Vintage Stardust: Recent Episodes
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Robert Stack and Deanna Durbin in First Love (1939). Source: New York Public Library
With her singing voice and strong spirit, as her teacher tells her on graduation day, Deanna Durbin has everything she needs to face her next chapter in life. First Love (1939) is a professed modern streamline fairytale of an orphan named Connie (Durbin) who graduates school and goes to New York City to live with her uncle and his wealthy, self-absorbed family. Robert Stack co-stars in this romantic musical comedy as Connie navigates finding her place and desiring to use her talent in a world that’s out of her comfort zone.
This was Deanna Durbin’s 6th movie with Universal, becoming a popular actress/singer with a soprano voice. Later movies, including Lady on a Train (1945) and Something in the Wind (1947), feature Durbin singing to contemporary music of the era. She co-starred with Stack again in Nice Girl? (1941), although First Love (1939) is the most remembered of their pairing. Supporting actors include silent film actress Leatrice Joy; character actors Eugene Palette and Frank Jenks; Helen Parrish; and Marcia Mae Jones, most remembered for co-starring with Shirley Temple, although she starred in teenage B-movies with Jackie Moran.
Character DesignCostumes: Vera West (gowns); Hair: Unknown; Makeup: Unknown
Deanna Durbin as Connie Harding in First Love (1939).
Deanna Durbin plays Connie Harding, who is friendly and self-reliant. Durbin first appeared in the MGM short Every Sunday (1936) with Judy Garland, and that same year sang for 2 years on Eddie Cantor’s radio show, Eddie Cantor Texaco Town. She retired after completing For the Love of Mary (1948), where she lived a quiet life in France until her death in 2013. As Connie, at left, Durbin wears this casual dress for dinner once she settles in at her uncle’s house. The floral print and lace with a bow at the neck emphasize her character’s liveliness and grace compared to her relatives’s restraint. On the right is her gown at the ball, featuring 1930s elements of a sweetheart neckline with 3/4 puff sleeves and sequins (including a sequin bow in her hair). The dress helps distinguish Connie’s uniqueness, both in terms of her bright personality and character compared to the other guests. Durbin’s hair is maintained in brushed-out pin curls with a section of waves at the top, with light film makeup, since her character is a modern yet humble young woman.
Robert Stack as Ted Drake in First Love (1939).
Robert Stack plays Ted Drake, who is kind and thoughtful. This was Stack’s first movie. However, some audiences may be more familiar with his TV career portraying federal agent Eliot Ness in The Untouchables (1959-63) or later on as the host of the documentary series Unsolved Mysteries from 1988-2002 until his death in 2003. As Ted, at left, he wears these jodhpurs with a polo shirt at the stables, revealing his character’s athletic interests and as a direct parallel to the prince in the Cinderella narrative, especially because he rides a white horse. Ted’s signet ring on his left hand also implies his character’s social status. On the right is his tailored tuxedo during the ball, featuring a single breast waistcoat with a boutonnière. The tuxedo is modern for the era and combined with his combed back hair, parallels to the fairytale’s qualities of gentleness and refinement.
Set DesignArt Direction: Jack Otterson, Martin Obzina; Set Decorator: Russell A. Gausman
Set design of Connie’s (Deanna Durbin) bedroom in First Love (1939).
Above is Connie’s bedroom. On the left is the center of the room; not pictured is an oval mirror as another fairytale reference. Behind the fireplace, the archways reveal a vanity table between two windows. The opposite image is further right from the fireplace, where Connie’s bed is. Overall, the bedroom is decorated modestly with miniatures and classical paintings of women, which I felt represented her character’s graciousness compared to the extravagant style of her cousin’s (Helen Parrish). I also felt that the twin bed and single chairs placed throughout, as opposed to chairs facing each other or a sofa, reiterated the isolation she feels at home, yet also how she’s used to being independent.
First Love (1939) remains a relevant story with the ups and downs of a young person entering adulthood. Deanna Durbin plays Connie with a sense of vulnerability and honesty that’s relatable today. Her scenes with Miss Wiggins (Kathleen Burke) reveal reassurance, while those with the household staff portray friendship. There are 1930s parallels to Cinderella; however, there’s a stirring theme that traits–taking chances, prevailing, and falling in love–often thought of only in books can still happen in modern times. When Connie says, “Those fairy stories haven’t come true for over a hundred years, Miss Wiggins,” Her teacher, Miss Wiggins, replies, “Fiddle-sticks. You just have to dust them off and streamline them a bit. [. . .] The trouble with you young people is you don’t believe in anything. You’re afraid. Afraid of hope, afraid of happiness. . .”
Detail of a radio singer illustration by artist Edward D’Ancona. Circa 1940s. Source: Pinterest
The fame and intrigue of the radio industry were the settings for several 1930s and 40s movies. Similar to the the TV industry, performers on the radio had the potential to become well-known and successful. During the eras, many people were avid radio listeners, while some built their own radios, and others hoped to perform on air or work in technical roles. Radio provided inspiration for second features. Also called B-movies, they supported the first feature, which had a larger budget. While low budget movies lacked luxurious sets and costumes with A-list actors, many of them were well done with actors who had previously or co-currently appeared in major movies.
Here are 6 fun radio-themed B-movies ranging from comedies to mysteries.
Professional Sweetheart (1933)RKO Pictures | Director: William Seiter | 72 minutes
Norman Foster and Ginger Rogers in Professional Sweetheart (1933). Source: Pinterest
Before Ginger Rogers became known in RKO musicals with Fred Astaire, she starred in movies such as Professional Sweetheart (1933), and continued to star in movies in between those with Astaire. Rogers portrays Glory Eden, a former orphan turned radio singer with a wholesome image known as “The Purity Girl.” Off- air, she desires a life of going out and seeing the world, prompting her to randomly choose a fan letter, which turns out to be from a young man in the country named Jim (Norman Foster). While her entourage thinks this will make good publicity, soon Glory begins to get to know Jim and wonders what will make her happiest: radio or romance. This is a unique comedy poking fun at both the radio industry’s moral clauses in contracts and the self-titled sponsored programs of the period. Rogers’s singing voice is dubbed, which was unusual for her movies, likely to suit her character’s radio persona.
Be on the look out for character actors Allen Jenkins, Frank McHugh, and Zasu Pitts.
For fans of: Pre-codes, satire, Ginger Rogers
High Hat (1937)Imperial Productions | Director: Clifford Sanford | 74 minutes
Dorothy Dare in High Hat (1937). Screenshot by me. Source: Archive.org
This musical features an opera singer (Dorothy Dare) whose transition to the radio is far from the success she thought it’d be. When she’s urged to sing swing, which is what the radio audiences want to hear, she refuses. Then, a radio singer (Frank Luther) at the station convinces her to give it a try with an unexpected result. I liked this movie because it had quirky supporting characters with fun songs. The climax entails a variety program, giving viewers an idea of what that would have looked like within a radio station. I also felt that the plot took a different approach of focusing on a singer who is trying out for radio as opposed to already being famous, as well as how characteristics including humility can be more valuable than talent alone.
For fans of: Musicals, variety shows
Rhythm in the Clouds (1937)Republic Pictures | Director: John H. Auer | 53 minutes
Patricia Ellis, Warren Hull, and Suzanne Kaaren in Rhythm in the Clouds (1937). Source: Pinterest
Patricia Ellis stars as Judy, an aspiring songwriter who, at the opening of the movie, not only has to find a job but now a place to live. She gets the idea to add a popular radio songwriter as her co-writer to quickly sell her music. Just when her career is beginning, the songwriter returns from a trip and discovers the songs that he’s allegedly helped write with a woman he’s never met before. I wrote about this movie previously and noted that it was uncommon for movies of the era to feature female songwriters. This is a lighthearted story with pleasing musical numbers and has a touch of a fairytale-like story.
For fans of: Musicals, Rags to Riches plots
Up in the Air (1940)Monogram Pictures | Director: Howard Bretherton | 62 minutes
Mantan Moreland and Frankie Darro in Up in the Air (1940). Screenshot by me. Source: Archive.org
Frankie Darro and Mantan Moreland share the billing in the fifth movie of their screen teaming . A bell boy named Frankie (Darro) and his best friend Jeff (Moreland), who is a janitor, both work at a radio station that they hope to convince to hire them for something better: radio performers. Initially, Frankie thoughtfully helps the new desk clerk (Marjorie Reynolds) secure an audition to be a radio singer. Later, the radio station’s most famous singer is murdered during rehearsal. Darro is eager to become a detective to prove to the station that he’s capable of more than being a bell boy and takes along the more apprehensive Jeff, as his partner, to discover the murderer.
For fans of: Comedic crime dramas, early 1940s songs, Frankie Darro or Mantan Moreland
A Tragedy at Midnight (1942)Republic Pictures | Director: Joseph Santley | 68 minutes
John Howard and Margaret Lindsay in A Tragedy at Midnight (1942). Screenshot by me. Source: YouTube
Margaret Lindsay and John Howard star in this mystery/comedy about a married couple, a writer and radio crime commentator, respectively. When Greg (Howard) discovers a murdered woman in their apartment one morning, he and Beth (Lindsay) race against time to both clear his name with the police and to solve the murder to report for his next broadcast. Although the running time isn’t very long, the plot has plenty of twists to keep viewers engaged. Lindsay and Howard make a great team, swapping quips and enjoying each other’s company as amateur but keen sleuths as they investigate a variety of places alone and together in the city throughout the day and night.
Be on the look out for character actors Roscoe Karns and Keye Luke.
For fans of: Mysteries with comedic relief, male/female teamings
Breakfast in Hollywood (1946)Golden Pictures, distributed by United Artists | Director: Harold Schuster | 90 minutes
Edward Ryan and Bonita Granville in Breakfast in Hollywood (1946). Source: Pinterest
Based on the radio series of the same name, Breakfast in Hollywood (1946), stars Bonita Granville. The plot focuses on a young sailor (Edward Ryan) on leave who meets a young woman (Granville) one morning during a radio broadcast. They end up spending the day together after the show. However, a misunderstanding causes their afternoon to end abruptly, and he searches for host Tom Breneman to ask his help to find her before it’s too late. This is an uplifting romantic story. Unlike other movies that centered on performers, I liked how this one instead centered on the audience. It’s a great movie for those who have listened to the Breakfast in Hollywood radio show or big band music.
Be on the look out for Spike Jones Orchestra with singer Andy Russsell as well as Nat King Cole. Also, character actors Zasu Pitts and Billie Burke play supporting roles with a cameo by columnist Hedda Hopper.
For fans of: Big band music, old time radio, World War II romances
Portrait illustration of British actor Brian Aherne printed in The Australian Women’s Weekly on April 24, 1937. Source: Trove
Brian Aherne’s tall height with benign banter brought him to Hollywood as a leading man in the early 1930s. Yet he played different roles with the approach of acting as an art, which he had honed years before on the stage and in British movies. During his career in Hollywood, his co-stars included Claudette Colbert, Helen Hayes, and Rosalind Russell.
Stage and Silent Film BeginningsActing came into Aherne’s life twice–first as a child and then as an adult, when he decided to pursue it. He previously made his first stage appearance at the age of 3, according to The Australian Women’s Weekly in January 1937, due to his mother being a director at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. His father, an architect, sent him to learn acting from Italia Conti, a well-known academy that still exists today, but Aherne wasn’t interested in acting. Instead, he studied at prep school and Malvern College. He reportedly was employed as a clerk for a retailer in Liverpool before he reconsidered acting and worked his way from supporting to leading roles in a well-traveled theater career.
Brian Aherne as Julian Gordon in Shooting Stars (1928). Source: Pinterest
On stage, he garnered recognition for his acting abilities. His performance in the title role of J.M. Barrie’s The Admirable Crichton led Australia’s The Age in April 1926, to note Aherne’s technique as “a handsome, restrained, deferential, and almost too heroic butler for a comedy. His self control was as admirable as his unstrained and boyish exultation [. . .] His capacity for dramatic concentration was shown in the critical moment in the third act [. . .] a really fine piece of work.” In between plays, he appeared in British movies. Underground (1928), co-starring Elissa Landi, gave him the role of a subway porter, and the Western drama Shooting Stars (1928), co-starring Annette Benson, had him portray the spouse of a silent movie couple. However, silent movies weren’t glamorous; as Aherne later shared with The Australian Women’s Weekly in 1937, “In those days we didn’t have the properties to work with we have now. Our only light was the sun. Our make-up was a thick orange concoction that cracked when we smiled, and an expenditure of 50,000 dollars meant a super-super colossal picture.”
Hollywood Leading ManBrian Aherne’s Hollywood debut was the male lead of a sculptor in Song of Songs (1933), starring Marlene Dietrich. He became known for giving his characters a polished nature. Madera Tribune in October 1935 called his role in I Live My Life (1935), as an archeologist opposite a socialite played by Joan Crawford, “his finest performance to the screen, making the character a warm, charming and humorous digger of statues.” Aherne was at ease in dramas, such as an Irish rebel torn between his cause and falling in love with a British aristocrat (Merle Oberon) in Beloved Enemy (1936). He also starred in comedies, including as a cordial hobo turned chauffeur to a whimsical family, co-starring Billie Burke and Constance Bennett, in Merrily We Live (1938). In the late 1930s, he stopped freelancing to sign a contract with independent filmmaker Hal Roach, who had previously become known in the silent era as a producer, most notably for Harold Lloyd movies and Our Gang shorts. In August 1938, The West Australian quoted Aherne’s explanation during a BBC radio interview: “It’s quite different at Roach’s . . . We only make one picture at a time, so there’s no pressure. And people not only ask you what you think. They listen. It’s unheard of in the big studios.”
Brian Aherne and Marlene Dietrich on the set of Song of Songs (1933) visited by Fredric March. Source: Pinterest
Besides acting in movies and on stage in between, Aherne enjoyed aviation. According to the Santa Ana Journal in 1937, actress/aviator Ruth Chatterton had encouraged him to overcome his sickness of flying, which led him to take lessons and earn a pilot’s license. Yet Aherne remained a mystery to audiences and critics, due to his low profile off-screen and being single, until his marriage to Joan Fontaine in 1939. According to Australia’s Truth in April 1938, he had no pets and enjoyed swimming, golf, and horseback riding. Uncommonly, Aherne reportedly had “no [aspiration] to make a fortune. Hence he only accepts roles he really wants to play.”
Well-Traveled with GratitudeIn the 1940s, Aherne continued to play a variety of roles. Vigil in the Night (1940), co-starring Carole Lombard and Anne Shirley, had him portray a doctor during a meningitis outbreak, while the mystery/comedy A Night to Remember (1942) saw him as an easygoing mystery author who becomes involved in a murder case alongside his wife, played by Loretta Young. Off-camera, Aherne was said to have been a good storyteller, having encountered notable people, such as Winston Churchill, as well as funny moments during travels in his career. He told Imperial Valley Press in October 1943 that the people he remembered the most were “those that were finely etched with the acid of experience, speaking words sharpened with wisdom or mellowed with understanding.” By 1945, Aherne divorced Fontaine and later married Eleanor de Liagre Labrot, whom he remained married to until his death in 1986.
Brian Aherne and Rosalind Russell with Janet Blair for My Sister Eileen (1942). Source: Pinterest
Throughout a career that lasted into the 1960s, Aherne worked in every medium an actor could–stage, movies, radio, and TV. Having traveled to different countries, to the Desert Sun in April 1980, he called himself a “citizen of the world.” Aherne wrote his autobiography, A Proper Job, in 1969 and later in 1972 published a compilation of letters for A Dreadful Man, a book about his friend, actor George Sanders. Desert Sun previously reported in May 1975 that he helped opera singer Lily Pons honor local volunteers with Aherne telling them, “Helpers are people with warm loving hearts. You recipients are worthy of our love.” He also referenced farming for 35 years in the region and appreciated how “farm folks share our troubles and try to help another.” Later on when the Desert Sun in 1980 asked which medium he liked acting in best, he admitted he used to feel bad if his films weren’t successful and concluded, “. . [F]ilm is not an actor’s medium. It’s a director’s medium. On the other hand, the theater is an actor’s medium, so a flop in the theater is much more wounding. I’ve been extremely lucky throughout my career, so I can’t complain.”
Movie poster for The Clash of the Wolves (1925). Source: Pinterest
The courageous zeal of Rin Tin Tin drives this Western narrative of fires, sandstorms, and corruption in Clash of the Wolves (1925), starring Charles Farrell and June Marlowe. A fire in the High Sierras brings a wolf pack and its leader, Lobo (Rin Tin Tin), to the desert for refuge. He befriends a young man (Farrell) living in a cabin whose discovery of the mineral borax brings suspicious circumstances and danger.
By 1925, Rin Tin Tin had been in films for three years, and popularity with audiences brought his contract studio, Warner Brothers, success during the silent era and from a few talkies before his death in 1932. He was often cast as part wolf, such as in this film, or a wolf than a German Shepherd. A distinct trait of his films was that Rin Tin Tin had qualities audiences, regardless of age or background, could understand. For instance, in Clash of the Wolves (1925), audiences not only see daring stunts in action sequences, they also see Lobo’s moments of weakness. This gave him a believable and almost humanistic characterization, as opposed to if he had no flaws and was heroic in every endeavor.
Character DesignCostumes: Unknown, Makeup: Unknown, Hair: Unknown
Charles Farrell in character as Dave Weston in Clash of the Wolves (1925).
Charles Farrell plays Dave Weston, a tolerant, perceptive, and compassionate “tenderfoot.” Farrell had been in films for two years by 1925 and was progressing into starring roles after uncredited bit parts. Two years later he’d star with Janet Gaynor in 7th Heaven (1927), the first of their 12 movies that transitioned into talkies. By the late 1930s, Farrell’s career declined, and he was active in Palm Springs, including starting the racquet club with Ralph Bellamy and later serving as mayor. Some generations better remember Farrell as Vern Albright in the 1950s TV show, My Little Margie, starring Gale Storm. As Dave, Farrell wears this costume of a button-up with jodhpurs and boots, highlighting his lifestyle in a rugged environment where he travels by horse or donkey, instead of a car. His campaign hat provides practicality yet implies how his character is knowledgeable for life among the outdoors. On the right, Farrell’s hair is often kept combed back, such as in the scene while visiting the Barstowe household, while his bandana is protection from the wind and dirt that occurred in several sequences.
June Marlowe in character as May Barstowe in Clash of the Wolves (1925).
June Marlowe plays May Barstowe, a considerate young woman with a sense of humor and open-mind, who is in love with Dave. Marlowe was named one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars of 1925, ranked by the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers, who highlighted those they felt were most apt for success. She is best remembered for her reoccurring role as Miss Crabtree in the Our Gang shorts and was active in films until 1933, when she retired from acting after she married. As May, her dress on the left is the drop-waist style of the period, yet is modestly adorned to suggest that her clothes would have been sewn at home or ordered from a catalog, since they live in a small town that appeared to have one street. Her hair is kept pinned back with minimal waves, while also demonstrating her character’s lack of vanity. On the left is her riding costume of a long skirt with cowboy boots and long sleeves, protecting her from the elements. However, her not riding a traditional side saddle shows her character is a modern woman.
Set DesignArt Directors: Lewis Gieb, Esdras Hartley
The set of the Barstowe home in Clash of the Wolves (1925).
