Author Archives: John Bengtson

How Mary Pickford Filmed Daddy-Long-Legs Part Two

Posted on November 6, 2019 by John Bengtson

In Daddy-Long-Legs (1919) Mary Pickford portrays an endearing young orphan later sent to college by an anonymous benefactor. Complications ensue when Mary meets her sponsor, unaware of his status, and they fall for each other. Pickford’s most financially successful production … Continue reading →

Posted in Mary Pickford, The Kid | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Chaplin’s Earliest Scenes Beside the Selig Studio

Posted on October 23, 2019 by John Bengtson

When Charlie Chaplin began his film career at the Keystone Studio in 1914, the Selig Polyscope studio (above) stood just two blocks to the north, sandwiched between Clifford and Duane Streets along Allesandro (now Glendale Boulevard) in Edendale. Opening in … Continue reading →

Posted in Charlie Chaplin, Edendale, Keystone Studio, Tillie's Punctured Romance | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Harpo, Chico, and James Cagney at the Brunswig Mansion

Posted on October 11, 2019 by John Bengtson

Imagine the star power – Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, and James Cagney all once stood on the same mansion front steps. Classic Los Angeles homes frequently played roles in golden-age films, and the former Brunswig Mansion, once standing at 3528 … Continue reading →

Posted in James Cagney, Marx Brothers | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Early Thrill Comedies – Who Was First?

Posted on September 27, 2019 by John Bengtson

Thrill comedies featuring a star hanging from the side of a tall building have long been a staple of silent films. The photo at left from Play Ball (1925) eloquently explains the brilliant technique with a single image. Starting with … Continue reading →

Posted in Los Angeles Historic Core | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Harry Houdini Solves a Charlie Chaplin Mystery!

Posted on September 12, 2019 by John Bengtson

Harry Houdini helped to discover where Charlie Chaplin filmed crucial scenes for his very first movie Making a Living (1914). The initial scene of Charlie’s entire career (below), discovered by Kevin Dale and reported HERE, was staged in front of … Continue reading →

Posted in Charlie Chaplin, Harry Houdini, Los Angeles Historic Core | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

How Mary Pickford Filmed Daddy-Long-Legs Part One

Posted on August 31, 2019 by John Bengtson

In Daddy-Long-Legs (1919) Mary Pickford portrays an endearing young orphan later sent to college by an anonymous benefactor. Complications ensue when Mary meets her sponsor, unaware of his status, and they fall for each other. In what was Pickford’s most … Continue reading →

Posted in Mary Pickford, The Kid | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Schindler

Posted on August 20, 2019 by John Bengtson

Several years ago, following my introduction of Sherlock Jr. at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, Los Angeles architect John Trautmann approached me to ask if I had noticed the famous Schindler house which appears in the background as Buster speeds … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Sherlock Jr. | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The nearly last – Safety Last – joke

Posted on July 18, 2019 by John Bengtson

Surviving his heroic climb up a skyscraper during Safety Last!, Harold Lloyd falls into the arms of his loving fiancé Mildred Davis, waiting for him on the rooftop. As reported in another post, this satisfying conclusion was actually filmed from … Continue reading →

Posted in Harold Lloyd, Los Angeles Historic Core, Safety Last! | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

The Office – Film Noir – and Harold Lloyd

Posted on June 19, 2019 by John Bengtson

What do the television show The Office, the 1950 film noir drama Edge of Doom, and Harold Lloyd’s final silent comedy Speedy (1928) have in common?  They all filmed scenes looking southwest down Witmer Street towards the front of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Noir, Harold Lloyd, Speedy, The Office, TV Shows | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Chaplin, Keaton, and Lois Weber’s “Suspense” in Beverly Hills

Posted on May 13, 2019 by John Bengtson

The beautiful new Kino Lorber Blu-ray release Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers features dozens of early films created by women, many unseen for decades. One highlight is Lois Weber’s home invasion thriller Suspense (1913). As shown in a prior post, the film provides … Continue reading →

Posted in Beverly Hills, Lois Weber, The Blacksmith | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Alice Howell Early Hollywood Views

Posted on April 28, 2019 by John Bengtson

We all owe Ben Model a huge debt of gratitude for releasing his fantastic new Alice Howell Collection DVD, featuring 12 shorts starring the delightful (and mostly forgotten) comedienne, sourced from archival materials from the Library of Congress, BFI, DFI, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ben Model, Hollywood History | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

The Hollywood Heritage in Lois Weber’s Suspense

Posted on April 6, 2019 by John Bengtson

The beautiful new Kino Lorber Blu-ray release Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers is a revelation, a six-disc set featuring dozens of early films created by women, many unseen for decades. One highlight is Lois Weber‘s innovative and aptly titled home invasion thriller Suspense … Continue reading →

Posted in Hollywood History, Lois Weber | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Harold Lloyd’s The Kid Brother Was Close to Home

Posted on March 24, 2019 by John Bengtson

It’s time to celebrate the wonderful new Blu-ray release of Harold Lloyd’s classic comedy The Kid Brother by the Criterion Collection. Considered by many to be Lloyd’s masterpiece, this release is simply stunning, a beautiful clear crisp print, a choice … Continue reading →

Posted in Harold Lloyd | Tagged , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Buster’s Paramount Backlot Plunge

Posted on March 21, 2019 by John Bengtson

I’m pleased to update this post to announce that the 2019 San Francisco Silent Film Festival will conclude Sunday May 5, with a 8:00 pm screening of Buster Keaton’s second feature comedy Our Hospitality (1923), to be accompanied by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Buster Keaton’s The Cameraman

Posted on March 18, 2019 by John Bengtson

I’m pleased to update this post to announce the 2019 San Francisco Silent Film Festival kicks off this year on Wednesday, May 1, with a 7:00 pm screening of Buster Keaton’s 1928 comedy triumph The Cameraman, in a beautiful new … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Manhattan, The Cameraman | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Green Acres, Pickfair, Chaplin’s Breakaway Home, and Keaton’s Italian Villa

Posted on March 5, 2019 by John Bengtson

Below, 1937, Harold Lloyd’s Green Acres (red), Doug and Mary’s Pickfair (blue), Charlie Chaplin’s home (yellow), and Buster Keaton’s Italian Villa (orange). Who knew they were all spaced so close together? I knew Charlie Chaplin’s home (yellow above and left) … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Doug Fairbanks, Harold Lloyd, Mary Pickford | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Silent Echoes LA Bus Tours and Podcast

Posted on February 26, 2019 by John Bengtson

Kim Cooper and Richard Schave are a married pair of Los Angeles history titans and guardian angels. Bloggers (Esotouric blog, 1947 Project), authors (The Kept Girl), and podcasters (You Can’t Eat the Sunshine) about everything LA, from Bunker Hill, film … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Hollywood Snapshots – a 1922 Time Machine

Posted on February 10, 2019 by John Bengtson

Facing a public relations nightmare in 1922 over recent scandals, the film community produced Hollywood Snapshots, a promotional film portraying screen folk as wholesome to middle America. Presented online by the National Film Preservation Foundation, Snapshots captures remarkable images of … Continue reading →

Posted in Hollywood History, Hollywood Tour | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Harry Langdon – His Marriage Wow

Posted on January 23, 2019 by John Bengtson

Harry Langdon plays a nervous groom and newlywed in his 1925 comedy short His Marriage Wow (1925), available as part of The Mack Sennett Collection: Volume 1 Blu-ray, and the out of print Lost and Found: The Harry Langdon Collection. … Continue reading →

Posted in Harry Langdon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Laurel & Hardy’s Liberty Rooftop

Posted on January 6, 2019 by John Bengtson

Shortly after the San Francisco Silent Film Festival presented Laurel & Hardy’s high-rise comedy Liberty (1929), accompanied by Jon Mirsalis, TCM broadcast the 1933 MGM drama Day of Reckoning, starring Richard Dix. The Dix film was full of surprises. For … Continue reading →

Posted in Laurel and Hardy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments