"Give me the good old days!"

SELLING SOME DVD's

2012-04-09T21:32:00.000-04:00

Time has come for me to pare down my DVD collection. Stuff from Warner Brothers, MGM, Universal, 20th Century Fox, Criterion, Image, Milestone, Sunrise Silents, Vintage Film Buff, Looser than Loose, etc. LOTS of hard to find and out of print titles, also. All discs are in excellent condition, stored and handled with extreme care and with 99% of them, I was the first and only owner. Will ship internationally. All are sold on a first come first serve basis and new titles will be added about every month. If you want to receive a price list, please send me your email address and I will send it over. Please be patient if I don't answer right away, I WILL respond.

Scott Ricciuti 1963-2012

2012-04-06T00:39:00.000-04:00

Thank you for all the love and optimism you exuded. You are missed and I love you.

Happy 121st b-day, El!!!

2012-03-25T10:17:00.000-04:00

Today marks the 120th birthday of Elmer Goodfellow Brendel, born March 25th, 1891. For the celebration, here's some photos from throughout his career. HAPPY BIRTHDAY EL!!:

In vaudeville, 17 years old

during the filming of "Wings" in 1927

with Victor McLaglen from the sadly lost film, "Hot For Paris" (1929)

with Tom Kennedy in the 1941 Columbia short "Sweet Spirits of Nighter"

looking like a deer caught in the headlights, from the 1949 film, "The Beautiful Blonde From Bashful Bend"

with Gloria Jean from the 1959 movie, "The Madcaps"

and finally, here's El with Raymond Burr on the set of the "Perry Mason" TV show. El was on the 1962 episode "The Case of the Borrowed Baby"

El's home movies - filming on the set

2012-03-23T15:05:00.000-04:00

I recently wrote about some "lost" El Brendel home movies coming to light and in the post I showed some scans of what appears to be footage from the set of the 1940 Universal feature "If I Had My Way". Well, here is a recently unearthed picture of El actually doing the filming on the set of the movie!!

The printed on the snipe on the rear of the photo has all the info:

Eddie Leonard.,most famous of all minstrel men, is one of several stage stars who return to the bright lights for an appearance in the new Big Crosby - Gloria Jean picture, "IF I HAD MY WAY" at Universal. Here Eddie talks to Charles Winninger while El Brendel photographs them with his home movie camera.

Cinefest 2012 review

2012-03-20T16:16:00.000-04:00

I just returned from ANOTHER great weekend of movies at the annual Syracuse Cinefest film festival and I’m prepared to give a review based on a star rating system from * = poor to **** = excellent. Just a word of caution, I didn’t see every movie the Syracuse Cinephile Society showed this past weekend, if I didn’t see it, I noted in the list. Also, I left out descriptions as I could have been writing for a week and wanted to get my review out while it was still fresh in my mind. Here we go:

Thursday

FOOTBALL 40 YEARS AGO (1931) * ½
Fairly interesting short with “Pop” Warner showing us how football was played in the old days. It was pretty painful to hear him talk in front of the camera but not terrible by any means and I loved the "button" method of alerting the center to snap the football.

HELLO OUT THERE (1949) ½ *
James Whale's direction couldn’t save this TV show spot from being anything other than a curio. It gets half a star because of his involvement and atmospheric sets.

WIFE TROUBLE (1928) ***

I liked this short. Man’s wife mistakes him for cheating with a lingerie salesperson. Lots of laughs and a scantily clad woman. LOVED IT!

BELL BOY 13 (1923) ** ½
A light comedy with Douglas MacLean. Enjoyable all around and didn’t tax my brain at all

BAD COMPANY (1931) *** ½
This is the kind of movie I go to Cinefest for!! Pre-code with gangsters and Ricardo Cortez as the head of his mob. It’s out on laserdisc somewhere, but I’ve never seen it before, but I’m glad I did!

TRAILER MANIA IV: The A's, B's, and C's of Universal (1930s-60s) – didn’t see it and frankly don’t really care about trailers from this year or any of the other 3 years previous.

MATCHMAKING MOMMA (1928) ** ½
Fairly funny Mack Sennett comedy with Carole Lombard and one of my all-time faves, Sally Eilers (with dark hair, no less). Interesting because it contained sequences of two-strip Technicolor that looked wonderful.

THE FORBIDDEN TRAIL (1923) ** ½
Another silent with the story of a parentless baby who falls in love with the lead. Jack Hoxie was fine in the role and lots of great action scenes in between.

HELEN OF FOUR GATES (1920) - didn’t see

RED SALUTE (1935) – didn’t see

N.Y., N.Y. (1957) ½ *
Saw this and boy am I sorry I did. Art films either belong in museums or in the bottom of the trash can. This one belongs in the latter. Gets a half star because of the mildly interesting jazz score in the background.

CRASHING HOLLYWOOD (1931) ***
Very funny two-reeler directed by Roscoe Arbuckle about two city girls impressed by their “farm bred” friend.

MULTICOLOR DEMO REEL (1930) * ½
Mildly interesting demo reel. Could have done without the monotonous guy flying in his plane but beggars can’t be choosers. The shots of the stars were the highlights for me!

