Silent Movies | Hollywood Yesterday

Wonderful Georgia Hale Quote About Charlie Chaplin (A Man She Spent a Lifetime Loving)

May 16, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

I’ll be writing more about Georgia Hale’s Biography/Autobiography, “Charlie Chaplin: Intimate Close-Ups” in future posts. I cherish this particular book a great deal. Not only are Georgia Hale and Charlie Chaplin two of my personal favorites, it’s very difficult to get my hands on Georgia Hale information, photographs, or collectibles. Her career (while dazzling) was very, very brief and there simply isn’t a lot out there.

Needless to say, this book is a very prized possession. It’s a wonder I don’t keep it under lock and key!

For those who may not know, Georgia Hale loved Charlie Chaplin a great deal. She spent most of her adult life loving him. They never married and the extent of his affections for Georgia can only be guessed at. He seemed to have a great deal of affection for her, on one hand, but on the other hand? Wedding rings… to other women.

As I often say on this Old Hollywood blog, I am not here to judge, nor would I ever attempt to. There had to be something strong and very real in their relationship or Georgia simply wouldn’t have loved him as strongly as she did. This much I’m certain of.

You know, unlike Georgia, a lot is written about Charlie Chaplin. Sadly, it isn’t all favorable. However, within one quote in her book, Georgia has (in my opinion) tied all the pieces of his complex and beguiling personality together…. as, really, only she could.

I can’t possibly even BEGIN to tell you how much I love this quote about Charlie Chaplin by Georgia Hale: “If Charles Chaplin carried within him many contradictions, was tender-hearted, cruel, sensitive, child-like, a poseur, all of these qualities were part of his creative spirit.”

When I first read this quote, it struck me that this type of approach could be taken with many of our favorite Old Hollywood actors and actresses. So many of these wonderful stars behaved and even thought along some pretty original and inexplicable lines. Yet… the qualities we can’t often get our heads around are, as Georgia so eloquently said, part of their creative spirit.

Harold Lloyd: Silent Movie Legend (Ten Fast Facts)

April 17, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

When most people think of “Silent Movie Stars,” they first think of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Mary Pickford. Even people who have never seen a silent movie in their life (boy, are they missing out!) have heard of these three legends.

However, those of us who live and breathe old movies, know there’s a HUGE name missing on this list of household names – Mr. Harold Lloyd. One of my favorite soapbox subjects on Hollywood Yesterday is this quandary: Why are so many (equally deserving) stars overlooked while others achieve lasting fame – even among casual old movie fans. I simply do not know. Was Lloyd as talented and hilarious as Chaplin? Yes. Is he as celebrated today as Chaplin? No.

I have no answers. Only questions. But, that’s essentially why I began and continue to publish Hollywood Yesterday – to keep as many of these wonderful stars in the public eye as possible, while doing my part to introduce them to new generations of fans. The Chaplins, the Keatons, the Pickfords AND the Lloyds of the world.

If you aren’t familiar with Harold Lloyd, I hope you’ll enjoy reading a little about him below, then promptly find a few of his movies to enjoy. Trust me, you’ll soon be asking, “Why isn’t he a household name?!” too.

If you come up with any answers, let me know.

10 Fast Facts About Harold Lloyd:

Harold Clayton Lloyd was born on April 20, 1893 in Burchard, Nebraska,
I love lasting Hollywood marriages (mostly because they’re so rare), so I am in love with the fact that Harold Lloyd and silent movie star Mildred Davis were married from 1923 to her death in 1969. They were frequent co-stars.
Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin, and Buster Keaton are considered to be the three most influential film comedians of the silent film era. They’re often referred to as “The Big Three.”
While he was never credited as a writer, make no mistake about it, Lloyd was the brains behind all of his movies. He came up with most of the gags, props, and stories.
Unlike many other stars of the silent era, Lloyd was known to be very smart with his money. While he had many expensive hobbies, he would still leave an inheritance of $12 million dollars after his death in 1971. At one time, he was one of the 10 richest entertainers in the world.
One of his fascinating hobbies was 3-D photography. He took hundreds of images of Hollywood stars such as Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, Richard Burton and Roy Rogers. Many of his photos are reproduced in the book “3-D Hollywood: Photography by Harold Lloyd“, which was edited by his granddaughter, Suzanne Lloyd Hayes.
Other hobbies included breeding Great Danes, collecting cars, movie-watching (it’s said that he would have “marathon movie nights” several times each week… the man is my hero), record-collecting, and photography. He had an insatiable appetite for photography.
In 1919 Harold Lloyd was handed what he thought to be a prop bomb. Horrifyingly enough, it was a real bomb and when he lit it with his cigarette, it exploded, blowing off his right thumb and index finger. He spent months in the hospital but, when he recovered, he returned to work.
His movie Safety Last is included on Roger Ebert’s “Great Movies” list.
Mildred and Harold Lloyd had three children: Gloria Lloyd (1923–2012) and Harold Clayton Lloyd Jr. (1931–1971) and Marjorie Elizabeth Lloyd (1924–1986), who they adopted in 1930.