This is the set of the Barstowe’s home, which is well maintained, and although the furniture isn’t old-fashioned, it isn’t in the most modern style of the year, reflecting a sense of humility. The left image is the sitting room, featuring select decor and landscape artwork, the latter fitting the outdoor themes of the film. Thick tablecloths and small decor on the shelf, including a figurine, gives a sense of tradition that these are objects that have had meaning to the family. On the right is the study of Mr. Barstowe with desks and books. The ornate wallpaper and lace curtains with long drapes give the home an elegant touch, despite being a short distance from the underdeveloped desert. Both sets have oil lamps on the tables, indicating that although set in 1925, when electricity existed, not every home, especially those in rural areas, was wired yet with electricity. The Barstowe’s home reveals a sense of orderliness and culture, symbolizing the disdain that Mr. Barstowe has for May associating with Dave, whose own home is a cabin.
Clash of the Wolves (1925) is a unique silent Western movie with the focus on underlying themes of the relationship between humans and animals as well as humans versus natural elements. Sharp-shooting cowboys and other stereotypes are free from this film. Instead, comedian Heinie Conklin brings slapstick humor in places, while Rin Tin Tin’s stunt work in action scenes remain fresh and timeless to a new era of audiences.
Chester Morris as Boston Blackie in Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood (1942). Source: Pinterest
In the summer of 1944, radio listeners were treated to Columbia Pictures’ cheerful and swift Boston Blackie from the movies. As an NBC summer replacement for Amos ‘n’ Andy, Chester Morris reprised his role as the former jewel thief turned detective. He had just finished One Mysterious Night (1944), the seventh of what became fourteen movies in the series. (Previously, I wrote about the first movie, for those new to Chester Morris as Boston Blackie.) Although Morris had other roles in the 1940s, Boston Blackie became his most well-known role of the era. Contrary to some contemporary articles, George E. Stone didn’t reprise The Runt on radio. It’s possible his other film roles made him unavailable. Instead, joining Chester Morris from screen to radio was Richard Lane as Inspector Farraday.
Unlike the movies, which opened with a dramatic musical intro, the radio series had organ music. The upbeat Rinso commercials, describing vivid summer dresses and bright white laundry, form a vision of a sweltering yet fun summer. References to scrubbing clothes remind modern listeners that not every household could afford a washing machine. As the radio show announced to listeners, Boston Blackie was “enemy to those who make him an enemy, friend to those who have no friend.” These were the traits that made him likable on screen, as he relentlessly supported strangers and friends alike while clearing his own name with the police. Audiences can still expect to hear Morris’s rendition of an amiable personality with a sense of humor as well as his ability to question menacing people while offering protection and aid to the innocent. Richard Lane’s presence as the frustrated Farraday is an amusing complement to Boston Blackie as he was on screen. My favorite episodes were the ones that referenced World War II, including “Black Market.”
Left to right: The Runt (George E. Stone), Boston Blackie (Chester Morris) and Inspector Farraday (Richard Lane) in Boston Blackie and the Law (1946). Screenshot by me. Source: YouTube
However, I personally felt that the absence of The Runt (Stone) caused the radio show to lack the comic and loyal partnership of the movie series. The substitute character Shorty wasn’t too involved in the plots since his investigations were reported after the fact. Similarly, without Lloyd Corrigan as the bumbling Arthur Manleder or Cy Kendall as Jumbo Madigan, the latter of whom wasn’t referenced in the radio series at all, Boston Blackie feels incomplete. Madigan’s Pawn Shop, as Boston Blackie movie fans know, served as both a place to gather information and source undercover disguises. The movie plots have been criticized as being formulaic, but I think the radio series could have a little more variety with stories set in other places or backdrops of the time, like a circus, since there weren’t B-movie budget limits, further exploring the medium of radio.
The radio show was revived a year later with Richard Kollmar as Boston Blackie, lasting five years. This wasn’t uncommon for a radio series to be broadcast while the original movie counterparts were still released in theaters, despite a different cast and feel of the show. For example, The Thin Man transitioned to radio in the 1940s, without Myrna Loy and William Powell. Overall, Boston Blackie on radio with Chester Morris is a welcome half hour, ideal for fans of Morris or radio detective/mystery series. While the radio show may not replace the fun and suspense of the movie series, for what it was–a summer series–it continues to be a satisfying show to listen to while traveling, enjoying a summer activity, or relaxing.
Surviving Episodes
The Jonathan Diamond (6-23-1944)
https://ia600902.us.archive.org/32/items/OTRR_Boston_Blackie_Singles/BostonBlackie44-06-23001TheJonathanDiamondaka-theRockwellDiamond.mp3A woman identifies Boston Blackie for stealing $10,000 to seek his help in a real case: to recover a missing diamond her fiancé left in her apartment.
Fifty Hunter Street (6-30-1944)
https://archive.org/download/OTRR_Boston_Blackie_Singles/BostonBlackie44-06-30002TheManletterBankCaseaka-fiftyHunterStreet.mp3Arthur Manleder receives a call from a new bank president threatening to foreclose as well as an anonymous note for Boston Blackie to report to 50 Hunter Street to resolve matters.
Star of the Nile (7-14-1944)
https://archive.org/download/OTRR_Boston_Blackie_Singles/BostonBlackie44-07-14004StarOfTheNile.mp3Boston Blackie is traveling on a train when a man enters the dining car, panicked that his Star of the Nile emerald is gone. Charged, Blackie investigates to find the real thief.
Black Market (7-21-1944)
https://archive.org/download/OTRR_Boston_Blackie_Singles/BostonBlackie44-07-21005BlackMarketBlackieaka-blackMarketMeatRing.mp3Gangsters wreck into Blackie’s car to force him into the black market, as well as June Parker, owner of a cattle truck business. Blackie seeks the man behind the racket.
Caretaker of the Devon Estate (7-28-1944)
https://archive.org/download/OTRR_Boston_Blackie_Singles/BostonBlackie44-07-28006TheDevonCaretakerMurderaka-theCaretakerOfDevonEstate.mp3Inspector Faraday picks up Boston Blackie for blood stains on his coat that may match a murdered caretaker. Blackie investigates blackmail, murder, and a mysterious gun.
Alice Manleder—Wanted Dead or Alive (8-4-1944)
https://archive.org/download/OTRR_Boston_Blackie_Singles/BostonBlackie44-08-04007SpyRingaka-aliceManlederDeadOrAlive.mp3Arthur Manleder’s niece, Alice, travels to New York to meet Boston Blackie, yet she breaks her appointment suddenly. Code cracking and murder ensue in unexpected danger.
Missing String of Pearls (8-11-1944)
https://archive.org/download/OTRR_Boston_Blackie_Singles/BostonBlackie44-08-11008TheMissingStringOfPearlsaka-oldLadyForcedToSteal.mp3A string of pearls was stolen from a jewelry store at the time Boston Blackie left his watch to be repaired. Yet he seeks out the unexpected thief that only he saw and uncovers a secret.
Portrait of Gail Patrick, circa 1930s. Source: Tumblr
Gail Patrick graced the screen as reserved, elegant socialites while equally convincing as confident working women in 1930s and ’40s movies. She was a reliable actress in various genres, working alongside peers, such as Cary Grant, Carole Lombard, Ginger Rogers, and Lloyd Nolan. Later, she became one of the pioneers in television as an executive producer.
An Aspiring SpiritBorn and raised in Alabama, she was the ambitious daughter of a fire inspector. Initially, she hoped to enter politics, an uncommon area for women at the time. Patrick graduated from Howard College, now known as Samford University, and then began law school at the University of Alabama. Yet, she didn’t feel these dreams were bizarre and told the Oakland Tribune in February 1935, “There’s nothing so unusual about [studying law with the intention to some day enter politics]—at least not to a girl surrounded all the early years of her life by lawyers and politicians. [. . .] A number of fine Southern women have left their mark upon the history of their particular sections.”
While at law school, Paramount Pictures sought to cast a “panther woman” for Island of Lost Souls (1932) and Patrick entered. She became one of the final eight contestants. Before the role was cast, which went to Kathleen Burke, she signed a contract with Paramount. A contract player involved studying the craft, which was crucial to Patrick since she had no professional experience. “Thank heavens,” she further told the Oakland Tribune in February 1935. “I possessed the common sense to go about the work of improving myself. I took advantage of all the training the studio offered its young actresses. I studied dancing with a famous teacher; I studied voice; I went intensively into the theory and practice of screen technique. In short, I worked to justify the faith the studio heads seemed to have in me.”
Gail Patrick and Melvyn Douglas in The Lone Wolf Returns (1935). Source: Pinterest
Her most recognized roles included Cornelia Bullock, Carole Lombard’s passive aggressive sister in the Lombard and William Powell comedy, My Man Godfrey (1936), Linda Shaw in Stage Door (1937), and Bianca Bates, the fiancee to Cary Grant in My Favorite Wife (1940). However, Gail Patrick displayed her ability to play characters with both generosity and intellect, such as determined widow Nancy Wellington in Wagon Wheels (1934), co-starring Randolph Scott; heiress Marcia Stewart in The Lone Wolf Returns (1935), starring Melvyn Douglas; and lawyer Joan Carroll in Disbarred (1940), co-starring Robert Preston.
Breaking Barriers in TelevisionBy the late 1940s, Patrick retired to be with her husband at the time, advertising executive Thomas Cornwell Jackson, and later their two adopted children. Yet, she was unable to adjust to staying home. She later told the Oakland Tribune in 1959, “. . . I guess I represent, in a way, every educated woman who feels that housework, once the children go off to school, is simply not too stimulating. I found I had time on my hands, so I sat around watching daytime TV. [. . .] I went out and joined a bridge club. That was even worse. Finally, I couldn’t stand it, so I said to myself, ‘Gail, you’ll just have to find a job.'”
Jackson was a former literary agent who had worked with Erle Stanley Gardner. Gardner wanted his character Perry Mason to transition to TV with Gail Patrick as producer. The reason was simple: as he told the Oakland Tribune in 1959, “With her experience in films, Gail was a natural.” Paisano Productions was created by Patrick and her husband, which they owned half of, while Gardner and two secretaries owned the second. CBS picked up the pilot, and Patrick became TV’s first female executive producer. From 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, with a break to pick up her kids from school, her tasks ranged from interviewing actors for casting, working with the costume department, reviewing scripts, serving as the contact between CBS and Gardner, and viewing rushes at the end of the day.
Gail Patrick (right) holding an issue of The Lamp, Delta Zeta’s magazine, with Raymond Burr (center) and an unidentified woman, circa 1960s. Source: Pinterest
Gail Patrick was known for her professionalism, combined with her filmmaking and business experience, since she had previously owned a dress shop. Raymond Burr, who played the title role, told the Oakland Tribune in 1959, “[Gail Patrick] is extremely well-liked by every member of this company. She never orders, only suggests. She never raises her voice, never pulls rank. .” Patrick was compassionate to her contemporaries, many of whom, by the late 1950s and early 1960s, were finding acting opportunities limited. Oakland Tribune in 1964 reported that an unnamed character actor with declining health was kept on the show as long as possible. She also worked to accommodate an actress whose face had become half-paralyzed. A year earlier, the paper reported that when an episode featured a black judge, some viewers sent criticizing letters. Patrick personally responded to each and explained that black judges were on the bench in real life. Her hard work included accolades such as:
- “Woman of the Year” by Woodbury Business College in 1950
- An Achievement Award by her alma-mater Howard College in 1955
- Award of Radio and TV Women in Southern California in 1961
- “Woman of the Year” by her college sorority Delta Zeta in 1962
- An achievement award by the Diabetes Association of Southern California in 1967
Furthermore, Gail Patrick raised awareness about diabetes, having been diagnosed herself in the 1940s. Palos Verdes Peninsula News reported in November 1967 that she was an honorary chairman for Diabetes Detection Week. She died in 1980 at the age of 69. Gail Patrick is not often remembered for her movies and innovative spirit. Her story also demonstrates that a person can have a second chapter that’s just as, if not more, successful as the first.
Lobby card of Gilbert Roland as the Cisco Kid and Chris-Pin Martin as Pancho in a scene from Robin Hood of Monterey (1947). Source: IMdB
The western adventures of the Cisco Kid continue as he faces secrets and corruption in Robin Hood of Monterey (1947). Gilbert Roland returns as the Cisco Kid, in the sixth installment by Monogram, which would be his second to last portrayal, of the character created by O. Henry. The Cisco Kid had previously been adapted on screen several times, played by actors Warner Baxter and Cesar Romero, with Duncan Renaldo later succeeding Roland. Yet Gilbert Roland was the first Mexican American to play this character. This is one of the films that gave writing credit to him for additional dialogue. Previously, I wrote about Gilbert Roland, with his heartfelt thoughts as well as why he interpreted the Cisco Kid without stereotypes.
Robin Hood of Monterey (1947) has a touch of mystery to its plot, centering on him and Pancho traveling when they witness and save Eduardo (Travis Kent), the son of Cisco’s friend, being shot at. He asks Cisco to help prove his innocence in the charge of murdering his father, prompting the Cisco Kid to search for answers at the ranch house and risk his own execution. Supporting roles include film veterans Evelyn Brent and Jack La Rue.
Character DesignCostume Design: Unknown, Hairstylist: Unknown, Makeup: Harry Ross
Gilbert Roland as the Cisco Kid in Robin Hood of Monterey (1947).
Gilbert Roland stars as the Cisco Kid. Roland had been active in films since the mid-1920s and became one of the first successful Mexican-American actors in Hollywood, carving a career that lasted into the 1970s. His initial portrayal of the Cisco Kid in The Gay Cavalier (1946) was his return to films after serving in the navy during World War II. He suggested and was granted creative changes to the character. As the Cisco Kid, he’s literate by enjoying a book of poetry on the road, has a sense of humor, especially during the exchanges with Pancho (Chris-Pin Martin), has compassion for others, and is cool-headed during danger. Roland’s costume is the “Charro” style of slim-fitting pants and jacket adorned with metal studs and a rick-rack pattern, which was historically worn for ease traveling on horseback through the elements. Over time, the garment’s history and style have prompted it to be worn for activities such as festivals. Roland’s hat and handkerchief are practical, yet they pull together with the rest of the costume, suiting an 1800s traveling man.
Evelyn Brent as Maria Sanchez Belmonte in Robin Hood of Monterey (1947).
Evelyn Brent portrays Maria, the shrewd stepmother of Eduardo. Brent had been active in film since the mid-1910s and transitioned to talkies, often playing brazen, spirited women, usually as the antagonist. However, one of her most notable performances that broke away from the label was secret agent Kay Drew, as the partner to Jack Holt, in the 1941 serial Holt of the Secret Service. As Maria, on the left, she is wearing a gown with a mantilla on her head, referencing the celebration of Eduardo and his fiance, with a party being held outside in the courtyard. On the left is her costume in a dark shade to reference the murder investigation and that she’s a widow. The gown reveals her character’s wealth to afford with the detailing of ruffles on the sleeves. Her earrings reference her lifestyle as the owner of a vast ranch, while the cross pendant references her character’s complexity of faith and morals–the latter being when she tells Ricardo (Jack La Rue) about his excess drinking and gambling.
Set DesignArt Director: E.R. Hickson, Set Decorator: Vin Taylor
Set design of the living room at the ranch house in Robin Hood of Monterey (1947).
Monogram was an independent movie studio with limited budgets for their productions compared to the larger studios like Paramount. Like other B-movie series, the Cisco Kid typically ran a little over an hour, allowing more than one movie to be released each year. That said, the same sets were used in each of the Cisco Kid movies with Gilbert Roland. Above is the set of the living room at the ranch house. The image on the left shows the minimal but elegant furniture, matching the southwestern area. Wall art is present, suggesting a cultured home that appreciates art with the budget to accommodate. Candle fixtures throughout remind the audience that the setting is the 1800s. The image on the right is a close-up of the desk, implying business or correspondence, complementing the bookshelf to show that the people of the ranch house are well read.
Gilbert Roland’s interpretation of the Cisco Kid is more of an adventurer than an outlaw, despite an ambiguous past. While quick to reach for his gun in immediate danger, he isn’t vicious. Unlike movies that used other languages as a communication barrier, Roland’s use of Spanish showcases its beauty, while reading books out loud or as a brief exclamation. Furthermore, added dialogue includes the Cisco Kid referencing El Paso and going undercover as Luis–which were autobiographical of where Roland grew up after moving from Mexico, as well as his real first name. One of the best examples of Gilbert Roland’s update to the Cisco Kid is his wisdom and sincerity, telling the Alcade (Nestor Paiva), “I have done many things in my life, good and bad; who knows? But I have never broken my word. If a man loses that, he loses everything. You can lose your wife, your house, and your money. You can lose everything in life, but not your honor. That you cannot lose.”
My personal copy of the 2002 reprint of Elizabeth Taylor’s 1946 memoir, Nibbles and Me.
Elizabeth Taylor continues to be remembered for her powerful acting and becoming an AIDS activist during a time when the lack of knowledge made it controversial. However, she was also an artist and published author at an early age. Nibbles and Me, first published in 1946, is a short memoir highlighting her lifelong love for animals, specifically a chipmunk named Nibbles. Throughout the book are her original drawings straight from her sketchbook illustrating their adventures together.
The memoir started as a personal record of her memories with Nibbles. After observing the different reactions of those who met him, Taylor decided to publish it to share with others what it’s like to have an unusual yet loving chipmunk pet. This isn’t a typical Hollywood memoir, readers won’t find gossip or scandal. Although there are references to MGM, her then contract studio, they won’t learn much about what 1940s Hollywood was like. Instead, the focus is on the exhilarating time with Nibbles which is very much Taylor’s story from her distinct writing and art. The unique topic may be why the reception in 1946 was quiet. “[Nibbles and Me] didn’t sell very good,” Taylor later told the Indianapolis Times on October 10, 1951. “But I wrote it all by myself. It’s mine and I love it.”
One of my favorite illustrations from Nibbles and Me by Elizabeth Taylor is one she drew depicting the chipmunk on her shoulder.
Taylor’s voice does shine throughout Nibbles and Me, giving a relaxed and upbeat tone as though she’s talking to you on the phone or over lunch. The reader senses not only how much she loved animals, but topics such as her views on life reveal Taylor as a young girl who was cheerful, positive and keen. My favorite characteristic of the book is the illustrations. Most are Nibbles, however, there’s an occasional flower or landscape about an anecdote. Each drawing is whimsical and in her own style. The chapters are concise and entertaining centering on a particular story that shows Nibbles’s energy and personality. Highlights include how Nibbles would kiss her every so often in between playing, making him a house to sleep in and hanging outside a window as the wardrobe assistant and hairstylist held her legs to reach a frightened Nibbles from a tree branch. Insightful moments include when she felt compelled to let Nibbles choose whether or not to go free and her process of preparing herself for the worst. I felt that was one of the examples that revealed Taylor’s love and respect for animals with an understanding of their instincts.
Elizabeth Taylor at home with Nibbles perched on her finger, circa 1940s. Source: Tumblr
Although there are photos throughout the memoir, including several of her and Nibbles at home, there are also movie stills. Instead of the movie stills, I wish that there had been more illustrations. However, not having a first printing from 1946, I’m unsure if the reprint added the movie stills. My reason for this minimal critique is that Taylor’s drawings help the reader visualize the situations of her and Nibbles while revealing her other talents besides acting. Similarly, mentions of Nibbles being photographed with Esther Williams and others at an MGM party would have been great additions. Furthermore, I’d also have liked an epilogue about what happened to Nibbles–did he stay with her the rest of his life and did she have any other chipmunks after him?
