Tweet Billie Dove hair test for THE LOVE MART (1927)

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George Willeman of the Library of Congress recently took some frame captures of a surviving "hair" screen test of Billie Dove for The Love Mart, directed by George Fitzmaurice.












(Thanks to George for allowing me to share these pictures.)

The Love Mart is a lost film. It would be interesting to see for a several reasons. First of all, Boris Karloff had an early role in this film as a slave master or auctioneer.


Karloff's photos go quite high on eBay, but I think that he's the guy in the big black hat under the window here.


Since the film dealth with the selling of slaves, it would have been interesting to see how it dealt with the topic of slavery and how it treated its black characters. On this postcard, Raymond Turner is identified next to Gilbert Roland. The plot had to do with Noah Beery getting revenge on Billie Dove's father by declaring that she is an "octoroon" (one-eighth African American) and she is sold in the slave market.


And of course it had the beautiful Billie Dove as the star (with Noah Beery), getting billed over Gilbert Roland.


Billie Dove, Emile Chautard and Gilbert Roland.

Love those spit-curls. (Though Billie was even more ravishing, I think, with a finger-waved bob.)

Bruce,

This is wonderful! It would be nice if TCM would dust off at least one of Billie's surviving First National Silents. Maybe THE TENDER HOUR, or SENSATION SEEKERS. Does THE AMERICAN BEAUTY exist?

Bruce,

Interestingly enough, when I hit auto contrast and auto brightness, this was the result. No tint of any kind has been added, but suddenly it looks like faded Two-color Technicolor. I could have spruced this up some more, but other than removing some artifacts, I did nothing else. The 4rth one doesn't seem to have quite as much color information.

Here's an original color lobby card:

Bob,

Great lobby-card. I think I have a couple of posters and a trade ad in here someplace. If you can fix the teeth on Blanche sure would appreciate it. I haven't been able too.

Gagman,

I will take Blanche to the dentist ASAP. I suppose we should mention that this photo of Blanche Sweet can be found on our own little Elba known as "Colorizing Photos" under Collecting and Preservation.

I suppose we should mention that this photo of Blanche Sweet can be found on our own little Elba known as "Colorizing Photos" under Collecting and Preservation.

Thanks for the warning.

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Here's a herald for The Love Mart:





When I first started collecting stills, I stumbled across a few from this film, and have been lucky to notice when more were for sale.


Billie Dove


Billie Dove and Gilbert Roland


Billie Dove and Emile Chautard


Gilbert Roland, Billie Dove and Armand Kaliz

Bruce,

These are great. Makes you wish that the film would be uncovered. How recently was the Hair Test fragment discovered? Do you know? Is it a fairly recent discovery? I think I have a few other stills. I'll look for them.

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The "hair test" photos were taken with a color camera of an original B&W image. Some of the other images George took had some nitrate deterioration (I did not post those here), and the film may have just had a slight natural tint to it.

I have about 30 photos from the film at my website.

I don't know if it was just recently discovered, but it was just examined by George Willeman at the Library of Congress.

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This test is from Irving Willat's personal collection. He was married to Dove before Howard Hughes stole her away.


Here's a 1922 Kodachrome test of Billie Dove from the same collection, courtesy of George Willeman.

This test is from Irving Willat's personal collection. He was married to Dove before Howard Hughes stole her away.


Here's a 1922 Kodachrome test of Billie Dove from the same collection, courtesy of George Willeman.

Nice, any idea if they have screeners at the LOC for these?