THE STREET OF FORGOTTEN MEN (1925) ***
I like this one, a lot! Basically this was a retelling of the “Stella Dallas” story but real seedy bar room scenes and fast pace kept me interested. Louise Brooks made a brief appearance and looked adorable, even though she played a prostitute.

MOONLIGHT AND PRETZELS (1933) – didn’t see

HI DIDDLE DIDDLE (1943) – didn't see

Friday

CONTENTED CALVES (1934) ** ½

Good little short from the “Blondes & Redheads” series at RKO. How June Brewster had any career with that voice is amazing but I love her! GOOD STUFF!

SKIRMISH ON THE HOME FRONT (1944) * ½

Mildly interesting and over the top take on what your house could look like after World War 2 is over. The film has a bunch of Hollywood stars and maybe helped the war effort.

HIS NEW LID (1910) – didn’t see

CLASSMATES (1914) – didn’t see

LAUGHTER (1930) – didn’t see

LADDIE (1940) – didn’t see

TILLIE'S TOMATO SURPRISE (1915) * ½

This early comedy, with Marie Dressler, is a tough one. First only one reel survives and second, I really have a hard time with these primitive comedies. It was worth seeing but not one I need to see again.

PARTNERS THREE (1919) **

Just a so-so feature with Enid Bennett.

JUST NUTS (1915) ** ½
An early Harold Lloyd film in his Willie Work incarnation, pretty good comedy.

A DEEP SEA PANIC (1924) ***

This one had me in stitches. A Paul Parrot starring role of a reworked Harry Langdon title “Shanghaied Lovers” (1924), this short has enough gags to keep you laughing throughout

ASTRAY FROM THE STEERAGE (1921) * ½
I really wanted to like this comedy with Billy Bevan and Louise Fazenda but I didn’t find myself laughing that much.

CONFESSIONS OF A CO-ED (1931) *** ½
A great pre-code with Sylvia Sidney about a college girl having a baby out of wedlock. LOTS of girls walking around in lingerie!! Good story, too!

THE TOY SHOP (1928) ½ *
I hate cartoons with kid characters. The only thing saving this turd is the Technicolor.

A SONG IN THE DARK (1920s-30s) *** ½
Richard Barrios presents another installment of clips from early musicals. NEVER to be missed, this one was a lot of fun.

FOOD AND GROWTH (1930) ½ *
Utter crap. I do not care about the growth habits of rats. Who really gives a shit??

THE DARK MIRROR (1920) * ½
A film about someone trying to psycho-analyze the leads dreams. Meh.

THE GRACIE ALLEN MURDER CASE (1939) - didn't see

Saturday – 35mm show at the Palace Theater

NO CHILDREN (1929) ***
Pretty funny two-reel comedy about parents not being able to get a hotel room because they have children. Lots of child hijinx with them tormenting the hotel dick.

THE JANITOR (1919) **
Sometimes these early comedies work, sometimes they don’t. This Hank Mann comedy was just all right, not great, not bad and the fighting scenes were just hilarious.

THE PEST (1922) *** ½
What more needs to be said, it’s a Stan Laurel comedy. Everyone should have a view of this one.

THEIR FIRST EXECUTION (1913) * ½
An early Mack Sennett comedy with nearly everyone making wild gestures and crazy faces. This one was not as amusing as other Sennett’s I have seen but Ford Sterling was great, as usual.

GET YOUR MAN (1927) ****
Even though two reels of this feature were missing (title cards with explanations made up for it) this Clara Bow vehicle was terrific! It’s really too bad that some of her silents from this period are missing as I think she was at the top of her game. Maybe the best film of the weekend.

MR. FIX-IT (1918) ***
Super fast paced comedy with sans-moustache Douglas Fairbanks which was a pleasure to watch. No wonder the public loved this guy!

HAIL THE WOMAN (1921) *** ½
Florence Vidor vehicle that I was enthralled by. The father, played by Theodore Roberts, is a misogynistic pig and although purporting to be Christian, judges everyone from the start, including his own daughter. Great cameo by Vernon Dent as Flo’s jilted pursuer.

ONE A MINUTE (1921) ** ½

Neat little programmer with Douglas MacLean trying to save the family drug store.

SURPRISE, SURPRISE (1937) ***

Unseen Three Stooges short?? Yup, just what I needed but the projectionist didn’t turn on the sould for the first 30 seconds, so that kinda sucked. Just enjoyable.

ONCE IN A LIFETIME (1932) **
This film when on too damn long. JackOakie was funny, but once the story switched from Vaudeville to Hollywood, it just got crazy (like "Hellzapoppin" but no where near as funny)and D-R-A-W-N out. BLAH!

Back at the hotel and now we switch from film to digital presentation:

A TRIP TO THE MOON (1902) * ½
I understand the historical importance of this film and yes, this IS from the restored hand-colored print but I really don’t care all that much. When David Shepard announced the producers had spent something ridiculous like $500,000 on this restoration, I was thinking to myself, “Hmmmmmm, they should have let this turn to dust and restored them two Colleen Moore films in Italy and about 4 others”.

THE MUSIC MAKERS (1929) ***

Too bad the first reel of this Willie & Eugene Howard Vitaphone short doesn’t survive, as the second half was terrific!

CLARA BOW FRAGMENTS (1920s) ***
Interesting brief clips from a bunch of Clara Bow films saved by a collector and presented by the Museum of Modern Art. Common clips from “It!” but brief snippets from the missing reels of “Get Your Man”. The only downside is the clips were “projected” too slow. Oh well.

HIS CAPTIVE WOMAN (1929) ** 1/2
Interesting little film with Dorothy Mackaill & Milton Sills. This courtroom drama was another film which went on way too long, but it’s rarity (the sound version has not been seen in 80 years) made up for the film length. GREAT performances by Marion Byron & Gertrude Howard. Hopefully this film can be restored as the quality of the print looked superb but the digital projection was jerky. Lots of beautiful scenery, with and without Ms. Mackaill!!

MAMBA (1930) *** ½

Another winner for me, although I heard some people didn’t like it. I though Jean Hersholt’s performance as the loathsome lead was tremendous, there was ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about this guy that would give any reason to sympathize with him. Eleanor Boardman was pretty stiff as the heroine.

KING OF THE KONGO (1929) – was not shown

back to FILM from this point on:

EXILE EXPRESS (1939) – didn’t see

Sunday

LOVE THY NEIGHBOR (1940) -didn't see

THE AUCTION HOSTED BY LEONARD MALTIN ****

What more can I say other than I look forward to this every year. Lots of fun and Leonard makes it interesting!

THE CITY OF BEAUTIFUL GIRLS (1950)
WAY OUT WEST IN FLORIDA (1951)
PARLOR, BEDROOM and WHEELS (1952) – didn’t see any of these

WITHOUT REGRET (1935)
THE UNTAMED (1920)
CHAMPAGNE WALTZ (1937) – didn’t see any of these either, on the way back home.

All in all, a wonderful weekend of great films, friends, food, and fun times. Cant wait for it again next year!!!

CINEFEST 2012!!!

2012-03-13T11:19:00.000-04:00

Yes kiddies, it's that time of year again when all lovers of rare and unusual film make the trek to upstate New York to view a bunch of hard to see films. Of course, I am talking about Cinefest which starts on March 15th in Syracuse (it's actually in the hamlet of Liverpool, but it's all about the films anyway, right??). This is the 32nd year the boys and girls of the Syracuse Cinephile Society has put this show on and this year looks to be like another killer line-up! Here's the schedule of films being shown, hope to see you there!

Thursday, March 15th

9:00 am   FOOTBALL 40 YEARS AGO (1931) with Glenn “Pop” Warner
9:10 am   HELLO OUT THERE (1949) Dir.: James Whale, with Harry Morgan
9:45 am   WIFE TROUBLE (1928) with Robert Graves, Adrienne Dore, Muriel Evans
9:55 am   BELL BOY 13 (1923) with Douglas Maclean
10:45 am   BAD COMPANY (1931) with Helen Twelvetrees, Ricardo Cortez

    LUNCH BREAK

1:00 pm   RAY FAIOLA’S TRAILER MANIA SHOW IV Hosted by Ray Faiola
2:05 pm   MATCHMAKING MAMMA (1928) with Carole Lombard
2:25 pm   THE FORBIDDEN TRAIL (1923) with Jack Hoxie, Evelyn Nelson
3:20 pm   HELEN OF FOUR GATES (1921) with Alma Taylor
4:25 pm   RED SALUTE (1936) with Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Young

   DINNER BREAK

8:00 pm   N.Y., N.Y. (1957) Directed by Francis Thompson
8:10 pm   CRASHING HOLLYWOOD (1931) Dir.: Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle
8:35 pm   HOWARD HUGHES MULTICOLOR DEMONSTRATION REEL
8:55 pm   STREET OF FORGOTTEN MEN (1926) with Percy Marmont
10:10 pm   MOONLIGHT AND PRETZELS (1933) with Roger Pryor, Mary Brian
11:35 pm   HI DIDDLE DIDDLE (1942) with Adolphe Menjou, Pola Negri

Friday, March 16th

9:00 am   SKIRMISH ON THE HOME FRONT (1943) w/ Alan Ladd, Betty Hutton
9:10 am   CONTENTED CALVES (1934) with Grady Sutton, June Brewster
9:35 am   HIS NEW LID (1911) with Thomas Ince
9:50 am   CLASSMATES (1914) with Blanche Sweet, Henry B. Walthall
10:55 am   LAUGHTER (1930) with Nancy Carroll, Fredric March, Frank Morgan

    LUNCH BREAK

1:10 pm   LADDIE (1940) with Tim Holt, Virginia Gilmore, Joan Carroll
2:25 pm   TILLIE’S TOMATO SURPRISE (1915) with Marie Dressler
2:35 pm   PARTNERS THREE (1918) with Enid Bennett, Casson Ferguson
3:50 pm   JUST NUTS (1929) with Harold Lloyd, Jane Novak, Roy Stewart
4:05 pm   A DEEP BLUE PANIC (1924) with James Parrott, Mildred June
4:30 pm   ASTRAY FROM THE STEERAGE (1921) with Billy Bevan,
4:50 pm   CONFESSIONS OF A CO-ED (1931) with Sylvia Sydney

