Classic Hollywood: Silent films on parade

Oct. 16, 2015 12:05 AM PT

his is Susan King, veteran movie reporter at the Los Angeles Times and guardian of the Golden Agent of Hollywood galaxy. And every Friday in my Classic Hollywood newsletter, I share my passion for that era writing about TV and film milestones, notable birthdays and deaths, the latest in vintage fare on DVD, memories of legends I have interviewed and fun movie and TV events.

If you love silent films as I do, you’ll want to check out TCM’s “Lost and Found” silent night on Sunday, as well as two classics screening at the American Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.

The lamentable truth is that the vast majority of silent films are lost. But every once in a while a miracle occurs and one of these missing films is found. Like 1919’s “The Grim Game,” an adventure thriller starring legendary escape artist Harry Houdini. Thanks to the efforts of film preservationist Rick Schmidlin, “The Grim Game” was found last year in the Brooklyn apartment of a 95-year-old juggler named Larry Weeks. The Houdini fanatic, who died in late 2014, had acquired the only known copy of “The Grim Game” from the Houdini estate in 1947.

Harry Houdini, circa 1905. (Skirball Cultural Center)

The restored “Grim Game” had its premiere this spring at the TCM Classic Film Festival and airs twice Sunday evening on TCM along with the recently discovered 1916 version of “Sherlock Holmes,” starring noted actor William Gillette, who had been playing Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective on stage since the 1890s; the digitally restored 1920 Fatty Arbuckle feature comedy “The Round-Up,” which premiered last month at the Cinecon Classic Film Festival; and the 1920 Arbuckle comedy “Life of the Party.”

If you want to see how golden silents are on the big screen, head over to the Cinematheque on Saturday evening to see John Barrymore’s bravura turn as Robert Lewis Stevenson’s “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” Besides this 1920 version, scenes from a rival 1920 production starring Sheldon Lewis will be screened, as well as a 1911 version starring James Cruze, who went on to direct such films as 1923’s "The Cover Wagon."

On tap for Sunday is the 90th anniversary presentation of King Vidor’s stunning World War I epic “The Big Parade,” which had its premiere at the Egyptian Theatre. John Gilbert, Renee Adoree and Karl Dane star in this masterful drama.

Around town

With Halloween just around the corner, the New Beverly is screening two terrific horror comedies this Sunday and Monday — the 1941 Abbott and Costello vehicle “Hold That Ghost,” and one of my favorite Bob Hope flicks, 1940’s “The Ghost Breakers,” which also stars Paulette Goddard and even some zombies.

In memoriam

There will be a special screening Monday evening of “Theodore Bikel: In the Shoes of Sholem Aleichem” at the Laemmle Ahrya Fine Arts in Beverly Hills. The evening is the first public memorial for Bikel, an Oscar-nominated actor (“The Defiant Ones”) who appeared on Broadway as Captain von Trapp in the original production of “The Sound of Music” and played Aleichem’s beloved Tevye for more than 2,000 performances in the musical “The Fiddler on the Roof.” Bikel, also a noted folk singer, died at 91 in July. In addition to the screening, there will be special greetings and a toast during a post-screening reception.

Theodore Bikel will perform Monday at the Saban Theatre.

A special screening Monday of “Theodore Bikel: In the Shoes of Sholem Aleichem” at the Laemmle Ahrya Fine Arts in Beverly Hills is the first public memorial for Bikel, who died in July at 91. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Sneak peek

In this Sunday’s Classic Hollywood, I preview the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ special “Home Movie Day” presentation on Oct. 24 of Disneyland home movies at the Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood.

DVD vault

I’ve been a big Danny Kaye fan ever since I was 12 and saw him at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas. He was the performer on the Strip who had a family-friendly show. He sang, told jokes and had a funny routine with a group of flamenco dancers. So I’m looking forward to watching the new DVD set “Danny Kaye Legends,” which is being released today. The two discs feature six episodes from his Emmy Award-winning 1963-67 CBS musical-variety series, “The Danny Kaye Show,” which featured such guest stars as Louis Armstrong, Lucille Ball, Tony Bennett, George Burns, Shirley Jones and Liberace.

The new DVD set “Danny Kaye Legends” is being released today. (Thirteen/WNET / Archive Photos)

From the Hollywood Star Walk

Notable births this week include: Angela Lansbury (Oct. 16); Linda Darnell (Oct 16); Tim Robbins (Oct. 16); Montgomery Clift (Oct. 17); Beverly Garland (Oct. 17); Rita Hayworth (Oct. 17); Marsha Hunt (Oct. 17); Chuck Berry (Oct. 18); Miriam Hopkins (Oct. 18); John Lithgow (Oct. 19); Arlene Francis (Oct 20); Bela Lugosi (Oct. 20); and Dizzy Gillespie (Oct. 21).

Tall, handsome and versatile

Though he was never nominated for an Oscar, Joel McCrea worked with some of the greatest directors of the 20th century, including Alfred Hitchcock (“Foreign Correspondent”); George Stevens (“The More the Merrier”); Preston Sturges (“Sullivan’s Travels,” “The Palm Beach Story”); and Sam Peckinpah (“Ride the High Country”). McCrea excelled in comedy, drama and even thrillers but was most at home on the range in cowboy films. In 1980, I even had the chance to interview him on the phone about one of his greatest friends, humorist Will Rogers. McCrea was just as much a gent in real life as he was in reel life.

McCrea died on Oct. 20, 1990, at 84. Here is his obituary as it appeared in the L.A. Times print edition on Oct. 21, 1990.

For more vintage Hollywood, go to the Classic Hollywood Los Angeles Times Facebook page and follow me on Twitter at @mymackie.