Duck Soup (1927 Film)
''Duck Soup'' is a silent comedy short film starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy prior to their official billing as the duo Laurel and Hardy. The team appeared in a total of 107 films between 1921 and 1951. Plot Fleeing a group of forest rangers, who are rounding up tramps to serve as firefighters, Laurel and Hardy take refuge in a mansion. The owner has gone on vacation and the servants are away, so Hardy pretends to be the owner and offers to rent the house to an English couple. Hardy gets Laurel to pose as the maid. Unfortunately, the owner returns and tells the would-be renters that he owns the house. Laurel and Hardy then flee again and are caught by the rangers and forced to fight wildfires. Production background ''Duck Soup'' was considered a lost film for nearly fifty years, until a print was discovered in 1974. It was previously thought by film scholars that the comedians shared few scenes, if any, but in fact they appear as a team throughout the entire picture, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Fred Guiol
Fred Guiol (February 17, 1898 – May 23, 1964), pronounced "Gill," was an American film director and screenwriter. Guiol worked at the Hal Roach Studios for many years, first as a property man, later as assistant director and finally writer and director. He directed Laurel and Hardy's earliest short films, as their famous comic partnership gradually developed during 1927. Guiol directed many of Hal Roach's Streamliners in the 1940s. Guiol had worked closely with another Roach employee, cameraman George Stevens. When Stevens became a director in the 1930s, he often engaged Guiol as a screenwriter, Guiol, along with Ivan Moffat,was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for adapting Edna Ferber's novel ''Giant'' into the George Stevens production of ''Giant''. Fred Guiol is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. Partial filmography * ''The Battling Orioles'' (1924) *''Say It with Babies'' (1926) *'' The Cow's Kimona'' (1926) *''Along C ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act that was successful in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in motion pictures from 1905 to 1949. Five of the Marx Brothers' thirteen feature films were selected by the American Film Institute (AFI) as among the top 100 comedy films, with two of them, '' Duck Soup'' (1933) and '' A Night at the Opera'' (1935), in the top fifteen. They are widely considered by critics, scholars and fans to be among the greatest and most influential comedians of the 20th century. The brothers were included in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Stars list of the 25 greatest male stars of Classical Hollywood cinema, the only performers to be included collectively. The brothers are almost universally known by their stage names: Chico, Harpo, Groucho, Gummo, and Zeppo. There was a sixth brother, the first born, named Manfred (Mannie), who died in infancy; Zeppo was given the middle name Manfred in his memory. The core of the act was the three elder brothers: C ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Stuart Holmes
Stuart Holmes (born Joseph Liebchen; March 10, 1884 – December 29, 1971) was an American actor and sculptor whose career spanned seven decades. He appeared in almost 450 films between 1909 and 1964, sometimes credited as Stewart Holmes. Biography Holmes was born Joseph Liebchen on March 10, 1884, in Chicago, Illinois, where he was educated. For 20 years, Holmes performed in vaudeville and on stage, with the latter often being in Shakespeare's plays. His work in the theater included a stint in Germany. Holmes's film career began in 1911 and ended with ''The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'' (1962). As a sculptor Holmes created work for at least three California United States post offices — in Oceanside (1936), Claremont (1937), and Bell (1937). Holmes's wife, Blanca, was an actress; his son, Phillips Holmes, was an actor. Selected filmography * '' The Woman Hater'' (1910, Short) as Carrol Morten * ''Oliver Twist'' (1912) * ''The Young Millionaire'' (1912) * ''The Tell ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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William Courtright
William Courtright (February 10, 1848 – March 6, 1933) was an American film actor. Early years He was born Theodore Courtright in New Milford, Illinois, and was educated in the public schools of Ione, California. When he was 16, he ran away from home to join a stock theater company. Career Courtright's acting career began with Shakespearean plays, as he worked with Lawrence Barrett. Before entering the film industry, he appeared in minstrel shows. He made a world tour as a minstrel, with the tour's activities including performing before King Edward VII. Sometimes billed as Billy Courtright, he appeared in 68 films between 1912 and 1930. He worked with D. W. Griffith and in his later career at the Hal Roach Studios, where he appeared in several early Laurel and Hardy comedies. Courtright was still acting at age 80. An item in the October 28, 1928, edition of ''The Cincinnati Enquirer'' described him as "the oldest living motion-picture actor on the screen ..." H ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Bob Kortman
Robert F. Kortman (December 24, 1887 – March 13, 1967) was an American film actor mostly associated with westerns, though he also appeared in a number of Laurel and Hardy comedies. He appeared in more than 260 films between 1914 and 1952. Biography The son of a rancher, Kortman was born in Brackettville, Texas, in 1887. He spent six years in the U.S. cavalry. Director Tom Ince cast Kortman as a villain when he began working in films in 1911, and he went on to become the "favored on-screen opponent" for William S. Hart with regard to their film fights. After he left acting, Kortman was president of a cooperative water company in Arrowhead Springs, California, where he lived. Kortman was married to Gonda Durand, a Mack Sennett bathing beauty. He died in Long Beach, California from cancer. Selected filmography * '' The Narrow Trail'' (1917) * '' Through the Wrong Door'' (1919) * ''The Great Radium Mystery'' (1919) * ''Godless Men'' (1920) * '' Winners of the West'' ( ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Madeline Hurlock
