Blanche Sweet, original portrait by Hartsook, c.1915, sepia, 9 3/16 X 7 3/8, Hartsook Studio portrait taken circa 1915, Front embossed stamp "Hartsook photo SF-LA" Blanche Sweet, actress, b.Chicago, 1895, d.1986; active 1909-1931.
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One of Frederica Sagor Maas' scripts launched Clara Bow. Maas eventually quit the movie business in disgust and much later wrote a scathing book about the industry.
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The year was 1914. Mack Sennett had been making movies for six years, first for the Biograph Co. where he worked with D.W. Griffith and then for a movie production company he helped create which wo…
Next in our journey of 'Silent Forever' stars are an actor and actress who both passed away from tuberculosis in their thirties. Arthur V. Johnson, who was rumored to be D.W. Griffith's favorite actor, and Lottie Lyell, considered to be Australia's first movie star. ******************************** Arthur V. ( the V is for Vaughen) Johnson was born on February 2, 1876 in Cincinnati Ohio. He was the second son born to Rev. Myron Johnson and his wife, Frances. He had an older brother named Reginald who worked as a teacher, and a younger sister named Maude. When he was 19 years old, Arthur left college and went on tour with a Shakespearean acting troupe. He made his silver screen debut in the 1905 Edison short, White Caps. Three years later, Arthur went to work for Biograph and was paired alongside such names as Florence Lawrence, Robert Harron, Henry B. Walthall, Mack Sennett, and the main lady herself, Mary Pickford. What I found interesting is that all of his 326 film roles were in shorts, meaning he never appeared in a feature length film. And to imagine him appearing in that many films, shorts or not, within a span of ten years is incredible! Acting wasn't the only thing keeping him busy. Arthur also had the opportunity to direct while he was working for the Lubin Studios. In total, he put his director stamp on twenty-six film shorts. His last film role was in the 1915 short, The Last Rose. Arthur and Linda Arvidson Arthur V. Johnson passed away on January 17, 1916 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He had reportedly been dealing with alcoholism, a nervous breakdown, and even a few car accidents that all led to his body being worn down. He fell ill with tuberculosis soon after which led to his untimely death. He was buried at Fairview Cemetery in Chicopee, Massachusetts. Arthur was married once, to fellow actor Florence Hackett. I am not sure of the exact year they got married, but I believe it to be either 1913 or 1914. They remained married until his death, and the only children they had were her two sons, Albert and Raymond from a previous marriage. It is worth mentioning that Raymond Hackett was married to silent screen star Blanche Sweet from 1935 until his death in 1958. Raymond also passed on words of wisdom from his step father to his friend, James Cagney who used them to better his acting. I just love all the connections! Here's Arthur Johnson; oh, Arthur, dear, To be your wife I would have no fear, But then, I have heard you are awf'ly gruff, And that it is because you are in 'luff!' I love sweet Mary Pickford, Marion Leonard I adore; I am strong for Arthur Johnson As well as Owen Moore; But ask me who my favorite be 'Tis Miss Lawrence, all agree. "His very frankness of speech and original way demands attention. Also, the enthusiastic and frank way in which he acts places him in a far superior class to those whose acting appears self-conscious and unnatural." -- Florence Glaser, of Philadelphia ****************************************** Lottie Lyell was born Charlotte Edith Cox on February 23, 1890 in Balmain, New South Wales, Australia. She was the youngest daughter of Joseph, a land and estate agent, and his wife, Charlotte. When she was around seventeen she made her stage debut under the name Lottie Lyell. It wasn't until a few years later in 1910 that she began to get noticed for her performance in the play An Englishman's Home. Her success led her to join a travelling theatre troupe that took her all over Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania. The next year she decided to try her hand at the new 'fad' of film making. She made her screen debut in The Bushranger's Bride. In a span of about thirteen years she appeared in roughly 24 films. One of the films she appeared in, 1918's The Woman Suffers was actually banned in South Australia for no given reason. I am guessing it is because part of the film involves Lottie's character being seduced by a man, impregnated by him, and then abandoned. Her response is to try to abort her baby but then is stopped by the man's brother. Quite the scandalous soap opera there, especially for 1918! William Coulter, Lottie, and Arthur Tauchert Not only was Lottie a swell actress, she also worked as a writer, editor, and director on some of her films. She was also an accomplished horsewoman. Like Gish/Griffith and Garbo/Stiller, Lottie had a director/actor partnership with Raymond Longford. Their films were well known because of spectacular special effects (for 1913 that is), excellent screenplays, art direction, and production. They even created a company called Longford-Lyell Australian Motion Picture Productions, but unfortunately the company liquidated its assets in 1924. The company and their films were doing fine, so the loss of the company seemed odd to some people. She made her last screen appearance in the 1923 film, Gentleman in Mufti. Lottie Lyell passed away on December 21, 1925 in Sydney. She was buried in Macquarie Park Cemetery in North Ryde, South Wales, Australia. What is REALLY interesting is that she is buried with Raymond Longford. Were the two married? Nope. In fact, it says on the gravestone that he was the 'beloved husband of Emilie Longford.' She must have been one hell of a woman because it was actually HER idea for her husband to be buried by Lottie. Apparently Raymond had been living with Lottie and her family and were considered a couple but were unable to be officially married because his first wife, Melena was a devout Catholic and would not divorce her husband. Something must have happened to her faith though because the two did divorce in 1926, the year after Lottie died. He married Emilie Anschutz in 1933.
The silent film era featured creative storytelling techniques like miming and slapstick. Read and write about silent film era classics like Charlie Chaplin.
Belgian postcard issued by the Splendid-Cinéma for the showing of The Way of Los Souls aka The Woman He Scorned (in French: Son dernier tango) (Paul Czinner, 1929), produced by Gaumont-British as an early sound film (some say it was instead a late silent film, so maybe it was shot in both a silent and a sound version). The film is about a prostitute (Negri) and a lighthouse keeper (Hans Rehmann) who marry, but her past and her lover (Warwick Ward) haunt her. It was Czinner's first British film. he would eventually settle in Britain with his wife, actress Elisabeth Bergner, pursued by the nazi's. Location shooting was done in Cornwall. According to the verso of this postcard, the film contained song and dialogue and was shown from 15 August [1932?] in the Splendid-Cinéma (formerly Pathé-Nord), 152, Bd. Adolphe Max in Brussels. The film was forbidden for children. Polish film actress Pola Negri (1894-1987) achieved notoriety as a femme fatale in silent films between 1910s and 1930s.
One of the bright lights of the early silent era was the first actress promoted by name
“Life of an American Fireman” is a short, silent film Edwin S. Porter made for the Edison Manufacturing Company. It was shot late in 1902 and distributed early in 1903. One of th…
## Introduction Throughout history, fashion has served as a silent storyteller, reflecting the societal norms, cultural identities, and individual personalities of its time. Some figures, however, have transcended trends and left behind timeless secrets of style that transcend eras. From royalty to rebels, each generation has learned from those who came before, adapting and reinterpreting […]
Public Service Announcement, 1910s.