    DINNER BREAK

8:00 pm   REMEMBERING RICHARD GORDON Hosted by John Cocchi
8:15 pm   THE TOY SHOP (1929) with Joseph Swickard, Virginia Marshall
8:25 pm   A SONG IN THE DARK III Hosted by Richard Barrios
9:55 pm   FOOD AND GROWTH (1920s) Informational Short
10:05 pm   THE DARK MIRROR (1920) with Dorothy Dalton, Huntley Gordon
11:00 pm   GRACIE ALLEN MURDER CASE (1939) with Warren William

Saturday, March 17th

7:45 am   Buses will begin to load from the front entrance of the Holiday Inn for the 35mm presentations at the Palace Theatre. Last bus leaves the Holiday Inn at 8 am.
8:30 am   NO CHILDREN (1928) with Smitty and his Pals
THE JANITOR (1919) with Hank Mann, Madge Kirby
THE PEST (1922) with Stan Laurel, Vera Reynolds, Mae Laurel
THEIR FIRST EXECUTION (1913) with Ford Sterling
GET YOUR MAN (1927) with Clara Bow, Charles ‘Buddy’ Rogers
MR FIX-IT (1918) with Douglas Fairbanks, Wanda Hawley

    LUNCH BREAK

HAIL THE WOMAN (1921) with Florence Vedor, Lloyd Hughes
ONE A MINUTE (1921) with Douglas MacLean, Marian DeBeck
SURPRISE, SURPRISE (1937) with The Three Stooges
ONCE IN A LIFETIME (1933) with Jack Oakie, Sidney Fox
   The buses will leave the Palace Theatre immediately after the presentations.

    DINNER BREAK

8:10 pm   A TRIP TO THE MOON (1902) Dir.:Georges Mèliés
8:20 pm   THE MUSIC MAKERS (1929) with Willie and Eugene Howard
8:30 pm   TO BE ANNOUNCED
10:05 pm   MAMBA (1929) with Jean Hersholt, Eleanor Boardman, Ralph Forbes
11:20 pm   KING OF THE KONGO, Ep. 5 (1929) with Walter Miller
11:40 pm   EXILE EXPRESS (1939) with Anna Sten, Alan Marshal

Sunday, March 18th

9:00 am   LOVE THY NEIGHBOR (1940) with Jack Benny, Fred Allen
10:30 am   THE AUCTION (2012) Hosted by Leonard Maltin
12 noon   JUSTIN HERMAN SHOW IV (1950’s Paramount Toppers)
12:35 pm   WITHOUT REGRET (1936) with Elissa Landi, Paul Cavanaugh
1:55 pm   THE UNTAMED (1920) with Tom Mix, Pauline Starke
2:50 pm   CHAMPAGNE WALTZ (1937) with Gladys Swarthout, Fred MacMurray

"Lost" El Brendel films surface

2012-03-07T13:56:00.000-05:00

I don't really know what to say about this post as I am just flabbergasted. I could go into a long diatribe about lost films and such but I feel it would be much better if I was just blunt about it. In all my years of studying the films, career, and life of El Brendel I never thought I would be the one making an announcement like this. Over the past weekend I had the opportunity to borrow over 35 film reels of El & his wife, Flo Bert. Comprising mainly of home movies, there are also a few other tidbits included line a two minute 35mm snipe announcing El's "visit to your town", and the best film of all, a Kinescope of a previously unknown and undocumented television show starring El!

I have just started going through some of the cans but am holding off projecting and documenting what's included on these reels until I have the opportunity to clean them, after all, they've been sitting in a closet for a long time and probably haven't been viewed in over 30 years! I will say the majority of films are in Kodachrome and appear to be in very good shape, especially the 35mm snipe, which is on nitrate and shows absolutely no sign of deterioration.

As I go through these I will be reporting on what I find, but from what El wrote on the side of the cans, I pulled out a couple of the most interesting ones and unspooled a small section and made scans of some of the frames to give you an idea of what is on them. Just remember, I have not screened these films from beginning to end, so they could contain just about anything.

First up, we have a film which El entitled "GAGS". The film was marked with a code suggesting it dates from September 1960. In the scans we see El appearing in front of the camera doing a similar routine he did with a trick cigar in 1959's "Laffing Time":

Next, we have a film marked "Universal Studios" where El worked in 1939 and 1940. It's interesting as he filmed behind the scenes and in one section it appears to show Bing Crosby who worked with El on the 1940 film "If I Had My Way". Can anyone identify the other people or scenes??:

Here is the 35mm snipe touting El's visit to your town. Seeing as the film mentions he has been in 47 films, I would date this as probably being from the late 30's:

And lastly we have the "lost" TV show. The leader on the film states it is a Kinescope and is dated August 24th, 1949. The studio who produced this is NBC and I'm assuming the name of the show was "Hollywood Premier Theater". The episode with El Brendel was entitled "Accidentally Axel" and featured singer, musician, and actress Anne Triola, who according to Wikipedia, is still alive.:

That's all I have right now, when the films are cleaned and ready to go, I'll report more details. I'm amazed these films survive and I can't wait to view them!!

