Larry Semon -- Just Screened Wizard -- December 1, 2024

Film Daily, 05-November-1924

Larry Semon's feature film The Wizard of Oz was very loosely based on L Frank Baum's novel. Larry directed and played the Scarecrow, Oliver Hardy was the Tin Man and Curtis McHenry was the Cowardly Lion. Charlie Murray played the Wizard. 

Film Daily, 02-November-1924

updated 05-December-2024:

Moving Picture World, 13-December-1924

Larry Semon -- Ridolini -- October 2, 2022

Selma Times-Journal, 08-October-1922

"When Larry Semon and his leading woman, Lucille Carlisle, get busy on a golf links there is more fun to the foot than most comedies contain in two reels." 

Selma Times-Journal, 08-October-1922

The big guy with the moustache may be Oliver Hardy. Note that the text in this caption is the same as that in the ad above, except that here they spelled "Lucille" correctly. Both items appeared on the same page.

Great Falls Tribune, 01-October-1922

During a festival in Milan, the people voted Larry Semon as their favorite comedian. The Italians called him "Ridolini." I have read reports that his movies are still shown on Italian television.

Larry Semon - But Never Before in a Comedy - December 1, 2021

Motion Picture News, 24-December-1921

Larry Semon's epic two-reeler "The Sawmill" is said by some sources to be the most expensive silent comedy short ever made. Oliver Hardy was the bad guy.

Motion Picture News, 24-December-1921

Motion Picture News, 24-December-1921

Billy Minus Mustache -- June 27, 2018

Moving Picture World, 01-June-1918

Billy West closely imitated Charlie Chaplin in a long series of comedies for different studios. While Chaplin was making the excellent Mutual comedies, West was making imitations of Chaplin's Essanay comedies. When Chaplin moved on to First National distribution, Billy West was still making comedies for King-Bee. King-Bee often came up with some interesting ads, but I couldn't find any from June, 1918.

Moving Picture World, 01-June-1918

"Straight and Narrow" featured Oliver Hardy, future partner of Stan Laurel and Leo White, who had worked with Chaplin.

Moving Picture World, 01-June-1918

Two fans of Billy West named their son after him.

Moving Picture World, 01-June-1918

I like the reference below the item to a war-time Red Cross drive.

www.listal.com

Moving Picture World, 08-June-1918

Billy West's new leading lady was Myrtle Lind. "Playmates" also featured "Director Charles Parrott (later known as Charley Chase), who makes his debut as an actor in King-Bee Comedies, portraying a dope fiend."

Moving Picture World, 15-June-1918

Billy chose not to wear his Chaplin mustache for "Playmates," where he and Oliver Hardy played young children, in a large-scaled set, just as Hardy did in 1930 with Stan Laurel and without his mustache in "Brats."  King-Bee was making Billy West dolls that exhibitors could give away to their audiences.  I would like to see one of those.

Moving Picture World, 22-June-1918

Charles Parrott, who later starred in comedies as Charlie Chase, and Billy West planned to cooperate on a musical.  Parrott would write the lyrics and West would compose the music.

Moving Picture World, 22-June-1918

"Beauty in Distress" was to feature lots of pretty girls.

Moving Picture World, 22-June-1918

This item describes the special set for "Playmates," which would make Billy West and Oliver Hardy look like small children.

Moving Picture World, 29-June-1918

In its first year, King-Bee produced a Billy West comedy every two weeks.

Be Your Age -- November 3, 2017

Film Daily, 01-November-1926

"Be Your Age" starred Charley Chase and Gladys Hulette with Oliver hardy.  Charley Chase was a dependable star of short subject produced by Hal Roach.  The movie was directed by Leo McCarey, who later became a major director of Hollywood features like Duck Soup, The Awful Truth and Going My Way.

A note at the bottom of this ad says that this ad is a cornerblock provided to theaters to use in newspaper advertising.

www.listal.com

 Gladys Hulette.

Without Any 'If, and, or But' Funniest Two Reelers Ever Made -- October 27, 2017

Motion Picture World, October 6, 2017

Billy West closely imitated Charlie Chaplin in a long series of comedies for different studios.While Chaplin was making the excellent Mutual comedies, West was making imitations of Chaplin's Essanay comedies.

Motion Picture World, October 6, 2017

I wonder why they changed the title.  I think "Star Boarder" may have been used for other movies.

Motion Picture World, October 13, 2017

 The president of King-Bee, Louis Burstein (not "Burnstein") gave his daughter a part in "The Candy Kid." 

Motion Picture World, October 13, 2017

The Bee-Hive exchange distributed King-Bee productions in New York and New Jersey.  Cool. 

Motion Picture World, October 20, 2017

This ad refers to the Fall harvest season. 

Motion Picture World, October 20, 2017

Billy West looks quite Chaplinesque in this scene from "The Fly Cop."  Oliver Hardy stands at the right.  "Fly cop" is a slang term for a plainclothes policeman. 

Madame Mystery -- October 26, 2016

Film Daily, 19-April-1926

Theda Bara was a big star in the mid-Teens, playing vampish characters in Fox movies.  When the craze for vamp pictures cooled down, so did her career.  In the mid-Twenties, she made a comeback, appearing in a series of short comedies for producer Hal Roach.

The cast of "Madame Mystery" included Roach stalwarts Oliver Hardy, James Finlayson and Martha Sleeper.  

www.listal.com

Bromo and Juliet -- November 8, 2015

Film Daily, 13-September-1926

Charley Chase does Shakespeare, supported by Oliver Hardy.

45 Minutes From Hollywood -- October 6, 2015

Film Daily, 23-December-1926

Glenn Tryon was a minor comedian who made many shorts for producer Hal Roach.  In "45 Minutes From Hollywood," Tryon plays a rube who goes to Hollywood.  The movie is famous because it is the second film in which both Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel appeared, although they don't appear together.  Theda Bara also appears in a clip from one of her Roach movies. 

A note at the bottom of this ad says that it is a cornerblock provided to theaters to use in newspaper advertising.

Stan Laurel 125 -- June 16, 2015

New Movie, October, 1930

Happy 125th birthday to comic genius Stan Laurel.  He we see him with his partner Oliver Hardy and James Parrott, brother of Charley Chase.

Pictures and the Picturegoer, 18-August-1915

Today is also the 100th anniversary of the death of actor Elmer Booth, who is best remembered as the charming gangster in DW Griffiths' "The Musketeers of Pig Alley."  Booth was driving an auto with director Tod Browning and actor   George Siegmann.  Browning later worked with Lon Chaney.  Siegmann had played Silas Lynch in Birth of a Nation.  The auto hit a streetcar.  Booth was killed and Browning and Siegmann were injured. 

Say it With Babies -- January 3, 2015

Glenn Tryon was a minor comedian who made many shorts for producer Hal Roach.  In "Say it With Babies," Tryon plays a baby expert who manages what we would call a child care center in a department store.  Oliver Hardy plays the floorwalker. 

A note at the bottom of this ad says that it is a cornerblock provided to theaters to use in newspaper advertising.

Eve's Love Letters -- November 1, 2014

Film Daily, 20-May-1927

Agnes Ayres had been a big star in the early 1920s, appearing in The Sheik with Rudolph Valentino.  By the later 1920s, her career had slipped.  Along with other fallen stars like Theda Bara, Agnes Ayres appeared in some short comedies for Hal Roach.  Stan Laurel played her butler, who helped her deal with a blackmailer played by Oliver Hardy. 

A note at the bottom of this ad says that it is a cornerblock provided to theaters to use in newspaper advertising.

Rex, King of the Wild Horses -- February 15, 2014

In honor of the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Horse, here is Rex, King of the Wild Horses, starring in No Man's Law.  Rex was a big stallion who appeared in features produced by Hal Roach and serials for Mascot.  The movie featured Roach regulars Oliver Hardy, as the villain, Barbara Kent and James Finlayson.  Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version. 

The San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade is tonight. 

 The Old Corral (http://www.b-westerns.com/) has some nice stories about Rex and links where you can download some of his movies. 

The ad is from the 17-April-1927 Film Daily. 

Love Em and Weep -- January 19, 2014

This item, from the 06-June-1927 Film Daily, is an ad for "Love Em and Weep," a two reel Hal Roach comedy, distributed by Pathé, starring Mae Busch and Jimmy (Fin) Finlayson.  Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy appeared in the movie, but not as a team. 

A note at the bottom says that this ad is a cornerblock provided to theaters to use in newspaper advertising.