Paramount Pretties #3

Rudolph Valentino
(photographer Russell Ball)

Valentino-O-Rama 2010

Valentino-O-Rama is here!

May 6, 2010 will be the 115th anniversary of the birth of Rudolph Valentino. Here at Strictly Vintage Hollywood we simply can't let this birthday anniversary pass without paying tribute to our favorite silent star.

Not a simple one day birthday post on May 6th, either. No siree! The celebration of all things Valentino will go on the entire month of May. It's not quite May yet, to get things started a little early, here's a favorite photo of Mr. Valentino.


During Valentino's birthday month there will be plenty of birthday surprises for the fans of Rudolph Valentino. This will include some wonderful photos of Valentino, film clips, slide shows and pieces about his life, lifestyle and his films. There will also be a few surprises I can't talk about yet, you will simply have to tune in to find out.

George O'Brien - Local Boy Makes Good

Thomas Meighan, George O'Brien, Conrad Nagel and Daniel O'Brien
at the San Francisco Train Station May 1922
(Courtesy of The Bancroft Library. University of California, Berkeley)

Silent film and western movie star George O’Brien was born in San Francisco, California on April 19, 1899. George was the elder son of Daniel J. and Margaret L. O'Brien. His younger brother Daniel O’Brien, Jr. came 3 years later. Like many others, the O’Brien’s lost their home and livelihood in the great earthquake and fire of 1906. The O’Brien clan lived in one of the many refugee camps set up in the city and over the years in several neighborhoods in San Francisco. They lived on Ocean Avenue, Tehama Street and Octavia Street in the Marina. The Ocean Avenue house enumerated on the 1910 census is still standing and can be seen below.

George O'Brien's boyhood home on Ocean Avenue
(Photo by me)

In 1908 desperate for work, Dan O’Brien, Sr. joined the San Francisco Police Force and by 1919 had become acting Chief of Police. Chief Daniel O’Brien was not only the Chief of Police, he was a city ambassador, much like Mayor James J. Rolph (nicknamed “Sunny Jim”). Many a Hollywood star would be greeted at the train station by both the Mayor and Chief O’Brien. It's easy to see where George got his good looks.

Chief Daniel O'Brien
(Courtesy of The Bancroft Library. University of California, Berkeley)

George and his brother Dan passed happy days growing up in San Francisco. George excelled at athletics and worked hard to emulate his ideal, his Dad. After graduation from high school, George enlisted in the United States Navy to fight in World War I. He served on a Submarine chaser and volunteered to act as a stretcher bearer for wounded Marines. George was decorated for bravery.

After the Great War George moved back in with the family in San Francisco and was at loose ends. Originally intending to attend college, George instead sought some action behind the footlights. San Francisco, then as now, is an attractive city for filmmaking and George soon found stunt work and a small film role in Paramount's 1921 film Moran of the Lady Letty.

Moran of the Lady Letty starred Dorothy Dalton and Rudolph Valentino (fresh from success in The Sheik). George can be seen early on in the film and has a nice little death scene. George was reputed to also do the stunt work on the film. It has been erroneously reported that George took the fall for Valentino at the end of the film. In fact, if George did the stunt fall into the San Francisco Bay, it was for Walter Long, not Valentino.

Dorothy Dalton and George chatting on location in San Francisco
(Courtesy Francis Lacassin)

George appeared in small parts and bits in several films such as Thomas Meighan's The Ne-er Do Well for Paramount (1923) and Milton Sills' The Sea Hawk for First National (1924). It was later in 1924 when George scored his big break with the leading role in the Fox epic The Iron Horse. George also made a lifelong friend in the director, John Ford.

Madge Bellamy and George O'Brien posing with The Iron Horse (1924)
(Courtesy of The Bancroft Library. University of California, Berkeley)

George's notices for The Iron Horse earned him a contract with Fox and, as they say, a star was born. George made several films, including East Side West Side (which garnered rave reviews in 2009 at Cinecon). The great German director F.W. Murnau cast George in Sunrise based on his work in East Side West Side.

It is the 1927 film Sunrise that cements George O'Brien's place in the cinematic pantheon. With 20+ years of his career was left to him, Sunrise remains the best known and most beloved film of his career.

George's portrayal of a young farmer "The Man" who is tempted by a woman from the city (Margaret Livingston) to attempt to murder his wife (Janet Gaynor in a most unfortunate wig) and then, realizing his error, spends the rest of the film wooing her back is a strong, moving and tender performance. Murnau's lyrical and sensitive direction combined with the photography of Charles Rosher and Karl Struss and the simplicity of the story packs an emotional wallop for even the most jaded film-goer. Even today. Janet Gaynor may have been Academy Award nominee and winner for Sunrise and Seventh Heaven, but it was George who really gives the standout performance.

Margaret Livingston and George O'Brien in Sunrise

The "marriage sequence" shown below still moves this viewer to tears every single time.

George also loved and was proud of his work in Sunrise. While I was not in attendance (before this old timer's time), another old timer posted some recollections of favorite Cinecon festivals past with this small remembrance:

And my all-time favorite Cinecon moment...
1979: New York City
George O'Brien gets a standing ovation at the end of SUNRISE and starts wiping tears from his eyes. Unforgettable.

A Window Card for the film (1927)

George posed for some pretty hunky and spectacular nude art shots for the film Fig Leaves. No need to post them here, you can find them all over the internet, hubba hubba, quite a hunk of man.

George's career continued on with a loan out to Warner Brothers/First National for the epic Michael Curtiz film Noah's Ark. Grueling is not the word. Poor George and his leading lady Dolores Costello took a real beating in this film. By the end of the 1920's George's career had moved firmly into the genre of westerns. George was an active and favorite B-Western star for the remainder of his film career.

George married Marguerite Churchill in 1933 and by all accounts the union was a happy one. George's great happiness with marriage in 1933 was tempered by the passing of his beloved father later that year. Their first child Brian died at 10 days, an unspeakable tragedy. The daughter Orin was born in 1935 and in 1939, son Darcy. George continued to make westerns and raise his family.

He rejoined the Navy and served in the Pacific in World War II. Like many veterans, George came back from battle a changed man. Marguerite took the children and filed for divorce. George never remarried.

As his career in film waned, George became a pioneer in another medium, television. Apparently nothing is extant from the early shows. Sadly, nothing at the Paley Center. His final screen appearances were with John Ford.

George O'Brien lived a full life, a generally happy life and left a legacy of wonderful films. George strove throughout his life to emulate his father, strong and honorable. He was handsome, a good actor and a decent man by all accounts. He served his country with honor and valour in the two world wars. I'm a day late with the birthday feliciations, but they are no less heartfelt today than yesterday.

George's 1937 film Windjammer can be seen on youtube in several parts. Grade B, but still fun and George is charming and hunky.

Happily, George O'Brien has a fan website. It's quite nice with loads of info and plenty of eye candy, too. Aptly named Gorgeous George O'Brien, he certainly was.

Rare Nita Naldi Film to be Screened at Cinecon 46

Nita Naldi publicity portrait for The Breaking Point

Our friends at the Society for Cinephiles have begun slowly announcing titles for the upcoming annual Labor Day festival Cinecon in Hollywood. This film fan is THRILLED to announce that the rare film The Breaking Point which features my favorite vamp will be screening at Cinecon 46. Please visit their website for more information on when, where and how you can attend Cinecon. They also have a Facebook page were you can keep current.
It's no secret that I am a big fan of Nita Naldi. She positively steals Blood and Sand right out from under Rudolph Valentino and Lila Lee. Like her vampish predecessor, Theda Bara, a paltry number of films with Nita exist. Any opportunity to see a new film featuring Nita, well, that's the most exciting news we've heard in a long long time. The Daughters of Naldi will be out in force, of that I am sure. I'm also thrilled to bits as there will be a Milton Sills film screening.

Fifty Years and Fifty Films - Gretchen the Greenhorn (1916)

Gretchen the Greenhorn (Triangle 1916)

I've long had a desire to see more Dorothy Gish films. I've seen her in Orphans of the Storm, some of the Biograph shorts and also in The Bright Shawl. In my quest, I was hopeful to see some films not directed by D.W. Griffith. This is not to say that I do not like Griffith films. Lordy, I do, just not all Griffith. For the record there are plenty I do like and quite love.

My point for seeing non-Griffith directed films has everything to do with Dorothy being famous for comedy and D.W. Griffith was not. When Griffith was working with Triangle in 1916 his mind was elsewhere. Other films were farmed out to other directors and Griffith was a "supervisor." At the time Dorothy was filming Gretchen the Greenhorn, Griffith was fully engaged in the film that would become Intolerance. The directorial duties for Gretchen the Greenhorn were performed by the brothers Sidney A. and Chester M. Franklin.

Gretchen musing during the crossing

I've got to say that the pickings are mighty slim for the home viewer and fan of Dorothy Gish. Happily, The Film Preservation Foundation included the UCLA restored 1916 Triangle picture Gretchen the Greenhorn in the second DVD set More Treasures From American Archives. The film stars Dorothy Gish, Ralph Lewis, Frank Bennett and a very nearly svelte Eugene Pallette. A good number of the Biograph stock players fill out the cast.

Ralph Lewis as Papa Van Houck

The story begins with Dutch immigrant John Van Houck (Ralph Lewis) having saved enough to send for his daughter Gretchen (Dorothy Gish) to emigrate to the United States from Holland. Ralph Lewis does pretty well with warm and fuzzy here (very unlike his role as the greedy and nasty father to Alice Terry in The Conquering Power - in which he was wonderful and nasty).

Gretchen arrives in stereotypical Dutch wooden clogs and carrying a duck, of all things. No customs, no Ellis Island, wham, just walks off the boat. No TSA in sight. This was filmed in Southern California and the budget just did not cover a trip to Catalina to emulate Ellis Island. Gretchen wanders about the dock area looking for her Papa and Papa wanders about looking for his Gretchen. She tries to ask directions from the local cop, but the language barrier proves too much. Miming does not help. After a few tense moments, Gretchen and her adoring papa are reunited. Interestingly, the shots of the reunion begin with the two of them in medium closeup and as they run to one another, we are treated to a view of the intimate reunion from the distance of a rooftop rather far, far away.

Gretchen and her duck having a bit of a language problem
with the local cop on the beat.

Gretchen is introduced to the neighborhood and meets Pietro (Frank Bennett), you can almost see the sparks fly. She meets the Widow Garritty (the always wonderful Kate Bruce) and her brood of children. The neighborhood hosts a welcome party and much merriment is had by all.

Papa is an engraver by profession and Gretchen takes over the daughterly duties of cooking, cleaning and making friends with all the neighbors. She falls in love with Pietro who reciprocates the feelings, but they're both more than a little shy about it. Their brief flirting scenes are utterly charming.

Frank Bennett as the amiable hero Pietro.

Enter bad guy Rogers (Eugene Pallette) who has moved into the tenement to scope out the engraving skills of Papa. Poor papa desperately wants a contract with the U.S. Government and is duped. He soon is working hard creating an engraving a plate from which counterfeit money indistinguishable from the real thing can be made.

In the meantime, kindly widow Garrity dying asks Gretchen to watch over her brood of children.

A buff Elmo Lincoln and Eugene Pallette conspire.

Rogers retrieves the bogus plate and he and his cronies in crime print off a bunch of funny money. Not wanting to implicate himself testing out the phony cabbage, Rogers gives a hot bill to Gretchen to buy groceries, and hopefully return with the change. The ruse works and the phony baloney bill is accepted as genuine. When Gretchen and Papa realize how they have been used, they make plans to expose Rogers. He's a crafty devil and he finds out their plans and he drags them to his hideout and locks them in.

The Garritty children reappear and witness the abduction and so alert the amiable Pietro. With the help of the police, he captures Rogers and then frees his sweetheart and her beloved Papa. Not so soon afterward, Pietro and Gretchen tie the knot. Happy days!

The 35mm print was in very good shape with some original tints. I have to say, this film does whet my appetite to see more of Dorothy Gish. She was fun and much more subtle than the modern film fan might imagine. What would have been a much more fluttery heroine than under Griffith’s direction at this point, she shows spunk, considerable charm and none of the what I like to call "Ooh! A bunny!" heroine. Perhaps because her character came well prepared and armed with duck in hand. She played shy, slightly hoydenish very well, the scenes of shy embarassment were punctuated by the quick darting out of her tongue as she laughed nervously. Hard to describe, but the effect was cute and natural.

The direction of the Franklin brothers was pretty intimate. Kate Bruce’s death scene was handled beautifully. Dorothy Gish had some room to move about and create her character. It was enormous fun to see Eugene Pallette in such an early role, not quite padded out for his later turn in The Three Musketeers with Douglas Fairbanks (or the very portly Friar Tuck in the 1938 Adventures of Robin Hood).

Dorothy Gish is so completely underappreciated and under-represented since so very few of her starring films survive. She was a gifted comedic talent, no question about it. One of the most sought after films is the single directing effort of her sister Lillian that starred Dorothy entitled Remodeling Her Husband. Lillian never made much to say over her own skill as a director, but she really praised Dorothy as an able comedienne. Nell Gwyn does survive, but I've missed all the screenings in the US, much to my regret. High on my wish list due to the Valentino connection is Out of Luck, only extant in stills. I'd also love to see Clothes Make the Pirate, not merely for Dorothy and Leon Errol, but for the chance to see Nita Naldi in a rare comedy.

I've also seen Dorothy as I mentioned above in The Bright Shawl. I enjoyed the film, but really feel that Dorothy was miscast and doing a Pola Negri Spanish Vamp impression. William Powell was excellent as the villain and Edward G. Robinson can be seen in a small character role, which was pretty neat. Romola is sister Lillian's film, but Dorothy and (again) William Powell totally steal the movie and have much better roles in this really dull as dishwater Henry King costume epic. I adore Ronald Colman, but not in this film, his regrettable wig has more life than he.

I have had the pleasure of hearing some interviews conducted with Dorothy in the 1960s and can only state she was a smart cookie, a delightful story teller and has a very musical and endearing laugh.

Our friends at the National Film Preservation Foundation are responsible for making this film available and they do such fine work. It's always a good thing to pass a little (legit) cabbage in their direction if you can afford it. The phrase "Nitrate Can't Wait" is entirely accurate and many a film or film fragment can be saved and preserved with your help. You can find a link to their wonderful DVDs on their website, another good way to support the efforts of film preservation. Must also give a shout out to our friends at UCLA who restored the film, thank you UCLA!

Fifty Years/Fifty Films is my non-time-critical journey through the first fifty years of films. I'll be watching films that I've never seen or will be revisiting some very old friends. My original goal was to do this for the last six months of 2009 and you can see how well that went.

Rudolph Valentino Writes #1

In the silent era, many a film star had a newspaper column. Mary Pickford was one of the first and her column was ghostwritten by her good friend and famed screenwriter Frances Marion. Rudolph Valentino also penned a newspaper column. The first in an occasional series at Strctly Vintage Hollywood begins with the article below.

For the Love of Film - Film Preservation Blogathon - Thanks

What would we be missing if there were no film archives, no preservationists? We'd be missing a beautiful art form, an art we all can share and delight in, argue over, wonder at.

Without the National Film Preservation Foundation, UCLA, Eastman House, David Shepard, Flicker Alley, Lobster Films, KINO International, Milestone Films, we would not have these:

The Great Train Robbery (1903)


Ella Cinders (1926)


The Narrow Road (1912)


The Son of the Sheik (1926)


It (1927)


Sunrise (1927)


Foolish Wives (1921)


A Trip to the Moon (1902)


This is an arbitrary look, a sampling, a glimpse of what we have and what is risked by apathy and lack of intrest in preserving and saving the art form of the 20th century, and beyond. Even films as recent as 20 years back are being lost.

Thanks to Marilyn (Ferdy on Films) and The Self Styled Siren for putting this blogathon together and helping in raising of funds to preserve a film. I understand that enough monies has been raised to work on something. Please, please, please, do your part and save a little piece of film.

Please do your bit and donate $5, $10, $15 or $20 to the National Film Preservation Foundation. Even in these economically challenging times a few dimes will save something we can't easily replace. We can't save every single precious frame of the nitrate, but we can try. I'm a glass half full person, please help!

Nitrate Can't Wait! Please Donate Here.

Fundraising blogathon hosted by Ferdy on Films, etc., and The Self-Styled Siren to benefit the National Film Preservation Foundation.

For the Love of Film - Film Preservation Blogathon - What's Left if the Film is Lost?

It is a very sad, sad, SAD fact that over 90% of films made in the silent era are lost forever. There are so many forgotten faces and forgotten films from this rich period of film history. Many stars have a good rate of survival while others have nothing left but some stills, lobby cards and posters to chronicle a career. This is what is left of a film that is lost for the ages. A glimpse, a few stills, a stone litho poster, a couple of frames with ripped sprocket holes.

Offered for your pleasure are some stills,

posters and lobby cards for films that are lost.

Just for fun and so this is not so completely depressing,

I've included a few that are still with us including links where to get them on DVD.

Thanks to archivists and collectors from around the world for the few that do survive.

Red Hair (1928) - status LOST

A window card from Red Hair, only a few fragments remain.
The color snippets are tantalizingly wonderful of the incandescent Clara Bow.

The Impossible Mrs. Bellew (1922) - status LOST

Gloria Swanson would be well remembered for nothing else but Sunset Blvd., true it's a magnificent film. She was one of the biggest and most popular stars of the silent era. Many of her De Mille films survive, but little remain of her major starring period for Paramount from 1921 to 1925. You can't tell me this dramatic card (and fabulous gown) does not make you want to see this film. It does me! It's with great joy that I can report that Swanson's 1925 film Stage Struck does exist at Eastman House and if you get a chance to see it, do not miss it.

The Rose of Blood (1918) - status LOST

Theda Bara, one the biggest stars in the teens. The survival rate of her films is pathetically small. The 1915 breakthrough film A Fool There Was survives, but her lost 1917 film Cleopatra is among the most desired of all films from the era.

Flaming Youth (1923) - status LOST

As Colleen Moore quoted F. Scott Fitzgerald, "I was the spark and Colleen Moore was the torch that lit Flaming Youth." Sadly, it appears we shall never know as only tiny fragments remain of this film.

An American Venus (1926) - status LOST

Publicity portrait of the divine Louise Brooks.

Arizona (1916) - status LOST

On average, Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. has a fabulous survival rate.

Arizona is not among them.

The Sea Hawk (1924) - status available on DVD

A gorgeous one-sheet poster.
This film is true to Sabatini's novel, unlike the Errol Flynn talkie which only retained the title. Milton Sills is not well known today, and he should be, he was a real hunk and a darn good actor, too.

Marc McDermott and Milton Sills in The Sea Hawk.

The Claw (1918) - status LOST

Clara Kimball Young
If you want to read more about Clara Kimball Young and some other wonderful
Unsung Divas of the Silent Screen, you must visit
Greta de Groat's excellent website devoted to these fine ladies.

In the Palace of the King (1923) - status LOST

A gorgeously costumed Blanche Sweet.

Uncharted Seas (1921) - status LOST

Alice Lake and Rudolph Valentino.

Yes, I know my previous posting was all about this film,
this is merely an excuse to use another still from the film. Sue me!

Camille (1927) - status LOST
An unbearably handsome Gilbert Roland as Armand and Norma Talmadge as Camille
in this 1927 modern adaptation. Maddeningly lost for the ages, for now.

In a bit of happy news, a couple of Norma Talmadge films (and two films with sister Connie) are soon to be released on DVD by our friends at KINO. We must thank the terrific Joe Yranski for these. I can hardly wait!

Hollywood (1923) - status LOST

Virtually every star on the Paramount lot had a cameo in this film.
All that remains are stills and this fantastic poster image.

Tiptoes (1927) - status LOST

Dorothy Gish and Will Rogers are pictured on the UK lobby card. Dorothy was noted as being a delightful comedienne and made many light and fun films, very few of which survive. Dorothy is less well known than her more dramatic sister Lillian and this is a real shame.

Dorothy can be seen in a charming 1916 film called Gretchen the Greenhorn, thanks to our friends at the National Film Preservation Foundation. This film is included on the More Treasures From American Film Archives and well worth a viewing for Dorothy and the many other fabulous treats on the DVD set.

We film fans are fortunate, thanks to companies like Milestone Films, Flicker Alley, KINO and Warner Archive, more and more obscure films are being rediscovered and released on DVD. This benefits us so we can see these rare films, own them in our home libraries and share them with friends and spread the gospel that CGI does not always a great film make. Unfamiliar performers become familiar, we can judge and critique their work, we can bask again in the magic of film from an earlier time.

The tireless work of the archivists, the film collectors who donate material and the film fans who donate money to aid in preservation of our cinematic legacy are all to be applauded. Our friends at KINO, Milestone and Flicker Alley are in business, to be sure, but they are also great lovers of film. This shows in the material they release and make available for film buffs, like me. They work with the Library of Congress, the George Eastman House and UCLA Film and Television Archive to name but a few.

Several of the stills I've used are from Bruce Calvert's terrific site The Silent Film Still Archive. Thanks Bruce for allowing me to pick and choose for this blogathon.

Please do your bit and donate $5, $10, $15 or $20 to the National Film Preservation Foundation. Even in these economically challenging times a few dimes will save something we can't easily replace. We can't save every single precious frame of the nitrate, but we can try. I'm a glass half full person, please help!

Nitrate Can't Wait! Please Donate Here.

Fundraising blogathon hosted by Ferdy on Films, etc., and The Self-Styled Siren to benefit the National Film Preservation Foundation.