Tag Archives: Silent Comedies

Leave it to Harold (and Beaver) at the Long Beach Pike

Posted on June 16, 2013 by John Bengtson

In a prior post I wrote how an idyllic Skokie, Illinois street once stood in for Mayfield on Leave It to Beaver.  Although that episode has no connection to silent movies, I was surprised to see that the Season 5, … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Leave It To Beaver, TV Shows | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

How Charlie Chaplin made The Kid (older post)

Posted on June 11, 2013 by John Bengtson

In an early post I uploaded a PowerPoint presentation highlighting some of the historic settings in Chinatown and the Plaza de Los Angeles where Chaplin filmed his early masterpiece The Kid (1921).  You can download the 60 MB file here. … Continue reading →

Posted in Charlie Chaplin, Chinatown, The Kid | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

On the Fence – Keaton’s stunts in Cops and Our Hospitality

Posted on June 6, 2013 by John Bengtson

In a recent post I showed how Buster Keaton staged his daring waterfall rescue from Our Hospitality (1923).  In honor of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s presentation of Our Hospitality this June 8 at Royce Hall on the UCLA campus, … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Cops | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Keaton location to be demolished – photo help?

Posted on June 1, 2013 by John Bengtson

I just discovered where Keaton filmed a scene from Cops (1922), as Big Joe Roberts retrieves his wallet from Buster (but not its cash contents) by leaning out to grab it from a passing taxi.  The scene was filmed at … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Chaplin Studio, Cops, Hollywood Tour | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

How Harold Lloyd Filmed Safety Last (the parts on the ground)

Posted on May 22, 2013 by John Bengtson

The alleys at the SE corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Cahuenga are certainly the most historically significant silent film locations in town.  The yellow arrow above marks the alley entrance from which Buster Keaton grabs a passing car one-handed in … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Cops, Harold Lloyd, Hollywood Tour, Lloyd Thrill Pictures, Safety Last! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Douglas Fairbanks, Edge of Doom, and Film Noir

Posted on May 16, 2013 by John Bengtson

During Douglas Fairbanks’ 1916 short comedy The Mystery of the Leaping Fish (part of the Fairbanks Modern Musketeer DVD set from Flicker Alley), a police van races from HQ down a quaint, post Victorian era Los Angeles street.  Thirty-four years … Continue reading →

Posted in Douglas Fairbanks, Film Noir, Harold Lloyd, Los Angeles Historic Core | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Author Appearance at TCM Classic Film Festival – Free Tour

Posted on April 13, 2013 by John Bengtson

Attached to this post is a self-guided tour to Hollywood silent film locations and studios that I have prepared in connection with the “Hollywood’s Silent Echoes” presentation I will be giving April 28, 2013, at 3:00 p.m. at Club TCM … Continue reading →

Posted in Chaplin Tour, Hollywood Tour, Keaton Tour, Lloyd Tour, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Cops and Safety Last! – the Cosmo Alley Connection

Posted on March 28, 2013 by John Bengtson

We learn early in Safety Last! (1923) that Harold Lloyd’s roommate Bill Strother can climb tall buildings when we watch him escape from a policeman by scaling a four-story apartment building (left).  [NOTE: “Skip,” a resourceful and eagle-eyed reader, was … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Cops, Harold Lloyd, Hollywood Tour, Safety Last! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Keaton – Seven Chances Filmed Close to Studio

Posted on March 17, 2013 by John Bengtson

(You’ll find most Seven Chances filming locations at this earlier post.) Now that the Keaton films are all available on Blu-ray, I not only continue to make new discoveries, but to my great satisfaction I am also increasingly able to … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Harry Langdon, Keaton Studio, Seven Chances | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Chaplin – Keaton – Lloyd – One Block in Silent-Era Hollywood (update)

Posted on February 19, 2013 by John Bengtson

The intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Cahuenga Boulevard was a popular film setting for silent-era comedies.  At the far end of this post is a link to download an animated 15 MB PowerPoint presentation showing thirteen (but not all) Chaplin, … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Chaplin Tour, Charlie Chaplin, Cops, Girl Shy, Harold Lloyd, Hollywood Tour, Hot Water, Keaton Studio, Keaton Tour, Lloyd Studio, Modern Times, Safety Last!, The Cameraman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Keaton – Wings – Noir – and the SP Depot

Posted on January 27, 2013 by John Bengtson

Wings, a 1927 World War I fighter pilot movie, was the first production to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.  To capture realistic point of view shots of the actors engaged in aerial dog fights, the two leads Charles … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, College, Film Noir | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Silent Cameos of the lost Southern Pacific Depot

Posted on January 15, 2013 by John Bengtson

Before the beautiful downtown Los Angeles Union Train Station opened in 1939, built on the site of the original Chinatown, the various railroads serving L.A. each operated from their own stations.  Union Station helped to reduce downtown noise and congestion … Continue reading →

Posted in Douglas Fairbanks, Girl Shy, Hal Roach Studios, Harold Lloyd, Los Angeles Historic Core, Stan Laurel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Front and Back Cameos – 100 years of a Hollywood landmark

Posted on December 27, 2012 by John Bengtson

Toberman Hall has stood at 6410-6414 Hollywood Boulevard (each oval above) since 1907.  Its original two-story neighbor to the left, at the southwest corner of Cahuenga and Hollywood Boulevard (pictured in the black & white images above) was expanded into … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, Hollywood Tour, The Goat, Tillie's Punctured Romance | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Keaton’s Short Fuse – Cops, Musso & Frank, and enduring Hollywood history

Posted on December 16, 2012 by John Bengtson

At one point during Buster Keaton’s most famous short film Cops (1922), Buster finds himself and his newly acquired horse-cart full of furniture in the middle of the annual Policeman’s Day Parade.  After politely tipping his hat in recognition to … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Cops, Hollywood Tour | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Harold Lloyd – Film Noir – Criss Cross and the Hill Street Tunnel

Posted on October 15, 2012 by John Bengtson

Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton, and many other silent comedians filmed stunt comedy sequences by building sets on Court Hill overlooking the south end of the former Hill Street Tunnel.  As shown at left, filming a set against the street far … Continue reading →

Posted in Bunker Hill, Film Noir, Harold Lloyd, Los Angeles Historic Core, Los Angeles Tunnels | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Buster and the Three Stooges at the Columbia Ranch – Part 3

Posted on October 7, 2012 by John Bengtson

As discussed in prior posts, Buster Keaton and the Three Stooges nearly crossed paths in Cops (1922) and Soup To Nuts (1930) (see HERE), and did cross paths in Neighbors (1920) and Soup To Nuts (see HERE), before filming their … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Columbia, Three Stooges | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Harold Lloyd – By the Sad, Santa Monica Waves

Posted on September 25, 2012 by John Bengtson

During Harold Lloyd’s 1917 short film, By The Sad Sea Waves, Harold pretends to be a beach life guard in order to impress the ladies.  Filmed where David Hasselhoff would film Baywatch many decades later, By The Sad Sea Waves … Continue reading →

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

Buster Keaton – Three Stooges – LAPL Author Lecture

Posted on September 9, 2012 by John Bengtson

I want to thank everyone for attending my Silent Footsteps lecture held September 15 at the Los Angeles Public Library Taper Auditorium, hosted by Photo Friends. Using archival photographs, vintage maps, and then and now comparison photos, I led a … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Three Stooges | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Charlie Chaplin – The Kid’s Tearful Olvera Street Reunion

Posted on August 17, 2012 by John Bengtson

The heart-tugging reunion in The Kid (1921) played between Charlie Chaplin’s Little Tramp and his “adopted” son (Jackie Coogan) remains one of the most emotionally charged scenes in all of film history.  Remarkably, the setting for this iconic scene remains … Continue reading →

Posted in Charlie Chaplin, The Kid | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Charlie Chaplin, Ron Swanson, and Parks and Recreation

Posted on August 9, 2012 by John Bengtson

Location filming has been staged in Los Angeles now for well over a century.  It should come as no surprise then that contemporary television shows share exterior settings that once appeared in classic films.  In one prior post I explain … Continue reading →

Posted in Charlie Chaplin, TV Shows | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment