Omissions in the AFI Catalog

Chris Snowden · Post by **Chris Snowden** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 11:09 am

One of the best reference works on silent cinema is the American Film Institute's Catalog of Feature Films, 1921-1930, which lists every American silent feature of that era, with credits, casts, plots, etc.

But it isn't perfect. I've heard that the researchers forgot to include one of Paramount's releases, and a few low-budget indie features were overlooked.

Does anyone know of specific titles that were left out?

Harold Aherne · Post by **Harold Aherne** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 6:01 pm

The 1922 version of Silas Marner, with Marguerite Courtot and Crauford Kent, has never been included in any print or online version of the 20s volume that I know of. Neither has The Little Fool, a 1921 Metro release with Milton Sills and Ora Carew. On the other hand, More Pay--Less Work (1926) *was* included in the print version but is nowhere to be found in the online listings. I think there's another 1926 Fox title in a similar situation.

3 on a Honeymoon (1934) must have been accidentally left out of the 30s volume--it's listed in the volume of indices, but I've never found it in the main entries.

Then there's the question of which films really belong in the AFI catalogues. The 20s volume includes Famous Players-Lasky's 1921 British productions but not Dorothy Gish's 1926-27 films for Herbert Wilcox that were Paramount releases. I think I case can be made for including them--they seem to be actual co-productions and not just quota pictures intended strictly for the UK market. But the 30s volumes takes a different approach: if a British film was released in the US it tends to be included. Ergo we have The Church Mouse but few other Warners Teddington pictures; Lily Christine but few other Paramount British productions. Even this approach isn't consistent, as The Amazing Quest of Ernest Bliss doesn't seem to be listed in spite of having a US release under the title "Romance and Riches".

-Harold

Richard Finegan · Post by **Richard Finegan** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 2:24 am

Harold Aherne wrote: 3 on a Honeymoon (1934) must have been accidentally left out of the 30s volume--it's listed in the volume of indices, but I've never found it in the main entries.

-Harold

You are right that "3 on a Honeymoon" is missing from the 1930's AFI Catalogue. Apparently the compilers must have been confused by titles starting with numbers, as "365 Nights in Hollywood" (Fox, 12-10-34) is also missing. Another major studio feature that is missing is "Stolen Harmony" (Paramount, 4-20-35). I have no idea how they missed that one.
Other 1930's features missing from the book are:
"The Marines Come Through" (Grand National, 8-5-38). This movie was re-released by Astor as "Fight On, Marines!" (7-3-43). Perhaps it's in the 1940's book under that title.
That is the case with the 1938 movie "Child Bride". They left it out of the 1930's book, where it belonged, but it is included in the 1940's book because of its 1944 re-issue. Or maybe they never even knew it had come out in 1938 and saved it for the 1940's book thinking it was from 1944.
Also missing is "Thoroughbred" (1935). This was produced in Canada, but I think it should be included, as it features American stars such as Toby Wing.
Another missing title that it seems should be there is "Thunder in the City" (4-22-37) which was produced by Atlantic Pictures in England and released there by United Artists, and in the USA by Columbia. The star was Edward G. Robinson.

As has been mentioned there are many other British titles that aren't listed that seem like they should be.
There are far too many errors to list (I must have penciled in additions and corrections on every page) but one annoying error I've had to work around is a gap in the actors index in the "T" listing, resulting in the omission of many folks such as Arthur Treacher, Mary Treen, etc.

What other titles has anyone noticed are missing from the 1931-1940 volume?

Chris Snowden · Post by **Chris Snowden** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 11:08 am

This is the Paramount release I was thinking of, missing from the 1920s volume. (Thanks, Harold!)

moviepas · Post by **moviepas** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 4:52 am

There are several films in the 1930s called Thoroughbred. One was in 1932 and another released in 1936 was made in Australia with Helen Twelvetrees & John Longden with whom she had an affair & her husband took off back to USA, I believe during the filming. This was an Australian film. The Canadian film has at least one other title.

Richard Finegan · Post by **Richard Finegan** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 5:10 am

moviepas wrote:There are several films in the 1930s called Thoroughbred. .... The Canadian film has at least one other title.

For the movies missing from the 1931-1940 AFI Catalogue I have inserted listings of info and reviews, etc. in the pages where they belong. So at page 2188 my listing on the Canadian "Thoroughbred" includes the following:

It was also known as "The King's Plate".
It was released in England in 1936 by MGM.
It includes the song "Everything's Been Done Before" which was introduced in the 1935 MGM feature "Reckless".

And I can say "Print Viewed". A friend had it on 16mm a few years ago. We agreed it was okay, worth seeing once, but not necessarily a "keeper" so I believe he sold or traded it away.