Sexy time Saturday - unknowns PART 2!

2012-02-25T16:40:00.002-05:00

I tried this last August and had some success so I thought I'd dust off some more pics from the archive and put your knowledge to the test. As with last time, I have absolutely no idea who these women are so it's up to the readers to clue me in to their identity. No snipes on the backs of any of these images to provide me with any clues (here's the post of the other unknowns):

UPDATE: Well, that didn't take long. In less than 24 hours, we got 'em all named. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED OUT!

Dixie Dunbar, thanks Rob!

from "The Hollywood Review of 1929". Thank you Ed Watz!

Rich Finegan chimes in and let's us know this is Paula Prentiss from the 1964 Universal feature "Man's Favorite Sport?", but dukdukgoose informs us in the comment section it might be Charlene Holt................who's right??

From the always amazing Steve Massa - "Hi Louie - Still number 4 is from a George LeMaire Comedy, an early sound series released by Pathe in 1929 and 1930. That's George LeMaire with the glasses and white jacket, and to the right in the funny hat and shawl is Louis Simon. Not sure which title this is, and don't recognize any of the girls."

Thanks to Richard M. Roberts for letting me know that the still is from "Go Easy, Doctor" (1929)

from "Rio Rita" (1929), thanks again to Ed Watz!!

Barbara Bouchét in "Agent From H.A.R.M." (1966), thanks Jack Theakston!

doctor-kiss on the ever wonderful Nitrateville forum has stated this is Charles Bolender and Renée de Milo in "Girl On The Run" (1953):

Happy Valentines Day!

2012-02-14T07:22:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note to wish everyone a happy Valentines day.

Hug someone you love today!

Here's a rarity, a V-Day painting/collage done by El Brendel in 1960 for his wife, Flo Bert. Interesting to note the center of the flowers have tiny El's in them and the photo of Flo Bert is a real early one from her Vaudeville days. From what I have been able to find out, El had taken up painting in his later years and would create items like this for friends and family.

Glass slides kick off 2012!

2012-01-10T11:09:00.000-05:00

As I did in 2011, I'll start off the New Year of 2012 with some glass slides from my collection. I hope this year I will have more time to write for the blog and get to do more research on El. Happy New Year everyone!

Happy New Year!!

2011-12-30T14:09:00.000-05:00

Baby New Year, Marjorie White, tells old man Brendel to get the 'El out!

Best wishes to all the readers of this blog for a super fantastic New Year. I will do my best to have more posts than I did in 2011 so keep checking back in every once in a while.

All the best, Louie

El Brendel's "Destry" episode now out on DVD!

2011-11-14T13:10:00.001-05:00

Thanks to the Timeless Media Group (and a HUGE hat tip to reader John Hall for giving me the heads-up!), El Brendel's television appearance on "Destry" is now out on DVD! I blogged about El's performance as a barber in the episode "Deputy for A Day" HERE and although I can't give a review of how the quality is, it's nice to have all the episodes of this TV series in one place.

Some screen grabs to refresh your memory:

"Destry" star John Gavin

El showing some gun toting skills

El in the barber shop

supporting actor with a long career, Charlie Ruggles

Guest blogger time - Unreleased El Brendel film

2011-09-30T08:23:00.002-04:00

The good people over at the Capitol Theater in Rome, New York recently started a new blog, The Capitol Letter, and they asked me to contribute a guest article for them. I chose to write about the unreleased 1932 El Brendel film, "Born to Fight". So head on over to their site and check it out!

El Brendel in a scene from the unreleased "Born to Fight"

Joan Blondell - photoblog celebrates her b-day!

2011-08-30T15:41:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite actresses was born 105 years ago today and what better way to celebrate the life and career of Joan Blondell then a photoblog, right? HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOANIE!!

with Dick Powell and Guy Kibbee from the sadly lost 1933 film "Convention City"

with Helen Twelvetrees and Lilyan Tashman in 1931's "Millie"

backstage candid probably during the mid to late 30's at Warner Brothers

on the radio with Warren William

publicity still with Stuart Erwin for "Make Me A Star" (1932)

looking as GREAT as ever!

someone help me, I know I've seen the film before but I'm drawing a blank!

with real-life best pal Glenda Farrell in "Traveling Saleslady" (1935)

VA-VA-VA-VOOM!!!!

Sexy time Saturday - unknowns, you name 'em

2011-08-27T18:23:00.004-04:00

While I wait out hurricane Irene during it's SLOW trip up the Eastern seaboard, I thought what a great diversion would be to have another round of sexy vintage pictures. This time I have absolutely no idea who these women are so it's up to the readers to clue me in to their identity. If there were clues on the back of the pictures, I will post then under the images:

appearing in George White's Scandals

Carrie Liz clued us in that this maybe Andrea Leeds.

Carrie Liz let us know that the starlet is Phyllis Stanley in "The Next of Kin" (1942)

Conchita Montenegro (in the middle) from the 1931 MGM film, "Never the Twain Shall Meet".

(Hat tip to Rich Finegan!)

El Brendel & I get some press

2011-08-10T11:45:00.000-04:00

Yup, word is getting out on our favorite Swede. Just look at this article in the Syracuse New Times about the upcoming Capitolfest film show this weekend:

Cinema Paradiso in Syracuse New Times

I even get a mention! Don't forget, CAPITOLFEST THIS WEEKEND! Tickets can still be purchased, even right at the box office on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, and even on line. See you there and don't forget to say hello!

Capitolfest 2011 - August 12th-14th!

2011-07-29T14:58:00.000-04:00

Ah, yes. Mid-August is nearly upon us and what a perfect time to get away for a little rest before we finally close the door on summer and slip back into winter. But every year, for the past eight, the Capitol Theater in Rome, New York, has been making that transition MUCH easier by putting on one of the FINEST film festivals you'll ever attend. From August 12th-14th, come to Rome for a rollicking good time.

By using the tag line, "A vacation, not a marathon", Capitolfest prides itself on a leisurely pace that doesn't leave you drained by the time you say good-bye. Rather than a four day haul (as most festivals are), Capitolfest is three days. Although this year they've raised the bar a bit by adding about 5 more hours of films on Friday, it's not a schedule that's gonna have me falling asleep on the ride home.

But don't let my description lull you into a state of serenity as Capitolfest offers a most ferocious film line-up. In fact, out of all the films they are showing this year, I have only seen one of them, BUT only on video and never in a theater. And that's what this festival is all about, checking out rare films, screened in 35mm, shown with carbon-arc projectors. Add the 1928 Capitol Theater, and it's like stepping back in time. So, you can check out the schedule, but here are the films I'm excited about seeing:

I have to say I went a bit crazy when I found out that Janet Gaynor was chosen as the "featured star" for the 2011 festival. As any reader of this blog knows, I am a HUGE Janet Gaynor fan! This year, Capitolfest is serving up some rare Gaynor:

The Gaynor goods, get kicked into high gear on Friday at 8:35 by the showing of the 1926 short "Pep of the Lazy "J". Gaynor made a few Western shorts for Universal in the mid-'20's and this one has survived. I don't know if the above still is from that film, but it is almost certainly from her stint at the studio. One I have been waiting to see for a long time.

Immediately following "Pep..." we have the incredible "Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans". Why would I put this in the films I am dying to see when it's been on video and DVD for years? One reason, I have never seen it projected in 35mm. This 1927 MASTERPIECE, directed by F.W. Murnau, as taken it's place in film history as the first film to win a Best Picture Oscar (then it was given as "Unique and Artistic Production"), and won another two for Janet Gaynor (Best Actress) and Karl Struss & Charles Rosher for Best Cinematography. The innovative camera usage and incredible sets show how far silent cinema had come along, but it didn't have much longer to live.

Janet Gaynor "learning" German during the production of "Sunrise"

On Saturday at 11:45AM another Gaynor film (see, I told you I love her!) that I have never seen before will be screened. "Servants' Entrance" (1934), which also stars Lew Ayres, is one of the final pictures Gaynor made at Fox studios, the place where she gained all her fame. Another rarely screened film.

Janet Gaynor & Lew Ayres on the set of "Servants' Entrance"

Next, we go with a couple of GEMS from the Columbia shorts department. First up we have 1944's "Mopey Dope" with Harry Langdon (running Saturday at 4:40PM). For YEARS this film had been on all the filmographies as a Landon/El Brendel co-starring short, but after some detective work by my buddy Rich Finnegan, we concluded that it was in fact, Langdon's final solo short for the studio. This is also the last Columbia short released before Harry's death in December of '44.

And now, THE BEST OF ALL!! Capitolfest is showing a never-before-seen-since-it's-original-release, El Brendel & Harry Langdon short!! Yes, true believers in all things El, the wait is almost over!! The short is called "Snooper Service" (scheduled to be shown on Sunday at 2:15PM) and was never released in the Screen Gems televsion package, so 16mm copies never made their way into collectors hands. This 1945 short has been sitting in the vaults all along just waiting to be rediscovered. Is it any good?? Who knows, who cares, it's and unseen Brendel/Langdon, how bad can it be??

Rounding out my "most wanted" to see for the weekend, is 1926's "The Johnstown Flood". This is the film that broke Janet Gaynor into stardom, although she didn't receive the top female lead billing. Another one I haven't seen before that will keep me in my seat!

Those are the ones that I am head-over-heels about, but there are plenty of other GREAT films that will be screened during the weekend including "The Unexpected Father" (1932) with Slim Summerville and Zasu Pitts, "Young Man of Manhattan" (1930) featuring Claudettte Colbert & Norman Foster, and Mary Eaton and Eddie Cantor in 1929's "Glorifying the American Girl". We can also expect some great Vitaphone short subjects to be thrown in as well as some unexpected goodies usually shown on Sunday during Jack Theakston's Short Subject Follies (Sunday, 3:45PM). Jack usually has some AMAZING short flicks and snipes of coming attractions that are rare and sometimes, highly unusual. PLUS, Capitolfest is the only festival that I've been to that has an outdoor BBQ cookout during the festival, and we've been informed that YES, it is happening again this year!

