Tuesday 31 July 2018

Mack Sennett

Born: 17 January 1880, Richmond, Québec, Canada
Died: 5 November 1960, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

Mack Sennett was one of the most successful individuals of the silent and early sound era. He began his career in show business on the stage in New York as a chorus boy, but quickly became involved with the new medium of film and found himself being directed by D. W. Griffith and working with big name actresses such as Mabel Normand and Mary Pickford. By 1910, Sennett had directed his first film. Soon after he formed the Keystone Film Company and began producing, directing and starring in his own movies. Sennett went on to produce over 1000 films and directed over 300.

Faithful (1910) as Zeke (Faithful)















Florence Barker

Born: 22 November 1891, Los Angeles, California, USA
Died: 15 February 1913, Los Angeles, California, USA

Florence Barker was a stage and silent film actress. Her love of theatre led her to join an amateur theatre group in her early teens. By the age of eighteen Florence was playing lead roles at the Grand Theatre in Los Angeles. It was around this time that Florence started acting in films and it is known that she acted in at least 70 films before her untimely death of pneumonia at the age of just 21.

Faithful (1910) as John's Sweetheart

With Arthur V Johnson and Mack Sennett.












Arthur V. Johnson

Born: 2 February 1876, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Died: 17 January 1916, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Arthur V. Johnson was a prolific silent screen star who made over 300 films in his short career. Sadly, Johnson died of tuberculosis long before the advent of sound.

Faithful (1910) as John Dobbs (Adonese)















Monday 30 July 2018

Alice Adair

Born: 6 August 1909, Davis, Oklahoma, USA
Died: 16 December 1978

Alice Adair was an actress, dancer and beauty contest winner. She began her show business career in night clubs and as dancer with the Marion Morgan troupe. Her film career started at the end of the silent era in supporting roles but by the early 1930s Adair found herself in extra parts and small uncredited roles.

I Surrender Dear (1931) as Bing's Admirer (uncredited)

Alice Adair is seated in the foreground, with Jean Houghton.

















Pick-up (1933) as Sally (uncredited)

Alice Adair is in the back of the car. In the front is Lilian Bond, George Meeker and Dorothy Layton.













Saturday 28 July 2018

Joe Keaton

Born: 6 July 1867, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA
Died: 13 January 1946, Ventura County, California, USA

Joe Keaton was the father of Buster Keaton and he appeared in some of his films.

Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928) as Barber (uncredited)

































  

Palooka from Paducah (1935) as Pa Diltz


















Max Schreck

Born: 6 September 1879, Berlin, Germany
Died: 20 February 1936, Munich, Bavaria, Germany

Nosferatu (1922) as Graf Orlok


Friday 27 July 2018

Louise Keaton

Born: 30 October 1906, Maine, USA
Died: 18 February 1981, Van Nuys, California, USA

Louise was the sister of Buster Keaton and she appeared in some of his films

Palooka from Paducah (1935) as Sis Diltz
















Myra Keaton

Born: 13 March 1877, Modale, Iowa, USA
Died: 21 July 1955, Los Angeles, California, USA

Myra Keaton was the mother of Buster Keaton and she appeared in some of his films

Palooka from Paducah (1935) as Ma Diltz
















Mary Russell

Born: 22 April 1912, Oskaloosa, Iowa, USA
Died: 22 August 2005, San Rafael, California, USA

The Payoff (1935) as Secretary (uncredited)
















Virginia Dabney

Born: 29 August 1907, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Died: 19 November 2000, California, USA

Virginia Dabney retired from films when she married director Robert Florey in 1939.

The Payoff (1935) as Marty's Blonde Girlfriend (uncredited)

With Alan Dinehart.































George Humbert

Born: 29 July 1880, Florence, Tuscany, Italy
Died: 8 May 1963, Los Angeles, California, USA

The Payoff (1935) as Hotel Clerk

Patricia Ellis has her back to us.














Paul Porcasi

Born: 1 January 1879, Palermo, Sicily, Italy
Died: 8 August 1946, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
 
The Payoff (1935) as Nick
 



















La Fiesta de Santa Barbara (1935) as Himself



















Thursday 26 July 2018

May Clark

Born: 9 August 1889, Kent, England, UK
Died: 31 May 1984, Englewood, New Jersey, USA

May Clark was a film cutter, production secretary and actress for Hepworth Film Studios when she was cast as Alice in the first ever film version of 'Alice in Wonderland' in 1903.

Alice in Wonderland (1903) as Alice



































Douglas Fox

Born: unknown
Died: unknown

Douglas Fox was the fifth young actor to play the role of Stinky Davis in the 'Mickey McGuire' short comedies.  He was replaced by the end of 1933 by Douglas Scott.

Mickey's Wildcats (1931) as Stinky Davis















Jules Hanft

Born: 16 September 1859, Jersey City, New Jersey, USA
Died: 6 August 1936, Los Angeles, California, USA

Jules Hanft was a silent screen actor who appeared in 'The Kid (1921)' with Charlie Chaplin.

I Surrender Dear (1931) as Man in Hall (uncredited)

Jules Hanft is in the background. He is the older gentleman with the glasses. In the foreground from left to right is Marion Sayers, Luis Alberni, Arthur Stone and Julia Griffith. Thw man in the dark suit in the background might be Junior Fuller.








George Gray

Born: 30 October 1894, Oakland, California, USA
Died: 8 September 1967, Asheville, North Carolina, USA
 
George Gray mainly acted in short comedies. When his acting career ended he became a makeup artist for film and then television. 
 
