadway in 1909 in a production of 'The Narrow Path' and she appeared there regularly until mid-1928 when she made the move into films. 

Night Work (1930) as Mrs. Morgan (uncredited)


















William A. Williams

Born: unknown
Died: unknown

William A. Williams was a mainly uncredited actor in films of the 1930s.

Night Beat (1931) as Vince (Credited as Bill Williams)

This was William's first credited role. Not a great film.















Patsy Ruth Miller

Born: 17 January 1904, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Died: 16 July 1995, Palm Desert, California, USA
 
Patsy Ruth Miller was a silent screen actress who appeared in a handful of 'talkies' in the early 1930s. 
 
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) as Esmeralda
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Night Beat (1931) as Eleanor Patterson
 
















Friday 28 September 2018

Curtis Benton

Born: 26 August 1885, Toledo, Ohio, USA
Died: 14 September 1938, Los Angeles, California, USA

Before Curtis Benton became a radio announcer and commentator, he was a silent screen and stage actor. During the silent era Curtis wrote short stories that were turned into films. During the sound era Curtis Benton occasionally appeared in films as an announcer.

Local Boy Makes Good (1931) as Announcer at Track Meet (uncredited)




















Other Works

Stage

1918 The Unknown Purple. Lyric Theater, Broadway, New York City, New York, USA.

John Harrington

Born: 23 July 1882, Riverside County, California, USA
Died: 9 September 1945, San Francisco, California, USA

Local Boy Makes Good (1931) as Coach Jackson

John Harrington is on the right, with Wade Boteler.















Dorothy Lee

Born: 23 May 1911, Los Angeles, California, USA
Died: 24 June 1999, San Diego, California, USA
 
Dorothy Lee appeared in almost all of the 'Wheeler and Woolsey' films. 
 
Too Many Cooks (1931) as Alice Cook
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Local Boy Makes Good (1931) as Julia Winters




















With Joe E. Brown.
















Thursday 27 September 2018

Edward J. Nugent

Born: 7 February 1904, New York City, New York, USA
Died: 3 January 1995, New York City, New York, USA

Edward J. Nugent was an actor, singer, dancer, producer, writer and director. He started his showbusiness career as a child when he sang with the Metropolitan Opera. He appeared in over 80 films beginning in the late silent era. He also appeared on Broadway during the 1930s and 1940s often under the name Eddie Nugent. When his acting career was over Nugent ran a shop for a while before moving into television as a producer, writer, and director for American Broadcasting Company. 

Our Dancing Daughters (1928) as Freddie

With Dorothy Sebastian.

















Local Boy Makes Good (1931) as Wally Pierce


















William Burress

Born: 19 August 1867, Newcomerstown, Ohio, USA
Died: 30 October 1948, Los Angeles, California, USA

Local Boy Makes Good (1931) as Colonel Small


















Bertram Marburgh

Born: 17 May 1875, New York City, New York, USA
Died: 22 August 1956, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

For the Defense (1930) as Judge Evans


















Wednesday 26 September 2018

Scott Kolk

Born: 16 May 1905, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Died: 1 December 1993, Canton, Maine, USA

Scott Kolk was a singer and actor of stage and screen working on Broadway and in major films at various times during his career. In the late 1920s he was given a contract at Universal.

For the Defense (1930) as Jack Defoe

















Billy Bevan

Born: 29 September 1887, Orange, New South Wales, Australia
Died: 26 November 1957, Escondido, California, USA

For the Defense (1930) as Drunk (uncredited)







































Private Number (1936) as Frederick



















Abbe Lane

Born: 14 December 1932, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Abbe Lane was an actress and singer. She was married to Xavier Cugat, the band leader. and performed on stage with him many times. In 1958 she starred in the Broadway musical 'Oh, Captain!' opposite Tony Randall.

Ride Clear of Diablo (1954) as Kate

















Otis Young

Born: 4 July 1932, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
Died: 11 October 2001, Los Angeles, California, USA

The Last Detail (1973) as Mulhall

With Jack Nicholson.












Tuesday 25 September 2018

Lilyan Irene

Born: 18 March 1892, England, UK
Died: 30 December 1979, Los Angeles, California, USA
 
Lilyan Irene was an actress in mostly uncredited roles in the 1930s and 1940s. 
 
Private Number (1936) as Hazel
 
Lilyan is on the right, with Jane Darwell.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A rare credited role for Lilyan.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


















Betty Danko

Born: 19 September 1903, New Jersey, USA
Died: 3 February 1979, Santa Ana, California, USA

Betty Danko was a stunt woman and stand-in from the late 1920s until the 1940s. She was a stand-in for Margaret Hamilton in the Wizard of Oz and is the first wicked witch we see in the colour section of the film. She occasionally made appearances as an extra in films.

County Hospital (1932) as Desk Nurse (uncredited)

With Stan Laurel. A few lines of dialogue with Stan in this film.

































Roger Moore

Born: 21 September 1900, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Died: 24 March 1999
 
Roger Moore was an actor of small roles, often uncredited, who made around 240 film appearances beginning in the silent era. He is the brother of actor Robert Young.
Not to be confused with the British actor of the same name who played James Bond in the 1970s and 1980s
 
Run, Girl, Run (1928) as Griddle Cook (uncredited)

Roger Moore is smiling on the left, apparently.


















Taxi for Two (1932) as Eloper (uncredited)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Night Life of the Gods (1935) as Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
 
Apparently this shadow on the left is Roger Moore. What do you think?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Reginald Barlow

Born: 17 June 1866, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Died: 6 July 1943, Hollywood, California, USA

The Age of Consent (1932) as Mr. Swale - Dora's Father



















New Frontier (1939) as Judge Bill Lawson

Reginald Barlow stands to make a speech. Jennifer Jones is on the right. Also at the table are Eddy Waller, Hal Price and Burr Caruth.

















Otto Diamant

Born: 22 December 1905, Vienna, Austria
Died: 11 April 1993, London, England, UK

Blood of the Vampire (1958) as Gravedigger






























Carlos Williams

Born: unknown
Died: unknown

Blood of the Vampire (1958) as Stretcher Bearer (uncredited)

Carlos Williams is on the left, with Gordon Honeycombe.











Gordon Honeycombe

Born: 27 September 1936, Karachi, British India
Died: 9 October 2015, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Gordon Honeycombe became a respected newsreader in the UK.

Blood of the Vampire (1958) as Stretcher Bearer (uncredited)

Gordon Honeycombe is on the right, with Carlos Williams. This was Gordon Honeycombe's first film and at the time his only film before he became a newsreader for ITN.











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