Tom Barnes's Blog: Tom's 'RocktheTower' Blog - Posts Tagged "grifith"
Silent Movies and The Making of a Masterpiece
This Week:
Spicer Hearing Excerpt: Doc and Wyatt to the cooler.
Let's Go to the Movies: Rush to California and 'The Vamp.'
Writers Notebook: The Making of a Masterpiece
Doc Holliday's Road to Tombstone Excerp
Monday, November 7, 1881
Judge Spicer opened the afternoon session and immediately confirmed the rumor. “A motion filed by the prosecution requests the court to revoke bail previously granted the defendants. My own search of precedent cases suggests that I must go along with the prosecutions point ...That the proof so far is conclusive of murder and under that proof the defendants ought not to be admitted to bail in any sum.”
T.J. Drum offered a jurisdictional argument, but was overruled. Spicer made his position clear by citing case law and precedent. Then he added, “The court is bound where the proof is positive and presumption great to remand the prisoners to the sheriff until the presumption is overcome by the evidence for the defense.” Judge Spicer hesitated for a long moment before saying, “The defendants, J.H. Holliday and Wyatt Earp are ordered to spend their out of court time in the city jail on Sixth Street.”
Tom Fitch immediately stood and said, “Your Honor, counsel for the defense requests that we be provided a private conference room here in the courthouse as there are no facilities for consultation at the jail.”
“That sounds reasonable, Mr. Counselor. I’ll try and arrange something.”
Doc had remained silent during the debate and stayed calm on the surface, but boiled underneath. The judge had essentially validated his argument put to TJ Drum, that the defense had missed a dozen opportunities to show prosecution witnesses up as liars.
(Spicer Hearing Excerpts to be continued.)
Let's Go to the Movies
Hollywood Silents 1914-1929 Part 7
The Hollywood movie industry was attracting artistic and technical talent and a host of want-to-bees at a rate not seen since the Oklahoma land rush of 1889.
With the advent of the feature film and larger motion picture theaters being constructed all over America and Europe the public was hungry for more films. And with the inviting climate and sunshine of Southern California, the industry was poised to fill the public's appetite.
Louis B. Mayer, former film distributor from Boston, joined the rush to the west and landed on Mission Road in east Los Angeles. Mayer rented office space in a loft at the Selig Studios in order to be near the center of production.
Mayer had amassed quite a lot of money from his business dealings back east and could have rented a large office for show, but that wasn't what he needed at the time. All he wanted was a place to work out of and a secretary to handle his correspondence. Mayer wanted to produce quality motion pictures, but first he needed to educate himself about film production from the ground up. He spent very little time in the office as he was out and about in his little Ford visiting lots and movie sets. He asked questions of electricians, carpenters, wardrobe and lighting people making notes during the process. Mayer stayed back and out of everyone's way as he studied and made notes in his little book detailing the director's movements and instructions to actors, stage hands and camera crews. Then when he got back to the office Mayer would dictate letters to business associates asking more questions about the business end of film production.
During that same time period D.W. Griffith produced and released another big picture, Intolerance. It was a 209 minute film photographed by Billy Bitzer and Karl Brown. The cast included Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, Miriam Cooper and Walter Long.
Variety review excerpt. 'Intolerance reflects much credit to the wizard director, for it required no small amount of genuine art to consistently blend actors, horses, monkeys, geese, dogs, acrobats, and ballets into a composite presentation of a film classic.'
And while Variety's review was positive the overall acceptance of the film was not. The critics didn't like it and as a consequence the public turned away from it.
None the less Intolerance was cheered by by many in the film industry and seen as another part of Hollywood's growth.
Another pioneer of the industry, William Fox, arrived in Los Angeles and passed through the gates of the Selig Studios before proceeding to Hollywood. Fox's background was in chain theaters and film rentals before building his first film studio at Fort Lee, New Jersey. Fox and his company endured a couple of cold winters producing films on the west bank of the Hudson River before the decision was made to join the crowd moving to relocate in the sunshine state.
Theda Bara was part of the William Fox company that traveled west to California. Bara was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and was drawn to the theater as a teenager. She went to New York in 1908 and made the acting job seeking rounds and did some work in the theater before getting her first job as an extra in The Stain. She was spotted on the set, by the director, for her ability to take directions and execute them. That well done extra job eventually led to her being cast as the 'Vampire' in 'A Fool There Was.'
Later that year she became known as The Vamp.
William Fox wound up with a star quite by accident and her first Hollywood film 'Cleopatra' proved her worth when the film was acclaimed the best film of 1917.
Motion picture directors are an integral part of the artistic and physical making of a motion picture. And Marshall “Mickey” Neilan was a good example of that part of film making . A California native, born in San Berardino, California. Neilan's film career got its start in Western pictures in 1912 when Kalem Studios hired him and assigned him to their Western film facility in Santa Monica.
Mickey Neilan was bright, talented and energetic. After working in some seventy silent film shorts for Kalem as an actor he was given his chance at directing. He made the move count and after directing thirty films for Kalem he was hired under better terms by the Selig Polyscope Company.
Mary Pickford was showing her versatility in 'The Little American' directed by C.B. DeMille and 'Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm' and The Little Princess under Marshall Neilan's direction.
Charlie Chaplin and Fatty Arbuckle were kept busy at Keystone Productions writing and acting in their own short comedies.
Near the close of 1917 a young professional ballroom dancer that dreamed of becoming a movie actor got his first job as an extra in a film called 'Alimony' – Rudolph Valentino was that actor.
Writers Notebook::
Here's a great example of a writer following her passion and finding answers to questions she wanted to know. (Writers write about what they know; at least that's what they say. But maybe it should read – what they would like to know.)
The Making of a Masterpiece: The True Story of Margaret Mitchell’s Classic Novel, Gone With The Wind
By Sally Tippett Rains
2009 is the 70th Anniversary of the movie premiere of Gone With The Wind and a new book offers fresh never-before-released information on Margaret Mitchell and her novel. The Making of a Masterpiece, The True Story of Margaret Mitchell's Classic Novel, Gone With The Wind, provides insights from over 70 people she interviewed, three years of research, and a recently discovered scrapbook from Mitchell's family.
Margaret Mitchell’s own life provided inspiration for Gone With The Wind and with the help of the scrapbook written by her cousin, this new book tells about the people and events that may have provided characters and storylines. Five of the actors from the movie were interviewed as well.as relatives of some of those who were involved in the Hollywood production, historians and Mitchell family members.
Book is available on Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com or order at your local bookstore.
Tom Barnes -- Actor, Writer and Hurricane Hunter.
Check out my website for books, blogs, western legends, a literary icon, reviews and interviews. Also my novels The Goring Collection and Doc Holliday’s Road to Tombstone along with a non fiction remembrance of The Hurricane Hunters and Lost in the Bermuda Triangle.
www.tombarnes39.com
www.RocktheTower.com
http://TheHurricaneHunter.blogspot.com
Spicer Hearing Excerpt: Doc and Wyatt to the cooler.
Let's Go to the Movies: Rush to California and 'The Vamp.'
Writers Notebook: The Making of a Masterpiece
Doc Holliday's Road to Tombstone Excerp
Monday, November 7, 1881
Judge Spicer opened the afternoon session and immediately confirmed the rumor. “A motion filed by the prosecution requests the court to revoke bail previously granted the defendants. My own search of precedent cases suggests that I must go along with the prosecutions point ...That the proof so far is conclusive of murder and under that proof the defendants ought not to be admitted to bail in any sum.”
T.J. Drum offered a jurisdictional argument, but was overruled. Spicer made his position clear by citing case law and precedent. Then he added, “The court is bound where the proof is positive and presumption great to remand the prisoners to the sheriff until the presumption is overcome by the evidence for the defense.” Judge Spicer hesitated for a long moment before saying, “The defendants, J.H. Holliday and Wyatt Earp are ordered to spend their out of court time in the city jail on Sixth Street.”
Tom Fitch immediately stood and said, “Your Honor, counsel for the defense requests that we be provided a private conference room here in the courthouse as there are no facilities for consultation at the jail.”
“That sounds reasonable, Mr. Counselor. I’ll try and arrange something.”
Doc had remained silent during the debate and stayed calm on the surface, but boiled underneath. The judge had essentially validated his argument put to TJ Drum, that the defense had missed a dozen opportunities to show prosecution witnesses up as liars.
(Spicer Hearing Excerpts to be continued.)
Let's Go to the Movies
Hollywood Silents 1914-1929 Part 7
The Hollywood movie industry was attracting artistic and technical talent and a host of want-to-bees at a rate not seen since the Oklahoma land rush of 1889.
With the advent of the feature film and larger motion picture theaters being constructed all over America and Europe the public was hungry for more films. And with the inviting climate and sunshine of Southern California, the industry was poised to fill the public's appetite.
Louis B. Mayer, former film distributor from Boston, joined the rush to the west and landed on Mission Road in east Los Angeles. Mayer rented office space in a loft at the Selig Studios in order to be near the center of production.
Mayer had amassed quite a lot of money from his business dealings back east and could have rented a large office for show, but that wasn't what he needed at the time. All he wanted was a place to work out of and a secretary to handle his correspondence. Mayer wanted to produce quality motion pictures, but first he needed to educate himself about film production from the ground up. He spent very little time in the office as he was out and about in his little Ford visiting lots and movie sets. He asked questions of electricians, carpenters, wardrobe and lighting people making notes during the process. Mayer stayed back and out of everyone's way as he studied and made notes in his little book detailing the director's movements and instructions to actors, stage hands and camera crews. Then when he got back to the office Mayer would dictate letters to business associates asking more questions about the business end of film production.
During that same time period D.W. Griffith produced and released another big picture, Intolerance. It was a 209 minute film photographed by Billy Bitzer and Karl Brown. The cast included Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, Miriam Cooper and Walter Long.
Variety review excerpt. 'Intolerance reflects much credit to the wizard director, for it required no small amount of genuine art to consistently blend actors, horses, monkeys, geese, dogs, acrobats, and ballets into a composite presentation of a film classic.'
And while Variety's review was positive the overall acceptance of the film was not. The critics didn't like it and as a consequence the public turned away from it.
None the less Intolerance was cheered by by many in the film industry and seen as another part of Hollywood's growth.
Another pioneer of the industry, William Fox, arrived in Los Angeles and passed through the gates of the Selig Studios before proceeding to Hollywood. Fox's background was in chain theaters and film rentals before building his first film studio at Fort Lee, New Jersey. Fox and his company endured a couple of cold winters producing films on the west bank of the Hudson River before the decision was made to join the crowd moving to relocate in the sunshine state.
Theda Bara was part of the William Fox company that traveled west to California. Bara was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and was drawn to the theater as a teenager. She went to New York in 1908 and made the acting job seeking rounds and did some work in the theater before getting her first job as an extra in The Stain. She was spotted on the set, by the director, for her ability to take directions and execute them. That well done extra job eventually led to her being cast as the 'Vampire' in 'A Fool There Was.'
Later that year she became known as The Vamp.
William Fox wound up with a star quite by accident and her first Hollywood film 'Cleopatra' proved her worth when the film was acclaimed the best film of 1917.
Motion picture directors are an integral part of the artistic and physical making of a motion picture. And Marshall “Mickey” Neilan was a good example of that part of film making . A California native, born in San Berardino, California. Neilan's film career got its start in Western pictures in 1912 when Kalem Studios hired him and assigned him to their Western film facility in Santa Monica.
Mickey Neilan was bright, talented and energetic. After working in some seventy silent film shorts for Kalem as an actor he was given his chance at directing. He made the move count and after directing thirty films for Kalem he was hired under better terms by the Selig Polyscope Company.
Mary Pickford was showing her versatility in 'The Little American' directed by C.B. DeMille and 'Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm' and The Little Princess under Marshall Neilan's direction.
Charlie Chaplin and Fatty Arbuckle were kept busy at Keystone Productions writing and acting in their own short comedies.
Near the close of 1917 a young professional ballroom dancer that dreamed of becoming a movie actor got his first job as an extra in a film called 'Alimony' – Rudolph Valentino was that actor.
Writers Notebook::
Here's a great example of a writer following her passion and finding answers to questions she wanted to know. (Writers write about what they know; at least that's what they say. But maybe it should read – what they would like to know.)
The Making of a Masterpiece: The True Story of Margaret Mitchell’s Classic Novel, Gone With The Wind
By Sally Tippett Rains
2009 is the 70th Anniversary of the movie premiere of Gone With The Wind and a new book offers fresh never-before-released information on Margaret Mitchell and her novel. The Making of a Masterpiece, The True Story of Margaret Mitchell's Classic Novel, Gone With The Wind, provides insights from over 70 people she interviewed, three years of research, and a recently discovered scrapbook from Mitchell's family.
Margaret Mitchell’s own life provided inspiration for Gone With The Wind and with the help of the scrapbook written by her cousin, this new book tells about the people and events that may have provided characters and storylines. Five of the actors from the movie were interviewed as well.as relatives of some of those who were involved in the Hollywood production, historians and Mitchell family members.
Book is available on Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com or order at your local bookstore.
Tom Barnes -- Actor, Writer and Hurricane Hunter.
Check out my website for books, blogs, western legends, a literary icon, reviews and interviews. Also my novels The Goring Collection and Doc Holliday’s Road to Tombstone along with a non fiction remembrance of The Hurricane Hunters and Lost in the Bermuda Triangle.
www.tombarnes39.com
www.RocktheTower.com
http://TheHurricaneHunter.blogspot.com
Tom's 'RocktheTower' Blog
I do a variety blog and post every Wednesday. I am an actor, writer and hurricane hunter and my subjects are generally written about those fields. During Hurricane Season I do at least one story every
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