NitrateVille.com

Posted: **Sun Dec 30, 2012 10:38 pm**

Hey Guys and Gals,

It's time to begin thinking about SLAPSTICON 2013!!!!!!!

We've been getting things prepared and updating the Website and now the Film Program's online!

Though always subject to change without notice, and more stuff will be added as we go along, this will begin to whet your appetites for four days of Great Comedy at our new venue, the University Cinema at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, Thursday through Sunday, June 27-30th.

The film program can be seen here:

http://www.slapsticon.org/program.html" target="_blank" target="_blank

Hope to See You There.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Posted: **Mon Dec 31, 2012 7:18 am**

Looks like another amazing line up. Happy to see Slapsticon back for 2013!

Posted: **Thu Jan 03, 2013 12:57 pm**

Jimmie Adams and Doris Dawson in Swiss Movements.

Posted: **Tue Jan 08, 2013 9:20 am**

The Biddle Hotel is already sold out for the entire week???

Every option I tried for reserving a room was met with an "unable to accommodate" response. I realize June is commencement month...

Has a block of rooms been set aside for Slapsticon attendees?

Jim

Posted: **Tue Jan 08, 2013 9:53 am**

Jim Roots wrote:The Biddle Hotel is already sold out for the entire week???

Every option I tried for reserving a room was met with an "unable to accommodate" response. I realize June is commencement month...

Has a block of rooms been set aside for Slapsticon attendees?

Jim

How interesting! Say JIm, Send me a PM with a little more info, did you call the Hotel, who you talked to, did you mention Slapsticon etc. We're looking into this immediately.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Posted: **Tue Jan 08, 2013 11:48 am**

Well, that was easy. The confusion at the Biddle has apparently been straightened out. The Slapsticon rooms will be available for reserving most likely by this Thursday evening. If calling to reserve, mention Slapsticon and if reserving online, the hotel code is "Slapstick". Anyone having trouble after Thursday, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Stop Press, I've been informed that the rooms at the Biddle are available now! Here's the instructions for booking them:

Guests can either make reservations online at http://www.imu.indiana.edu" target="_blank or by calling the hotel directly at 800.209.8145.

Online Reservation instructions:
click “Biddle Hotel”
click “accommodations”
scroll down to “reserve a room”
put in desired arrival / departure dates
click here for special rates
enter group code: SLAPSTICK
click “check availability”
make selection and process reservation

Someone else has asked me offgroup when the IU Cinema will be taking registrations for the Fest, and that should be happening at the end of this week as well. Geez Gang, it's still six months away, nobody thought you'd all be chomping at the bit!

A couple of recommendations, if you will be driving to Slapsticon, you might think about staying at any of the several budget hotels listed on the Slapsticon website, as we do have a very limited number of rooms reserved for Slapsticon at the Biddle. Parking for Slapsticon at IU will not be a problem, and all of the Budget Hotels are just down the road from IU about a mile and a half to two miles away.

That said, the Biddle is a VERY nice old and classy Hotel. It's a part of IU's Student Union, so as well as a nice restaurant and bar, it's attached to the Student Unions Cafeteria and Food Court, which offers several fast food options, and the Biddle is just a 500 foot walk from the University Cinema where Slapsticon will be held. The other nice thing about the Biddle is it's just chocked-full of lovely areas full of overstuffed easy chairs and couches where groups of Film Comedy Mavens and Fans can congregate for into-the-wee-hours conversation. Add to that the beautiful IU Campus being a lovely place to take walks (as well as research jaunts to the Lilly Library which houses many important film peoples collections, or those inclined could mosey over to see what's cooking at the Kinsey Institute) indicate that, along with the knockout University Cinema which is a heck of a neat place to show movies, the whole darn venue will be a great place to hold a Slapsticon.

Enough sales talk from me for now, let me know if you folks have any other problems.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Posted: **Wed Jan 09, 2013 7:26 am**

Many thanks for taking care of this so quickly, Richard.

This is the very first time a Slapsticon has NOT been scheduled for the same weekend as my employer's AGM, so theoretically I have that free spot in my schedule. I just need to figure out the travel logistics, because my Mum's 90th birthday is on July 1st in Toronto, and I don't want to miss that.

Jim

Posted: **Sat Jan 19, 2013 2:59 am**

I wish I lived closer to this. Though I'm sure there are many treasures being screened, the one that I'd really like to see is FATHERS CLOSE SHAVE (aka JIGGS CLOSE SHAVE). I note that it has been shown at previous SLAPSTICONs. Can anyone here give me any details about it?

Posted: **Sat Jan 19, 2013 9:10 am**

cjh5801 wrote:I wish I lived closer to this. Though I'm sure there are many treasures being screened, the one that I'd really like to see is FATHERS CLOSE SHAVE (aka JIGGS CLOSE SHAVE). I note that it has been shown at previous SLAPSTICONs. Can anyone here give me any details about it?

You note wrong, FATHERS CLOSE SHAVE has never been shown at a previous Slapsticon. It is one of the first live-action series of comedy shorts based on George McManus's comic strip BRINGING UP FATHER produced by Al Christie in 1920, featuring Johnnie Ray (not the creepy pop singer from the 50's, but an equally creepy-looking Welsh Comedian from the teens) who essayed the part of Jiggs, and Margaret Cullington Fitzroy playing Maggie. Laura laPlante also appears in an early role as their Daughter. It's a wonderfully weird and rare little short comedy, which is paired with the first feature from the 1940's Monogram series based on the Strip, featuring Joe Yule Sr.(father of MIckey Rooney) as Jiggs and Renee Riano as Maggie, an equally delightful feature written and directed by Eddie Cline and featuring a fine cast of veteran supporting comedians. Not to be missed.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Posted: **Sat Jan 19, 2013 2:55 pm**

Thanks for the correction, Richard. The film was listed online as having been scheduled in 2011 (http://www.silentcomedymafia.com/viewto ... ?f=5&t=485" target="_blank).

I've seen the 1946 version of BUF and would love to have a decent copy of it on DVD. BUF and JIGGS AND MAGGIE OUT WEST show up on the gray market from time to time in barely watchable condition, but I've yet to see any of the others in the series. The series deserves to be released on DVD, at least in MOD form if nothing else.

For anyone interested, I maintain a BUF fan site at: http://home.comcast.net/~cjh5801a/Jiggs.htm" target="_blank

p.s. The 1928 silent BUF should be released on DVD as well. It's no masterpiece, but it's a shame it's so neglected.

Posted: **Sat Jan 19, 2013 7:08 pm**

cjh5801 wrote:I wish I lived closer to this.

Slapsticon’s Bloomington venue is only 45 miles from the Indianapolis airport.

Posted: **Sat Jan 19, 2013 10:57 pm**

cjh5801 wrote:Thanks for the correction, Richard. The film was listed online as having been scheduled in 2011 (http://www.silentcomedymafia.com/viewto ... ?f=5&t=485" target="_blank" target="_blank).

Yeah, but we didn't have a Slapsticon in 2011, did we. That's the one that got cancelled. Once again, it has never been shown at a Slapsticon.

I've seen the 1946 version of BUF and would love to have a decent copy of it on DVD. BUF and JIGGS AND MAGGIE OUT WEST show up on the gray market from time to time in barely watchable condition, but I've yet to see any of the others in the series. The series deserves to be released on DVD, at least in MOD form if nothing else.

Well, don't hold your breath. There are rights issues that guarantee that both the Monogram Jiggs and Maggie and Joe Palooka series will never make it to DVD. They haven't been seen even on television since the 50's, and prints are scarce.

For anyone interested, I maintain a BUF fan site at: http://home.comcast.net/~cjh5801a/Jiggs.htm" target="_blank" target="_blank

p.s. The 1928 silent BUF should be released on DVD as well. It's no masterpiece, but it's a shame it's so neglected.

Yes, it is a pity that that one hasn't run on TCM, as there is good surviving print material on it, but there may be a rights situation similar to the Monogram issue with it. We tried to get the comedically challenged Cinecon to run it for years to no avail. It does actually play well with an audience.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Posted: **Sat Jan 19, 2013 11:28 pm**

Richard M Roberts wrote: Yeah, but we didn't have a Slapsticon in 2011, did we. That's the one that got cancelled. Once again, it has never been shown at a Slapsticon.

I guess you'd know. I never heard of Slapsticon until a few days ago. Thanks for deigning to respond.

Well, don't hold your breath. There are rights issues that guarantee that both the Monogram Jiggs and Maggie and Joe Palooka series will never make it to DVD. They haven't been seen even on television since the 50's, and prints are scarce.

Thanks for the info. Though I believe BUF and J&M OUT WEST have been on TV somewhere since the 50s, since I've seen VHS tapes taken from broadcast TV.

For anyone interested, I maintain a BUF fan site at: http://home.comcast.net/~cjh5801a/Jiggs.htm" target="_blank

p.s. The 1928 silent BUF should be released on DVD as well. It's no masterpiece, but it's a shame it's so neglected.

Yes, it is a pity that that one hasn't run on TCM, as there is good surviving print material on it, but there may be a rights situation similar to the Monogram issue with it. We tried to get the comedically challenged Cinecon to run it for years to no avail. It does actually play well with an audience.

Well, at least it played well with one audience. I've seen that it wasn't as well received at a second showing. I've seen this on VHS as well, however, and I can agree it deserves a spot on TCM's schedule.

Posted: **Sat Jan 19, 2013 11:41 pm**

I guess you'd know. I never heard of Slapsticon until a few days ago. Thanks for deigning to respond.

Well, if you're out of the loop, you're out of the loop, you just needed to read a bit farther down on the Silent Comedy Mafia Website and you'd have been in the loop.

Thanks for the info. Though I believe BUF and J&M OUT WEST have been on TV somewhere since the 50s, since I've seen VHS tapes taken from broadcast TV.

If they were, they were some podunk station with an old Movies for Television Monogram package still showing them after their license expired. I know the longtime and current owner of both series and know what packages those films have been in, they haven;t been in a television package since the late 50's. Most 16mm prints you find on those films now are actually old non-theatrical rental prints, usually in well-worn condition.

Well, at least it played well with one audience. I've seen that it wasn't as well received at a second showing. I've seen this on VHS as well, however, and I can agree it deserves a spot on TCM's schedule.

It played well with a warm audience that wanted to laugh, it apparently died before a tragically-hip, comedically challenged crowd and the word of that showing has killed much further showings of it. It would do great with a Slapsticon audience, and one of these years, we might just run it, along with a few more of the Monogram Jiggs and Maggies as well.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Posted: **Sun Jan 20, 2013 4:46 am**

Richard M Roberts wrote:Well, if you're out of the loop, you're out of the loop, you just needed to read a bit farther down on the Silent Comedy Mafia Website and you'd have been in the loop.

I'm so far out of the loop, I didn't even know there was a loop. I was just searching for info on the Johnny Ray BUF series.

Thanks for the info. Though I believe BUF and J&M OUT WEST have been on TV somewhere since the 50s, since I've seen VHS tapes taken from broadcast TV.

If they were, they were some podunk station with an old Movies for Television Monogram package still showing them after their license expired. I know the longtime and current owner of both series and know what packages those films have been in, they haven;t been in a television package since the late 50's. Most 16mm prints you find on those films now are actually old non-theatrical rental prints, usually in well-worn condition.

Quite possibly. I got the J&M OUT WEST tape from Western aficionado Les Adams. I don't recall where I got BUF from. Could you elucidate on the problem with the rights to the series?

Thanks.

Posted: **Wed Jan 30, 2013 11:46 pm**

Scan of a lobby card kindly shared by film historian Robert James Kiss. I hope someone who attends Slapsticon will be willing to share their observations on this short when they get back.

Posted: **Fri Feb 08, 2013 7:06 pm**

Richard M Roberts wrote: FATHERS CLOSE SHAVE ... is paired with the first feature from the 1940's Monogram series based on the Strip, featuring Joe Yule Sr.(father of MIckey Rooney) as Jiggs and Renee Riano as Maggie, an equally delightful feature written and directed by Eddie Cline and featuring a fine cast of veteran supporting comedians. Not to be missed.

Funny how the father and son first found film fame in a comic strip series.

Posted: **Fri Feb 08, 2013 7:11 pm**

Funny how the father and son first found film fame in comic strip series.

Funnier still is that one could now fluff up what's left of the Mick's hair and he could do Jiggs and Maggie all over again.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Posted: **Mon Feb 25, 2013 5:00 am**

Those with spare moments during, before, or after Slapsticon might want
to enjoy the Lily Library Cinema collections including
David Bradley's vintage films and star-packed home movies...
CLICK LINKS BELOW TO VIEW
SAMPLES OF BRADLEY'S HOME MOVIES AND SILENT FILMS

David Bradley's home movies of
Charles Higham, Sally Forrest, Milo Frank, Nick von Sternberg,
Ruth Taylor(?), Bobbie Bresee, and a 1967 New Year's Party
wuth Jayne Mansfield & her kids, Leo G. Carroll, King Vidor and Forrest Ackerman
http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/vss/vie ... Id=VAB9332

Love's Young Scream Al Christie 1928
Jack Duffy
http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/vss/vie ... Id=VAC1350

Posted: **Mon Feb 25, 2013 5:35 am**

Love's Young Scream Al Christie 1928
Jack Duffy

http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/vss/vie ... Id=VAC1350" target="_blank

Unfortunately, on their site, IU has listed this as the 1919 Rolin LOVE'S YOUNG SCREAM, which sadly, it isn't. That's the short Roach shot when Harold Lloyd had walked off the lot in a salary dispute. Alf Goulding plays the Lloyd part in the glasses.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

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Joe Yule Sr: SLAPSTICON 2013

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Watch David Bradley's film collection at Lily Library

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