NEW VINTAGE VITAPHONE 4 DVD ANNOUNCED TODAY

Marr&Colton · Post by **Marr&Colton** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 4:01 pm

Well, it is great these rare shorts are available and restored!

ON THE OTHER HAND: I run shorts for my home theatre movie parties and the last Vitaphone set that came out had a lot of "duds" on it I wouldn't show to the old movie fans in my audience--some were dull, others are mediocre. In that set the only really "hot" shorts were the two discs of old Technicolor celebrity shorts. After looking over the titles of the new set, many look like "tough sledding" to show to friends.

Make no mistake--ALL shorts and features whether silent or sound need to be saved and available to view. Perhaps someday some of the lesser material will come in vogue again.

LouieD · Post by **LouieD** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 4:13 pm

Gagman 66 wrote: Hey, it's not like Colleen Moore doesn't still have some surviving work left to see. Harold Aherne mentioned just a week or so ago that about 47% of films exist in at least partial form. But nothing restored is available or in circulation on DVD or even TCM. This is what I fail to understand. At least HER WILD OAT, or LILAC TIME should be accessible. If not COME ON OVER, BROKEN CHAINS, IRENE, TWINKLETOES, and ORCHIDS AND ERMINE. The lack of a release of even ELLA CINDERS from Kino or Flicker Alley is disappointing, since the film is Public-Domain.

Yup, Brendel STILL has a better survival rate!!

Gagman 66 · Post by **Gagman 66** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:11 pm

Here are some stills from "HAPPINESS AHEAD" Need Moore.

Harold Aherne · Post by **Harold Aherne** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 7:09 pm

Marr&Colton wrote:Well, it is great these rare shorts are available and restored!

ON THE OTHER HAND: I run shorts for my home theatre movie parties and the last Vitaphone set that came out had a lot of "duds" on it I wouldn't show to the old movie fans in my audience--some were dull, others are mediocre. In that set the only really "hot" shorts were the two discs of old Technicolor celebrity shorts. After looking over the titles of the new set, many look like "tough sledding" to show to friends.

Make no mistake--ALL shorts and features whether silent or sound need to be saved and available to view. Perhaps someday some of the lesser material will come in vogue again.

Well, the mileage that you get out of Vitaphone subjects (and maybe early talkie musicals in general) depends on how much you love the music and popular entertainment of the period in general. Some of the performers in this complilation are like old friends whom I know only through recordings (like the Revelers; their soundtrack is included in the WA podcast). Actually *seeing* Franklyn Baur, Elliott Shaw, Lewis James and Wilfred Glenn* do their thing makes them come to life even more and reminds one what an amazing, precious resource these films are.

Still others in this set never appeared before a camera or a microphone (that was connected to a recording stylus) again. I hadn't heard of Eddie White before, but his high tenor won me over with his ease and charm. Likewise, the Henry B. Walthall, Bryant Washburn and Mitchell Lewis films in the collection are possibly those actors' first sound efforts.

You might not find an equivalent of The Last Laugh or The Crowd when you watch Vitaphone subjects--but you'll have a much better idea of the kind of popular entertainment the public enjoyed when those films were made.

-Harold

*I'm guessing that was the lineup at the time their Vita short was filmed, although Charles Harrison might have taken Baur's place.

moviepas · Post by **moviepas** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 4:53 am

Hi! Clangsman. I know that shop well and it used to be in Bentleigh at Centre Road in a VHS shop. It had been run by a woman and moved from Swanston Street/City. I was up the other end of the same Bentleigh block with my record shop etc, near the old Hoyts Bentleigh moviehouse. He might have done this from home before the Elsternwick shop. He was always in court trouble but it seemed all pointless. I got a few thousand dollars worth of sale stuff he imported from RKO/Turner(these were being thrown out at $5 in USA but this guy charged about $30 each), TCF & others. I even got some titles sold out later at my door, I was amazed. But he was an arrogant sod and we had many a row on the phone but he still sold to me. I was burnt out on Mother's Day 1997(May 11) and I think his shop was torched in the June. I had a box of Lasers still in the postage box from USA near the seat of the fire and they were untouched. These were duplicates of what I had in my collection at home. I traded one after the fire for another disc from a small collection carried by a Home Theatre business owned by a plumbing firm at Neerim Road, Murrumbeena opposite the Ziess Ikon warehouse. There was a small theatrette at the front and the stock was displayed there. He had no trouble selling them from anyone. The home theatre friend left and the plumbers decided to close the business(Grescke?). The other place was opened for a month before being made to close shop at North Melbourne and I got a few for very little from there. There was one in Smith Street/Collingwood that was left alone except that they got robbed one night and all the stock was taken. This could have been the people who opened in Ormond East(North Road) and had DVDs which I bought a few and they had Laser there but said DVDs were not as good as the Lasers. History tells a different story. They could no longer compete with the other stores and the internet(who wants to buy from overseas they used to say). They added Karaoke machines for hire and moved to their home at Berwick or near there and I used to get e-mails of stuff they were selling but this stopped years ago and I assume they went into something else.