Harold Lloyd’s Famous Scene from the Film Safety Last (1923):

Find Harold Lloyd DVDs on Amazon!

Buster Keaton’s The General: Full-Length Silent Movie

April 15, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Buster Keaton took on the role of director, writer, and star in this 1926 Silent Movie classic. The film also stars Marion Mack (as Annabelle Lee, Johnnie’s love interest), Glen Cavender (Captain Anderson), and Jim Farley (General Thatcher).

Plot: Johnnie Gray (Keaton) is an engineer who LOVES his locomotive, named “The General.” When the Civil War breaks out, he is turned down for service because he’s more valuable as an engineer than a soldier. His lady love, Annabelle, mistakenly believes he is cowardly.

When Union spies capture “The General” – with Annabelle on board – Johnnie must capture both of his great loves. He chases after them, right through enemy lines and the fun ensues.

Buster Keaton always claimed that The General was his favorite of all his movies. I can certainly see why he’d feel this way.. but, personally, I’d never be able to choose a favorite Buster Keaton film – they’re all sweet perfection.

Enjoy!

Georgia Hale: A Beautiful Actress with a Short, But Memorable, Film Career

April 7, 2019 By Joi 2 Comments

Georgia Hale landed one of the lead roles in Charlie Chaplin’s film The Gold Rush (1925) when her friend Lita Grey, originally cast in the role, became pregnant and had to back out. The role won her instant star status. Her previous roles had either been uncredited or she was simply known as “the girl.”

Following The Gold Rush, Georgia appeared in a mere 12 films before leaving acting. Her last role was in a Rin-Tin-Tin “serial” (The Lightning Warrior, 1939).

Georgia Theodora Hale was born on June 27, 1900 in St. Joseph, Missouri. She won a beauty contest in Chicago in 1922 and used the award money to move to New York City, hoping to break into theater. When she was unsuccessful in theater, rather than thinking, “I can’t do this…” and heading back home, Georgia simply decided to move to Hollywood and give them a chance to cash in on what theater was obviously missing.

I LOVE her “lemons to lemonade” approach.

In Hollywood, Georgia immediately found work in By Divine Right (1924), and she danced in the chorus of Vanity’s Price (1924). Her big break came with Chaplin’s The Gold Rush, turning in a memorable and wonderful performance as a gorgeous dance hall girl who catches the little tramp’s eye and wins his heart.

I feel rich for having been so close to him. ~ Georgia Hale (About Charlie Chaplin)

The Gold Rush, understandably, was a big hit, and launched Georgia to instant fame. It is, in fact, Charlie Chaplin’s favorite movie he made. The best part of the film, from Georgia’s standpoint would be the fact that a very long, very close relationship developed between herself and Charlie Chaplin. Her love for him kept her from ever marrying. In her heart, it appears, she believed she was “spoken for.” Ironically (and very sadly, in my opinion), Chaplin had many other relationships and married more than once.

Georgia Hale was signed by Paramount Pictures and found herself in another hit, The Great Gatsby in 1926. In The Great Gatsby, she played the role of Myrtle Wilson. The cast included Warner Baxter, Lois Wilson, Neil Hamilton (best known as the Commissioner Gordon in the Batman TV series) and future STAR (all caps) William Powell.

Georgia’s last silent picture was The Last Moment in 1928.

Georgia Hale’s last movie was a 12 episode Rin-Tin-Tin serial titled The Lighting Warrior in 1931. There are many stars I frantically wish had been in more films (Claire Trevor is one that comes to mind), but none more so than Georgia Hale. Though it’s really tough, I try not to make comparisons among stars of yesterday and today, but in this case it’s so obvious to me, I can’t help myself. Georgia Hale often reminds me of an exquisite combination of Barbara Stanwyck and Keira Knightley.

Great trick to pull of if you have the goods to do so!

Georgia wrote two versions of her autobiography (as well as a fictional love story) but had difficulty finding a publisher for her writing. Ten years after her death, a publisher published her book, Charlie Chaplin: Intimate Closeups. Click the link to find this book on Amazon (I just threw it into my shopping cart with wild abandon!).

After leaving Hollywood (she wasn’t one of the lucky ones who transitioned from Silents to Talkies), she wrote and eventually went into Real Estate. Apparently, her real estate ventures made her quite wealthy!

She was a stunning, bright light that didn’t shine long (onscreen, that is) but shined very brightly.

Georgia Hale died on June 7, 1985 in Hollywood, California at the age of 84.

UPDATE: I now have Georgia’s wonderful book Charlie Chaplin: Intimate Closeups in my possession and I cherish it as much as gold would have been cherished in her most famous film. I’ll soon be writing much more about both Georgia Hale and the man she spent a lifetime adoring, Charlie Chaplin.

Watch The Gold Rush below (or on YouTube). I love this wonderful Silent Film!

Harold Lloyd and Mildred Davis in A Sailor-Made Man!

March 20, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Photo courtesy Orange County Archives.

Harold Lloyd’s first feature length production was A Sailor-Made Man (1920), cos-starred beautiful Mildred Davis. They would go on, of course, to become husband and wife and parents to three children.

A Sailor-Made Man (filmed in beautiful Laguna Beach) tells the story of a wealthy playboy (Lloyd) who joins the Navy when the father of the girl (Davis) he loves tells him to get a job to prove himself worthy of her.

When A Sailor-Made Man was released, Harold Lloyd became just the second silent comedian to release a feature-length film.

A Sailor-Made Man:

The Haunted Castle: Review of a Silent Movie That’s Perfect for this Time of Year

October 20, 2018 By Joi Leave a Comment

Olga Tschechowa and Lulu Kyser-Korff

Before getting to the review of The Haunted Castle, let me say (right up front) that this isn’t a horror movie like you’re probably used to. I’m not sure I’d even classify it as “scary,” although the eye makeup and a couple of scenes come about as close as most Silents are going to come. It is a really good movie, however, and very much worth taking the small amount of time it’d take to watch it.

Oddly enough… even though I’ve been completely obsessed with the Golden Age of Hollywood since I was a pre-teen… I am very new to the world of Silent movies. Confession time – this is only the fourth silent movie I’ve ever watched and the first was just three weeks ago. I honestly never thought I’d enjoy a silent movie and yet, here I am, rounding them up on YouTube like I round up groceries at Kroger.

I’m smitten and I’m hooked. I mean, I’ve watched four within a month, that’ll tell you something! The reviews for the others will be coming soon – I’m adding a silent movie category under Old Movie Reviews because they’ve become very important to me.

For one thing, they are an art form all in and of themselves. All acting and conveying of emotions must be done with facial and body movement. That takes a great deal of talent!

The Haunted Castle, 1921

They’re also completely relaxing, in some way. Maybe it’s the music that accompanies them – that, combined with the wonderful step back in time (way back!). As someone who frequently has family members (including a precious 10 month old grand baby I have the blessing of watching most days of the week) and cats around them, I find that it’s easier to watch a Silent on my iPad or iPhone than to try to follow a talkie. I mean, have you ever tried to hear over a husband or 10 month old?

How did I not become hooked on Silents years ago?!

The Haunted Castle was made in 1921 and… get this… was shot in 16 days. The movie takes place in a castle, Vogeloed, which is (of course) the haunted castle the movie refers to. Again, be warned, if you’re looking for a movie that’ll scare your socks off, this isn’t the one. Your socks will never even know you watched a movie.

Vogeloed: The Haunted Castle

The scariest parts of this movie are the outside shots of the castle and one guest’s really weird dream.