Run, Girl, Run (1928) as Race Announcer (uncredited)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mickey's Wildcats (1931) as George Davis
 


















I Surrender Dear (1931) as Man in Hallway (uncredited)

George Gray is in the background of this picture, right in the centre of the screen.











Spencer Bell

Born: 25 September 1887, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
Died: 18 August 1935

Played the Cowardly Lion in the 1925 version of The Wizard of Oz.

Mickey's Wildcats (1931) as Meadows

With Fern Emmett and Billy Barty.



































I Surrender Dear (1931) as Porter (uncredited)

Luis Alberni is holding the dog.














Jean Houghton

Born: unknown
Died: unknown

I Surrender Dear (1931) as Bing's Admirer (uncredited)

Jean Houghton is on the left. The other admirer is Alice Adair.

















Earthbound (1940) as Yvonne, Ellen's Maid (uncredited)














Barney Hellum

Born: 1 December 1895, Stavanger, Norway
Died: 22 December 1935, Los Angeles, California, USA

Barney Hellum was a diminutive comedy actor from the silent era who also appeared in many short comedies of the early 1930s.

I Surrender Dear (1931) as Elevator Operator (uncredited)

Barney Hellum emerges from the elevator as Bing Crosby and Arthur Stone wait.































Julia Griffith

Born: 2 February 1880, Iowa, USA
Died: 21 November 1961, Pacific Palisades, California, USA

I Surrender Dear (1931) as Peggy's Mother

Julia Griffith is on the left, with Marion Sayers.

















With Bing Crosby.















Marvin Loback

Born: 21 November 1896, Tacoma, Washington, USA
Died: 18 August 1938, Los Angeles, California, USA

I Surrender Dear (1931) as Butler (uncredited)

Marvin Loback holds the phone for Luis Alberni.













Blanche Payson

Born: 20 September 1881, Santa Barbara, California, USA
Died: 4 July 1964, Granada Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

Blanche Payson was around 6'4" in height and often cast next to much shorter men for comic effect. She started her screen career in the silent comedies of Mack Sennett at the Keystone Film Company, but found herself in demand at other studios, especially Hal Roach Studios, because of her unique physique and ability to play formidable women.

I Surrender Dear (1931) as Ethel Dobbs (uncredited)

Blanche Payson, on the right, towers over Arthur Stone and Will Stanton.


















Dizzy Doctors (1937) as Larry's Wife (uncredited)

Blanche Payson is on the right, with June Gittelson and little Ione Leslie.















Patsy O'Leary

Born: 8 September 1910, Los Angeles, California, USA
Died: unknown

Patsy O'Leary's on screen career began at the end of the silent era and ran through to the early 1930s. She mainly appeared in short comedies for Mack Sennett with stars like Andy Clyde, Billy Bevan and Bing Crosby.

I Surrender Dear (1931) as Mrs. McCullum (uncredited)

With Kalla Pasha on the left and Bing Crosby in the hat.













Kalla Pasha

Born: 5 March 1879, Detroit, Michigan, USA
Died: 10 June 1933, Talmage, California, USA

I Surrender Dear (1931) as Chauncey McCullum (uncredited)

Kalla Pasha is on the left, with Patsy O'Leary and Bing Crosby.













Wednesday 25 July 2018

Pat Harmon

Born: 3 February 1886 in Lewiston, Illinois, USA
Died: 26 November 1958, Riverside, California, USA

Taxi for Two (1932) as Sidewalk Cop (uncredited)

With Charlie Hall as a drunk.

















I Hate Women (1934) as Flannigan















James T. Mack

Born: 16 May 1871, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Died: 12 August 1948, Hollywood, California, USA

James T. Mack was a stage actor who played on Broadway 8 times between 1899 and 1933.

Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928) as Minister (uncredited)

Buster Keaton saves James T. Mack.















  

I Hate Women (1934) as Jerry (Credited as James Mack)















Alexander Carr

Born: 7 March 1878, Rumni, Russia
Died: 19 September 1946, Los Angeles, California, USA

Alexander Carr was a stage actor and playwright who appeared on Broadway from 1907 to 1931. His foray into films began during the silent era, but he only appeared in a few sound films.

I Hate Women (1934) as Cohen

Alexander Carr is on the right, with Joey Ray behind him.













Bobby Watson

Born: 28 November 1888, Springfield, Illinois, USA
Died: 22 May 1965, Hollywood, California, USA

Bobby Watson was a character actor who played everything from a gay man to Adolf Hitler. In fact so good was he at the latter that he portrayed Adolf Hitler in 9 different movies.

I Hate Women (1934) as Ducky

Bobby Watson is playing a homosexual man in this 'Pre-Code' film.











Philo McCullough

Born: 16 June 1893, San Bernardino, California, USA
Died: 5 June 1981, Burbank, California, USA

I Hate Women (1934) as Editor

Philo McCullough is on the right, with the pipe. On the left is Fuzzy Knight and Joey Ray is standing.












James Quinn

Born: 17 July 1885, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Died: 22 August 1940, Hollywood, California, USA

I Hate Women (1934) as Blinkie















Shirley Lee

Born: unknown
Died: unknown

Apparently Shirley Lee only made one film, in which she was credited and had lines. Nothing else is known about her.

I Hate Women (1934) as Helen Richmond / Kitty Thompson
















Billy Erwin

Born: unknown
Died: unknown

I Hate Women (1934) as Elmer
















Gloria Shea

Born: 30 May 1910, New York City, New York, USA
Died: 8 February 1995, Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Money Means Nothing (1934) as Julie Ferris McKay

With Wallace Ford.













Barbara Rogers

Born: 3 June 1912, Waycross, Georgia, USA
Died:  1969, California, USA

I Hate Women (1934) as Dottie

With Wallace Ford.






























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