''Mother Knows Best'' is a 1928 American film directed by John G. Blystone, based on a novel by

Edna Ferber Edna Ferber (August 15, 1885 – April 16, 1968) was an American novelist, short story writer and playwright. Her novels include the Pulitzer Prize-winning '' So Big'' (1924), ''Show Boat'' (1926; made into the celebrated 1927 musical), '' Cim ...

, fictionalizing the life of vaudevillian

Elsie Janis Elsie Janis (born Elsie Bierbower, March 16, 1889 – February 26, 1956) was an American actress of stage and screen, singer, songwriter, screenwriter and radio announcer. Entertaining the troops during World War I immortalized her as "Forces ...

. The film was Fox's first part

talkie A sound film is a motion picture A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, percep ...

, using the

Movietone sound system The Movietone sound system is an optical sound-on-film method of recording sound for motion pictures that guarantees synchronization between sound and picture. It achieves this by recording the sound as a variable-density optical track on the sam ...

which had primarily been used for synchronised music scores and effects tracks in Fox features beforehand, although as early as "

Mother Machree ''Mother Machree'' is a 1928 American silent drama film, directed by John Ford, based on the 1924 work ''The Story of Mother Machree'' by Rida Johnson Young about a poor Irish immigrant in America. Rida Johnson Young had invented Mother Machre ...

" (1928), a single synchronous singing sequence was included in the film. The sound sections in ''Mother Knows Best'' were directed by actor

Charles Judels Charles Judels (August 17, 1882 - February 14, 1969) was a Dutch-born American actor. Early years Judels was born on August 17, 1882, in Amsterdam as a third generation in a family of actors. His grandfather owned several theatres throughout th ...

, whilst the silent sequences were directed by John G. Blystone. The film starred

Madge Bellamy Madge Bellamy (born Margaret Derden Philpott; June 30, 1899 – January 24, 1990) was an American stage and film actress. She was a popular leading lady in the 1920s and early 1930s. Her career declined in the sound era and ended following a rom ...

, with

Louise Dresser Louise Dresser (born Louise Josephine Kerlin; October 5, 1878 – April 24, 1965) was an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles in the many films in which she played the wife of Will Rogers, including ''State Fair'' and ' ...

as her domineering mother,

Barry Norton Barry Norton (born Alfredo Carlos Birabén; June 16, 1905 – August 24, 1956) was an Argentine-American actor. He appeared in over 90 films, starting in silent films from 1925 until his death in 1956. He is perhaps best known for his role a ...

, and

Albert Gran Albert Gran (August 4, 1862 – December 16, 1932) was a Norwegian-born American stage and film actor. He is most associated with his appearance in drama and light comedy films. Biography Albert Gran was born in Bergen, Norway. He was the s ...

.Michael G. Ankerich ''Broken silence: conversations with 23 silent film stars'' 1993 p.52 "After her contract was up in 1924, she was immediately signed to a four-year contract with Fox Pictures, ... Madge made her talkie debut as the star of Fox's first real dialogue picture, Mother Knows Best (1928), based on the life of vaudevillian Elsie Janis. It is considered by some to be Madge's greatest picture. Madge played Sally Quail, a budding actress who is dominated by a stage mother, played by Louise Dresser"

Cast

– Sally Quail *

– Ma Quail *

– Boy *

– Sam Kingston *

Alyce McCormick Alyce McCormick (1899 – January 5, 1932) was an American actress and a leader in the Volunteers of America (VOA). Early years McCormick was born in Chicago in 1899 and was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. A. McCormick. The family moved to Oma ...

– Bessie (*as Joy Auburn) *Annette De Kirby – Bessie, as a child *

Stuart Erwin Stuart Erwin (February 14, 1903 – December 21, 1967) was an American actor of stage, film, and television. Early years Erwin was born in Squaw Valley, Fresno County, California. He attended Porterville High School and the University of ...

– Ben *Ivor De Kirby – Ben, as a child *

Lucien Littlefield Lucien Littlefield (August 16, 1895 – June 4, 1960) was an American actor who achieved a long career from silent films to the television era. He was noted for his versatility, playing a wide range of roles and already portraying old men befor ...

– Pa Quail ''Unbilled'' *

Anne Shirley Anne Shirley is a fictional character introduced in the 1908 novel '' Anne of Green Gables'' by L. M. Montgomery. Shirley is featured throughout the classic book series, which revolve around her life and family in 19th and 20th-century Prince Edw ...

– Sally, as a child (*as Dawn O'Day) *Billy Schuler

References

External links

* * 1928 films Fox Film films Films directed by John G. Blystone Lost American films American romantic drama films American black-and-white films Films based on works by Edna Ferber Early sound films 1928 romantic drama films 1920s American films Silent romantic drama films {{1920s-romantic-drama-film-stub

Cast

See also

References

External links