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Willie Best: A Photo Retrospective
I am working on article that partly focuses on Willie Best.Ā I would like to take this opportunity to commemorate the actor with a series of screen captures from his films.The Littlest Rebel (1935)The...
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A Video Edition of Tidbits: A Random Assortment of Film Clips
Jimmy Finlayson in The Toast of New York (1937)Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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Tidbits In the News
Many issues in the news today have been around for a long, long time. This is obvious to anyone who watches old movies.
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We've Talked About This Before. . .
Harold Lloyd's influence is evident in this poster for the 2006 Greek comedyĀ Pente lepta akomaĀ (akaĀ Extended Play).Ā The man hanging off the clock is Vassilis Haralambopoulos.Let me take this...
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Cattle Stampede
A filmmaker was able to create a rousing scene by having a herd of cattle suddenly stampede through an unsuspecting town.Ā Ā The Far Country (1954)Ā Go West (1925)Texas (1941)Once Upon A Horse. . . (1958)...
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Mannequins, Dolls and Statues
La statue (1905)The Slavey (1919)Ā Walter Forde pretends to be a statue inĀ Walter Makes a MovieĀ (1922).Dummy Ache (1936)Ā Stowaway (1936)Dusty Ermine (1936)Ā Margaret Rutherford pretends to be a mannequin...
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More Examples of The Carrying an Unconscious Woman RoutineĀ
I doubt I have written about any routine more than this one.Ā The examples presented in this article are just the tip of a very large iceberg.Ā So, what makes the routine so popular?Ā We could dig...
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Are Pies Needed for a Pie Fight?
In browsing old trade journals, I came across another pie fight film, The Band Leader (1914, Vitagraph).Ā Moving Picture World reported, "[Wally Van] leads the band and beats the pieman in the battle...
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The Torn Dress
In Laurel and Hardy's Double Whoopee (1929), Jean Harlow is unaware that the train of her dress has gotten caught in a limousine door.Ā She walks on, causing the back of her dress to be torn off...
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More Examples of The Fake Musical Performance Routine
Here is a follow-up to my 2013 article "Sing, Clown, Sing."Ā Ā Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart take on the classic lip syncing routine in On Our Merry Way (1948).The routine turned up in a 1962 episode of...
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The Repeat Routine
Film sources:Goodbye Again (1933)Ā Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)The Two Ronnies ("The Man Who Repeats Things," 1976)Malcolm In The Middle ("Shame," 2000)Cop Out (2010)
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The Hat
A hat can be an ideal prop for a comedian.Buster Keaton made use of his hat both as a prop and a marketing tool.Especially popular of the hat routines was the hat mix-up.Ā I previously examined this...
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How to Pretend to Be Drunk
I am a great admirer of Joan Crawford.Ā Believe me, I have no interest in besmirching Crawford's reputation as an actress.Ā But I cannot help but find fault with the drunk act that the actress performs...
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Where Are You?
I have compiled examples of the "Where are you?" routine.Ā But, first, it is necessary to provide context for a few of the scenes.Ā Ā In The Navigator (1924), a couple (Buster Keaton and Kathryn McGuire)...
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The Funny Name
A comedy scene can be built around something as simple as a funny name.Ā Ā Film Sources:Maisie (1939) actors: Ann Sothern and Frank DarienThis Is The Night (1932) actors: Lili Damita, Roland Young and...
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Crowded Out
This well-known scene from The Cameraman (1928) features Buster Keaton and Edward Brophy struggling futilely to change outfits while stuck together inside a small dressing room.Others copied the...
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A Whole Lotta Grindin' Going On
Many people took to Twitter to express outrage over Cardi B's recent performance on the Grammys.Ā Rings on Her Fingers (1942)Ā Musical acts with explicit sexual content have been creating heated public...
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An Argument Against Modern Films
The American public erred in allowing Hollywood to terminate the Production Code.Ā If a film can't play a positive role in our lives, if a film cannot benefit us, make us better or uplift us in any...
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A Visit to CelluloidVille
I avoid film discussion forums.Ā I avoid them with a passion.Ā It would be nice to have a place online where people can come together to share their love of films.Ā A discussion forum that brings...
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