I imported most of mine from two sources in USA, Toledo/OH & Lansing/MI. I never got any from Dave's Laser in LA but got DVDs from them for a couple of years from 2000 but they would not go on line and I got a virus when they started sending a catalogue via e-mail. I had used fax for awhile with them as I did the other stores. Mike at Lansing was a nice guy and we spoke a few times on the phone. My contact at Dave's was a character and he seemed to be an older guy by what he talked about.

mickeyfender · Post by **mickeyfender** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:10 am

Ordered! Can't wait!

Richard Finegan · Post by **Richard Finegan** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 12:25 pm

mickeyfender wrote:Ordered! Can't wait!

Also can't wait. And I got the message yesterday that it's already been shipped.

CoffeeDan · Post by **CoffeeDan** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 4:01 pm

Harold Aherne wrote:
LouieD wrote:Warner Brothers George Feltenstein does a podcast about the Vitaphone shorts:

http://pdl.warnerbros.com/wbol/us/dd/po ... _12_11.mp3
Holy cow! It even includes a recording of Buster Collier (i.e. William Collier Jr.) singing "Thinking of You"--a test that was the first Vitaphone recording made on the West Coast. And he ain't half bad!

-Harold

Thanks for the heads-up, Louie! What a great sampling from the new Vitaphone set, which is definitely going on my next Warner Archive order!

Hearing Buster Collier was a revelation, too. In his autobiography My First Hundred Years in Hollywood, Jack Warner said he tested Collier for the lead in THE JAZZ SINGER after George Jessel dropped out. Collier photographed well, he said, "but he had a voice like a tired spook."

While I heard nothing spook-like in Collier's rendition (it might have suffered in the reproducing equipment of the time), I understand now why Warner wanted to test Collier, and why he eventually rejected him. After all, there's only one Jolson.

Changsham · Post by **Changsham** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 5:39 pm

moviepas wrote:Hi! Clangsman. I know that shop well and it used to be in Bentleigh at Centre Road in a VHS shop. It had been run by a woman and moved from Swanston Street/City. I was up the other end of the same Bentleigh block with my record shop etc, near the old Hoyts Bentleigh moviehouse. He might have done this from home before the Elsternwick shop. He was always in court trouble but it seemed all pointless. I got a few thousand dollars worth of sale stuff he imported from RKO/Turner(these were being thrown out at $5 in USA but this guy charged about $30 each), TCF & others. I even got some titles sold out later at my door, I was amazed. But he was an arrogant sod and we had many a row on the phone but he still sold to me. I was burnt out on Mother's Day 1997(May 11) and I think his shop was torched in the June. I had a box of Lasers still in the postage box from USA near the seat of the fire and they were untouched. These were duplicates of what I had in my collection at home. I traded one after the fire for another disc from a small collection carried by a Home Theatre business owned by a plumbing firm at Neerim Road, Murrumbeena opposite the Ziess Ikon warehouse. There was a small theatrette at the front and the stock was displayed there. He had no trouble selling them from anyone. The home theatre friend left and the plumbers decided to close the business(Grescke?). The other place was opened for a month before being made to close shop at North Melbourne and I got a few for very little from there. There was one in Smith Street/Collingwood that was left alone except that they got robbed one night and all the stock was taken. This could have been the people who opened in Ormond East(North Road) and had DVDs which I bought a few and they had Laser there but said DVDs were not as good as the Lasers. History tells a different story. They could no longer compete with the other stores and the internet(who wants to buy from overseas they used to say). They added Karaoke machines for hire and moved to their home at Berwick or near there and I used to get e-mails of stuff they were selling but this stopped years ago and I assume they went into something else.

I imported most of mine from two sources in USA, Toledo/OH & Lansing/MI. I never got any from Dave's Laser in LA but got DVDs from them for a couple of years from 2000 but they would not go on line and I got a virus when they started sending a catalogue via e-mail. I had used fax for awhile with them as I did the other stores. Mike at Lansing was a nice guy and we spoke a few times on the phone. My contact at Dave's was a character and he seemed to be an older guy by what he talked about.

Yes that right. That shop was in Elsternwick. Not far from the famous high class Daily Planet brothel which is still there I believe. I was aware of most of those other short lived enterprises too. I used to buy a lot of mail order LD's from Ken Cranes in LA. I think I might still have some credits there.

Decotodd · Post by **Decotodd** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 12:10 am

Ordered mine!
If you are looking for a fun short for your movie night I would suggest the Franklin Pangborn short (POOR AUBREY) about his efforts to don a toupe.
The priceless remarks of Clara Blandick (Aunt Em from OZ) had my friend and I crying with laughter at the UCLA screening.

moviepas · Post by **moviepas** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 4:10 am

Thanks for the reply Changsham. I knew of Ken Cranes but I never ordered from there. I used to enjoy the digest size magazine Image used to issue and was sent out to me with orders from Lansing/Mi. I retrieved some from some stuff saved from my fire. He had also sent be a digest sized catalogue of Lasers at the time which was great reading. Image were of the opinion in their mag that DVD had no future against LD but that idea soon went & now it's Blu Ray! A lot of Lasers were put out for the car showrooms in USA advertising new models. I was interested but never saw any.

Don't hold much for your credit. I had a US$9 credit slip for Sam Goodys Record Shop in NYC for yeas and now they are gone and stuff I put away with a payment in NYC in 1971 which I never saw. We are talking LPs here. Goodys got nasty when something did not happen and threatened me for complaining!!!! I got a lot of LPs from them at the time for various people. All in the past now like my clients, most of whom have long died. Memories!!!

FrankFay · Post by **FrankFay** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 7:51 am

I've just gotten the set and it's full of gems.

The only slight disappointment is the bare bones presentation- I'd like to know a little more about the performers. I know that Ron Hutchinson has written notes for some of the showings....Ron, if you're reading this is there a readable database of your notes?

vitaphone · Post by **vitaphone** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 8:01 am

Eric and all - WA plans to post my notes once they get legal's approval, however anyone who wants a copy can just email me directly at [email protected] and I'll be happy to send them to you.

Ron.

FrankFay · Post by **FrankFay** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 6:31 pm

Harold Aherne wrote: Some of the performers in this complilation are like old friends whom I know only through recordings (like the Revelers; their soundtrack is included in the WA podcast). Actually *seeing* Franklyn Baur, Elliott Shaw, Lewis James and Wilfred Glenn* do their thing makes them come to life even more and reminds one what an amazing, precious resource these films are.

-Harold

*I'm guessing that was the lineup at the time their Vita short was filmed, although Charles Harrison might have taken Baur's place.

That is definitely Franklyn Baur in the short though he left the Revelers shortly after.

After checking out one of the Harry Fox shorts it's my opinion that Marjorie Main is NOT one of the "Six American Beauties."

LouieD · Post by **LouieD** » Sun Apr 24, 2011 12:44 am

FrankFay wrote:After checking out one of the Harry Fox shorts it's my opinion that Marjorie Main is NOT one of the "Six American Beauties."

THANK YOU!!!

Richard Finegan · Post by **Richard Finegan** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 4:05 am

FrankFay said...

FrankFay wrote: After checking out one of the Harry Fox shorts it's my opinion that Marjorie Main is NOT one of the "Six American Beauties."

Eric,
Thanks for putting it properly: it is your opinion that she's not in that short. Not everyone understands that there is room for opinions, instead of just saying to me "You're nuts! She's NOT in the short!"

To explain this controversy to anyone who hasn't heard my claim, I believe I have spotted Marjorie Main in the 1929 Vitaphone short HARRY FOX AND HIS SIX AMERICAN BEAUTIES. But some people do not think so.
As I have to say to all non-believers, how many other 1929 films have you seen Marjorie Main in? The answer always comes back "none". Well, I have seen her in several 1929 east-coast films, and I know how she looked, how she moved, how she sounded. And the time and place are right: New York productions, 1929.

In the Harry Fox short Harry introduces us to his six "American Beauties" who turn out to be older not-so-beautiful hotel chambermaids, each wrapped in towels from different hotels (The song number is called "Belles of Hotels"). I submit that Marjorie is the "Statler" lady. She is tall like we know MM was, has that same round face, and looks like she did in the other 1929 films I've seen her in.

So how can we prove it conclusively? Is there any documentation anywhere that lists the performers in this short? Any Marjorie Main experts out there who would care to give an opinion?
Take a look at that short and let us know what you think.

FrankFay · Post by **FrankFay** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 4:15 am

Can anyone post a few frame grabs from the disc so we can all see?

LouieD · Post by **LouieD** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 7:03 am

The other night, while going through the new Vitaphone set, the Six American Beauties short came on the screen so I decided to freeze frame the part where the Statler woman comes on the screen. I then went on line and did an image search for Marjorie Main and all I could find were pictures of her as an older woman, but the woman in in the short has the same "five head", nose, and the eyes, so I guess I will have to retract my statement and say now I also believe it to be Marjorie Main.

BixB · Post by **BixB** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 8:17 am

Just watched this short last night and I'm in the camp that says it's her.

FrankFay · Post by **FrankFay** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 4:03 pm

I've looked again and will unbend to say it isn't impossible...but not confirmed.

FrankFay · Post by **FrankFay** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 7:11 pm

Watching the Harry Fox shorts I was nagged by the thought that he reminded me of someone, and I decided it was Bob Hope. It's probable Hope saw Fox who was a headliner while Hope was working up in Vaudeville. some of Fox's jokes are the sort Hope would use for years:

"Beautiful gold decorations and heavy mortgage"

"If we make good here today we get a week in the Holland Tunnel" (that line could fit in a Road picture)

"Your hair's going gray"/ "I don't care if it grays as long as it stays"

They even look slightly similar, both very dapper dressers with toothy smiles. I'm not saying Fox and Hope are the same but they certainly spring from a common tradition.

Marr&Colton · Post by **Marr&Colton** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 12:53 pm

Well, thanks to a progressive local library, I got a chance to look at this new set today.

YES, the music of the time was great and good to see performed in those days.

YES, the preserved Vaudeville acts were a "must" to restore and preserve!

But, after looking over ALL the shorts, while some held curiosity, none compared to the energy, cohesiveness and wealth of exterior shots the shorts of the post-1931 decade had.

They are great fun for fans of the Vaudeville era, archivists and researchers, but for general audiences, in my opinion, not a good addition to a shorts program.

BixB · Post by **BixB** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 1:21 pm

Marr&Colton wrote:They are great fun for fans of the Vaudeville era, archivists and researchers, but for general audiences, in my opinion, not a good addition to a shorts program.

I really don't think these sets were designed for "general audiences" in the first place. If the crowd you host films for doesn't have a tolerance for musical or cinematic history then don't show them. I have friends who probably wouldn't care for them but I also have some who would find them fascinating and delightful. You have to know your audience.

LouieD · Post by **LouieD** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 2:21 pm

Marr&Colton wrote: They are great fun for fans of the Vaudeville era, archivists and researchers, but for general audiences, in my opinion, not a good addition to a shorts program.

I disagree. I have seen many of these Vitaphone shorts shown at festivals and they have gone over extremely well.

Brooksie · Post by **Brooksie** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 6:44 pm

We also have to remember that it's easy to look at these things with an over-scrutinizing eye. These shorts were supposed to be quick, breezy diversions on the way to the main feature. Likewise, they were never designed to be watched a dozen in a row. It's more productive to think of them as the YouTube clips of the late 20s than compare them to features of the same era.

I think the work the Vitaphone Project is doing to keep these things from falling into oblivion is outstanding - keep it up!

Marr&Colton · Post by **Marr&Colton** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 5:24 am

Yes, I will echo the praise and thanks for those dedicated people at the Vitaphone project for their years of work to preserve these rare works.

I certainly hope we can see more early 3-strip Technicolor shorts and features coming out----whenever I run ANY of the shorts like GOOD MORNING EVE and SERVICE WITH A SMILE, they are immediate hits! Those Warner Hollywood studio shorts from the late 30s are also fantastic with Fritz Feld doing his best Michael Curtiz impression.

Since Technicolor needed a LOT of light to film, it is always a treat to see the early Hollywood and downtown exteriors!

BixB · Post by **BixB** » Wed May 04, 2011 10:10 am

Watched JACK WHITE with the MONTREALERS last night. It was interesting to see him using many of the same jokes and patter he utilized in KING OF JAZZ.

westegg · Post by **westegg** » Wed May 04, 2011 10:13 am

Have to chime in and say that I don't think it's Marjorie Main in that short; there's a passing similiarity but I'd bet a whole $5 it ain't her.

westegg · Post by **westegg** » Thu May 05, 2011 6:45 am

On another note, I looked at POOR AUBREY and was singularly impressed by Helen Ferguson, Pangborn's wife in this short. I never heard of her before. She's one of those rare early talkie actresses that, given a change of wardrobe, could easily be transported into a 2011 movie--her acting style and attitude seems quite contemporary in its unaffected and natural way. The barrier of time is no obstacle in appreciating her performance.

Another revelation from this amazing set!

Richard Finegan · Post by **Richard Finegan** » Sat May 07, 2011 12:01 am

How about stirring it up again:
How many agree that's Jimmy Ritz as the bellboy (called "Jimmy" in one scene) in the Billie "Swede" Hall and Company - "Hilda" short?

NEW VINTAGE VITAPHONE 4 DVD ANNOUNCED TODAY

Laserdiscs Clangham

Re: Laserdiscs Clangham

Changsham