It is listed on IMDb where one can get cast & credits.

Jay Salsberg · Post by **Jay Salsberg** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 7:32 am

The AFI Catalog, and just about every other catalog in the English language, have conspiratorially overlooked THE PASSING OF THE THIRD FLOOR BACK (1918). It was a First National production, financed by British money, shot in NYC, and featuring many members of the Broadway stage production, who had been imported from the West End production. Consequently, US researchers have usually considered this a British film, but British researchers consider it an American film, and it's not listed in anybody's catalog.

The AFI Catalog has also included a few European films which they mistakenly thought were US productions. THE DRUG MONSTER was the U.S. title for the Conrad Veidt/Werner Krauss film OPIUM. They also have an Ellen Richter film listed (the title of which I don't immediatly recall), but she worked exclusively in Germany.

Ed Hulse · Post by **Ed Hulse** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 12:53 pm

One of my "favorite" omissions is Denver Dixon's 1928 five-reel Western, THE OLD OREGON TRAIL, which by rights ought to be a lost film. It survives -- and is available on VHS and DVD from Sinister Cinema -- because Denver kept the negative at the Horsley lab. When he fell behind on storage charges, the movie was released without his permission to the non-theatrical market: 16mm prints were sold to rental libraries under the auspices of Hollywood Film Enterprises. I owned one of those prints and rented it to Sinister for mastering.

Also, the AFI Twenties catalog is rather spotty with regards to feature versions of serials. It has many but by no means all of the Pathes; the seven-reel version of INTO THE NET is conspicuously missing. The Twenties book also missed the five-reel feature version of a 1927 Mascot serial, THE GOLDEN STALLION. But you can't entirely blame the researchers: these things were not well documented when released and most feature versions didn't get separate copyright registrations.

Chris Snowden · Post by **Chris Snowden** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 2:37 pm

Ed Hulse wrote:Also, the AFI Twenties catalog is rather spotty with regards to feature versions of serials. It has many but by no means all of the Pathes; the seven-reel version of INTO THE NET is conspicuously missing. The Twenties book also missed the five-reel feature version of a 1927 Mascot serial, THE GOLDEN STALLION. But you can't entirely blame the researchers: these things were not well documented when released and most feature versions didn't get separate copyright registrations.

Another inconsistency is with re-issues. Pathe re-issued the early Harold Lloyd features several years after their original release dates. The 1920s AFI book ignores these, though it does tell us about some of the William S. Hart films that were re-issued in that decade. I think Chaplin's The Pilgrim was re-issued as well (some of his earlier First Nationals certainly were), but the book doesn't say.

Post by **Mike Gebert** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 5:13 pm

The AFI Catalog, and just about every other catalog in the English language, have conspiratorially overlooked THE PASSING OF THE THIRD FLOOR BACK (1918). It was a First National production, financed by British money, shot in NYC, and featuring many members of the Broadway stage production, who had been imported from the West End production. Consequently, US researchers have usually considered this a British film, but British researchers consider it an American film, and it's not listed in anybody's catalog.

Incidentally, it will be shown at Cinevent next year.

kndy · Post by **kndy** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 4:28 pm

By any chance, can someone take a digital picture of the front of the book and inside page if possible? This book is expensive but it seems like one I want to purchase (so far the most expensive silent book I purchased was Klepper 's "Silent Films, 1877-1996" book).

Bob Birchard · Post by **Bob Birchard** » Thu Sep 30, 2010 5:08 pm

Chris Snowden wrote:This is the Paramount release I was thinking of, missing from the 1920s volume. (Thanks, Harold!)

"Marquis Preferred" is included in the online AFI Catalog

http://catalog/Search/DetailView.asp?Movie=54286

Bob Birchard · Post by **Bob Birchard** » Thu Sep 30, 2010 6:09 pm

Ed Hulse wrote:One of my "favorite" omissions is Denver Dixon's 1928 five-reel Western, THE OLD OREGON TRAIL, which by rights ought to be a lost film. It survives -- and is available on VHS and DVD from Sinister Cinema -- because Denver kept the negative at the Horsley lab. When he fell behind on storage charges, the movie was released without his permission to the non-theatrical market: 16mm prints were sold to rental libraries under the auspices of Hollywood Film Enterprises. I owned one of those prints and rented it to Sinister for mastering.

There is an entry for "The Old Oregon Trail" in the AFI Catalog on line at:

http://catalog/Search/DetailView.asp?Movie=53976

Though some additional notes are in order to clarify that in this case Denver Dixon/Victor Adamson/Art Mix are the same person and not to be confused with George "Whitey" [Art Mix] Kesterson.

Bob Birchard · Post by **Bob Birchard** » Thu Sep 30, 2010 6:23 pm

FYI I have just been named the new managing editor of the AFI Catalog, and please feel free to post any additions or corrections you think we should consider. Can't guarantee we'll get to them all quickly, but we will get to them as we can. The Entry for "More Pay-- Less Work" has been restored to the on line catalog, and may be found at:

http://catalog/Search/AbbrView.asp?Movie=65076

boblipton · Post by **boblipton** » Thu Sep 30, 2010 6:39 pm

Congratulations on the job, Bob.

Bob

Bob Birchard · Post by **Bob Birchard** » Tue Oct 05, 2010 4:43 pm

Richard Finegan wrote: "365 Nights in Hollywood" (Fox, 12-10-34) is also missing.

The entry for 365 Nights in Hollywood may be found at http://catalog/Search/AbbrView.asp?Movie=7111

moviepas · Post by **moviepas** » Wed Oct 06, 2010 1:14 am

365 Nights etc. That's the one which the guy in Hollywood who owns/owned a nitrate 35mm refused to give back to TCF and put out his own unrestored DVD. Alice Faye's first.

sepiatone · Post by **sepiatone** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 3:39 pm

Yes, AROUND THE TOWN(1923 Fox) by the vaudeville comedy group Gallagher & Shean. It is listed by a still photo in Daniel Blum's "Pictorial History of the Silent Screen" but I can't find this title anywhere in reference. I was thinking maybe it's a working title of the comedy duo, as Blum is wont to do often in that book when labeling a still of a movie, he'll put a working title. The movie couldn't have been a 30s film missplaced in a silent film book as Edward Gallagher died in 1929 in the second year of commercial sound films. The two comedians didn't make that many films so where does this film come from?

Bob Birchard · Post by **Bob Birchard** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 4:13 pm

sepiatone wrote:Yes, AROUND THE TOWN(1923 Fox) by the vaudeville comedy group Gallagher & Shean. It is listed by a still photo in Daniel Blum's "Pictorial History of the Silent Screen" but I can't find this title anywhere in reference. I was thinking maybe it's a working title of the comedy duo, as Blum is wont to do often in that book when labeling a still of a movie, he'll put a working title. The movie couldn't have been a 30s film missplaced in a silent film book as Edward Gallagher died in 1929 in the second year of commercial sound films. The two comedians didn't make that many films so where does this film come from?

According to the "Catalogue of the Stories and Plays Owned by Fox Film Corporation" issued July 1, 1935 there is no Fox feature with the title "Around the Town" or adapted from a story titled "Around the Town" and issued under a different title. Perhaps it was a short?

Post by **silentfilm** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 7:14 pm

Could it be this film?

http://www.silentera.com/PSFL/data/G/Ga ... n1925.html

sepiatone · Post by **sepiatone** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 2:17 pm

AROUND THE TOWN(1923)

For the first time in looking info up on this film I found info relating it to 1923(but not necessarily to Fox Film) . The printed source is from a transcript of the October 1923 issue of Screenland magazine uploaded to Archive.org ....The part that covers AROUND THE TOWN begins on page 46 heading "Screenland Chapter 5" and is written by a woman called Harriette Underhill. This must have been a thick magazine(this issue anyway) and all for 5cents. Unbelievable! This magazine, if you read some of the other articles, will have you howling and rolling on the floor with laughter. They do not hold back bragging on themselves either or being grossly opinionated. I've thumbed through issues of Screenland, Motion Picture, Photoplay etc in my time so I've actually encountered these ancient fan mags before. Ok here's what I found of this elusive movie AROUND THE TOWN:

SCREENLAND OCT. 1923(transcript; typos probably worn copy?? dont know) beginning page 46 scroll down
http://www.archive.org/stream/Screenlan ... 3_djvu.txt

sepiatone · Post by **sepiatone** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 2:24 pm

silentfilm wrote:Could it be this film?

http://www.silentera.com/PSFL/data/G/Ga ... n1925.html

I dont think it's a sound film judging from the style of the photo in Blum's book "Pictorial History of the Silent Screen" page 248 as one of the supporting actors in back of the duo has thick pancake makeup on and is making an effort to leap over something rather than being in a tight shot talking. I think Blum(who was born in 1903) saw this film when originally released and managed to find a still of it when writing and publishing his book(in 1953). He had access to a plethora of stills it seems , some still published fresh in newer publications and some that seem to have disappeared other than his use of them in his book.

sepiatone · Post by **sepiatone** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 4:32 pm

AROUND THE TOWN

Some more googling reveals that this film was started at least by Bernard J. Durning, but he died in August 1923 and his Wikipedia has his role in the film listed as unfinished. But the Screenland write up on the film and Galagher and Shean makes no mention of Durning or Fox or who replaced Durning as director and the project was still obviously under way. Gallagher & Shean were filming in a New York skyscraper, according to the Screenland writer Harriette Underhill. With the little information I uncovered the description is always that Fox was making a Follies Revue musical as if this film had sound but it certainly was a silent picture with two well known vaudevillians as stars. The question is was this film eventually scrapped due to Durning's sudden death or was it released and just totally forgotten with whatever remaining prints and negative there was going up in smoke in that New Jersey Fox nitrate fire in 1937?

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_J._Durning

sepiatone · Post by **sepiatone** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 12:58 pm

Chu-Chin-Chow(1923) not listed, but likely because it was produced in Germany yet starred American Betty Blythe and in 1925 released by MGM.

I don't figure, it seems only American productions will be listed yet Swanson's MADAME SANS-GENE and Rex Ingram's THE MAGICIAN were Euro made but are listed. Likewise Alexander Corda's early effort THE PRIVATE LIFE OF HELEN OF TROY released thru First National is listed.

Harold Aherne · Post by **Harold Aherne** » Sun May 15, 2011 6:53 pm

Noticed another one today (well, I probably noticed it before but forgot to post about it)--Mr. Barnes of New York, a 1922 Goldwyn picture with Tom Moore, Anna Lehr and Naomi Childers. I recall that it's in the print version of the 20s catalogue, but it's *not* in the online database for whatever reason.

-Harold

Bob Birchard · Post by **Bob Birchard** » Tue May 17, 2011 6:35 pm

Harold Aherne wrote:Noticed another one today (well, I probably noticed it before but forgot to post about it)--Mr. Barnes of New York, a 1922 Goldwyn picture with Tom Moore, Anna Lehr and Naomi Childers. I recall that it's in the print version of the 20s catalogue, but it's *not* in the online database for whatever reason.

-Harold

I've added this back to the database version. It will appear to the public next time we do an upload in a few weeks. Thanks.

Harold Aherne · Post by **Harold Aherne** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:22 am

Here's one that isn't an omission of a film but rather of a credit: Lew Cody does not appear in the cast list for Husbands and Lovers (First National, 1924), although news articles from the time do mention him being in the film:
http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/Deta ... Movie=9867

-Harold

Harold Aherne · Post by **Harold Aherne** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 8:20 pm

Found another one: Pauline Starke, who plays the role of Polly in The Perfect Sap (First National, 1927) is missing from the credits of this film in both the print and online versions of the catalogue. I only caught this because the title came up as a Google search suggestion for her name and I didn't recall seeing it in the usual filmographies!

Contemporary fan magazines and advertising (like this) confirm that she was in the picture.

-Harold

Harold Aherne · Post by **Harold Aherne** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:54 pm

Another one: Temptation, a 1930 Columbia film with Lawrence Gray and Lois Wilson, isn't found in the online AFI database.

The entry for Hurricane is one year off--it was actually released on 30 Sep. 1929, not in 1930.

http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/Deta ... Movie=9861

-HA

: Review of HURRICANE in Motion Picture News; mpn29.jpg (134.93 KiB) Viewed 2443 times

Brooksie · Post by **Brooksie** » Mon Sep 12, 2022 10:59 pm

This is not so much an omission as an observation of a very strange insufficiency. Here is the AFI's summary of Buster Keaton's Our Hospitality (1923):

Sole surviving son William McKay settles a family feud by marrying the rival feudist's daughter, Virginia Canfield. Before the wedding, city boy McKay attempts to escape the little Kentucky hamlet unobserved. When the Canfield men give chase, he hitches a ride on a pioneer railroad train, then is swept over a high falls. A floating log saves McKay, and he rescues Virginia when she follows the chase and falls in the water.

Now, that's not only a pretty scant synopsis for a major feature by one of the greatest silent comedians of all time, it's also not very accurate. Willie McKay (as he's known throughout the film, including in the credits), doesn't marry Natalie Talmadge's character until the final scene; he does escape on a train, but it's strange to the point of being misleading not to mention it's the same one on which he spent much of the first half of the film.

It's not as if it's an obscure film - I've seen it at least four times on the big screen alone - yet F. Gwynplaine MacIntyre would have been able to work up something more reliable than this. Very odd.

Omissions in the AFI Catalog

Omissions in the AFI Catalog

AFI Catalog

Re: AFI Catalog

365 Nights

Re: Omissions in the AFI Catalog

Re: Omissions in the AFI Catalog