Color photo of Elizabeth Taylor painting a landscape, circa 1940s. Source: Tumblr
Nibbles and Me by Elizabeth Taylor is a short and pleasant read for those who like positive stories, animals, as well as a book for writers and artists. Her book is a great example of how a memoir’s “slice of life”, differentiating it from an encompassing autobiography, doesn’t have to be about witnessing a historic moment, experiencing tragedy or life-threatening thrills. Instead, a memoir can be about an enjoyable time in your life to share with others, written and even illustrated in your own way. Old Hollywood fans might also be surprised that Taylor appeared to lack pretense or vanity. She comes across as calm and thoughtful, which made me think of when she shared how she separated the public’s view of her from her self-image years later in her other book, Elizabeth Takes Off. This is why Nibbles and Me reads refreshing and original decades later, in my opinion, because readers of all ages can continue to understand her friendship with animals and her love of drawing.
Portrait of Duke Ellington inscribed to his father and signed with his first name, Edward. Source: Pinterest
The enchantment of Duke Ellington and his orchestra stirs audiences today, including early music from the 1920s when they performed at the celebrated Cotton Club. Ellington was also often admired for his courteousness. As Indianapolis Recorder in December 1931 explained, “Mr. Ellington has merited his title ‘Duke’ in two important respects. His musical accomplishments and his band have earned for him his position at the top of his profession. A genial smile, pleasing personality and charming manner, an inherent sensibility of the consideration due [to] the feelings others make him the perfect gentleman.”
According to Ellington’s obituary in the Los Angeles Times, he was the son of a blueprint maker and seemed destined for a creative life. “I became interested in music in a rather round-about way,” he told the college newspaper Daily Pennsylvanian in May 1932. “At first I was slated to become an artist but later I discovered that my interests lay in the field of music and consequently I gave up a scholarship in the Pratt Art School and began to study music. At the beginning I merely picked things out on the piano, but later, when I got a little more expert, I received a few engagements to play at parties. Soon I discovered the commercial possibilities of music and decided to organize a band.” In the early 1920s, his band went to New York and played at the Kentucky Club for 5 years.
The Cotton ClubIn 1927, Duke Ellington and his orchestra began to perform at the Cotton Club and were under the management of Irving Mills, a lyricist, music publisher and manager to several other profuse musicians. During prohibition, the Cotton Club in Harlem was one of the liveliest nightclubs gathering some of the best talent for the orchestra and floor shows. “. . . [W]e went to the Cotton Club where we played for three and a half years. During all of this time I was making my own arrangements and writing some of my own music whenever I found time. I discovered that the more I deviated from the accepted ‘laws’ of music, the more people enjoyed it.” Ellington added to The Daily Pennsylvanian in 1932.
Duke Ellington and his orchestra, circa 1930. Source: New York Public Library
Audiences were said to be exclusively white, although some performers later had differing memories. In the 1985 documentary, The Cotton Club Remembered, Harold Nicholas, of the tap dancing duo the Nicholas Brothers, said, “The blacks could work there, but they couldn’t go there, you know, like sit in the audience or watch the shows. [. . .] Maybe there were a few exceptions . . . I just knew I didn’t see any blacks out there [in the audience.]” However, bandleader Cab Calloway recalled, “[The audiences] weren’t what they said, strictly white. That wasn’t true at all. [. . .] See, blacks could come in the Cotton Club if they could afford to. [. . .] Those who could afford, came in and nobody said a word.” Either way, the Cotton Club was a high-end venue. Radio broadcasts allowed those who couldn’t attend expensive nightclubs, or lived out of state, to experience the music. Listings in the late 1920s indicate Ellington’s orchestra was heard over WABC New York and CBS stations.
As the orchestra rose in popularity, Ellington was noted for his style. Furthermore, in The Cotton Club Remembered (1985), Fayard Nicholas, the other partner of the Nicholas Brothers, said Ellington was “a ladies man and a fashion plate, oh he loved clothes. I remember one night someone invited us to their home and Duke said, ‘I don’t think I can go.’ I said, ‘Why not, Duke?’ He says, ‘I don’t have anything to wear.’ And the closet was loaded with clothes.”
Success AfterwardEventually, Duke Ellington and his orchestra performed at the Keith-Orpheum theaters of New York during the day, according to the Indianapolis Recorder in May 1929, then performed at the Cotton Club at night. The orchestra also contributed to stage revues and benefits. Check and Double Check (1930) marked the orchestra’s movie debut. In 1931, Duke Ellington left the Cotton Club, with Cab Calloway and his orchestra as the successor.
The orchestra had a successful 6-month Paramount-Publix movie palaces tour with new vocalist Ivie Anderson, who remained with them for 11 years. In June 1931, The Enterprise illustrated Ellington’s acclaim overruling segregation by reporting that at The Apollo in New York and the Boardwalk Hall in New Jersey, “for the first time in history”, black audiences were allowed in the box seats. The newspaper reported in October the Howard Theatre in Ellington’s hometown of Washington D.C. reopened for his performance. A critic of the Indianapolis Recorder in December 1931, described the energy during the movie palace tour, “The wildest notes on earth and then again the most alluring sweet notes, sounds, anything you want to call ‘em, comes from Duke Ellington’s piano and his orchestra [. . .] Even when unknown sounds come from the coronet and clarinet, here is a fascination of power [. . .] The height of this modern wildness is reached when Ivy [sic] Anderson sways her body and even her voice in syncopated motion. . .”
Duke Ellington and Queen Elizabeth II, circa 1958. He wrote, recorded and gifted her a 20 minute composition titled Queen’s Suite. Source: New York Public Library
Duke Ellington’s orchestra toured the world, made records and performed on radio in the 1930s and decades after. He appeared in movies as well as wrote scores for others. When Ellington died in 1974, it was estimated he had over 900 music compositions. Indianapolis Recorder in June 1974 reprinted Ellington’s reply when once asked how many awards he received, “I never count awards, I only enjoy, I don’t even count the bars when I write, do I? Oh, I guess I have to.” Below are a few songs from the era of 1927-31.
Breakfast Dance
Black and Tan Fantasy
East St. Louis Toodle-Oo
What Can a Poor Fella Do
Jubilee Stomp
The Mooche
Hot and Bothered
Cotton Club Stomp
Sweet Dreams of Love
Creole Rhapsody
Edward G. Robinson as Rico, aka Little Caesar, and George E. Stone as Otero in a scene from Little Caesar (1931). Source: Pinterest
Edward G. Robinson submerges in the grit and fury of the underworld during prohibition in Little Caesar (1931), one of the screen’s most frank portrayals of gangsters during the 1930s. Based on the book by W.R. Burnett, said to have been inspired by Al Capone, the film traces the rise and downward spiral of Caesar Enrico “Rico” Bandello, a.k.a Little Caesar. The movie was made before The Hays Code further enforced censorship three years later, which allowed this crime pre-code to deliver crisp dialogue with chase and gun sequences. Yet it’s also a character study of the inner struggles of a gangster who wrestles with identity as well as ideas of class and success.
Although some feel that the early talkies lack depth in screenwriting or solid acting, Edward G. Robinson moves swiftly between the callousness and conflicting emotions of loyalty in many scenes. I previously wrote about Edward G. Robinson’s acting style, for those who are interested in his story.
Character DesignCostume Designer: Earl Luick, Hair and Makeup: Unknown
Edward G. Robinson as the title character in Little Caesar (1931).
Edward G. Robinson plays Rico, also known as Little Caesar, a role that undeniably typecasted him, although he played a variety of characters in his long career who weren’t criminals. Robinson was active on the stage and had been in a handful of movies, yet this was his first starring movie. As Rico, he’s ambitious, responsive, and confident with a threatening streak. On the left is his costume while a small-time crook holding up gas stations. Already the audience can sense his desire for class. His shirt is dotted with a contrasting patterned bowtie, while a somewhat loose vest over it shows his attempt for a strong impression. Notice the fastener on his lapel that’s connected to a pocket watch in his breast pocket. On the right is later on in the movie, after he establishes himself in the city. The patterned tie, a tailored three piece-suit and a gemstone stick pin bordered with diamonds, demonstrate his character’s ability to afford luxury clothes and jewelry to showcase his status. Not shown is a diamond ring on the smallest finger of his left hand, a bit of flashiness to support Rico’s idea of class and wealth.
Douglas Fairbanks Jr. as Joe Massara in Little Caesar (1931).
Douglas Fairbanks Jr. plays Rico’s frontman and friend, Joe Massara. Often remembered as the son of Douglas Fairbanks Sr., Fairbanks Jr. had been active in movies since the 1920s as both a supporting and leading actor. However, Little Caesar (1931) was made after his first year with Warner Brothers. Afterward, Fairbanks Jr. would appear in various genres with a focus on action movies, later serving in the Navy during WWII. As Joe, he’s dependable to Rico, while conflicted between the crime world and being a professional ballroom dancer. On the left is Fairbanks Jr’s costume while dancing at The Bronze Peacock. His tuxedo demonstrates his character working in a well-dressed environment, while also indicating his talent because he tells Rico in the opening scene of the movie about his plans to return to his previous career of dancing. On the right is the double-breast pinstripe suit while visiting Rico. This further reveals how Joe’s work has enabled him to be successful and well-dressed. The absence of jewelry contrasts with Rico’s to show how Joe is more relaxed as a person and in terms of self-image.
Glenda Farrell as Olga Stassoff in Little Caesar (1931).
Glenda Farrell plays Olga Stassoff, Joe’s dancing partner and girlfriend. Farrell is probably best remembered for her pre-code comedies with Joan Blondell and as determined reporter Torchy Blane in the self-titled movie series, although she appeared in 1940s and 50s movies as well as several TV episodes. This was Farrell’s first feature movie having previously been active on the stage. As Olga, she’s perceptive and unflinching as she supports Joe to go straight and refuses to be scared of Rico. On the left is her gown with a sequined leaf pattern and diamond jewelry while dancing at The Bronze Peacock. During the sequence in this costume, she encourages Joe to reconsider, and I felt the sparkles of her costume symbolize how her character is a flicker of hope to Joe for a better life compared to associating with Rico. On the right is her velvet gown with slit long sleeves while at her apartment during the tension of an upcoming lethal threat. The elegance of the gown shows her character’s modest yet sophisticated style. The consistent flowing fabrics of Farrell’s costumes maintain the theme of how her character is not only a dancer but able to move un-intimated.
Set DesignArt Director: Anton Grot, Set Decorator: Ray Moyer
Set Design of Rico’s, aka Little Caesar, home from Little Caesar (1931).
Above is Rico’s home once he reaches his peak. Overall the set is trimmed with the contemporary Art Deco style of the period, illustrating Rico’s boast that he invested $20,000 (over $400,000 today) in its design, such as the furniture and chandelier. On the left is the establishing shot of what appears to be a living room/study. Notice the desk at the far left with its curved design and how it faces the entryway, underlining Rico’s desire to be alert and operate activities. Further back is the fireplace with floral patterned chairs, giving a sense of camaraderie. The distance of the chairs implies that Rico has few he can trust. On the right is Rico’s bedroom with a modern decorative screen, another Art Deco detail. Combined with the asymmetrical sconces and nightstand lamp is an ambiance of both discretion and enigmatic to support Rico’s guard being up and revealed to a select number.
Little Caesar (1931) remains one of the most definitive classic movies because of the grit of a well-coordinated story with fast-talking dialogue, a menacing atmosphere as well as Edward G. Robinson’s performance itself. The movie is also noted for helping popularize the gangster genre, which caused controversy in the period that endured a real-life crime wave. Many organizations argued for stricter censorship because they felt these types of movies in particular glamorized being a ruthless gangster as a rags-to-riches lifestyle to inspire fortune and power, during a time when America was on its knees in the Great Depression. Yet Little Caesar (1931) isn’t idealized as it directly shows the challenges, outward and inward, of surviving a hardened world with one choice to be made in the end.
Cover Photo: Detail of Little Caesar (1931) poster artwork, Source: Pinterest
Rations during World War II limited many resources and affected every industry–even the visuals of Hollywood movies. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, rationing was enforced in January 1942 beginning with tires. Rations continued until the end of 1945, except sugar, and ceased by June 1947, according to The National World War II Museum.
During the spring of 1942, the War Production Board set a limit of $5000 on raw materials for set designs in movies, as reported by the San Pedro News Pilot in May of that year. This posed a difficulty to the look of movies, which had long been seen as delivering glamour or a retreat from worries. Two months later on July 3, 1942, Imperial Valley Press reported that some crew members were willing to comply, while others were angry and felt that their work of keeping morale would be impeded. Yet every person had to do their part and this sparked a period of resourcefulness.
Fabric and Metal Rations in Costume DesignWhile those on the home front managed to make their clothes and shoes last, costumes in movies also had to be repurposed. Decades later, model and actress Marsha Hunt, reflected on her career and the costume designers from the era in her book, The Way We Wore: Styles of the 1930s and ’40s and Our World Since Then. Hunt recalled during the making of Human Comedy (1943), imported fabrics were out of stock in the wardrobe department and were rarely delivered, due to ships being attacked during their journey to America. For a scene requiring a gown, she remembered costume designer Irene found a piece of lace. Since it wasn’t enough for the costume, Irene added white mousseline de soie from the waist to the hem as well as ruffles to conceal this. Similarly, Hunt remembered wearing costumes that other actresses had worn a few years earlier.
Marsha Hunt (far left) in a scene from The Human Comedy (1943) wearing a lace gown designed by Irene during a fabric shortage. Source: IMdB
Jewelry was another element complementing costumes, however metal was also rationed. The Alamosa Daily Courier on February 3, 1943, printed a syndicated photo of actress Deanna Durbin modeling velvet earrings that matched the velvet buttons of her dress suit. Furthermore, San Bernardino Sun on August 12, 1942, printed costume designer Milo Anderson’s tip to women facing challenges with fabric. Anderson suggested a fabric with no nap, such as velvet, to save on the amount of yards and prevent a patchwork effect.
Limited Food and Sourcing PropsLavish banquet scenes were soon perceived as self-absorbed due to food shortages. Columnist H.I. Phillips of The Once Over, printed in The Cambridge Sentinel on April 10, 1943, wrote that movies would “ban or greatly tone down” food scenes since they were “resented by the public”. However, this was also out of practicality. A food scene requires keeping the items fresh under hot studio lights over several takes during twelve or more hours. For instance, 3 years before Calexico Chronicle reported in February 1940, that during the making of Our Town (1940), there was a breakfast scene. The scene took 2 days to film and reportedly actress Fay Bainter “cooked four dozen eggs, burnt several pieces of toast, and fried a couple of pounds of bacon.”
Dane Clark and John Garfield at the Warner Brothers commissary during the making of Destination Tokyo (1943). Studio commissaries were also affected by WWII shortages. Source: Pinterest
Another situation with props was having to source them in unlikely places, even borrowing from the crew. During Masquerade in Mexico (1945), Dorothy Lamour’s character was to be seen traveling with extensive luggage. The property department struggled to find a matching set, as reported in the Healdsburg Tribune on July 13, 1945, prompting director Mitchell Leisen to loan his luggage for the scene.
Repurposing for Illusions in Set DesignThe limit on raw materials posed a challenge for set designers, who were accustomed to having a larger budget to work with a short time before. Art director Jack Otterson told syndicated columnist Paul Harrison of Hollywood’s Fancies, printed in Imperial Valley Press on July 3, 1942, about how he had been assigned to make a moonlit tropical palm tree grove. Otterson noted that this type of set would have cost $12,000. Instead, he created “the palm leaves from discarded cardboard cartons, foliage from soda straws and strips of paper and flows from conical ice cream cups.” Harrison added that movie studios had started to rent sets and scenery to each other.
Actress Sheila Ryan and Broadway dancer Tony DeMarco dance to Benny Goodman’s Orchestra in The Gang’s All Here (1943) on the estate garden set designed by art director Joseph Day. Screenshot by me. Source: Youtube
Another example of making do with less included another set depicting an exterior. During The Girls He Left Behind, later released under the title The Gang’s All Here (1943), 20th Century-Fox art director Joseph Day had to create an estate garden. Prior to the war, Day may have been able to incorporate real plants or high quality artificial made to order. According to the Daily News of Los Angeles on May 31, 1943, Day achieved the garden by using chicken wire across frameworks of wood with “leaf laden twigs and branches laced throughout to give a solid photographic surface of greenery.”
The visuals of movies always require creativity. During World War II, the ingenuity of designers and technicians was tested even more. While remembering the movies released during the era, it’s worth observing the subtle, yet effective, resourcefulness the art departments of the different movie studios used.
Studio portrait of Edmund Lowe. Source: Pinterest
In the Old Hollywood era of well-dressed leading men, Edmund Lowe stood out as a gentleman with a quip, at ease in films of society or everyday life. Often Lowe portrayed detectives or lawyers in crime dramas. However, he played a variety of roles with a skill for comedy. Some of his most remembered movies are those he made with Victor McLaglen. No matter the role, Edmund Lowe’s characterizations had a well-mannered personality and a touch of sarcasm, combining eloquence and humor.
An Artistic BeginningEdmund Lowe didn’t come from a show business family, but he had an education early in life. He was born in San Jose, California and according to his obituary in the New York Times, he was one of 13 children and his father was a lawyer and judge. With a namesake reportedly chosen by his mother, after Edmund Dantes from the novel The Count of Monte Crisco by Alexander Dumas, culture appeared to be part of his upbringing. He graduated from Santa Clara University with a Bachelor of Arts at the age of 18, as reported by Time magazine in 1930. After completing his Jesuit education, he taught English there for a year. A growing interest in acting led him to change careers.
Studio portrait of Edmund Lowe, circa 1930s. Source: Tumblr
Lowe joined a stock company in San Francisco to learn his craft and later performed supporting roles on Broadway. While he made his film debut in 1915, he didn’t gain recognition until the 1920s. In 1924, he signed a contract with Fox and despite the absence of sound, emitted a heartfelt impression. He starred alongside well-knowns of the period, including Warner Baxter, Corrine Griffith, Colleen Moore and George O’Brien. San Pedro News Pilot on August 28, 1926, called Lowe “one of the most sincere screen players in America.” That same year he co-starred in What Price Glory (1926) as WWI marine Sergeant Quirt, with Victor McLaglen, who portrayed Captain Flagg, as friendly rivals competing for the affection of Dolores del Rio. The movie originated the quip “Sez you!” “Yeah! Sez me!”
Finesse of a Leading ManThe transition to sound boosted Lowe’s career. Even when he played troubled characters, Lowe gave them a combination of believability and grace. As a gambler in Transatlantic (1931), featuring Myrna Loy, Healdsburg Tribune noted his ability to be “convincing as the light-hearted and light-fingered gentleman who lives by his wits.” Throughout the 1930s, Lowe starred in several mysteries, yet he wasn’t the typical detective. Sometimes he was a magician, such as The Spider (1931) and Chandu the Magician (1932). Other times he was an insurance investigator or movie star detective, as seen in Grand Exit (1935) co-starring Ann Sothern and Mad Holiday (1936) co-starring Elissa Landi respectively. His movies with McLaglen were also memorable with sequels of Quirt and Flagg. Others included The Great Hotel Murder (1935) with McLaglen as a detective and Lowe as a mystery novelist, while Under Pressure (1935) had the two as underground construction workers, known as sand hogs.
