John Gilbert and L.B. Mayer in Hollywood Feud

This Week
Let's Go to the Movies
Testimony from Spicer Hearing
Writers Notebook: Tungee's Gold Review

Hollywood Silents 1914-1929 (Part 15)


The biggest star to fall out of favor with the public, as a direct result of sound, was John Gilbert. Gilbert's talkie debut was an MGM all-star extravaganza, 'The Hollywood Revue of 1929.' Joan Crawford, Marion Davies, Norma Shearer, John Gilbert and many other MGM contract players participated. Gilbert and Shearer did a humorous version of the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet and while Gilbert's voice was not robust it was more than adequate.

The reviews for the film were excellent and 'The Hollywood Revue was a box-office smash. It was also nominated for best picture for the 1929/1930 Academy Awards.
John Gilbert's voice was not the real problem, it was a very large four picture contract with MGM and a personal feud with L.B. Mayer that did him in. Hollywood lore says that Gilbert while pitching a story idea to Mayer he made the comment that his mother was a whore. The pious Mayer was so enraged by the idea that he came over his desk and knocked Gilbert to the floor.
Of course it might have been pure drama on Gilbert's part but it's said that is what turned L.B. Mayer against John Gilbert.
Regarding the overall picture, good voice coaches and better sound technology could have saved a number of the silent film stars that were forced in to retirement by the advent of sound. Norma and Constance Talmadge, Mae Murray, Emil Jannings, Pola Negri, Ramon Novarro, Delores Del Rio, Vilma Blanky and even the 'It Girl' Clara Bow.
Two of John Gilbert's contract pictures made with sound were not good, 'Redemption' was just plain awful and 'His Glorious Night' was not too far behind. Those two turkey's just fueled the rumor going around Hollywood that Gilbert's voice wasn't good enough for 'Talkies.'
However, 'Way of the Sailor' directed by Sam Wood with Gilbert and Wallace Beery was an excellent film.
'The Phantom of Paris' was not a bad film and that might have been his final film at MGM had it not been for a picture starring Greta Garbo 'Queen Christina.' Garbo had enough clout to dismiss Lawrence Olivier as her co-star and replace him with Gilbert.

Screenwriter Frances Marion tells a story about a meeting at MGM to discuss another Garbo film 'Anna Karenina.'
'That Anna what-you-may-call-it would drive the public away from the box office!' A remark which started the banding back and forth of titles like Ping-Pong balls until a voice louder than the others cried, 'I've got a wow that'll bring 'em into the theater in droves.'
We bent forward eagerly until the voice rose on a high note: It's Heat.'
'Great!' ...'Never been used before'...'What do you think, Frances?”
'I think it would be a good ad for Dante's Inferno, but I'd hate to see on the billboards – Greta Garbo in Heat.'
They thought about it a bit longer and came up with the title 'Love.'
(To be continued)

'Doc Holliday's Road to Tombstone'

Excerpt from Spicer hearing.
"DOC HOLLIDAY AND WYATT EARP ADMITTED TO BAIL." Headlined the morning's edition of the Tombstone Nugget.
Sills, the railroad engineer, would be back on the stand. Tom Fitch and T.J. Drum warned him to expect some rough and possibly embarrassing questions during his cross-examination. The prosecution had been rocked back on its heels by his testimony and they were not expected to take it lightly. "Just relax, Mr. Sills," was T. J's advice.
The district attorney went right to work in an effort to discredit the witness. The questions were simple enough, but designed to needle and eventually provoke ... Where were you born? How old are you? How long did you live this place or that? Why did you move?
Sills relaxed and looked straight at the prosecutor, undaunted by the abrasive nature in which the questions were framed.
The witness testified that he was born in Canada, lived in many locations up there, Belville being the last.
"Where did you go from there?" Price snapped.
"To Omaha, Nebraska."
"What did you do in Omaha and how long were you there?"
"I worked in the Union Pacific shops. I was in Omaha and on the line of the road between eight and nine years," Sills answered calmly.
"What business were you engaged in during that eight or nine years?"
Sills looked directly at the prosecutor and shook his head in disbelief -- he had just answered the question. He looked toward the defense table and shook his head. "I was an apprentice in the machine shop, a locomotive fireman on the road and then locomotive engineer."
"During the time you were serving your apprenticeship, name the person or persons who had charge of the machine shop?"
Sills apparently began to enjoy the nostalgia in recalling his past and instead of irritation, he began to answer the questions with enthusiasm. "Mr. Cogdon was general master mechanic and Mr. McConnell was foreman."
"About how long of that eight or nine years were you in the shop?"
"Three years."
"How much of the time did you run as fire and how much as engineer?" the determined prosecutor asked.
"About six years, I fired number 23 engine and run number 75.”
"Were your engines attached to freight or passenger trains?"
"Freight trains. I run the train to Grand Island and Omaha. I run between Cheyenne and Laramie and between Laramie and Rollins Springs."
"Who were the conductors on those trains?"
T.J. Drum shot to his feet and declared, "I object, Your Honor. This question is too remote as is this whole line of questioning.”
Spicer waved off the objection and quietly said, "Overruled." The judge was apparently fascinated with the railroad story, as was the gallery.
Sills furrowed his brow and said, "Frank Fuller was the one I remember best and there was another man named Kelly.”
"When and where did you last work for a railroad?"
"Las Vegas, New Mexico for the A.T. & S.F. running a freight between Las Vegas and Wallace ... I am still in the employ of the railroad. I left the line of that road the 19th of last month, went to Tucson and then here to Tombstone.”
"When did you arrive in Tombstone?"
"I came here on the 25th of last month.”
"What kind of transportation did you use to get to Tombstone?"
"I came here on the Wells Fargo's express wagon with the driver and one other passenger."
"How can you be sure you arrived in Tombstone on the 25th of October last?"
"I am as positive I came here on the 25th of October on that wagon as I am of anything." (To be continued)

Writers Notebook:
Excerpt: Tungee's Gold Review by Fran Lewis.
Greed makes people do many things that often go against their principles and beliefs. Taken further, greed can force a person to enter into a deal with the devil, even if the end result would cause harm or injury to others. Tungee’s Gold: The Legend of Ebo Landing is a unique story about a man who wanted to make his fortune by panning gold during the Gold Rush like so many other people.
The time period is the late 1800’s. This historically based novel brings the California Gold Rush and us back to 1851. Finding gold and staking their claims meant a person could create a life for themselves wherever they wanted.
Author Tom Barnes weaves a web of deceit, hate, deception and neatly ties up all of the lose ends. “I might be a prisoner now, but I will never become a slave.' ,” said King Kumi the king of the Ebo tribe.
May freedom ring for all and where it does not we need to fight and change it. This book is a must read for everyone and my pick for a number one book for 2010.
Fran Lewis: reviewer and the author of the Bertha Series of Children’s books and Memories are Precious my Alzheimer’s book.

For full review Click Here and go to Amazon Book page.

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 Tungee's Gold, 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.tombarnes39.com

www.RocktheTower.com

http://thehurricanehunter.blogspot.com