young unknown Howard Hughes; Talmadge Beach House Party

[sepiatone]

this particular photograph is particularly well-known. I can't remember where I first saw it but it was in the early 1980s sometime, maybe when Swanson's autobiography came out or when I read the biography of Ronald Colman written by his daughter or perhaps when Kevin Brownlow's HOLLYWOOD was broadcast. I can't remember but I always wanted to know(and if anybody else noticed) why the young Howard Hughes was at this party?(standing on right) The year is 1926 as Valentino is still alive and Hughes was so unknown.

http://maemurraybiography.files.wordpre ... /party.png" target="_blank

Also how many silent celebrities can you name here? On the top row on fence who is the man with mustache next to Mae Murray and Fatty Arbuckle? I recognize everyone else sitting on the fence.

[missdupont]

If I remember, Howard Hughes was related to top writer Rupert Hughes, so could of come with him. Of course being rich didn't hurt, there has always been a symbiotic link between Hollywood and the wealthy.

[missdupont]

I've always wondered why director Harry d'Arrast was there, he was basically Chaplin's assistant at this point.

[sepiatone]

Hughes would've just only come into his inheritance at this point but he was an unknown. In this photo he comes across as a groupie or more of a 'hangers on' type. Im thinking a Kato Kaelin or something. But of course he would begin a few months later to sink a fortune on the first version of HELL'S ANGELS , when it originally starred Greta Nissen.

[sepiatone]

I've always wondered why director Harry d'Arrast was there, he was basically Chaplin's assistant at this point.

can you point him out there?

[JFK]

can you point him out there?

Start, I think, at Beatrice Lillie and drive south until you
reach a toothy grin topped by acres of forehead.

[missdupont]

Yes, that's him, the man sitting on the ground with the really bad overbite.

[George O'Brien]

The picture is too small for me to tell, but could the man next to Mae Murray be the Midviani she married?

As for why was Hughes in Hollywood? Wasn't that where all the best looking girls were? He produced THE RACKET and THE MATING CALL which were released in 1928. That was not too long before this photo was taken.

[Jack Theakston]

Hughes and his wife (Ella Rice) moved out to Hollywood in 1925 to try to get her into the movies (it never worked, obviously). My guess is that prior to the producing bug biting him, he was hobnobbing with everyone he could to get her in.

[sepiatone]

The picture is too small for me to tell, but could the man next to Mae Murray be the Midviani she married?

As for why was Hughes in Hollywood? Wasn't that where all the best looking girls were? He produced THE RACKET and THE MATING CALL which were released in 1928. That was not too long before this photo was taken.

Mae Murray's husband was David, he's second from left sitting down. The grey haired man , 3rd from left, is character actor Charles Lane(Dr. Lanyon from the Barrymore DR JEKYLL & MR HYDE). At the time of this photo Lane had just finished playing Ronald Colman's father in STELLA DALLAS.

I still can't ID the man next to Mae and Fatty. It could be the 'other' Mdivani brother who later married Pola Negri.

[sepiatone]

can you point him out there?

Start, I think, at Beatrice Lillie and drive south until you
reach a toothy grin topped by acres of forehead.

for the record I'll give it a shot at IDing the celebs:

Top Row on fence l to r:
1. Fatty Arbuckle
2. Mae Murray
3. ?
4. Virginia Valli
5. Ronnie Colman
6. Bessie Love
7. Jack Pickford
8. Rudolph Valentino
9. Pola Negri

Middle Row standing l to r:
1. ?
2. Alfred E. Green (director)
3. ?Louella Parsons, Peg Talmadge or other
4. ?Hedda Hopper or other
5. Carmel Myers(polka-dot)
6. ?
7. Bert Lytell(bow tie)
8. ?Hedda Hopper or other
9. Richard Barthelmess
10. Constance Talmadge
11. Beatrice Lillie
12. ?
13. ?
14. ?
15. ?
16. Agnes Ayres
17. ?
18. ?Peg Talmadge or other
19. Marquis Henri De La Falaise
20. Marshall Neilan
21. Howard Hughes
22. ?

Sitting l to r:
1. Antonio Moreno
2. David Mdivani
3. Charles Lane
4. Edmund Goulding
5. ?
6. ?
7. Harry D'abbadie D'arrast
8. ?
9. ?
10. ? (man just barely visible)
11. ?
12. ?
13. ?
14. ? Alan Crosland or other
15. ?
16. Blanche Sweet

[sepiatone]

just in, Ided man next to Mae and Fatty - Ward Crane, Buster's nemesis from Sherlock Jr.
http://silentladies.com/BCraneWard.html" target="_blank

http://silentladies.com/Annex/CraneWard.jpg" target="_blank

[alistairw]

The photo is included quite prominently in Pola Negri's autobiography but I can't remember if there was an identity key.

[gjohnson]

I've always wondered why director Harry d'Arrast was there, he was basically Chaplin's assistant at this point.

True, but he was a bit of a Hollywood Player, was he not? He made connections and then seemed to work when he felt like it.

[JudithDM]

I think I can identify those at the Talmadge Beach Party. I have a copy of this photo, where I got it I cannot remember but my grandfather did work at MGM. On the back they are identified as:
Some of the names, forgive spellings: Top Row:
Roscoe Fatty Arbuckle
Mae Murray
Ward Corane
Virginia Valle
Ronald Coleman
Bessie Love
Jack Pickford
Rudy Valentino
Pola Negri

Middle Row:
Maitland Rice
Chris Goulding
Louella Parsons
Lila Lee
Carmel Myers
Alan Forest
Bert Lytell
Claire Windsor
Dick Parttelmess
Connie Talmadge
Bea Lillie
Al Hall
Dorothy Dalton
Mrs. John Robertson
Helen Ferguson
Agnes Ayres
John Robertson
Mrs. Talmadge
Marquis Henry D'Falmaise
Micky Nielan
Howard Hughes

Bottom Row:
Tony Moreno
Davis M'Divani
Charles Lane
Edmund Goulding
Henry D'Arcy
Marry D'Arresl
Doris Deau
Mae McAvoy
Eddie Kane
Natalie Talmadge
Mrs. Tony Moreno
Allie McIntosh
Kitty Scalla
Blanche Sweet