Plot: A group of aristocrats and other people of importance are gathered in Vogeloed. They are awaiting the arrival of baroness Safferstätt and her second husband. However, Count Oetsch (brilliantly played by Lothar Mehnert) invites himself to the gathering. Count Oetsch is the brother of baroness Safferstätt’s first husband and is suspected by nearly everyone of having murdered him! Count Oetsch maintains his innocence and vows to find the real killer. Realizing things could get awkward fast, the host and hostess attempt to convince Count Oetsch to leave but he refuses to budge.

It’s a darn good thing, too, because Lothar Mehnert is, unquestionably the star of the movie. He’s just wonderful. It hasn’t taken me long to discover that in Silents, there are two types of actors/actresses: those who GO BIG, often larger than called for (more about her in a minute!) and those who reign it in, allowing themselves to become woven into the story.

In all fairness, I’d imagine that the second group would be infinitely harder to do. It’d be easier to simply go full Susan Lucci and see what happens from there – but it’s much, much more enjoyable to watch the stars who allow the story to be the star. Lothar Mehnert did as fine a job of that as I’ve seen (in silents or talkies).

Remember the bit about going full Susan Lucci? Well, this is a good time to introduce you to Olga Tschechowa. You know what, on second thought, the saying may need to be changed to going full Olga Tschechowa because Mrs. Lucci has nothing on her.

Ever watched a movie with a character you detested so much you kind of wish someone would throw them out of a window. Like, from the third flour? Seventh, if you’ve got it? That was her character. See the picture at the top where Lulu Kyser-Korff’s character is draped all over her? I literally said, “Good! You’ve got her! Now take her out.” But, alas her character adored the baroness like I adore my daughters and didn’t do me the favor.

Was it the character, herself, I hated with unbridled hatred or the portrayal by the actress? Both. Absolutely both.

Now, I understand, this was the twenties and I understand that we’re dealing with a silent movie here. Emotions had to be conveyed through facial expressions and body movement… but, hot dang, this woman was hysterical without meaning to be.

Having said that… it’s still a darn entertaining movie. I don’t know, maybe her theatrics added to the amusement. In the end, though, it was simply a good script and the performance by Lothar Mehnert and the rest of the cast that pulled it off. The scenery is also stunning – I actually stopped and rewound about 10 times to “take in” the furniture, clothing, decor, etc.

Lothar Mehnert

When I watch a movie and/or come across new stars, I read everything I can get my hands on about them. I am having a horrible time finding out much about this cast…. except for Miss Olga. Olga (also listed as Olga Chekhova) was apparently one of the most popular stars of the silent film era. Maybe she was less… ummm… over the top in other roles. She was born in what is today Armenia. She had a wonderful film career in Europe and even had her own film production company, Venus-Film Olga Tschechowa. Incredibly impressive for a female at that time! Adolf Hitler reportedly fell for Olga after seeing her in several films in the 1920s…. not as impressive, but there you have it.

Olga Tschechowa was, indeed, a lovely actress. The makeup they had on her in this particular film (for most of the movie) forbid it to shine through. The makeup was so morbid, in fact, at the first of the movie I thought both female leads were being played my males – kind of like old Shakespearean plays. The picture below kind of gives you an idea of why my brain took that route.

The Haunted Castle, 1921 (love the clothes!)

You can watch The Haunted Castle below, in its entirety. I do highly recommend it – it’s just a really fun-to-watch and cool-to-say-you-watched movie.

Did you know that you can find A LOT of old movies (including silent movies) on YouTube in their entirety?!? I have folders in my YouTube Library that include…

Barbara Stanwyck
Rita Hayworth
Lucille Ball
Joan Crawford
Marilyn Monroe
Silent Movies
Abbott and Costello
etc….

It’s breathtakingly lovely to be able to access classic movies on your laptop, iPad, iPhone, or desktop – and when you’re in the middle of one, it’ll keep your place. I instantly collect all the movies my personal favorites ever made, simply because it’s the right thing to do, and never let it be said I don’t do the right thing, even if it means spending a fortune on dvds – however, I love to actually watch most movies to see if I want to add them to my collection or not.

I’m currently watching a wonderful Lee Remick movie from 1961, Sanctuary. She’s giving an Academy Award level performance in this movie. I’m sure I’ll be writing a raving review about it and her soon here on the blog.

In the meantime…. do check out The Haunted Castle. It is VERY much worth watching and this is the time of year to watch all the scary movies you can… even those that just think they’re scary!

Find more Silent Movies (and silent movie collections) on Amazon (affiliate link).