Madeline Hurlock (December 12, 1897 – April 4, 1989) was a silent film actress. Biography Madeline Hurlock was born on December 12, 1897 (some sources say 1899 or 1900), the daughter of John W. Hurlock, an engineer, and Sallie Hurlock. She was of English and Italian ancestry. Hurlock attended a finishing school in Philadelphia, after which she acted in a repertory theatre company there. In New York, Hurlock acted and danced in musical comedies at the Century Roof Garden and made her Broadway debut in the ensemble cast of ''The Rose of China'' in 1919. Hurlock appeared in many short comedies for Mack Sennett, debuting as one of the Sennett Bathing Beauties in 1923, and was one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars of 1925. She was a talented comedian, also known for her beauty. She appeared in over 50 short films, the first of which, ''Where's My Wandering Boy This Evening?'' was made in 1923, and the last, ''Pink Pajamas'', in 1929. She featured in one of Laurel and Hardy's early fil ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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William Austin (actor)
William Crosby Percy Austin (12 June 1884 – 15 June 1975) was an English character actor. He was the first actor to play Alfred in a Batman adaptation. Early years William Austin was born in Georgetown in British Guiana. His parents were Charles Percy Austin and Rosalie Ann Sarah Austin. On the death of his father, he was brought to the United Kingdom to complete his education. He was the brother of actor Albert Austin. Austin attended Reading College in England and gained theatrical experience via Little Theatre and Drama Shop plays. Career Austin filled a business post in Shanghai and on being sent to San Francisco by the company he worked for, he decided to stay in America and take up acting on the stage and later in films. Beginning in 1919, Austin acted at the Morosco Theatre in Los Angeles for three years. He began working in films in 1922. He appeared in many American films and serials between the 1920s and the 1940s, though the vast majority of his roles were sm ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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James A
James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (other), various kings named James * Saint James (other) * James (musician) * James, brother of Jesus Places Canada * James Bay, a large body of water * James, Ontario United Kingdom * James College, a college of the University of York United States * James, Georgia, an unincorporated community * James, Iowa, an unincorporated community * James City, North Carolina * James City County, Virginia ** James City (Virginia Company) ** James City Shire * James City, Pennsylvania * St. James City, Florida Arts, entertainment, and media * ''James'' (2005 film), a Bollywood film * ''James'' (2008 film), an Irish short film * ''James'' (2022 film), an Indian Kannada-language film * James the Red Engine, a character in ''Thomas the Tank En ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Movies!
Movies! (also known as simply M!) is an American free-to-air television network, owned by Popcorn Entertainment, LLC, a joint venture between Weigel Broadcasting and the Fox Television Stations subsidiary of Fox Corporation. The network's programming emphasizes feature films but also Modern E/I programming on Sunday mornings produced/distributed by Storrs Media/Telco Productions. The network's programming and advertising operations are based in Weigel Broadcasting's headquarters on North Halsted Street in Chicago, Illinois. It is available in several markets through digital subchannel affiliations with free-to-air television stations, as well as through carriage on pay television providers through a local affiliate of the network. Movies! provides programming 24 hours a day and broadcasts in the 16:9 widescreen picture format, available in either standard definition or high definition depending on the station's preference. Though the network does air commercials, it otherw ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Theater Organ
A theatre organ (also known as a theater organ, or, especially in the United Kingdom, a cinema organ) is a type of pipe organ developed to accompany silent films, from the 1900s to the 1920s. Theatre organs have horseshoe-shaped arrangements of stop tabs (tongue-shaped switches) above and around the instrument's keyboards on their consoles. Theatre organ consoles were typically decorated with brightly colored stop tabs, with built-in console lighting. Organs in the UK had a common feature: large translucent surrounds extending from both sides of the console, with internal colored lighting. Theatre organs began to be installed in other venues, such as civic auditoriums, sports arenas, private residences, and churches. One of the largest theatre organs ever built was the 6 manual 52 rank Barton installed in the Chicago Stadium. There were over 7,000 such organs installed in America and elsewhere from 1915 to 1933, but fewer than 40 instruments remain in their original venues. Th ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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BFI National Archive
The BFI National Archive is a department of the British Film Institute, and one of the largest film archives in the world. It was founded as the National Film Library in 1935; its first curator was Ernest Lindgren. In 1955, its name became the National Film Archive, and, in 1992, the National Film and Television Archive. It was renamed BFI National Archive in 2006. It collects, preserves, restores, and shares the films and television programmes which have helped to shape and record British life and times since the development of cine film in the late 19th century. The majority of the collection is British originated material, but it also features internationally significant holdings from around the world. The Archive also collects films which feature key British actors and the work of British directors. The collections themselves are accommodated on several sites. The Paul Getty, J. Paul Getty, Jr. Conservation Centre in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, named after its benefactor, is ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Another Fine Mess (1930 Film)
''Another Fine Mess'' is a 1930 short comedy film directed by James Parrott and starring Laurel and Hardy. It is based on the 1908 play ''Home from the Honeymoon'' by Arthur J. Jefferson, Stan Laurel's father, and is a remake of their earlier silent film (and debut as an "official" duo) '' Duck Soup''. Plot Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel are vagrants being chased by the police. They hide in the basement of the mansion of Allan Quatermain-style adventurer Colonel Wilberforce Buckshot, where they become trapped. The colonel has just departed for an African safari and the mansion is to be rented until his return, but the staff sneak off for a holiday, leaving the house empty. The house is surrounded by several policeman who are looking for Stan and Ollie, who must deceive a rich couple seeking to rent the house. Ollie disguises himself as Buckshot and Stan disguises himself as both butler Hives and chambermaid Agnes. The real Colonel Buckshot unexpectedly returns to fetch his b ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |