Asides - Covers and Cards

Time to share a few recent acquisitions, including the covers from three issues of Motion Picture magazine. Motion Picture was one of the earliest film publications, dating back to at least 1916. All the issues featured in this post are from the late twenties. Next we have a couple of postcards, and finally four small cigarette cards from the Will's 1928 series.

Click on the images for a larger view

All three of these covers were created by artist Marland Stone. Marland's birthdate is unknown, but he died in 1975 after a very successful career as an illustrator and artist.

Motion Picture, March 1928 - Joan Crawford

Motion Picture, August 1928 - Norma Shearer

Motion Picture, June 1929 - Mary Duncan

A young Peggy Shannon in happier days

What can you say - taken during the filming of Shanghai Express

These cigarette cards are four from a series of 25 entitled Cinema Stars. The artwork harkens back to an earlier style than any cards subsequently produced by Will's or the other cigarette firms. Quite beautiful. Remember these are only about 1.5x3 inches and when viewed larger, lose some of their charm.

Clara Bow and Norma Talmadge

Pola Negri and Billie Dove

Asides - Dardos Award.

I am so honored to have received a Dardos Award, bestowed upon me by my favorite blogger, The Self Styled Siren, who herself was bestowed the award by two other eminent film bloggers, Flickhead and Glenn Kenny .

So what is the Dardos Award?

Here's the purpose: "The Dardos Award is given for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing. These stamps were created with the intention of promoting fraternization between bloggers, a way of showing affection and gratitude for work that adds value to the Web."

And in an inclusive break from the award being solely focused on writing, the Siren saw fit to include those whose blogs are primarily image oriented, but fit the overall criteria.

There are rules, however:
1) Accept the award by posting it on your blog along with the name of the person that has granted the award and a link to his/her blog.
2) Pass the award to another five blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgement, remembering to contact each of them to let them know they have been selected for this award.

And now to the 5 bloggers who have my attention at each new post, I pass along the Dardos Award.

Greenbriar Picture Shows - Always informative, filled with images and insight on film and all the attendant publicity, behind the scenes looks, and more.

Vitaphone Varieties - A great resource for early film and the music from the films and of the period. Great images as well.

The Shelia Variations - I don't know how she finds the time, but Shelia's blog covers everything from film to literature, the arts, her personal hits and misses and anything else that comes to mind - always entertaining. BTW - doing the blogging thing since 2003.

Thrilling Days of Yesteryear - Film, a TV show or Old Time Radio, TDOY has it covered.

Hell on Frisco Bay - If you want dark, Hell on Frisco is the place for reviews on Noir and "Noirish" films. Lighter fare is also well served.

Greta Garbo - Fourth of 5 Postings

"The New Movie Magazine" was published by Tower Publishing for direct sale through the F.W. Woolworth chain of five and ten cent stores. As near as I can tell, the publication had about a seven year run, but if anyone knows definitively, let me know. "The New Movie Album" was their annual issue and featured approximately 60 stars for a given year. The album seen here, featuring Garbo on the cover, is from 1930.

Click on images for a larger view.

The New Movie Album, 1930 - Cover Artist: Signed, but I can't find any reference.

Garbo appears on page 32 and we are given a brief bio, as was the case for all the stars included in the album.

The back cover of this album is an ad for the magazine and certainly holds a high opinion of itself.

Now the images and quotes.

I live like a monk: with one toothbrush, one cake of soap, and a pot of cream.

I don't want to be a silly temptress. I cannot see any sense in getting dressed up and doing nothing but tempting men in pictures.

The story of my life is about back entrances, side doors, secret elevators and other ways of getting in and out of places so that people won't bother me.

There are many things in your heart you can never tell to another person. They are you, your private joys and sorrows, and you can never tell them. You cheapen yourself, the inside of yourself, when you tell them.

You don't have to be married to have a good friend as your partner for life.

Greta Garbo - What do you think - Allure?

Asides - 20 Actors Meme

I realized that so far every list generated for the 20 actors meme includes all those I would normally select. So...what to do? I decided my list would show some love to many of those whose name was rarely, if ever, above the title. However, we have all seen them, and in my case, I remember them fondly as providing a certain something that defined their being cast and cast again and again. I have broken them into segments named: "Sidekicks and Comic Relief", "Lurking or Plotting", and "Tough Guys." Here we go.

Sidekicks and Comic Relief

Frank McHugh

Allen Jenkins

Franklin Pangborn

Eugene Palette

Eric Blore

Nigel Bruce

Mike Mazurki

Rags Ragland

Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams

El Brendel

Lurking or Plotting

Elisha Cook, Jr.

Dwight Frye

Henry Daniell

Lionel Atwill

George Zucco

Albert Dekker

Tough Guys

Charles McGraw

Lawrence Tierney

Sheldon Leonard

Barton MacLane

PS - knowledge of the meme came from the Self Styled Siren's site and traces back to the filmicability blog. Check those sites and other film blogs to see all the great lists.

Asides - Down the Garden Path

I recently acquired a copy of College Humor and Sense magazine, the June 1933 issue. I was intrigued by the art and the cover story, "All-American Girl Contest for Movie Stardom." The magazine was aimed primarily at college coed's and contained columns like Campus Beauty and Fame, Collegians, Majoring in Fashion, etc. The contest is shown on a two page spread and begins by asking "How do you know you're not the next Garbo? Or Hepburn? That you can't win fame and fortune on the screen?"

All that is really promised is "$100 a week, for at least four weeks. All expenses paid to and from Hollywood." Wow.

Cover art by Jefferson Machamer

The rules and regulations

Does fame and fortune await this blindfolded miss?


And now the reality.

In the same issue, Margaret McConnell is featured as a Kappa from Indiana University, now with M-G-M in Hollywood. A look at her career reveals the following: Two films, the first indeed for M-G-M as an uncredited chorus girl in Dancing Lady (1933), and the second in Superior Pictures Million Dollar Haul (1935), starring Tarzan the police dog.
So much for fame and fortune. I wonder how many went down this garden path.

Greta Garbo - Third of 5 postings

This post gives us a peek at Garbo's Swedish retreat, courtesy of Movie Mirror magazine, the January 1933 edition.

And now onto Greta's images and quotes.

If only those who dream about Hollywood knew how difficult it all is.

Anyone who has a continuous smile on his face conceals a toughness that is almost frightening.

If you are blessed, you are blessed, whether you are married or single.

This (Hollywood and filmdom) is where I have wasted the best years of my life.

There seems to be a law that governs all our actions so I never make plans.

Greta Garbo - What do you think - Allure?