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Many silent film stars started and became famous in the new medium of Film which 40 years later became stars in the new medium of TV?

The most obvious one is Neil Hamilton a leading man of the silent screen who 40 years later gained back his fame as Commissoner Gordon on the TV series Batman

The best-known one would have to be Jackie Coogan, who played Uncle Fester in `The Addams Family'.

Such a cute little tyke, and he ends up playing a ghoul!

Charles Farrell in My Little Margie.

Wasn't Lois Wilson a regular on The Guiding Light?

greta

Lois Wilson appeared on "The Aldrich Family" in 1949-50 and again in 1951, playing Henry's mother Alice. Between those tenures she had been replaced by Nancy Carroll.

Conrad Nagel was very active in early television, hosting the panel game "Celebrity Time" from 1949-52 and the quiz show "Broadway to Hollywood Headline Clues" in 1953-54.

Buddy Rogers hosted Dumont's program "Cavalcade of Bands" for seven months in 1951.

Gloria Swanson had her own program on local New York televison for a few months in 1948.

June Collyer appeared on "The Stu Erwin Show" for ABC from 1950-55, playing the title actor's wife (which she really was, of course). Incidentally, she was also the sister of Bud Collyer.

Charles Farrell also had an eponymous series on CBS in the summer of 1956, some of which was reportedly filmed at his Racquet Club in Palm Springs. "Charley My Boy" is said to have been the theme song and Charles Winninger played his father.

Bert Lytell had a couple of hosting jobs in early TV: "Hollywood Screen Test" for ABC in 1948 (Neil Hamilton replaced him after a few months and hosted until '53) and "The Philco TV Playhouse" on NBC in 1948-49. Lytell also played Henry Barbour on "One Man's Family" for NBC from 1949-52.

While she only began appearing regularly in films near the end of the silent era, Loretta Young's two series from 1953-63--her anthology series and a short-lived sitcom--might as well be included.

Ronald Colman and Benita Hume had "The Halls of Ivy" on CBS in 1954-55, which had also been a radio series.

Carmel Myers had a 15-minute chat program on ABC in 1951-52.

Some of the above information comes from Brooks and Marsh's well-researched "Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV shows". It's a pity that many of these programs probably don't exist anymore--what we see regularly today of early TV is only a tiny sampling of what actually aired.

-Harold

Bebe Daniels and Ben Lyon starred on British TV in "Life with the Lyons."

drednm wrote:Bebe Daniels and Ben Lyon starred on British TV in "Life with the Lyons."

Hugely, hugely popular series....also, Our Gang's Jean Darling had her own show on US TV, then was a children's TV presenter for years on Irish TV when she emigrated to Dublin.

"Life with the Lyons" was so popular they made two film versions, which are available on DVD.

William Demarest was on My Three Sons for a while.

Charlie Ruggles starred in his TV series called THE RUGGLES from 1949-1952. I've seen a couple of episodes and it was very funny, as usual he was put upon by everyone, especially his wife. Margaret Kerry, the model for Tinker Bell in the animated Disney PETER PAN, played his daughter.

Clara Kimball Young was "Hollywood Correspondent" on one of Johnny Carson's live TV series of the 1950s. Carson had nothing but nice things to say about her in later years.

Perhaps someone's already noted this, but Esther Ralston starred on a short-lived NBC soap opera, OUR FIVE DAUGHTERS, in 1962.

The daily ABC TV anthology DAY IN COURT used a lot of silent-film star in character roles, including Neil Hamilton, Viola Dana and Betty Bronson.

ZaZu Pitts was on The Gale Storm Show (1956) (also known as Oh, Susannah) toward the end of her long career that included a reasonably successful transition from silents to sound.

Fay Wray was in "The Pride of the Family."

Hal Erickson wrote:Clara Kimball Young was "Hollywood Correspondent" on one of Johnny Carson's live TV series of the 1950s. Carson had nothing but nice things to say about her in later years.

Are there any of her appearances available, either on video or in an archive? I've never been able to track down much information on Clara's appearances. I haven'et seen any of Carson's quotes about her--do you know of any sources on that?

thanks
greta

greta de groat wrote:

Hal Erickson wrote:Clara Kimball Young was "Hollywood Correspondent" on one of Johnny Carson's live TV series of the 1950s. Carson had nothing but nice things to say about her in later years.

Are there any of her appearances available, either on video or in an archive? I've never been able to track down much information on Clara's appearances. I haven'et seen any of Carson's quotes about her--do you know of any sources on that?

thanks
greta

Have you ever gone to the Radio/TV Broadcasting Museums in LA and NY? They might have stuff.

We've all let the most obvious one go through to the keeper - the Buster Keaton Show!

I Love Lucy star William Frawley and supporting actress Elizabeth Patterson (Mrs. Trumbull) both made a few appearance in silent films, though both had film careers that didn't really take off until the sound era.

Harlett O'Dowd wrote:

greta de groat wrote:

Hal Erickson wrote:Clara Kimball Young was "Hollywood Correspondent" on one of Johnny Carson's live TV series of the 1950s. Carson had nothing but nice things to say about her in later years.

Are there any of her appearances available, either on video or in an archive? I've never been able to track down much information on Clara's appearances. I haven'et seen any of Carson's quotes about her--do you know of any sources on that?

thanks
greta

Have you ever gone to the Radio/TV Broadcasting Museums in LA and NY? They might have stuff.

Thanks, i'll check them out!

greta

Didn't Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. have some sort of anthology show... as did Loretta Young.

Are there any of her appearances available, either on video or in an archive? I've never been able to track down much information on Clara's appearances. I haven'et seen any of Carson's quotes about her--do you know of any sources on that?

thanks
greta

I have no written quotes, but I remember Carson talking about her on his talk show, especially two instance in which Paul Killiam guested and brought along some silent filmclips of Clara.

drednm wrote:Didn't Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. have some sort of anthology show... as did Loretta Young.

Yes, and Gloria Swanson too, come to think of it.

I can't recall where I read behind-the-scenes stories about the Loretta Young show - some crazy but apparently true story about Loretta thinking her neck was too long and having a false rubber torso and neck constructed ...

Former BEN-HUR adversaries Ramon Novarro and Francis X. Bushman guest-starred in many popular TV series (though not together) such as BONANZA, DR. KILDARE, WALT DISNEY PRESENTS, 77 SUNSET STRIP, PERRY MASON, Many of these shows of course are now available on DVD.

PERRY MASON in particular seem to go out of its way to cast veteran players. In one episode, Robert Armstrong played an old boxing coach watching a young palooka in the ring. Disgusted with his protege's workout, Armstrong says, "He's just a big monkey." Somebody had a sense of humor - maybe the show's producer, former 30s star Gail Patrick.