So, why don't you take a few days off and join me in Rome, NY at Capitolfest? Tickets are still available AND the concession stand sells Moxie, how can ya beat that??

More info on "emcee" Freeman Lang

2011-07-13T13:47:00.000-04:00

Fifi D'orsay with the emcee for the "Strictly Dishonorable" premier Freeman Lang

In 2009, I wrote 2 blog posts with a bunch of candid pictures from at least 3 different Hollywood premiers. The only thing that held these different shots together was the repeated appearance of emcee Freeman Lang. At the time I didn't find much info about Lang on-line, but thanks to a stroke of luck I found this article from the November 17, 1929 issue of the Boston Globe that will clue you in on Mr. Lang and his Hollywood association:

Street candids, 30's, 40's, or 50's??

2011-05-18T15:40:00.006-04:00

I'm baaaaaaaack! After a few weeks away I decided to bust things out with a few candid pictures taken out on the street sometime in the 30's, 40's, or possibly the 50's? I have no idea at all. Readers of my blog will know that I just LOVE candid pictures of stars in unguarded moments just being themselves. Here's a few that and if you have any information on them don't hesitate in contacting me and letting me know the era or the other people in them. ENJOY!!

Ed and Keenan Wynn

Judy Canova (in the back) and Gail Patrick

Jack Oakie

Larry Parks

Jane Withers with her 1st husband, Bill Moss (thanks Ian Elliot!)

Peggy Cummings

Ron Randall

Vincent Price and wife Edith Barrett (thanks to Penfold for the ID!)

Vitaphone Cavalcade Of Musical Comedy Shorts (6 Disc)

Classic Musical Shorts from the Dream Factory (4-Disc Set)

Sexy time Saturday - last of the PC's!

2011-04-02T08:25:00.003-04:00

After a few months lay-off, Sexy Time Saturday roars back with a vengeance! This time we have the final batch of postcards that my friend Rich Finegan let me borrow to scan. Enjoy!!

Jean Parker

Helen Wright (??? - anyone got any info on her??)

Virginia Cherrill

Nancy Carroll

Mary Brian

Alice White

Lilian Roth

Conchita Montenegro

June Collyer

Leila Hyams

Sue Carol

Zelma O'Neil

Joan Marsh

Helen Kaiser & Sally Blane

Happy 120th b-day, El!!

2011-03-25T07:44:00.004-04:00

Today marks the 120th birthday of Elmer Goodfellow Brendel, born March 25th, 1891. What better way to celebrate than posting some rare pics from his career and maybe watching "Just Imagine" later on!!!

This photo comes from the April 1924 issue of Theater Magazine and shows El in one of his vaudeville routines. I have some reviews reporting the "broom" act went over extremely well with audiences.

El and Polly Moran from the sadly lost film "Hot For Paris" (1929).

street candid, circa 1933-'34

This is the first still of El I ever bought. From 1940's "If I Had My Way".

with Sue Carol from another lost film, "The Golden Calf" (1930)

with Joan Wheeler from some film magazine touting El's latest Vitaphone short. Eventually "Hill Billy" would be released in 1934 as "Radio Scout".

This is certainly a rare one. Judging by El's appearance I would date this to be from the late 50's. I don't know if this was a radio show he was on or just performing on stage. Nothing is written on the back of the still so I have absolutely no info on this one.

CINEFEST : MARCH 17th - 20th!!!!

2011-03-09T21:25:00.000-05:00

Every March I can usually count on two things. One, that I have to get my taxes in order and two, I will have an ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL time at Cinefest in Syracuse, New York. For the past 31 years the Syracuse Cinephile Society has been hosting what, for me, is one of the best film festivals in the world. The mix of rare films and the ability see good friends keep me coming back year after year (I think this is my 8th time making the journey!).

Although the Society has chosen to neglect the genius of El Brendel this year (darn!) they have offered up ANOTHER great series of flicks, so let’s go through some of the ones I am really looking forward to:

WHAT PRICE GLORY? (1926) with Victor McLaglen, Edmond Lowe

I had seen this a number of years ago at the Harvard Film Archive and loved it, so this time shouldn’t disappoint either.

STOLEN HEAVEN (1931) with Nancy Carroll, Phillips Homes

Early sound Paramount’s usually rock so we’ll see if this one joins the ranks.

THE DEVIL’S LOTTERY (1932) with Victor McLaglen, Elissa Landi

I LOVE EARLY FOX TALKIES! There is said it. Don’t know why but I can’t get enough of them. I have never seen this one and am REALLY looking forward to this!

THE WOLF SONG (1929) with Gary Cooper, Lupe Velez

The inclusion of Lupe Velez in the credits makes certain that my ass will be firmly attached to a seat in the screening room.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND (1931) with Ruth Gilbert, Ralph Hertz

I guess this is an independent production of the Lewis Carroll classic filmed in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Should be interesting to see and compare it to Paramount’s 1933 version.

FOILED (1930) William J. Burns detective short

These Educational shorts are among the best of the worst and HIGHLY enjoyable. Cinefest has been running this series for a while now and just when you think the well has run dry, another comes to light.

SUNSHINE DAD (1916) with DeWolf Hopper, Max Davidson

An early film with Max Davidson. Nuff said.

LONESOME (1928) with Glenn Tryon, Fay Holderness

I have heard about this film for years (in fact, my bud Rich Finegan says it’s one of this top favorites of all time) and this will be a 35mm print restored by the George Eastman House. Maybe the highlight of the weekend??

THE STORY OF TEMPLE DRAKE (1933) with Miriam Hopkins

This is a film which I have always enjoyed. I've had a “collectors” copy of for years and it always looked TERRIBLE. Well, MoMA restored it and it premiered at the Turner Classic Movies Festival last year so see this clear and sharp as tack should be a revelation.

POOR JAKE’S DEMISE (1913) with Lon Chaney

A Chaney film I haven’t seen yet, so I’m there.

FLAMING YOUTH(excerpt) (1926) with Colleen Moore, Milton Sills

See above but substitute Colleen Moore!

LESSONS IN LOVE (1921) with Constance Talmadge

I have never seen a bad film with Constance and I’m sure this one won’t disappoint either!

There are a bunch of other pictures I’ll be seeing during the 3 ½ days of movies but the above is just a sampler. Cinefest also has dealers of movie posters, stills, books, DVD’s, and just about everything else you can think of that is movie related for you to spend your dough on. If you got the time, I suggest you take the time to come out this year, it’s gonna be a GREAT time!

I just won an award!

2011-02-07T20:25:00.000-05:00

Kiki over at A Rockabilly View has bestowed on me a Stylish Blogger Award!! I didn't think that this blog had a lot of style but hell, I'll take it. There are a few rules that go along with this award:

1)Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award.
2)Share 7 things about yourself
3)Award 10 recently discovered great bloggers.
4)Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award ***SORRY, AIN'T DOING THIS ONE***

So, I guess I should get on with it, eh? Here's 7 things maybe most people don't know about me:

1. I played hockey from the age of 5 up until I was 37.

2. I only like 2 flavors of ice cream: strawberry & to a much lesser extant, vanilla.

3. My other passion is photography. Check out some of my pics here: www.louiedespres.com

4. The Beatles are my favorite band of all time.

5. I am currently try to get my own business off the ground : the Ware River Pet Company

6. I am a recovering record collector who realizes that I should not let record buying take over my life.

7. I like cheap beer best. High Life, PBR, 'Gansett, Utica Club, it's all good!

As for the recent blogs I have found, there isn't too manythat deserve much of a mention but my friend Kylie has one named Confessions of a Pollyana that's a good read.

My buddy Brian continues with the adventures of "Laurel" at Sunday on the Block With Laurel.

You can read and see what all the hype on photographer Vivian Maier is all about at Vivian Maier - Her Discovered Work.

The city I live in has one of the premier research facilities in the world, the American Antiquarian Society. Their blog is great if you love the history of printed items, Past Is Present.

and finally another good friend is artist Derek Ring. He's constantly working on new work and keeps the public up to date at his FIRE_BAD blog. You can also see and buy some of his designs here!

Again, THANK YOU Kiki, I feel special!!!

Miriam Seegar 1907-2011

2011-01-05T21:01:00.002-05:00

One of the few remaining links to El Brendel's film work in the early 30's had died. Miriam Seegar, who appeared with El in the "Movietone Follies of 1930", passed away on January 2nd at her home in Pasadena. I tried to contact her last year to see if I could get any information on El but was informed by her daughter-in-law that she was very frail and could not respond.

Here is her obit from the L.A. Times:

Miriam Seegar Whelan
Actress became an interior designer

Miriam Seegar Whelan, 103, an actress from the early days of talking films who was married to director Tim Whelan, died Sunday of age-related causes at her home in Pasadena, said her daughter-in-law Harriet Whelan.

After her acting career ended, Whelan became an interior designer in Los Angeles.

She was born Sept. 1, 1907, in Greentown, Ind., where she and her sisters enjoyed play-acting as children. In her teens she joined a traveling group of stage performers in the Midwest and New York. She eventually made her way to London and starred opposite Ernest Truex in a West End production of "Crime."

She began appearing in British films in the late 1920s, earning top billing in "Valley of the Ghosts" (1928). She met her future husband on the set of "When Knights Were Bold," a 1929 film he directed.

After the couple returned to the United States, she starred in such Hollywood films as the 1930 romantic comedy "What a Man," the 1930 western "The Dawn Trail" and the 1932 crime drama "Out of Singapore."

She left acting to raise the two sons she had with Whelan. He died in 1957.

Mirian and William Collier, Jr. in "Movietone Follies of 1930"

glass slides kick off 2011!

2011-01-04T09:56:00.002-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Sliding into 2011, what better way to start off than posting stuff I really didn't have to use my brain for. Seeing as I haven't posted any glass slides since May of 2010 and inspired by a discussion over at the Nitrateville forum, I decided to post a mixture of silent and sound titles to kick the year off right: