Harold Lloyd is Shown in 18 Theaters in Omaha -- May 23, 2018

Moving Picture World, 11-May-1918

"Positively the best single reel comedies made."  Harold looks very enthusiastic in this image.  I guess he always did look enthusiastic.  Note that Toto is on the top of the full page ad.

Bridgeport Times and Evening Farmer, 24-May-1918

"Harold Lloyd Comedy" appears at the very bottom of this newspaper ad from Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Moving Picture World, 11-May-1918

Hal Roach was consolidating his control of the Rolin Film Company, easing out Dwight Whiting, who had been secretary and treasurer.

Pathé to Push Lloyd Comedies -- April 20, 2018

Moving Picture World, 27-April-1918

Happy 125th birthday to Harold Lloyd, who was born on 20-April-1893.  

This Pathé ad features both Toto, whom Hal Roach was trying to promote as the next big Rolin comedy star, and Harold Lloyd. He is reading a book entitled How to Box.

Moving Picture World, 06-April-1918

Harold Lloyd's "Follow the Crowd" is listed with other releases, including a Pearl White serial, The House of Hate.  Harold's movie "is a smashing, laugh-producing series of startling incidents..."

Moving Picture World, 06-April-1918

"On the Jump" featured Harold as a bellhop and Snub Pollard as the house detective at the Squirrel Inn.  Bebe Daniels was the leading lady.  "There are a number of amusing knockabout situations which will bring laughter."

Moving Picture World, 13-April-1918

A review of comic actors says "Harold Lloyd is a young performer with a real comic bent.  He is a personable young fellow of the Max Linder, dress-suit type."

Moving Picture World, 13-April-1918

 Last month we saw Harold visit New York.  This month he has returned "After signing a new contract for his appearance in Pathé-Rolin comedies."  Perhaps Harold's contract status is the reason Hal Roach was looking for a new star. 

Moving Picture World, 13-April-1918

"Follow the Crowd" is "a typical number, with some good small business in it."

Moving Picture World, 20-April-1918

Pathé to Push Lloyd Comedies."

Harold Lloyd Vists New York -- March 21, 2018

Moving Picture World, 30-March-1918

Harold Lloyd left the studio where he was producing one film a week to visit Pathé executives.  "It's a Wild Life" was a short with Harold as the Glass Character.

Moving Picture World, 02-March-1918

Moving Picture World, 16-March-1918

Moving Picture World, 23-March-1918

Meanwhile, back at Rolin, Hal Roach was trying to play up Toto as his new great comedian.  It didn't work out.

Harold Lloyd -- He Knows -- January 23, 2018

Moving Picture World, 05-January-1918

Harold Lloyd had been successfully appearing in the Lonesome Luke comedies for Hal Roach's Rolin since 1915. He felt dissatisfied with the unrealistic Luke, who had started as an imitation of Charley Chaplin, and looked for a new character. Lloyd came up with what he called the "Glass Character." This ad mentions Lonesome Luke, but by December, he had moved on from producing Lonesome Lukes and was only appearing as the character we know and love.

Moving Picture World, 12-January-1918

Meanwhile, Hal Roach was looking for new stars. He found the famous circus clown Toto, who was a Swiss man named Alfonso Novello. Toto came to the US during the war and was very successful in vaudeville. He was less successful in the movies.

Moving Picture World, 12-January-1918

"The Toto comedy is certain to make a particular appeal to children, and its humor is clean and inoffensive."  I imagine children might have been scared of Toto.

They Simply Go Wild Over Him -- December 21, 2017

Moving Picture World, 01-December-1917

Harold Lloyd had been successfully appearing in the Lonesome Luke comedies for Hal Roach's Rolin since 1915.  He felt dissatisfied with the unrealistic Luke, who had started as an imitation of Charley Chaplin, and looked for a new character.  Lloyd came up with what he called the "Glass Character."  This ad mentions Lonesome Luke, but by December, he had moved on from producing Lonesome Lukes and was only appearing as the character we know and love.

Moving Picture World, 22-December-1917

"Love, Laughs and Lather" was a Lonesome Luke film, but the photo shows Harold as the Glass Character.

Moving Picture World, 08-December-1917

Meanwhile, Hal Roach was looking for new stars.  He found the famous circus clown Toto, who was a Swiss man named Alfonso Novello. Toto came to the US during the war and was very successful in vaudeville.  He was less successful in the movies.

Moving Picture World, 22-December-1917

Moving Picture World, 29-December-1917

"Toto is ... the greatest attraction for children and grown-up children at the New York Hippodrome."
 

The Man Who Makes Laughter Compulsory -- October 25, 2017

Moving Picture World, 20-October-1917

Harold Lloyd had been successfully appearing in the Lonesome Luke comedies for Hal Roach's Rolin since 1915.  He felt dissatisfied with the unrealistic Luke, who had started as an imitation of Charley Chaplin, and looked for a new character.  Lloyd came up with what he called the "Glass Character."  "Over the Fence" was the first film with the glass character.  In what may have been a unique arrangement, Lloyd appeared in two-reelers as Lonesome Luke and one-reelers as the glass character.  Lloyd reasoned that the new character would get more exposure in the shorter films, which could be released more frequently. This is the first ad I have found that uses a photo of Lloyd as the "Glass Character" rather than Lonesome Luke.

Moving Picture World, 13-October-1917

This item reviews a Lonesome Luke. "Birds of a Feather" and a "Glass Character" film, "Bliss."

Moving Picture World, 20-October-1917

 Meanwhile, Hal Roach was looking for new stars.  He found the famous circus clown Toto, who was a Swiss man named Alfonso Novello. Toto came to the US during the war and was very successful in vaudeville.  He was less successful in the movies.  Notice that he started out in two-reelers, which were considered more important than one reelers. "The Toto comedies will make a misanthrope laugh."