Edmund Lowe and Lilyan Tashman look over a movie script at their home, circa 1930s. Source: Pinterest
In 1935, Lowe experienced tragedy when his wife, film actress and former Ziegfeld Follies dancer, Lilyan Tashman, died from cancer at the age of 37. Earlier they had been known as a fashionable Hollywood couple, but Lowe was private about his grief for most of his life. He told the Long Island Daily Press on December 29, 1935, “We were—if I may say so—a perfect balance for each other. She was impetuous, vibrant with life, always eager for experience, tremendously emotional. I am calmer, slow at making decisions, more cautious. Yet we had an enormous amount in common. We loved the same things, art, music, animals, even football. We liked smart places, beautiful clothes, the simple thrill of the out-of-doors, long morning canters in the hills or sailing before a stiff breeze. . . ”
Beyond the “Gentleman” TypecastOff-screen, Edmund Lowe enjoyed sports and music. In 1928, San Pedro News Pilot reported that Lowe played handball in between scenes with director Dave Butler. Also, Corsair in 1932 reported he played the piano, oboe and clarinet. Later, Edmund Lowe participated in a charity baseball game at Wrigley Field in July 1939 by playing on the Leading Men team, with Gene Raymond as captain and Preston Foster as manager. The opposing team was Comedians with Buster Keaton as captain and Jimmy Durante as manager.
Edmund Lowe and Victor McLaglen on radio as Sergeant Quirt and Captain Flagg in Movie and Radio Guide Magazine for the October 24, 1941 issue (background) and as Quirt and Flagg in one of the sequels, Women of All Nations (1931) with Greta Nissen (foreground). Sources: Archive.org and Pinterest
In the 1940s, Lowe continued to be seen in crime dramas. Some of the comedies he also appeared in include the William Powell and Myrna Loy vehicle I Love You Again (1940) as Powell’s old friend and Double Date (1941) as a widower considering marriage opposite Una Merkel. One of his most notable movies was the 10th starring feature with McLaglen, Call Out the Marines (1942), as characters resembling Quirt and Flagg, who re-enlist and uncover a spy ring. The Australian Riverine Herald summarized the duo as “the team to signal fast action and fun.” From 1941-42, Lowe and McLaglen were heard on Sunday evenings on the NBC radio show, Captain Flagg and Sergeant Quirt.
In 1951, Lowe starred in the TV series Front Page Detective, as a reporter helping the police, reminiscent of his movie persona. He appeared on This is Your Life, to honor Victor McLaglen, who called Lowe his “good old pal” and added, “We’ll never forget each other. [What Price Glory] was one of the greatest joys of my life.” Lowe echoed the sentiment and said that when he was ill, referencing a recent battle with pneumonia, McLaglen often visited him. In 1959, when asked his thoughts about modern movies, Lowe told the Oakland Tribune in 1959, “[Movies] are too long. Most stories can be told in 90 minutes. These epics that go on for two and three hours are too hard on the audience.” Edmund Lowe died in 1971 at the age of 81, remembered for a refined yet genial and adventurous spirit on screen.
Theatrical poster for The Red Mill (1927). Source: Pinterest
A fairytale-like world is the backdrop as Marion Davies portrays an overworked tavern maid in Holland who gets in a tangled situation of mistaken identities in The Red Mill (1927). Adapted from the 1906 operetta,the plot was reworked to feature Marion Davies in a story about a young woman who meets a man at an ice skating contest and is later reunited at the inconvenient time she’s disguised as her friend to help her escape an arranged marriage. Amusing situations ensue and reach a suspenseful conclusion.
By the late 1920s, Davies was at her height in Hollywood excelling in period dramas and contemporary comedies. Today she’s often remembered for her over 30 year affair with newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst. He gave her publicity, starred her in movies at his production company Cosmopolitan Pictures and advised her career, reportedly becoming controlling. Their home was a gathering place for opulent Hollywood parties for many years. However, Marion Davies was also known throughout her life for charity work, which she continued to do after her retirement in the late 1930s.
Character DesignCostume Designer: André-ani, Hair and Makeup: Unknown
Marion Davies as Tina in The Red Mill (1927).
Marion Davies plays Tina, a tavern maid who is mistreated by her boss. As Tina, she’s thoughtful and somewhat lonely, since her confidant is the mouse in her shoe. On the left is one of Davies’s costumes while her character is working. The checkered shirt and apron are simple and appear worn to suggest she’s been moving around working hard. A traditional dutch cap reminds the audience of the story’s setting. The scarf pinned at the apron serves as a shawl, since her character is often outside, but Davies also uses it to wipe her brow. The braided hair implies practicality over style, yet the braids sticking out suits the comedy genre. On the right is while in disguise as her wealthy friend, Davies’s costume is a lace trimmed gown with her hair in ringlets contrasting as a young woman who lives a more leisure life. The lace dutch cap is more ornate for that reason. Davies’s makeup goes from very little, if any, to the traditional screen makeup of the era too.
Owen Moore as Dennis in The Red Mill (1927).
Owen Moore plays Dennis, an overly confident young man traveling throughout Holland with his valet. Moore was most successful during the 1910s and 20s, yet by the era of talking pictures, his alcoholism stalled his career. His most remembered role in the1930s was vengeful convict Chick Clark in She Done Him Wrong (1933) starring Mae West. On the left is Moore’s costume during the ice skate contest, which is why he’s wearing a sweater with a scarf instead of a coat. His flat newsboy style cap was a popular style of the 1920s, yet for the case of the movie, I felt it was to suggest his character’s lack of pretense. On the right is Moore’s costume while at the tavern, showcasing a tailored single breast suit. Compared to Davies’s more traditional dress, I felt Moore’s costumes served to reveal his character’s less taxing life. Notice the ring on his pinky finger, which could be a signet ring, which was traditionally used to symbolize a person’s wealth and family crest.
Set DesignSettings: Cedric Gibbons and Merrill Pye
Set design of the Red Mill tavern courtyard in The Red Mill (1927).
Above is the courtyard set at the Red Mill tavern. Although constructed within a movie studio, there’s an atmospheric quality. The facing buildings, likely facades, were constructed with realism. Notice on the upper right Marion Davies on the balcony. A rooftop in the far back left and a structure on the right gives depth, while the lit windows keep the backdrop from becoming too dim. A windmill in the far back represents the tavern’s name and location, even though it may be a stereotype today. The flower arrangements in the center and the bench underneath a trellis of flowers in the far back give a sense of peaceful seclusion, complementing the sequence of Tina and Dennis meeting alone.
Years ago I saw The Red Mill (1927) on TV and always remembered the scene where Davies covered her face with mud, then broke off the mask to reveal a “beautified” complexion. However, rewatching the movie, I noticed scenes such as a cow’s tail swatting her face and another with her face and eyelashes coated with a material to mimic falling in the snow. I felt it showcased Davies’s willingness to get into character and her comedic talent. The Red Mill (1927) isn’t her most well known movie, but in its time it was successful. It remains a lighthearted story of balancing living in reality, in her character’s case being overworked and abused by the tavern owner, yet daydreaming with the hope that things will work out.
Today film schools are abundant, but it wasn’t Youtube that led to their existence. Classic movies, which continue to inspire filmmakers and audiences, prompted courses teaching how movies are made. With Hollywood movies becoming more popular and further developing in the 1920s, this awakened an interest in filmmaking. A glimpse of the 1920s to the 1940s shows how film schools were created and the different paths they could lead to. Yet over 70 years later the topic continues to be argued today: Should a person go to film school or learn on set to work in the film industry? What can you do with a film education?
1920sChildren making a movie in the front yard, circa 1928. Source: Tumblr
During the 1920s going to the movies became a popular pastime, including making movies. The Cine-Kodak 16mm camera was released in 1923. Manufacturers also published books to teach customers basic techniques. However home movies didn’t have to be mundane, they could tell stories with creativity. As Eastman Kodak wrote in Junior Scenarios for Home Movies (1928), one of their several movie books, “. . . So that their pictures will show them doing more interesting things than merely posing or performing unrelated actions. . . . junior photoplays are an excellent stimulant of imagination and of creative instinct in children—and, best of all, they are great fun to make! Persons of ingenuity—including the children themselves [. . .] Even more important, they will get ideas for scenarios of their own to be made out of other stories. Perhaps they will even write their own stories.”
Magazines such as Home Movies, Movie Makers and Cinema Digest, catered to “amateur filmmakers” to improve their techniques, order movies to project and had a directory of movie clubs for subscribers to join to meet like-minded people. Some clubs met to talk casually and share home movies, while others were independent filmmakers who assigned each member a production role in order to create original movies.
1930sDuring the 1930s, with the transition to sound and the onset of the Great Depression, movies became a coveted escape. Some audiences wanted to work in movies and the lack of knowledge at the time prompted others to take advantage of this. In 1930, Cinema Schools Inc. established by U.M. Dailey and V.M. Barnett, was tried for fraud. According to the Daily News of Los Angeles in May 1930, students were misled to believe well-known actors such as Mary Pickford, had studied there. Later on in July 1930, the paper reported that students were also told that they would be earning “$500 to $1000 a week in a short time”. Although Dailey and Barnett were initially fined $500 each, sentenced to jail and Cinema Schools Inc. also fined, 6 months later in September 1930 they were freed due to “insufficient evidence.”
A Hollywood filmset featuring Constance Bennett circa 1936. Courtesy of Pomona Public Library Archives
Slowly legitimate opportunities to learn filmmaking arose. University courses were developed, mostly on film theory than hands-on production. Motion Picture Herald in September 1936 described the purpose of NYU’s upcoming film course as “[t]he screen’s contribution to contemporary life” with guest lecturers including animator Max Fleischer. Others were more specialized. The trade paper highlighted in March 1937, Syracuse University’s film studies course. After watching a modern movie, loaned by the movie studio, students would “examine scripts, analyze them in terms of sequence and in general become familiar with cinema terminology”. Furthermore, silent movies were studied to trace the history and advancement of film. In September 1937, the trade paper announced that Columbia University, in cooperation with the Museum of Modern Art Film Library, would begin to offer “The History, Aesthetic and Technique of the Motion Picture”, which covered films from 1895 to contemporary.
By the late 1930s, film degrees were created. Santa Ana Journal in July 1938 reported University of Southern California’s 22 production classes of filmmaking and television.
1940sIn the 1940s the interest in filmmaking continued and with the rise of World War II, there was more thought to filmmaking outside of a major Hollywood studio. At the same time, the question of how helpful film schools were became a topic of concern. Imperial Valley Press on July 31, 1940, printed syndicated columnist Paul Harrison’s opinion. Harrison referenced “hard to answer” letters from film graduates seeking advice and felt a film degree alone wasn’t enough. He wrote, “The trades and crafts and technical fields are tightly organized. [. . . ] Hundreds of high schools and colleges offer motion picture courses which I hope are intended to be merely informative. [. . .] Yet [USC graduates] can’t get work in the studios except through usual channels of influence. Some of them have done well in the widening field of commercial movie making.” Nonetheless, more universities featured a film course and others offered degrees. NYU established a film department and plans to offer a B.A. in Motion Pictures, announced by Motion Picture Herald in December 1941.
New Jersey independent filmmakers of Continental Pictures photographed for the January 1943 issue of Home Movies magazine. Part of original caption: “. . .Here Robert Johnson handles camera on scene in recently completed photoplay. John McNaught directs, Dorothy Morison checks the script and Bob Mason readys [sic] a reflector unit for a closeup.” Source: Archive.org
During World War II, the shortage of workers extended to film. An item in the trade paper in January 1943 reported that NYU would be offering an editing and cutting course at the RKO-Pathe News workrooms for men and women students. Although the university noted that they couldn’t promise employment, they were hopeful that the training would be valuable when contacting newsreel companies. Similarly, soldiers could further their education and some of them studied film. The trade paper in December 1945 reported that 50 U.S. soldiers were studying an “army sponsored motion pictures course” at the Institut des Hautes Etudes Cinematographiques in Paris where they were in 3 groups writing, shooting and editing original films. Elsewhere courses involved studying acting for the camera, a standard course of film degrees today. The Actor’s Laboratory Workshop, as reported by the Daily News of Los Angeles in February 1946, had a class varying from ex-G.I.s, studio contract players and students paying their way. Their film course consisted of watching a movie and having the actor speak to the class about their process and challenges in the role. Actors who participated included Agnes Moorehead, Aline MacMahon, Ray Bolger and Franchot Tone.Since the 1940s, film programs are more common and the different ways of using a film education are more extensive. While the reasons to study film depend on the individual, it’s a choice still met with conflicting responses. As classic movies continue to resonate with new generations, it’s worth considering how they influenced the desire to learn filmmaking, from the hobbyist to early independent filmmakers.
Cover Photo: Detail of a 1930s Hollywood postcard book, Source: Pinterest
A 1936 Phillips Screen Star cigarette card of Ginger Rogers. Source: Flickr
Ginger Rogers, one of the most popular Hollywood actresses, was always remembered in Texas. Fort Worth was her home for a time and where she launched her career as a performer. When she was 9 years old, the Missouri-born Rogers and her mother Lela moved to Fort Worth with Rogers’s stepfather. At 14, Ginger Rogers won a Charleston contest and traveled on the vaudeville circuit. Lela Rogers left her job as a reporter for the Fort Worth Record to accompany her daughter, on what later led to Broadway and movies. For this reason, Texas was a place she spoke of fondly. Rogers said years later to reporter and film critic Bobbie Wygant, while visiting Texas in 1983, “It’s so nice to be home, really it’s wonderful. And to get here and to look out at the beautiful sky and see that nice warm sunshine, it’s lovely. . . . I don’t mind it at all because I’m kind of used to having warm Texas days—before there was air conditioning too.”
Ginger Rogers, Honorary Admiral, presenting David French, assistant to the president of Chrysler, a certificate of Honorary Commodore appointed by Texas Governor Allred. Printed in the Fairfield Recorder on August 20, 1936. Source: Portal to Texas History
In 1936, the year of the Texas Centennial, Ginger Rogers was at the height of her career in the RKO musicals alongside Fred Astaire, as well as starring individually in musicals and dramas. The Texas Centennial needed publicity to attract locals and tourists during a difficult time when money was strained for many people during the Great Depression. Since movies were a popular pastime, select Hollywood actors were given honorary titles and invited to visit. Ginger Rogers, being a former Texan, was the ideal guest because her movies were a favorite of audiences and she was an example of a previous resident who went on to success. She was invited to select the Queen of the Texas Centennial.
Earlier in June 1936, Rogers was a guest on radio’s Shell Chateau, hosted by musician and fellow Texan, Smith Ballew, for a Texas Centennial-themed broadcast. According to the Oakland Tribune, Ballew and Rogers were last together on the same stage in Fort Worth during the 1920s. At that time, Ballew conducted his orchestra there, making the story probable. In August, The Bonham Herald printed a photo of her sending a crown from Mary of Scotland (1936), to Dallas for the Queen’s night she would be judging within a few days. As exciting as Rogers’s upcoming appearance was for audiences, this wasn’t a vacation but more of a pleasant event in her existing schedule. An item in Variety from August 1936 reported that while Fort Worth was prepared to have Ginger Rogers Day, her agent explained that Rogers’s contract prohibited her from making another appearance 30 days before and after the Dallas engagement.
Ginger Rogers crowns Geraldine Robertson of Lamesa, Texas the Queen of the Texas Centennial on August 9, 1936 in Dallas. Source: Archive.org
On August 7, 1936, Ginger Rogers arrived in Dallas and was welcomed by a naval unit. Overcome by the reception, according to the Denton Record Chronicle, she said, “It’s grand to be home again, but I’m so thrilled I can scarcely talk.” The next night she and the Ina Ray Hutton Orchestra rode on what the Grand Saline Sun described as “myriad-lighted” floats into the Cotton Bowl. The last 2 finalists representing different regions of Texas were chosen. The night after, Rogers crowned Geraldine Robertson of Lamesa, Queen of the Centennial. Robertson’s prize included a movie contract, where she reportedly appeared as a chorus girl in the musicals Born to Dance (1936) and Gold Diggers of 1937 (1936). Rogers’s role paralleled when she was presented as the winner of a statewide contest. The next day, she left for a radio broadcast in New York. Although her visit to the Texas Centennial was brief, it boosted attendance, allowing her to visit the state that she credited gave her a start.
Today Ginger Rogers is remembered for her versatility and hard work. Years before DVDs and streaming services existed, she was one of the many to recognize the value of film preservation. She told Bobbie Wygant in the 1983 interview, “. . . I’m just of the opinion that whoever’s film is in that state of nitrate, should be preserved [. . .] And it takes money . . effort and love—a lot of care. [. . .] I’m very proud of the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences [. . .] in seeing that they are [important to preserve] for the students and for the people that come after us that need to see what was going on and what [were] some of the good things that happened at that time.” Throughout her career, Ginger Rogers came to Texas, including back to Dallas–such as starring in Tovarich during their 1964 summer musical series as well as a 5-day engagement of her title role performance of Hello Dolly! at the Fair Park Music Hall in 1967. In 1994, a year before her death, she was presented the Topaz Award by the Dallas Women in Film.
Sources:
Cross, G. W. Mt. Pleasant Daily Times (Mount Pleasant, Tex.), Vol. 17, No. 161, Ed. 1 Friday, August 14, 1936, newspaper, August 14, 1936; Mt. Pleasant, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth800120/m1/1/?q=%22ginger+rogers%22+AND+%22centennial%22: accessed November 5, 2023), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Mount Pleasant Public Library.
Kirgan, Lee. The Fairfield Recorder (Fairfield, Tex.), Vol. 60, No. 48, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 20, 1936, newspaper, August 20, 1936; Fairfield, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1126481/m1/1/?q=%22ginger+rogers%22+AND+%22centennial%22: accessed November 5, 2023), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Fairfield Library.
McDonald, L. A. Denton Record-Chronicle (Denton, Tex.), Vol. 35, No. 309, Ed. 1 Saturday, August 8, 1936, newspaper, August 8, 1936; Denton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1304485/m1/1/?q=%22ginger+rogers%22+AND+%22centennial%22: accessed November 5, 2023), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Denton Public Library.
Newby, G. R. The Bonham Herald (Bonham, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 97, Ed. 1 Monday, August 3, 1936, newspaper, August 3, 1936; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth993433/m1/1/?q=%22ginger+rogers%22+AND+%22centennial%22: accessed November 5, 2023), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bonham Public Library.
Proctor, Willard. The Grand Saline Sun (Grand Saline, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. [39], Ed. 1 Thursday, August 6, 1936, newspaper, August 6, 1936; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1015993/m1/1/?q=%22ginger+rogers%22+AND+%22centennial%22: accessed November 5, 2023), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Van Zandt County Library.
Poster for Seven Sinners (1940). Source: Pinterest
Marlene Dietrich travels the South Seas as a cabaret singer in Seven Sinners (1940) co-starring John Wayne. Joining Dietrich and Wayne are Broderick Crawford as her bodyguard and Mischa Auer as a magician/thief, both of whom accompany her. The story is about a singer (Dietrich) with a reputation for deportation due to accusations of starting riots. When she returns to an island to sing, she’s drawn to a naval officer (Wayne), while an aura of danger spreads from a vengeful audience member (Oscar Homolka).
Seven Sinners (1940) was Marlene Dietrich’s second movie at Universal. During the 1940s she’d transform from the mysterious worldly and alluring roles at Paramount the decade before. This is one of my favorite roles of Dietrich’s because her character has more depth with a backstory. She also has a code of sustaining herself, instead of being “bought” by an audience member. For example, when the cafe owner warns her a man is ready to pay for her to sing, she says, “You remember me, I work for a living,” and sings from a table with navy officers. Later when Wayne stands up for her, she says, “I usually do my own fighting, but thanks anyway.” Musical numbers include her signature song The Man’s in the Navy and her rendition of I Can’t Give You Anything but Love.
Character DesignCostume Designer: Vera West, Gowns for Dietrich: Irene, Hair/Makeup: Unknown
Marlene Dietrich as Bijou Blanche in Seven Sinners (1940).
Marlene Dietrich plays Bijou Blanche, who is independent and adventurous with a sense of humor. Her costumes are often sparkly and somewhat gaudy, but they demonstrate Bijou’s personality as an outgoing performer. Far left is her dress suit during court and travel sequences. The fabric sheen, feathered hat and jewelry shows how Dietrich’s character has a bold personality. Notice the fishnet gloves. In the center she wears a navy uniform for her first night at the cafe, appealing to her audience by knowing the navy visits the village. Also I felt it showed how Bijou is confident wearing slacks as opposed to an evening gown, a contrast to the refined lady played by Anna Lee. Off-screen, Dietrich was known for using menswear elements in her fashion. However, she does wear a ring on her left hand for a touch of jewelry. Lastly is the white skirt suit during the scenes of her off hours, featuring brooches across the front and rings to reflect her character’s exuberance. The tailored fit is influenced by the uniform of the officers she’s befriended.
John Wayne as Navy Lieutenant Dan Brent in Seven Sinners (1940).
John Wayne plays Lieutenant Dan Brent, whose naval ship is docked at the island. By this time, Wayne had been in numerous movies and since the early 30s starred in B-movie Westerns. However it was Stagecoach (1939), from the previous year that launched him into leads in A-movies. He later made 2 other movies with Marlene Dietrich, The Spoilers (1942) and Pittsburgh (1942). As Brent, he’s open-minded, namely to the fact that Bijou is from a different background than his. He’s also easygoing, although he’s not opposed to putting a person of ill-intent in their place. Wayne’s costumes consist of his uniform combined with combed back hair to represent tidiness and order. On the left is his dinner dress suit with a bowtie, coordinating with the sequence of a formal event on the ship. On the right is his uniform with shoulder boards indicating that he’s a Lieutenant. Overall, the white uniforms represent the tropical climate they’re in.
Set DesignArt Director: Jack Otterson, Martin Obzina (associate), Set Decorator: R.A. Guasman
Two sets from Seven Sinners (1940), the cafe and Bijou’s dressing room. Click image for larger view.
Above is the set design for the Seven Sinners cafe. On the left is a wide shot of the cafe. In the distant right is the open door leading to the navy officers’ lounge, while the center is the minimal stage with a piano and a few stools where the musicians sit. The staircase leads to the dressing rooms. Tables with checkered tablecloths and descending paper lanterns show the modest budget of the cafe. Details of tropical potted plants, bamboo accents on the door, and a tiki column suit the island setting. On the right is part of Bijou’s dressing room. Her vanity table is decorated with a table skirt and a draped scarf over the top of the mirror for a feminine touch. Attributes of postcards on the mirror as well as the small objects in the alcove at the far left reveal that she’s traveled extensively. In the reflection of the mirror is a bamboo screen for privacy.
Seven Sinners (1940) is a lively romantic drama breaking certain conventions of the genre. While America’s involvement in World War II was near, the South Seas long represented an exciting setting in movies and literature. This paired with Dietrich’s persona and comedy from the supporting cast. Seven Sinners (1940) also has an underlying theme of people not being owned by each other or from a certain background, yet thriving.
Studio portrait of Conrad Nagel, circa late 1920s/early 1930s. Source: Pinterest
Lux Radio Theater is often remembered as the definitive radio drama with Old Hollywood actors, yet other anthologies with movie actors existed. Silver Theatre was one of these, bringing a 30 minute episode that starred a different, but equally well known, actor each week. Their sponsors were the silverware companies International Sterling and 1847 Rochester Brothers, which the radio series’ derived its name. Conrad Nagel produced and directed (and occasionally co-starred) Silver Theatre. He was a leading man in the 1920s who transitioned to talkies and performed in the theatre in the 1940s.
Cambridge Sentinel on September 20, 1941, revealed Conrad Nagel was one of the founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, where he was a past president, “as well as a beneficent to different organizations such as the Motion Picture Relief Fund.” In 1938 Silver Theatre debuted over CBS and lasted 10 years. Today 3 of the 1940s episodes survive. Radio Varieties in the April 1940 issue described behind the scenes. While the story department went through manuscripts, the agency’s talent buyer contacted representatives of actors. Once an actor was secured, Conrad Nagel would have a story conference with them. Next, the adapter True Boardman or John Halloran, would write the script. The process continued with selecting supporting actors, Felix Mills and his orchestra working the score, announcer Dick Joy timing and rehearsing the advertisements, last minute rewrites, sound effects and a recorded dress rehearsal. Everyone listened to correct “any flaws” for the final rehearsal before broadcast. Radio Varieties also noted some actors became interested in the sound effects equipment, writing “William Powell spent the better part of an hour playing with an electric train that was used for a sound effect on his broadcast.”
The grand opening of CBS West Coast Headquarters on Sunset Boulevard, circa 1938. Source: Water and Power Associates
I felt Silver Theatre had a range of actors–Helen Hayes, Clark Gable, Robert Montgomery, Ida Lupino, Maureen O’Sullivan, Herbert Marshall, Loretta Young. Each original script was tailored to the style that the actor had on screen, making the series stand out from others that were radio adaptations of movies. There were also different settings from a railroad yard to a movie studio as well as a few historic periods. However many, at least from the surviving episodes, were melodramas. I’d have liked to have heard adventure, more comedy, or an adaptation of a classic story. Old time radio fans will appreciate Silver Theatre if they enjoy the hour long Lux Radio Theater or radio dramas in general. Fans of classic movies unfamiliar with old time radio might like Silver Theatre as an introduction to radio shows. Below are a few of the episodes I felt stood out. The public domain series can streamed and downloaded for free by clicking here.
Up from Darkness (10/23, 10/30/1938) Pts 1 & 2
https://archive.org/download/SilverTheater/ST_38-10-23_ep017-Up_from_the_Darkness_Part_1.mp3https://archive.org/download/SilverTheater/ST_38-10-30_ep018-Up_from_the_Darkness_Part_2.mp3Rosalind Russell and James Stewart play a college graduate and coal miner respectively, in this 2 part story about opposition to new ideas, tragedy and hope.
The Captain Had a Daughter (11/27/1938)
https://archive.org/download/SilverTheater/ST_38-11-27_ep022-The_Captain_Had_a_Daughter.mp3Ginger Rogers is the daughter of a sea captain (William Farnum) traveling with him in 1838. Her spirit prompts a young sea captain to reconsider his inhumane business deal.
Debutante (1/15/1939)
https://ia801606.us.archive.org/32/items/SilverTheater/ST_39-01-15_ep029-Debutante.mp3Myrna Loy plays a debutante tired of tradition and decides to make her own living under a pseudonym. She meets a young man (Elliot Lewis) unaware of her true identity.
Love is Where You Find It (3/12/1939)
https://archive.org/download/SilverTheater/ST_39-03-12_ep037-Love_Is_Where_You_Find_It.mp3Lee Tracy and Shirley Ross are performers and a married couple on the vaudeville circuit in 1927. After an accident alters their plans, both learn the importance of happiness.
The Man from Medicine Bow (4/9/1939)
https://archive.org/download/SilverTheater/ST_39-04-09_ep041-The_Man_from_Medicine_Bow.mp3Chester Morris plays a rancher who travels to the city, eager to see gangsters. Glenda Farrell is the society girl who arranges a joke that backfires when real gangsters show up.
Understudy (5/14/1939)
https://archive.org/download/SilverTheater/ST_39-05-14_ep046-Understudy.mp3Douglas Fairbanks Jr. plays a dual role of a veteran stage actor/producer and a struggling British young man serving as his understudy preparing for opening night of a play.
Set designs in classic films may be remembered as opulent, but behind the scenes was a lot of work to create them. Robert Haas helped with these, notably for Warner Brothers movies from 1929 to 1950. As art director, he not only planned each set required for every scene, he also worked with the director […]
Sometimes you have to create your own opportunity, as Patricia Ellis realizes and plots a scheme to sell her songs by adding a well-known songwriter as her collaborator in the musical comedy, Rhythm in the Clouds (1937). Broke and evicted from her apartment, it’s a risk she’s willing to take for one last attempt to […]
If you want to explore the world of Old Hollywood known by those who lived it, magazines of the era are one of the best ways. The Talkies: Articles and Illustrations from Photoplay Magazine, 1928-1940, published in 1971, is a gathering from one of the most popular fan magazines. Fan magazines were once the only […]
Check out the Summer 2023 issue of Nostalgia Digest magazine, which includes my article about Shirley Temple’s life after her child star days. Ina Ray Hutton is remembered as a glamorous band leader and singer of the 1930s and 40s, sometimes overshadowing how she challenged barriers in the music industry. Born Odessa Cowan, she was […]
Theatrical poster for A Gentleman of Paris (1927). Source: Pinterest
Adolphe Menjou vows to become a new person, once he attends to a few private matters, in this high society comedy. The film depicts a French nobleman scrambling to end romantic affairs at the surprise arrival of his fiance. When one of his affairs is discovered by a person close to him, his place in society is threatened. Adolphe Menjou’s sophisticated humor keeps the plot from becoming deplorable, although it’s very tame by today’s standards. In fact, I could imagine Menjou’s voice as I read the title cards of his character. The film is an adaptation of the novel Bellamy The Magnificent by Roy Horniman. However the movie’s plot reminded me of an idea that a witty writer of the era, such as Dornford Yates, could’ve reworked into a whimsical tale. A Gentleman of Paris (1927) has camera movement and editing that feels modern with opulent sets taking the audience into the elegant, if not chaotic, world of Marquis de Marignan.
Previously I wrote about Little Miss Marker (1934), where Menjou played a very different character of a bookie affected by the Depression, for those interested in the roles he played after silents. I watched A Gentleman of Paris (1927) on Youtube and while it’s watchable, the print is a little dark but I have done my best with the screenshots.
Character DesignCostume Design, Hair and Makeup: Unknown
Adolphe Menjou as the Marquis de Marignan in A Gentleman of Paris (1927).
Adolphe Menjou plays Marquis de Marignan, also known as Edouard. Menjou’s signature mustache, tailored style and poised temperament established him as a lead actor with worldly appeal. His career kept him working in movies, radio and TV until his final role in Walt Disney’s Pollyanna (1960), three years before his death. As Edouard, he’s debonair and pleasant while managing pressure with an obliging manner. Menjou adds a few touches to show his character’s nerves by dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief and naturalistic facial expressions. On the left is Menjou’s costume for the scene greeting his guests. The boutonnière suits the formal occasion of his fiance and her father. Likely his tie is silk, judging by the appearance of the material, emphasizing a well dressed man. On the right is his formal suit and top hat during the day while having an appointment to end a relationship. Stickpins served to keep a tie in place, however Edouard has two. I felt the formal attire alluded to the subject of his evenings of dinner and dancing, with a touch of traditional style that he may incorporated as a nobleman.
Shirley O’Hara as Jacqueline in A Gentleman of Paris (1927).
Shirley O’Hara plays Jacqueline, Edouard’s fiance. My only critique is there’s no mention of how she first met Edouard. I wondered if it was an arranged marriage since she’s chaperoned, their communication is polite yet somewhat shy and they don’t go anywhere alone. O’Hara’s film career was brief and aside from this role, she’s remembered for The Wild Party (1929) starring Clara Bow. As Jacqueline, she’s kind and understanding. The most telling scene of how different she is from the women Edouard has known is when she jokingly imitates the mannerisms he’s accustomed to by smoking a cigarette (and then coughing uncontrollably) while crossing her legs. On the left is her dress when she first arrives in Paris. The drop waist dress, cloche and fur wrap indicate she’s a modern young woman, while the movement of the costume suits her character’s cheerful mood when she arrives. On the right is her evening gown at a weekend party. The soft layers of the gown emphasize her character’s graceful nature. I felt the fabrics of O’Hara’s costumes symbolize the movement her character has to go about freely without transgression.
Set DesignArt Director, Set Decorator: Unknown
Set design of Edouard’s (Adolphe Menjou) apartment in A Gentleman of Paris (1927).
The sets had an illusion of depth fitting the backdrop of French society. Above is the set of Edouard’s apartment. I felt the absence of clutter revealed that while he has a polished style, he doesn’t take himself seriously to crowd heirlooms. The apartment’s size is ideal for one person, combined with a lack of scenes with guests over, suggests he lives an independent life away from large crowds. This may have been to complement discretion. On the left is part of the living room with French doors leading to a balcony appropriate for the location. Behind him the bookshelf suggests that he’s well read. On the right is his bedroom. A twin bed, as opposed to a larger one, emphasized he’s single for the time being. The table in the far right corner features framed photos of the women he has dated, later removed to demonstrate his efforts. Overall there’s classical touches of high ceilings, tall windows, and candlestick light fixtures, with the then contemporary Art Deco bed and matching dresser.
A Gentleman of Paris (1927) keeps a comedic tone with a touch of drama towards the end of the movie. The ending seemed to have audiences reconsider what a gentleman really is, as Menjou comes through not by his title, but a trait that cannot be bought or inherited. This rare silent film is a pleasant hour for audiences who enjoy a fun drawing room type-comedy or Adolphe Menjou’s characterizations.
On camera, George E. Stone was often a loyal friend to the main character—no matter which side of the law they were on. He was Otero, the right hand man to Edward G. Robinson in Little Caesar (1931); Andy Lee, the stage manager, who gives a break to his girlfriend Una Merkel and her friends Ginger Rogers and Ruby Keeler in 42nd Street (1933); and The Runt, former criminal turned valet and detective’s assistant to Chester Morris in the Boston Blackie movies of the 1940s. Off camera, friendship gave him strength during a hardship in his life.
Pageboy Turned PerformerGeorge E. Stone as Andy Lee in 42nd Street (1933). Source: IMdB
George E. Stone’s early life didn’t always make him feel safe. Born in Lodz, Poland, according to a profile in New Movie Magazine from February 1934, as a child Stone was coming home from work at a silk mill when he was caught in the middle of pogrom. The magazine wrote that Stone continued to have “painful memories” of that day. Later Jewish Post on July 9, 1937 noted that Stone had scars from the wounds he suffered. Plans to join his father in America took multiple attempts, since his four sisters and mother were turned away twice from Ellis Island due to illness. His mother died before the successful trip to America. It was said that Stone’s stepmother abused him, prompting him to run away.
The path to acting was by friendship. News Adelaide on May 17, 1934 wrote that Stone was working as a pageboy at the Lamb’s Club, when he met and got to know the actor William Farnum, well known on Broadway and in silent movies of the day. This led to Stone becoming an extra in movies at Fox and opportunities in the theatre. One his earliest film roles was in 7th Heaven (1927), starring Charles Farrell and Janet Gaynor, as Farrell’s friend.
An Artful VersatilityA candid photo of actress Mae Clarke with George E. Stone at the Santa Anita Racetrack from the April 1935 issue of Modern Screen magazine. Source: Archive.org
Once talkies came along, Stone’s light build and charismatic performances established him as a reliable character actor alongside A-list actors and in B-movies in between. He portrayed an escaped convict shielded by reporters writing his story in The Front Page (1931), Skeets the cab driver helping end a racket with his colleague James Cagney in Taxi (1931), a gangster known as Wires working with Humphrey Bogart in Bullets or Ballots (1936) and a kind housekeeper to a cruel Peter Lorre in Island of Doomed Men (1940). Stone moved seamlessly from fast-talking tough gangsters to compassionate soft spoken people. He also had the ability to learn new skills in a short amount of time. For his role in Viva Villa! (1934), Campus Chat later reported in February 1940 that he spent a month learning Spanish.
Northern Star on February 23, 1933 noticed his aptitude early and wrote, “George E. Stone’s amazing emotional acting has made him an outstanding film favourite [sic] with screen audiences.” Well-liked by audiences, he remained in important supporting roles. His only starring film was The Big Brain (1933) co-starring Fay Wray, about a gambler whose life spirals as he accumulates wealth and commits fraud. Morning Bulletin on March 31, 1934 noted Stone’s abilities in the film to be “another sterling creative characterization to his memorable portrayals. He convincingly renders a sympathetic version of a difficult role.”
Life as a Character ActorChester Morris as Boston Blackie and George E. Stone as the Runt for Columbia Pictures Boston Blackie mystery/comedy series. Source: Pinterest
By the 1940s, George E. Stone was known for his unmatched talent. Santa Cruz Evening News on March 16, 1941 referred to him as a “pint sized character actor, [who] is a versatile performer and linguist. He has portrayed all sorts of nationalities, spoken in as many dialects.” He was also active in the war effort, including both organizing and serving as master of ceremonies of a show at Torney General Hospital, according to Desert Sun in June 1943. His most popular role of the decade is The Runt in the Boston Blackie mystery series starring Chester Morris. As the Runt, he was the more timid of the duo, yet trustworthy and eager to help. Stone demonstrated his comedic talent by going undercover ranging from a school boy to an elderly delivery man.
Being a character actor in Hollywood was a more private life than a lead actor’s. Although committed to a good performance, there wasn’t pressure to maintain the audience’s impression or facing blame if a movie failed at the box office. Additionally, character actors didn’t receive as much fan mail and weren’t recognized in public as often. This is one reason why memorabilia of Stone and certain character actors isn’t common. As World’s News explained on March 15, 1941, “Neither [George E. Stone or Adolph Menjou are] ever denuded by souvenir hunters or torn apart by autograph fiends. Their popularity is registered where it does the most good—in their bank accounts. [They] save more money than the most glamorous female star or the most virile hero.” However, at the end of the decade, offers for roles decreased. As his career waned, so did his health.
A New OutlookGeorge E. Stone as The Runt in Alias Boston Blackie (1942), the 3rd of 14 in the series by Columbia Pictures starring Chester Morris. This is the 2nd of 11 movies with Stone as The Runt. Screenshot by me. Source: Youtube
Santa Cruz Sentinel on November 25, 1958 wrote of this challenge of his life, “[The] bright lights he knew once faded along with his modest savings-and his career.” This led to two illnesses, including failing eyesight, and a heart attack. Stone revealed his initial fear and how his faith helped him, “. . . I suppose blindness means something different to each individual. To me it meant the end of everything I’d taken for granted. Never again would I see a flower, a woman, even a pastrami sandwich. I asked myself, ‘How can you support yourself?’—and I wanted to die. . . I started to pray and I prayed some more. . . [After 2 operations I could see again] not well, but enough . . And I thank God, every time I look at anything. At ANYTHING! [sic] Only He alone could do it.” His friends visited to rotate taking care of him and found a doctor for his vision, which kept his spirits up.
By 1958, Stone had resumed supporting roles in movies, as well as TV, such as a reoccurring role as the court clerk in Perry Mason. He also had a different perspective on life. As he further told the Santa Cruz Sentinel, “I once thought a lot of money was the proof of success. I know different now. If people could only realize the importance of good health. . . All I want today is a place to sleep and food to eat and the ability to earn my own way. . ” Several months after a stroke, he passed away at the age of 64 in 1967. George E. Stone may not have been at the forefront of a movie, yet his characters were enduring because he portrayed depth of the human condition. His roles made him the ideal friend to have alongside in any circumstance, whether it was comedy or drama.
Paper dolls give a pleasant vintage vibe and make a colorful decoration for an Old Hollywood accent. As many know, either from their own childhood or from a relative’s, paper dolls were bought at stores, handmade or found in newspapers, making it easy to build a collection. Movie stars, comic strip characters, historic figures and career themed have been just a few different types that existed. They inspired imagination at an affordable cost. Paper dolls of the vintage age are collected, just like sheet music or magazines, for a certain character/person, theme or decade.
Finding Old Hollywood Paper Dolls TodayThese paper dolls of George Raft and Mae West I printed, colored and glued to cardstock.
Reproduction vintage paper dolls can be bought in stores and online for those who want a full color booklet to collect. (Sometime ago in a post about movie memorabilia, I mentioned collecting Shirley Temple reproduction paper dolls when I was a kid.) Originals of different decades can be still found too. However, you can also find vintage paper dolls online to print, many of them line drawings intended for coloring. The printable kind are my favorite because you can customize their size and color. Another reason why paper dolls back then were enjoyed: you could design them to look how you wanted.
Featured throughout are two paper dolls I colored of Mae West and George Raft. (You can click here for the one of her and click here for him to print. Credit goes to rightful owners.) Like other movie star paper dolls, these were drawn based on the characters they portrayed, such as West’s 1890s updo and Raft’s careful gaze. Both were drawn by artist Laura Brock in the early 1930s. She drew various series of paper dolls for newspapers of the era.
Adding Your Own Designs to Paper DollsPaper dolls in newspapers or comic books often encouraged people to add more clothes, or even submit ideas to the publications. If you like drawing, you can add your own designs. I love drawing and creating clothes for paper dolls is one of the techniques that’s helped me learn the basics of historic fashion. It’s also another way to understand how clothes fold and drape. Although styles change, the concept is still the same. (If you like drawing people, I recommend Drawing Drapery from Head to Toe by Cliff Young, a 1940s reprint.) However, since paper dolls aren’t life drawings, the clothes don’t have to be highly detailed.
I made these clothes for the George Raft and Mae West paper dolls. On the right, West’s gown is inspired by a costume designed by Travis Banton for Belle of the Nineties (1934).
What You Will Need:
Pencil
Sheets of printer paper (28 lb works pretty good)
Tape
Scissors
Craft knife with cutting mat
Ink pens (I like the Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pen set)
*Colored Pencils
My process of inking the sketch of a gown for the Mae West paper doll.
I don’t have a light box, so I use a clean sunlit window to trace. First, tape the top corners of your paper to the window, slide the doll underneath and hold in place. Next, trace the doll’s outline lightly and remove the paper from the window carefully. Afterward, sketch the garment of your choice using the outline as a guide. You may have to erase–so draw lightly–and reference the doll’s original outfit for ideas on folds or wrinkles. (Tip: Trace the outline of the existing outfit on your paper instead, if you need a template to help you.) As you draw, hold the sketch against the doll up to the light or window, making sure the clothes align. Draw tabs for the clothes. Once satisfied with the sketch, erase stray lines and go over the garment outline with ink pens. Lastly, add color and cut out.
Displaying Old Hollywood Paper DollsThe display of my George Raft and Mae West paper dolls. West’s gown is inspired by a costume designed by Edith Head for She Done Him Wrong (1933).
My favorite way to display paper dolls is to use a decorative clothespin on a lace ribbon pinned to the wall. This is an option if you like to alternate your decor from time to time. My preference for this type of presentation started when I decorated a bulletin board in my dorm one year during college using paper dolls of the 1930s/40s comic strip character Boots, from Boots and her Buddies. You may want to add a very small piece of tape on the back in at least two places to keep the bottom of the paper garment flat. This is especially helpful in humid climates or in dorms, where the air conditioning is turned off during holidays. In between the paper dolls, I like to add a greeting card or other paper item.
Many collectors frame their paper dolls and clothes against scrapbook paper, especially those that are original vintage. Some will create a shadow box or floating frame for a display with more dimension. Since these exhibit fashion, they complement closets, wardrobes or vanities. Workspaces or near bookshelves are other places they can be arranged within.
Old Hollywood paper dolls can be a unique decoration, if you’re looking for ideas beyond black and white portraits or to combine with more traditional collectables. Enthusiasts of a certain decade may find paper dolls from the era add to the aesthetic. You can get as creative as you’d like with paper doll decor for a vibrant display in any room of your home.
Margie (1946) theatrical poster. Source: IMdB
The thrilling 1920s is revived in Margie (1946), a heartwarming comedy about a high school senior starring Jeanne Crain. Songs such as Three O’Clock in the Morning, April Showers, and I’ll See You in My Dreams help recreate the era. Previously Jeanne Crain had been in important supporting roles at Fox, however Margie was her first fully starring film and one of the most successful in her career. Also, co-starring is Alan Young, better known today as Wilbur Post in the 1960s TV series Mister Ed, or for his comedy show in the 1940s to old time radio fans.
During this time Fox was releasing 1920s themed movies for nostalgia. Although the era was only twenty years before, it was already remembered for its exuberance as well as trends that were amusing by 1946. These period settings were probably a welcomed delight for audiences settling in a new routine after World War II and desiring upbeat films. Crain starred in 3 others set during the 1920s: You Were Meant for Me (1948) and Cheaper By the Dozen (1950) as well as the sequel Belles on Their Toes (1952). Some costumes and hairstyles were kept 1940s, however that may have been to show audiences too young to have remembered the 1920s, that elements of the story were still relatable.
Character DesignCostume Designer: Kay Nelson, Makeup Artist: Ben Nye, Hairstylist: Unknown
Jeanne Crain as the self-titled character in Margie (1946).
Jeanne Crain portrays the bright, yet shy and daydreaming Margie MacDuff. Crain was unparalleled in playing young women who were discovering themselves in the first part of her film career. Margie is different from the other girls, due to being on the debate team and living with her outspoken grandmother, a former suffragette. On the left is Crain’s costume of a sailor dress for school. Sailor dresses were popular in the early 20th century, with a uniform-look and pleats allowing for movement. Yet they had been around since the 1900s at least, showing Margie’s struggle of wearing what she’s told versus what she might’ve chosen herself as a girl in the late 1920s. Her hair is kept in braids contrasting a 1920s style such as waves, while also being a practical hairstyle to do in the morning. On the right is her pastel pink gown for prom, complementing her newfound confidence. It was hard to get a clear screenshot of the entire gown, which was ankle length with ruffles, and not far from a true 1929 evening gown. The soft color represents compassion and love, which suits the sequence. Her hair is brushed out, also representing her character’s growth.
Glenn Langan as Ralph Fontayne in Margie (1946).
Glenn Langan portrays Ralph Fontayne, the tactful and self-effacing new French teacher. Langan’s most remembered for his 1940s movies at Fox. He also starred in the 1940s detective radio series Mystery is My Hobby. Similar to the women’s costumes, Langan’s are 1940s style. As Mr. Fontayne, on the left he’s wearing a suit with a sweater vest underneath. The suit’s coat is 1940s with the broad shoulders and boxy fit, as opposed to the more tailored and fitted look of the 1920s. However the general garments were worn together in the 1920s as a casual look that a young teacher like Mr. Fontayne would wear. On the right is his blue suit after a meeting and on his way to a school event. The patterned necktie is more formal, as opposed to the bow tie in his previous costume. Dark blue represents intelligence, reliability and calmness which fit with the character of Mr. Fontayne keeping his word about dropping by the auditorium and his relaxed demeanor.
Set DesignArt Directors: James Basevi & J. Russell Spencer, Set Decorator: Thomas Little and Frank Hughes (Associate)
Attic bedroom set in Margie (1946).
The set of Margie’s attic bedroom was intentionally lit dark, which fit the mood of being alone or nighttime. On the far left is the overall view of her room with old-fashioned wallpaper. You can make out her dresser on the far left and her desk on the right. The back of the desk is where a wall would have been if this wasn’t a film, showing how small the room is. In the far left corner in the back is a radiator unit of the story’s era. On the right is a closer look at her bedroom with touches Margie would’ve added to make the room more her own. Notice the contrast of the framed silhouettes below a pennant of her high school, the former representing a more 19th century style with a modern school item. Over her shoulder to the right is a kewpie doll by the radio. Considering that many families in the 1920s would have had a single radio in the living room, Margie was lucky to have her own. Even in the 1940s, not every household had a radio in each bedroom.
Jeanne Crain on the set of Margie (1946). This was the cover photo for LIFE on the September 30, 1946 issue. Source: Tumblr
Jeanne Crain promoted Margie (1946) on the September 30, 1946 cover for LIFE Magazine. The issue featured a photo story about the special effects used for the bath scene. She also reprised her role of Margie for a radio adaptation on Lux Radio Theater later in 1951.
Margie (1946) is still relevant and enjoyable with its coming of age story about becoming an individual. There’s several funny moments highlighting embarrassments and misunderstandings of growing up, with sequences of happiness and the feelings of beginning something new. Jeanne Crain isn’t remembered as much as the other actresses of the era from Fox like Gene Tierney or Betty Grable. Yet her signature was a graceful presence portraying women with a quiet strength and dignity.
Maynard Dixon, Wide Lands of the Navajo, 1945. Dixon was known for his depictions of the Southwest. Source: Tumblr
Few subjects have been romanticized like the American West for its lure of adventure among a vast landscape. All Star Western Theater, sponsored by Weber’s Bread, was heard on Saturday afternoons beginning in 1946. This was an era when Western pulps and comics were published and a well loved genre on screen. All Star Western Theater combined music with an original radio play featuring movie actors as guests.
Behind the scenes, All Star Western Theater was multitalented. According to Radio Life in September 1946, Cottonseed Clark was the writer, director and emcee. The magazine further wrote how Clark was a newspaper reporter before he went on the radio for baseball broadcasts. This led him to work in radio across the Southwest and eventually in New York on series such as Gangbusters. In 1943 he went to Hollywood for his own radio show, The Law West of the Pecos. Foy Willing and his Riders of the Purple Sage (Al Sloey and Nick Rhineheart, the latter eventually replaced by Jimmy Dean) performed musical interludes. Radio Life noted Willing provided the band’s arrangements. In addition, the Riders of the Purple Sage acted in the episodes. By 1948, the show focused more on Western music. The LA Evening Citizen News in December 1948 advertised the newly renovated program now having the music of Ken Darby and the King’s Men.
Although Western isn’t my preferred genre for entertainment, I found this radio series fun. All Star Western Theater‘s strong points included a variety of stories. Some were centered on women and others depicted an outsider who entered the West and overcame suspicion. The settings were the late 1800s and contemporary 1940s. Guest stars included well knowns such as Johnny Mack Brown, Dale Evans and radio’s Cisco Kid (not to be confused with the films’ actors). Each episode was introduced as crafted specifically for the guest and ended with a brief conversation. Audiences learned that some may not have been in many Western films but had a tie to the culture, such as Virginia Mayo’s performances in rodeos. That said, I wish there would have been stories about a person from the West entering a new region or about a World War II vet. Buster Crabbe, who was portraying Billy the Kid in movies, and more actresses would have been nice to hear. Towards the end of the series there were rarely guest stars and I felt the new shortened skits ended too abrupt.
All Star Western Theater is an entertaining radio series that Western fans will appreciate. Also those looking for an anthology series to listen to might enjoy this. Since the show had a small team, the first 2 years evoke a welcoming atmosphere. It’s as though the radio series was performed in a small theater instead of a large auditorium, suiting the genre’s signature of hospitality among friends. Click here to listen/download free this public domain show.
Dude Ranch Serenade (9/8/1946)
https://ia601202.us.archive.org/32/items/All-starWesternTheatre/005-AllStarWesternTheatre-DudeRanchSerenade09-08-46.mp3A popular radio singer (Dale Evans) buys a ranch, prompting her talented ranch hands to hope that she’ll help them with their hobby of music.
Drifty (9/22/1946)
https://ia601202.us.archive.org/32/items/All-starWesternTheatre/007-AllStarWesternTheatre-Drifty09-22-46.mp3A loner (Jack Holt) haunted by his past discovers a way to redeem himself when he enters a new town. Also starring Holt’s real life adult children, actors Jennifer and Tim Holt.
The Bandit (11/3/1946)
https://ia801202.us.archive.org/32/items/All-starWesternTheatre/013-AllStarWesternTheatre-TheBandit11-03-46.mp3The legend of a mysterious bandit (Jackie Cooper) from the 1870s is told to the Riders of the Purple Sage around the campfire.
Street of Laredo (1/5/1947)
https://ia601202.us.archive.org/32/items/All-starWesternTheatre/022-AllStarWesternTheatre-StreetsOfLaredo01-05-47.mp3A Texas Ranger (Tex Ritter) is sent to clean up the crime in Laredo, where he faces threats by those who resist. The Riders of the Purple Sage volunteer to assist him.
Alias Mary Smithers (3/9/1947)
https://ia801202.us.archive.org/32/items/All-starWesternTheatre/031-AllStarWesternTheatre-AliasMarySmithers03-09-47.mp3A co-owner of a ranch (Virginia Mayo) introduces herself under a pseudonym to find out the honest impressions that the ranch hands have.
Sharp Shooting Gal (7/26/1947)
https://ia601202.us.archive.org/32/items/All-starWesternTheatre/051-AllStarWesternTheatre-SharpShootingGal07-26-47.mp3When a young woman arrives in town to marry, the Riders of the Purple Sage suspect a trick has been played when the photo she has is of a completely different man.
Portrait of Frances Dee for Coming Out Party (1934). Source: Tumblr
Frances Dee was a graceful and versatile actress of 1930s and 40s movies. She and her husband actor Joel McCrea shared similar values, including giving their sons a home away from the Hollywood lifestyle. She continued to work when she could, acting in a variety of genres from costume drama to horror.
While both she and McCrea were known to be easy to work with, they had different approaches to acting. Their grandson Wyatt McCrea told Roy Rogers’ daughter Cheryl Rogers Barnett on her Along the Trails show in 2018, “My grandmother, she worked really hard, and took acting classes and studied a lot of different techniques. She always got aggravated with my grandfather because he could care less, you know, he’s like, ‘Well, if they want me, they’ll call me.’ . . . I think that [my grandmother] was a better actress. I daresay that my grandfather did a lot more films, but I think that she was probably better as an actor than he was because she put in a lot more time and really studied it. . .”
From Extra to Leading LadyFrances Dee was born in Los Angeles, yet she lived much of her life in Chicago. While attending the University of Chicago, she participated in plays by the College Dramatic Society, stimulating her to desire to become an actress, according to Australian Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder on April 20, 1934. One summer while visiting California, she went to the movie studios to work as an extra. A few months later Maurice Chevalier, well known French entertainer, selected her to star with him in Playboy of Paris (1930). Dee continued to learn her craft on set. For example, Henderson Daily News reported on April 23, 1931 that during The American Tragedy (1931), director Josef von Sternberg instructed Dee to be on set each day regardless, in order to explain the “psychology of the scene”.
Frances Dee and Buster Crabbe for King of the Jungle (1933). Source: Pinterest
This mentoring was evident in her emotiveness. Coleman Democrat Voice in 1933 detected such, describing her approach having “a forthright, simple actuality to everything which she does on the screen”. During the 1930s, she excelled in roles such as Meg March, alongside Katharine Hepburn as Jo in Little Women (1933) as well as a shy student influenced by her bold roommate played by Ginger Rogers in Finishing School (1934). Dee portrayed a modern free spirited young woman (This Reckless Age) as convincingly as an overworked secretary who wins a sweepstakes (The Gay Deception) or adventurous reporter covering natural disasters (Headline Shooter). In the August 29, 1936 edition of the Mirror, as one of the several actors asked to describe Hollywood, she said, “Hollywood is the only place in the world where a woman can make as much money as a man.”
Actress & MotherIn the mid 1930s Dee made fewer movies to spend time with her sons. Living at the ranch was an adjustment, since she had grown up in cities. Soon it became a retreat from her work that allowed her to maintain perspective. To World’s News on August 8, 1953, Dee said, “When we first went to the ranch to live I was a little dubious about it. I felt rather isolated, particularly when Joel was away on location and couldn’t come home at night. I’m not particularly gregarious, but at times it would have been nice to have had closer neighbors. We missed some parties and other events I would have liked to attend. But, on the other hand, much of Hollywood’s social life is really business—a matter of keeping up with the business, or being seen, or fearing to offend.” Often described as delicate looking, Dee was strong and worked at the ranch in the gardens of vegetables and fruits among other tasks.
Joan Bennett and Frances Dee in Mexico as two of the reported 126 total performers who entertained army troops there in 1942. Source: Tumblr
She co-starred with the ranks of Gary Cooper, Ronald Colman and Randolph Scott. Even with roles that didn’t make use of her range, she created a memorable performance. A review of Wells Fargo (1937), which also starred Joel McCrea, in News Adelaide noticed her ability to add original touches to her character and wrote Dee “[gave] several novel twists to a role that might otherwise have been rather too familiar.” Studios who wanted an actress under contract for a select number of movies a year may have factored in the challenge of strong lead roles. A critic in the Australian Independent on February 27, 1941 speculated, “. . .Frances [Dee], perhaps has not been as much of a success as Joel-perhaps because she hasn’t had the right roles and the opportunities.” During the early 1940s she worked with John Wayne in the drama A Man Betrayed (1941) and William Holden in the romantic comedy Meet the Stewarts (1942). On set of the latter film, she told the Australian Women’s Weekly on June 27, 1942, “I must admit that now I’m anxious to get into the Hollywood swim again. But ranch life is the best for the children. Joel and I want a normal life for them . . . [After Meet the Stewarts] then I’m prepared to make three or four pictures a year, freelancing of course.”
A Welcome ReturnWhile she never did return to acting in films regularly, Dee’s love for her craft included establishing a community drama club, according to the Louisville Times on January 21, 1943. A stage was built in the barn on the ranch for the club to use whenever they wanted. During the times she’d appear in a film, critics welcomed seeing her perform again. Furthermore, her peers never forgot about her. In 1951 she told the Healdsburg Tribune about her role in Payment on Demand at Bette Davis’s request, “Producer Jack Skirball told me I was called at Bette’s suggestion. That was really a heart-warming surprise. I hadn’t seen Bette since we worked together on this same RKO lot in ‘Of Human Bondage’ back in 1934.”
Studio portrait of Frances Dee, circa 1948. Source: Tumblr
Unlike actors who were distant, Frances Dee was personable. During Mr. Scoutmaster (1953), it was noted she only went to her dressing room for a costume change, otherwise spending time with the crew. She said to Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder on November 13, 1953, “It’s a funny thing, but I’ve always wanted to know what was happening and what people were saying on a set, so I stay in the centre [sic] of activity.” Similar to 20 years before when she was starting out, Dee was curious to learn and kindhearted, a trait she had her whole life. While Wyatt McCrea respected his grandparents individually and for prioritizing family, he said to Cheryl Rogers Barnett in 2018, “My grandmother made the conscious decision to kind of scale back when she started having a family. When the kids got to be about school age, she backed off to about one film a year. Then in ’54 she made her last movie, but I always wondered the same thing—that if she had really not had any restrictions how far might have gone as an actress. I think she would have hit the ceiling.”
Myrna Loy and William Powell for Evelyn Prentice (1934). Source: Pinterest
Temptation and forgiveness are the undercurrent of this mystery/drama starring Myrna Loy and William Powell. The two step out of the playful duo from The Thin Man (1934) into their third of 12 films together for Evelyn Prentice. A busy lawyer (Powell) finds himself in a life becoming more distant from his wife (Loy) as his client is developing personal feelings. Meanwhile, his wife encounters a captivating stranger at a nightclub, bringing their separate situations to an ultimate test of their marriage when murder occurs.
Evelyn Prentice (1934) is adapted from the 1934 book of the same name by W.E. Woodward. A balance of witty one liners to more serious conversations are in the script. The film features Rosalind Russell in her film debut as Powell’s client. Also note Isabel Jewell, an actress not often remembered today, making the most of a supporting role. Fans of the The Thin Man (1934) might recognize Tommy (Henry Wadsworth) and Morelli (Edward Brophy) in supporting roles different from those they played in that film.
Costume DesignCostume Designer: Dolly Tree, Hair and Makeup: Unknown
Myrna Loy in costume as the title character for Evelyn Prentice (1934).
Myrna Loy plays the title role of the elegant soft spoken Evelyn Prentice. By the early 1930s, Loy transitioned from the vamp in silents to the epitome of a sophisticated good-natured leading lady. I felt her costumes as Evelyn Prentice emphasized the character’s grace (silk and velvet material) and discretion (dark colors). On the left is a sequin gown that has a narrow open-back (not shown), suggesting the formality of her world in high society to dress for dinner at home with her husband. It’s also worn during a time in the film where her character has a secret, with the glimmering sequins serving a subtle sparkle, while the boatneck of the gown suit the restraint she has. On the right is during an intense scene. I felt that the weight of her fur trimmed coat added to the somber mood and complex emotions she had been carrying. The brim of her hat, although it isn’t very large, still allows her to conceal her gaze from others at certain angles. Overall I felt that as the film goes on, the glimmering accents Loy’s costumes diminish.
William Powell in costume as John Prentice for Evelyn Prentice (1934).
William Powell plays John Prentice, her husband who is a prominent lawyer. Powell, who started on the stage, had been in films since the silent era and eventually became cast as lawyers and detectives, notably Philo Vance in the late 1920s. By the early 1930s he was set as the well-mannered gentleman with a touch of humor and grit. As John Prentice, his costumes remain tailored to emphasize his character’s career and austere qualities. On the left is his suit while traveling for work, implying the business reason with the double breasted suit. It’s also a break for his character to have time to himself to relax by the light color. On the right is the suit worn while in his office. I felt that the open blazer suggested that he’s had or is anticipating a long day. Compared to his suit while traveling, his suit at work is darker for the professional setting with a pocket square folded with two sharp points and thicker necktie.
Una Merkel in costume as Amy Drexel for Evelyn Prentice (1934).
Una Merkel plays Evelyn’s best friend, free-spirited and loyal Amy Drexel. Merkel worked in mostly theater before focusing solely on films in the 1930s, where her chipper voice accentuated witty dialogue in supporting roles specializing as the confidant. As Amy, Merkel is dressed in pronounced costumes to demonstrate her character’s exuberance and recent return from Paris. On the left Merkel’s costume of lounge pajamas shows Amy’s uniqueness and taste for fashion even in casual settings, such as the asymmetrical buttons and diagonal scarf tucked across as a bold accent. On the right is her dress while running an errand, which is less elaborate but features square buttons and a wide ruffled neckline. I felt that Merkel’s costumes also incorporated contrasting hues to highlight that since Evelyn confides in her, she has access to both worlds Evelyn inhabits.
Set DesignArt Director: Cedric Gibbons, Associate Art Directors: Arnold Gillespie, Edwin B. Willis
The front room of the apartment of poet Lawerence Kennard (Harvey Stephens) from Evelyn Prentice (1934).
The man Evelyn meets, poet Lawerence Kennard (Harvey Stephens) has the front room of his apartment reflecting literature and travel. On the left is his workspace, featuring a typewriter off to the side and a separate desk. There are bookshelves bordering the room, suggesting that he either enjoys reading or prefers his own library to reference for his writings. The wall art of ships with statues on the mantel and on top of the bookshelf suggest worlds different from his own. On the right, you can see how his area is actually the living room that serves as the dining room too. Notice the mismatched chairs at the table, implying the chairs come from different rooms because there’s no formal dining set, compared to a neat table setting. Another bookcase with a model ship is behind them. Overall, there’s a somewhat eery feeling of being enclosed by his own thoughts, due to the mystery of not knowing much about him, which adds to the intrigue and climax.
Evelyn Prentice (1934) may not have the same banter like the The Thin Man series, however the story and acting is strong–with a plot treated with maturity to the audience. The strain of the Prentices’s marriage isn’t about trying to compete with others or jealousy, as some classic films depicting marriage were written. The stakes are higher and ask both spouses to vulnerably make the right choice at the risk of losing the love and respect of those closest. Evelyn Prentice (1934), is one of my favorites of Loy and Powell’s for its suspenseful narrative.
Cover Photo: Theatrical Poster, Source: Pinterest
Outdoor Christmas decorations at home of L.B. LeBel, December 1929. Source: University of Southern California Libraries and California Historical Society, Digitally Reproduced by USC Digital Library.
Vintage Christmas music is often a favorite for playlists, radio and stores. Yet there are 1920s and 30s songs with a Christmas theme that remain little known. Personally, I like discovering a “new” vintage song for the holidays that’s different from the standards–such as a unique arrangement of a familiar song or one I’d never heard before. Hopefully the brief collection of songs below will be refreshing in between more popular Christmas music.
Whether a blues narrative or delicate upbeat melody, a breadth of Christmas songs were recorded during the 1920s and 30s, in addition to the now staples such as Jingle Bells. The Etude, which ran for 74 years until 1957, was a magazine catering to both the education and culture of music. In December 1928, they encouraged celebrating with kindness, “Christmas is the time of giving. To give is to bless one’s self with true happiness. All the Christmas gifts of the entire world do not equal in value the Christmas Spirit. It is one of the great treasures of modern life and is by no means confined to those who are professing Christians. Its economic, sociological and spiritual importance towers to the clouds. Make this Christmas spirit vocal with the most beautiful, the most sincere festival music of the year!”
Northward view of Broadway from Ninth Street with Christmas decorations and neon signs for stores, 1930-1931. Source: University of Southern California Libraries and California Historical Society, Digitally Reproduced by the USC Digital Library.
Christmas music might evoke a certain mood or memory. This was no different for the people of the early 1930s. The Etude in December 1931 described the reactions as their headquarters played holiday records each year outside, “Over and over again we have seen passers-by listening with tears in their eyes. There is something about this simple, heartfelt music, which carries us back to those precious, vanished moments in the homes of our youth, bringing to our minds the faces and caresses of those dear to us [. . .] resurrected in the holy land of Christmas memories by the miraculous music of Christmas.”
With songs of joy and community, this stirred positive feelings for the present–even when times hadn’t been easy. In December 1932, referencing World War I and the ongoing Great Depression, The Etude wrote about how crucial this was, “The world has been passing through what future generations are likely to call ‘the dark decades’. The strain upon mankind has been cruel and calamitous. Only the strongest have been able to keep their faith in the best, unshaken before such a hurricane of inexplicable disasters. . . . Without the glorious Christmas spirit and sublime art of music, millions could not have had the courage to survive.” Just like the movies, fashions, and literature of past decades, vintage Christmas music is treasured. Behind these musical arrangements was a power that not only inspired people to remember the past, but also look forward to a new year with hope.
Christmas Fantasy (Medley) by Mark Andrews, Organist (1925)
Jingle Bells by Shannon Quartet (1925)
Silent Night by Paul Whiteman Orchestra (1928)
Savoy Christmas Medley by Lloyd Shakespeare’s New Piccadilly Band (1929)
I Told Santa Claus to Bring Me You by Bernie Cummins Orchestra (1930)
Winter Wonderland by Lew Stone Orchestra (1934)
Tell Santy I Live in a Shanty by Frank Dailey Orchestra (1936)
The Fairy on the Christmas Tree by The Three Sisters (1936)
Good Morning Blues (I Want to See Santa Claus) by Count Basie Orchestra (1937)
John Boles transitioned to talkies with both his acting and singing of a rich tenor. This made him stand out during a time when “crooning” was more popular. His roles included dramas such as a wealthy man torn between a society marriage and a romance out of his class with Irene Dunne (Back Street, 1932) […]
Robert Armstrong and Carole Lombard encounter the threat of a gangster in one of their earliest talkies Big News (1929). Based on the play by George S. Brooks, the two play married couple Steve and Margaret Banks, who are reporters for separate newspapers. She gets an exclusive story for her paper, while Steve’s paper misses […]
Vibrant covers with stories of life on the studio lot and home in Hollywood–these were the film magazines on newsstands over 75 years ago. Photoplay Treasury is an anthology of select articles, photos and ads from the 1910s to the 1940s. Photoplay was one of the very first “fan” magazines, beginning in 1911, giving movie […]
Actress, dancer, singer, writer and producer—Paula Stone was all of these in an exciting career extending across theater, film and radio. Her energetic personality and unique story of having her own radio show inspired me to feature her for my 100th blog post. My focus for Vintage Stardust has always been those who not only […]
Secrets and murder enclose Boston Blackie, a safecracker turned detective, as he pursues the truth on the fairgrounds of Coney Island. Meet Boston Blackie (1941) was the debut in the self-titled mystery series totaling 14 films until 1949. Although this wasn’t the first time Jack Boyle’s literary character was brought to screen, it was the […]
What music captures the atmosphere of a particular decade for you? Mills Blue Rhythm Band is one of the orchestras that defines the mood of the 1930s in my mind. Formed in 1930, the orchestra was managed by Irving Mills, sparking a new name of Mills Blue Rhythm Band. Mills managed other artists, notably bandleaders […]
As late summer arrives, one of the shoe styles that’s endured the season for decades are wedges. Those who want to recreate a vintage style can easily find them today. I personally like wearing wedges because they’re comfortable and a nice way to dress up casual clothes. Wedges were originally a versatile choice for daytime […]
The story of silents to talkies has been told before, yet It Happened in Hollywood (1937) presented audiences a pair finding themselves on separate journeys. Richard Dix and Fay Wray star as a screen couple of westerns affected by the transition of talking pictures, and what happens when a fan seeks out Dix’s character in […]
Linda Darnell is remembered for her films in glamorous supporting roles to respected leads. This included 4 films with Tyrone Power and later a strong performance as Lora Mae Hollingsway in A Letter to Three Wives (1948). In between scenes and after her movies were completed, she practiced her passion of drawing and painting. According […]
Hal King’s makeup artistry was seen in film and TV, and as the makeup director at Max Factor, where he worked with actresses from Greta Garbo to Natalie Wood. His practical techniques are still used today, such as using short upward strokes to fill in eyebrows. Recently I read a review of a classic film […]
Sometimes our daydreams are more real than life, which is what Gloria Swanson finds out constantly in Stage Struck (1925). Often remembered for her dramatic roles, most notably in Sunset Boulevard (1950), Swanson demonstrates her skills as a comedienne in this story of a young woman who fantasizes about becoming a famous stage actress. Audiences […]
Frankie Darro’s youthful face and relentless spirit with a playful Cagney-like enthusiasm, captured audiences as he personified young men on screen in the 1930s and 40s. This took him across every genre, where he worked with actors such as Helen Hayes and western stars Harry Carey and Gene Autry. He also voiced Lampwick in Disney’s […]
Old Hollywood portraits are a decorative touch to any room to display your favorite actors and actresses. Signed fan photos from the 1920s, 30s and 40s are perfect for this. These are one of the items I love to add to my own memorabilia collection. Yet while these photos aren’t difficult to find, they have […]
Many 1940s films told stories of people coming together to help with the war effort. Few centered on loggers, like the adventure/comedy film Timber Queen (1944). The story begins with a returning pilot fulfilling the dying promise of his friend to visit his wife to see how she’s getting along. He finds out she’s struggling […]
Decades after their first appearance in Pep Comics in December 1941, Archie Andrews and his friends Betty, Veronica, and Jughead remain the epitome of high school youth. Today the comic books are still in print. Others remember the 1968 cartoon, The Archie Show, its 1970s spin offs, and The Archies band. Later there was a […]
Gwen Wakeling’s career traced from the end of the silent era to television, as generations of actresses trusted her to help transform into their characters. Costumes and fashions are sometimes used interchangeably in film, when they’re the former as clothes for a fictional character. Yet Hollywood costumes, like Wakeling’s, inspired fashion, elevating it to be […]
When comic strip favorite, Blondie, came to life on the screen in 1938, it presented a story of misunderstandings and laughter. Based on Chic Young’s comic strip, Blondie (1938) was the first of 28 films by Columbia Pictures, with the final one Beware of Blondie (1950). Penny Singleton played Blondie, with Arthur Lake as Dagwood […]
George Raft’s vivid life has made him intriguing to audiences just as much, if not more than, his movies. His story might read like fiction set in the early 20th century with underworld connections, later living a life on Broadway and in Hollywood. (In fact, a dramatized version of his life called The George Raft […]
Curating a 1920s/30s vanity is a perfect touch to an Old Hollywood room. It may evoke glamour or be a personalized space to begin and end your day. Art Deco furniture came in a variety of styles, whether you’re inspired to buy antique furniture or give a modern table a vintage twist. What Makes a […]
“Someday….somewhere….we’ll be together again,” is the promise that Charles Farrell makes to Dolores del Rio in The Red Dance (1928). Set during the Russian Revolution, the story centers on 2 people from different social classes meeting the day before they’re to embark on predestined paths, which intertwine with danger. Farrell and Del Rio make a […]
Charlie Spivak led one of the most unique big band orchestras. While Spivak’s family hoped he’d enter the medical field, his interest in the trumpet began in elementary school. In high school, he took lessons with a member of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, according to an article in the Oxford Leader on July 30, […]
As the Great Depression resumed in 1936, the bright lights of the Texas Centennial lured visitors and Texans alike to see a vast variety of exhibits and contests to win. A bandleader on tour and a musical film actress both joined in. They were Phil Harris and June Knight. June Knight Having danced professionally since […]
A crime spree is spurred when a brain transplant has complications, as a surgeon (Boris Karloff) witnesses the aftermath of his work in Black Friday (1940). This sci-fi thriller brings up the theme of compassion versus disregard for humanity. With a cast including fellow horror actor Bela Lugosi and the capable Anne Nagel, this […]
How will people remember classic films from now on? While going through my Citadel film books published in the ’70s and the discussion of classic films in the media, it made me wonder what people will think of them in 5 or even 50 years. Also the way classic movies are viewed is becoming less […]
1934 advertisement for an Olivetti typewriter. Source: Flickr
One of the traits that makes a classic film good is how well written the dialogue was. I’m not alone in thinking this, based on comments and reviews I’ve come across online. Scripts guide the designers, technicians and actors to bring a story to life. Barbara Stanwyck said during her acceptance speech for the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987, “To all of the people who have put me here [receiving this award], they are all apart of this. Without them, forget it. The wonderful writers, oh God, how important they are. . .”
Some movie lines are funny or even thought provoking. Others reflected the slang of the era. Sometimes I’ve made a note of a word if I had a pen nearby. Here are a few I like:
Bubbly
*Champagne
“Be at the club, boys, at five o’clock. I’m buying bubbly!”
-Victor Arnold (Warren William) in Times Square Playboy (1936), Writer: Roy Chanslor
Canary
*Female singer
“Do you play an instrument too?”
“No, I’m a mud hen. Uh, a bird–a canary.”
-Mitchell Talbin (Leon Ames) and Nora Charles (Myrna Loy) in Song of the Thin Man (1947), Writers: Steve Fisher, Nat Perrin, James O’Hanlon and Harry Crane
Reginald Denny, circa 1930s. Source: Tumblr
Chisel/Chiseler
*Cheat or con
“And he caught you chiseling and threatened to turn you over to the police.”
-Oliver Keith (Reginald Denny) in The Lady in Scarlet (1935), Writers: Robert Ellis, Helen Logan
“I got you dirty chiselers right where I want ya.”
-Harry “Cueball” Lake (Dick Wessell) in Dick Tracy vs Cue Ball (1946), Writers: Dane Lussier, Robert Kent
G-Men
*Short for Government Men, specifically FBI agents
“We don’t have to worry about the state militia or the G-men.”
-Eugune Ferguson (Otto Kruger) in I Am the Law (1938), Writer: Jo Swerling
Left to right: Ned Sparks, Warren William and Guy Kibbee in Lady for a Day (1933). Source: Pinterest
Nertz
*Nonsense, crazy
“You probably talked them to death.” (about Guy Kibbee’s character being divorced 4 times)
“In your own vernacular, my dear friend, nertz to you.”
-Happy (Ned Sparks) and Judge Blake (Guy Kibbee) in Lady for a Day (1933), Writer: Robert Riskin
Poison
*An alcoholic drink, especially cocktails
“I’ll go out and mix up a batch of poison.”
-Ken Bartlett (Fred MacMurray) in True Confession (1937), Writer: Claude Binyon
Betty Compson, circa 1930s. Source: Tumblr
Rocks
*Diamond jewelry, sometimes used in reference to other gemstones
“Well, anyway, you got a swell bunch of rocks out of it. That’s more than I’ve ever done.”
-Millie Sprague (Betty Compson) in Notorious But Nice (1933), Writer: Carol Webster
Stool Pigeon
*Decoy, either for the police or racketeers
“I don’t like crooks and even if I did, I wouldn’t like crooks that are stool pigeons. And if I did like crooks that are stool pigeons, I still wouldn’t like you.”
-Marian Jergens (Gertrude Short) in The Thin Man (1934), Writers: Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich
Next time you’re watching a classic film, listen for slang the characters use.
Constance Cummings and Edmund Lowe in a still for Seven Sinners (1936). Source: Pinterest
Carnival in Nice brings Edmund Lowe and Constance Cummings together to investigate across Paris and London. Seven Sinners (1936), a British film, borrowed Lowe for this fast moving thriller. The two exchange quips while solving the origins of a violent train wreck.
Edmund Lowe is one of my favorites and this movie demonstrates his ability to balance comedy in mysteries. 4 years earlier he starred with Cummings in Attorney for The Defense (1932). While the film’s existing print is watchable, it wasn’t easy to get screenshots, so please forgive the quality.
Character Design Costumes: Marianne, Makeup and Hair: Unknown
Edmund Lowe as Ed Harwood in Seven Sinners (1936).
Edmund Lowe had an underrated finesse at portraying detectives, which he uses to play New York P.I. Ed Harwood. Harwood has a sense of humor and sometimes fumbles, making his character different from the stoic nature occasionally given to detectives in classics. On the left is his costume for the party as Satan, he is given a faux goatee, which is reminiscent of depictions from art in the Middle Ages. His doublet adds a Renaissance feel with the sequins on it and the skull cap making it festive for Carnival. On the right in his double breast suit with a tie pin and fedora shows Harwood as himself, well dressed as a moderately successful detective. This is one of his more tailored suits in the film worn to visit a suspect.
Constance Cummings as Caryl Fenton in Seven Sinners (1936).
Constance Cummings plays American insurance investigator Caryl Fenton, who has an uncommon role by helping in the crime solving. Australian Northern Star on July 17, 1937 described Cummings’ character as “a lively and very modern young lady with a taste for adventure” noting the uniqueness of her role back then. Today I think that’s why her performance is still enjoyable. Cummings is best remembered for her dual role in Movie Crazy (1932) starring Harold Lloyd. By 1936 she had moved to London with her husband who was a playwright. She was at her best in films like this alternating drama and humor.
As Caryl Fenton her costumes establish a fashionable woman reflecting her occupation. On the left is her dress suit with a large fur collar, which was a stylized business suit she wore on the job when Harwood first meets her. On the right is another dress suit with a large bow and a brooch that I felt further showed her as a professional investigator. The dark color added to the the stealth detecting they did in the sequence she wore it.
Set Design Art Director: E. Metzner, Set Dresser: Capt. Molyneaux
Set design of a Nice, France hotel in Seven Sinners (1936).
This is the art deco modern hotel in Nice that Harwood was staying in, which showed the type of lifestyle he lives and cases he solves. On the left is a small writing desk with a triangular pattern on each side drawer with figurines on top. On the right is the corner of Harwood’s room with a dresser with two types of wood, a common feature of art deco furniture. The mirror and window frame are two examples of the chrome accents.
Set design for the dining car in Seven Sinners (1936).
The dining car set had condensed space just like passengers would’ve had in real life. The shades are pulled down, since it’s nighttime and the view is too dark to see anything. (It also reduces the need to project scenery.) On the right is a detail of the table setting, showing the minimal elegance with a small silver vase. The saucers support dinner had just started.
Constance Cummings and Edmund Lowe in a promotional photo for Seven Sinners (1936), Source: Pinterest
Seven Sinners (1936) hasn’t lost its humor or intrigue, thanks to chemistry from two of Old Hollywood’s most capable actors who flourish with a well written script. Australian Kapunda Herald on July 2, 1937 called their teaming “a partnership [. . .] that will be remembered. The two wisecrack without restraint, [as they] fall in and out of adventure . . . ”
Cover Photo: Detail of original movie poster
After the Texas Centennial opened on June 6, 1936, Hollywood’s newest leading man and an equally well known band leader both arrived to celebrate: Robert Taylor and Rudy Vallee. One of the many reasons that made the Dallas fairgrounds exciting to attend were the variety of events–including pageants and performances by favorite entertainers of the time.
Postcard of the Gulf Oil Radio Studios on the Dallas fairgrounds for the Texas Centennial in 1936. Notice crowds watching from the glass windows. Click image for larger view. Source: Flickr
Robert Taylor A 1936 Phillips “Screen Stars” Cigarette Card of Robert Taylor. Source: Flickr
Although fairly new to movies, Robert Taylor’s talent in both dramas and comedies paired with a relaxed charming manner quickly made him well loved to audiences by 1936. As 200 fans eagerly waited at the airport in Fort Worth, the Centennial committee prepared another route. According to the Henderson Daily News on July 3, the committee sent a plane to Abilene to fly him privately to Fort Worth. The next day he joined Rudy Vallee and the Connecticut Yankees for the Cotton Bowl’s Queen Night on July 4. While Vallee’s orchestra performed, Denton Record Chronicle reported that a queen of Dallas and “queens of 4 other Texas zones were to compete for the final honor and a chance to dance with [Robert Taylor].” Two days later the paper announced the second night of the event would continue after bad weather, prompting him to stay an extra day.
Robert Taylor (second from left) with Centennial personnel in Dallas during July 1936. Click image for larger view. Source: Remarkably Retro
Another trait that made Taylor well-liked was his graciousness, which was seen often by his co-stars. While in Dallas, his hotel room adjoined a family’s from the town of Henderson. He noticed their four year old daughter standing by his room and asked his bodyguards to invite her inside. The Henderson Daily News wrote that she talked about her dog and cat to Taylor. She described Taylor as having “the nicest voice and the prettiest lips. He didn’t kiss me though, he just hugged me real hard.” Later that summer on August 24, the The Denison Press would call Taylor the “idol of millions and particularly so of Texans”, noting his “refreshing touch” he gave to his screen roles.
Rudy Vallee A Lambert & Butler’s “Dance Band Leaders” Cigarettes card of Rudy Vallee from 1936. Source: Flickr
As Rudy Vallee signed off on his radio show on June 25, he told the studio audience and listeners at home, his orchestra was immediately traveling for a tour, including, “Dallas, Texas for the Texas Centennial, at which time we invite you again to join us . . .” Vallee and his orchestra, The Connecticut Yankees, became widely popular in the 1920s. His low singing style is often called the first of “crooning”, which some say inspired Bing Crosby. Rudy Vallee was also one of the first musicians/entertainers to transition into radio. In 1929 he debuted with the Fleishmann’s Yeast Hour. The variety program featured vaudeville and Hollywood performers, as well as athlete and politician interviews. In fall 1936 it was retitled The Gelatin Hour and lasted until 1939.
Rudy Vallee (center) with Centennial Rangers in Dallas during July 1936, published in Radio Mirror in October 1936. Source: Archive.org
According to an item in the The Canadian Record, he performed in Amarillo on June 29. On July 2, Vallee broadcast his radio show as promised from the General Motors Auditorium in Dallas. His guests included actress Lupe Velez and Robert Ripley, creator of the “Believe it Or Not” newspaper comic panel, which endured spinoffs long after Ripley’s death including the TV show. Earlier the Jim Hogg County Enterprise on April 30, wrote Gulf Oil Corporation designed glass fronted U-shaped studios in the center of the fairground, where audiences could watch broadcasts outdoors. The control and monitor rooms were also visible, for a rare look at how a radio broadcast functioned from start to finish. Rudy Vallee also gave free concerts there in rotation with other orchestras, according to The Howe Messenger on July 31.
By August 4, The Shamrock Texan reported 759 live radio shows came from the Gulf Radio Studios and were heard all over the nation. Those who enjoyed these in person had a special experience, while listeners felt the excitement that summer no matter where they were.
Sources:
Bones, Percy. The Shamrock Texan (Shamrock, Tex.), Vol. 33, No. 74, Ed. 1 Tuesday, August 4, 1936, newspaper, August 4, 1936; Shamrock, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth526129/m1/2/?q=%22allred%27+AND+%22centennial%22+AND+%22lupe+velez%22: accessed September 5, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Shamrock Public Library.
Dean, J. Lawrence. Henderson Daily News (Henderson, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 91, Ed. 1 Friday, July 3, 1936, newspaper, July 3, 1936; Henderson, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1310162/m1/1/?q=%22robert+taylor%22+AND+%22centennial%22: accessed September 1, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rusk County Library.
Dean, J. Lawrence. Henderson Daily News (Henderson, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 96, Ed. 1 Wednesday, July 8, 1936, newspaper, July 8, 1936; Henderson, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1310166/m1/2/?q=%22robert+taylor%22+AND+%22centennial%22: accessed September 1, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rusk County Library.
The Denison Press (Denison, Tex.), Vol. 3, No. 52, Ed. 1 Monday, August 24, 1936, newspaper, August 24, 1936; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth737091/m1/4/?q=%22robert%20taylor%22: accessed September 3, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Grayson County Frontier Village.
The Howe Messenger (Howe, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 31, Ed. 1 Friday, July 31, 1936, newspaper, July 31, 1936; Howe, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth996179/m1/5/?q=%22texas+centennial%22+AND+%22rudy+vallee%22: accessed September 4, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .
Jim Hogg County Enterprise (Hebbronville, Tex.), Vol. 10, No. 50, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 30, 1936, newspaper, April 30, 1936; Hebbronville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth994158/m1/2/?q=%22allred%27+AND+%22centennial%22+AND+%22lupe+velez%22: accessed September 5, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .
McDonald, L. A. Denton Record-Chronicle (Denton, Tex.), Vol. 35, No. 279, Ed. 1 Saturday, July 4, 1936, newspaper, July 4, 1936; Denton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1304443/m1/1/?q=%22robert+taylor%22+AND+%22centennial%22: accessed September 1, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Denton Public Library.
McDonald, L. A. Denton Record-Chronicle (Denton, Tex.), Vol. 35, No. 280, Ed. 1 Monday, July 6, 1936, newspaper, July 6, 1936; Denton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1304444/m1/3/?q=%22robert+taylor%22+AND+%22centennial%22: accessed September 1, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Denton Public Library.
Noble, Joseph M. The Canadian Record (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 47, No. 29, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 2, 1936, newspaper, July 2, 1936; Canadian, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth125952/m1/3/?q=%20%22rudy%20vallee%22: accessed September 6, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hemphill County Library.
Texas envisioned a 1936 Centennial as vast as the state itself to invite the nation. Hollywood guests attended and some events lasted beyond the celebrated year. These are two things that as a native Texan, I hadn’t heard much about. I believe the story of film history doesn’t lie solely in Hollywood, even though it will always trace back there. This is a lot of fun and I encourage you to read about the film history in your home state.
An Extravagant Celebration Texas Centennial Exposition Postcard, Source: Portal to Texas History
The Centennial was the time for Texans to tell the story of their state, prompting plans to be made in 1934. The Rusk Cherokeean on August 10, 1934 imagined, “. . .[I]n order to portray properly to the world the incomparable history and unexampled progress of Imperial Texas, [our Centennial should] be . . . as big and great and beautiful and inspiring as is humanly possible within the time allotted and with the resources provided. . . Impressively emphasize the material, educational, artistic, cultural and religious developments of Texas.”
One thing to decide early on was which city would host the main event. The Mexia Weekly Herald on July 20, 1934 reported John Middleton, chairman of the planning committee, narrowed it down to two standards the selected city had to meet, “1. Provide 200 acres of ground removed from the principal business district but accessible from it. 2. Post satisfactory security that it will observe its contract within 60 days after the site has been selected.” Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston contended. Ultimately Dallas was chosen and plans began later that year.
Awakening Texan Morale
Marshall, photographer. Resettlement Administration traveling exhibit at the Dallas exposition, Texas Centennial. July. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress,
There was another matter to settle, yet it became prolonged. The Mexia Weekly Herald had reported a budget of $15 million dollars for the Centennial to exist. With the Great Depression still carrying on, this was a startling amount. The Wortham Journal assured concerned citizens on August 3, 1934 that tourism would help, “The Centennial will attract to Texas a minimum of 20,000,000 people. It will be a far greater drawing card than the Chicago World’s Fair. . . In each section they will drop some money. . . The Centennial will pay its own way. . . [P]rofits and permanent buildings [will] be turned over to the State within 2 years of the exhibition.” Finally on May 7, 1935 Governor Allred signed the bill for $3 million dollars, which included funds for new buildings such as the Texas Memorial Museum in Austin that still stands today.
On September 28, 1934, the Rock Springs Record referenced the state’s beautification as Dallas improved their highways and other cities and towns planned their own celebrations. Citizens didn’t have to go to Dallas if they couldn’t afford to and tourists could travel throughout the state for even more events. As the Panhandle suffered the agonizing drought of the Dust Bowl and the rest of Texas was affected by existing circumstances, the Centennial was a key to lifting spirits. The Mexia Weekly Herald quoted on October 14, 1934, the hopeful outlook of Charles F. Ashcroft, the President of the East Texas Chamber, “‘Dressing up for the Centennial can serve to wake up civic pride that may still be drousy [sic] from the late depression. . . . Citizens will want to show their town’s best points to thousands of visitors who in 1936 will be seeing Texas for the first time. . .’”
Hollywood Helps Celebrate This photoshoot of Shirley Temple was used while reporting her Texas Rangerette honor for the Texas Centennial. Notice the Shirley Temple cowgirl doll produced at the same time as well. Source: Pinterest
It was predestined that Texas would invite Hollywood–for publicity to draw attendance, yet also allow those interested to help celebrate. Governor Allred had visited Hollywood before and had advocated for films to draw from Texas history. Paramount’s response was their release of The Texas Rangers (1936) starring Fred MacMurray and Jack Oakie, as reported by The San Pedro News Pilot on February 14, 1936.
One actress especially felt a personal connection to the Centennial: Ginger Rogers. She lived in Fort Worth as a teenager and won the Charleston dance contest there that launched her career in vaudeville and later in film. The Tribune announced on December 17, 1935 that during production of Follow the Fleet (1936) Rogers was appointed Honorary Admiral in the Texas Navy. The paper reported, “It’s a real commission in a real navy, Texas having once been an independent republic . . . and Ginger now becomes its first honorary admiral.” College girls from U.T. present when Allred had signed the commission were made her staff. They were from Dallas, Abilene, Corpus Christi, San Angelo, Fort Worth and El Paso.
Also there were Texas Rangerettes, young women in Western wear who appeared at events and promoted the state’s trait of friendliness. Shirley Temple was appointed as one, reported by the Howe Messenger on May 15, 1936. This was fitting, since Temple was outgoing and widely known to make friends quickly on the studio lot. She was also invited to the opening day on June 6, 1936. Shortly after it was reported that San Antonio-born Joan Crawford had been appointed a captain of the Texas Rangerettes during production of The Gorgeous Hussy (1936), according to Daily News Los Angeles on July 9, 1936. As the day of June 6th neared, Texas prepared for their guests and Hollywood showed up as hoped for.
See the 1936 Centennial Stories about Hollywood guests are coming up. Until then, here’s some of the highlights.
Sources:
The Howe Messenger (Howe, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 19, Ed. 1 Friday, May 15, 1936, newspaper, May 15, 1936; Howe, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth996175/m1/13/?q=%22shirley+temple%22+AND+%22rangerette%22: accessed August 24, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .
Hutt, J. W. The Rocksprings Record and Edwards County Leader (Rocksprings, Tex.), Vol. 16, No. 43, Ed. 1 Friday, September 28, 1934, newspaper, September 28, 1934; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1092452/m1/4/?q=%22allred%22+AND+%22centennial%22+AND+%22dallas%22: accessed August 22, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .
Malec, Walter. The Tribune (Hallettsville, Tex.), Vol. 4, No. 100, Ed. 1 Tuesday, December 17, 1935, newspaper, December 17, 1935; Hallettsville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1036426/m1/3/?q=%22allred%22+AND+%22centennial%22+AND+%22hollywood%22: accessed August 24, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Friench Simpson Memorial Library.
The Mexia Weekly Herald (Mexia, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 26, Ed. 1 Friday, July 20, 1934, newspaper, July 20, 1934; Mexia, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth299360/m1/2/?q=%22allred%22+AND+%22centennial%22+AND+%22dallas%22: accessed August 22, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Gibbs Memorial Library.
The Mexia Weekly Herald (Mexia, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 39, Ed. 1 Friday, October 19, 1934, newspaper, October 19, 1934; Mexia, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth299373/m1/2/?q=%22allred%22+AND+%22centennial%22+AND+%22dallas%22: accessed August 27, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Gibbs Memorial Library.
The Rusk Cherokeean (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 18, No. 4, Ed. 1 Friday, August 10, 1934, newspaper, August 10, 1934; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth291659/m1/1/?q=%22allred%22+AND+%22centennial%22+AND+%22dallas%22: accessed August 22, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.
Satterwhite, Ed. The Wortham Journal (Wortham, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 14, Ed. 1 Friday, August 3, 1934, newspaper, August 3, 1934; Wortham, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1126484/m1/1/?q=%22allred%22+AND+%22centennial%22+AND+%22dallas%22: accessed August 22, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Fairfield Library.
Original poster for The Luck o’ the Foolish (1924), starring Harry Langdon. Source: Pinterest
As Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin are remembered, other silent comedians stay unknown. Harry Langdon is one of these. In the early 1920s audiences loved the slapstick 2 reel comedies Mack Sennett produced, including his series the Keystone Kops. Actresses who got their start in Sennett’s Bathing Beauty comedies before they went onto to become stars included Carole Lombard, Marie Prevost and Phyllis Haver.
This weekend I discovered Harry Langdon by chance and Luck o’ the Foolish (1924) was one of the films I watched. The story is a lighthearted comedy of a couple traveling to a new town when they lose their money on the train, only to return home and eventually have a surprising resolution in an unexpected place. Although some of the gags are a little familiar, the comedy of misunderstandings especially while traveling was still funny.
Character Design Harry Langdon in costume as Harry in Luck o’ the Foolish (1924).
Harry Langdon plays a persona referred to as Harry. By 1924 Langdon was a seasoned comic, having performed in stock companies and vaudeville. Although he was still new to films, his popularity ranked alongside his peers Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton. As Harry, Langdon is dressed in single breast suit as a middle class man while traveling. Back home he’s a street cop and his costume reflects the style of uniform of the era. However I felt Langdon’s costume was looser and the coat longer to add to the comedic effect of his character’s mishaps. Like many silents of the early 1920s, the film makeup looks more suited for the stage. Langdon’s kohl rimmed eyes and thin painted lips support his character’s pantomime. His persona was an innocent young man oblivious to the danger around him.
Marceline Day in costume as Marcie, Harry’s wife in Luck o’ the Foolish (1924).
Marceline Day plays his wife named Marcie. Day worked with Langdon in a few comedies, although most silent movie enthusiasts might remember her better from The Cameraman (1928) starring Buster Keaton. As Marcie, she wears this costume of a tailored dress suit and white blouse during 2 sequences. First she wears it while traveling, which would’ve been appropriate for the event but comfortable for long periods of sitting. Then she wears it with her hat while working as a seamstress, which fits with her profession. Day’s lack of jewelry and natural film makeup also show she’s an everyday young woman. Since her character is more of the foil to Harry, she doesn’t require heavy film makeup.
Set Design Most silents, especially short films, usually took place on the streets of Los Angeles and the surrounding area. One of my favorite things about silents is to look at the street scenes.
Set design in Luck o’ the Foolish (1924) of Marcie’s client’s house. Left: The swimming pool at night, Right: A bedroom, one of the interiors.
These are 2 studio sets from the sequence where Marcie goes to drop off some alterations she did for a wealthy woman. On the left is the swimming pool at night, featuring idealized statues at the corners of the pool. I felt the statues, especially the one at the far right corner in the back, created a fantasy like mood. The pool did seem oversized to me, since the side door opens very close to it. On the right is one of the sets of the interior of the house. I felt the bedroom’s paneling and wallpaper as well as the French doors established a sense of elegance associated with the home and class of people Marcie sews for. The light on the wall is another indicator, since not everyone had electricity in the early 1920s.
Harry Langdon starred in B-movies into the 1940s, but adjusted his persona of a naive young man to a comedic husband as audiences’s tastes shifted. I think this is one reason why some silent comedians struggled after sound. It wasn’t so much their voice as often stereotyped, but instead that their material wasn’t strong or their performance needed to change with film acting. Harry Langdon’s movies, especially his silents, are worth a look if you’re interested in a different type of comedy. However he can’t be compared to his more remembered peers, because his character is more quirky and situations more slapstick.
Cover Photo: Poster detail of Langdon’s There He Goes (1925), Source: Pinterest