Stars of stage and screen # 4 : Fay Compton

Reverse reads:

A series of 48, no.7

Daughter of the well known actor-manager, Edward Compton, Fay Compton was born in 1894, and with her sister Viola trained for the stage. Her first appearance was in 1911. In 1920 she became famous in the name part of "Mary Rose". She visited America and in 1929 played in the West End run of "Autumn Crocus," starring also in A.T.P.'s talkie version. Now in "Murder in Mayfair" with Edna Best whos is No. 11 in this series.
Park Drive Cigarettes. Gallaher Ltd. Virginia House, London& Belfast.

IMDB entry for Fay Compton: link.

Stars of stage and screen # 3 : Wheeler and Woolsey

Reverse reads:

A series of 48, no. 6

The famous comedians made a big hit in their first appearance together in "Rio Rita" with Bebe Daniels (no.46 in this series), later in "So This is Africa" and "Diplomaniacs." Wheeler was a theatre prop-boy and Woolsey a jockey who ceased riding after injury, before they joined forces as a vaudeville turn. Their most recent film is "Cockeyed Cavaliers," and they may shortly present a turn in London. For another famous comedy pair see Laurel and Hardy, no.9, in this series.
Park Drive Cigarettes. Gallager Ltd. Virginia House, London & Belfast.

IMDB entry for Bert Wheeler.
IMDB entry for Robert Woolsey.

A fan site on the pair comments that they saved RKO from bankruptcy.

Camera Studies # 5 : Movita

AKA Movita Casteneda. Movita seems most famous for her relationship with Marlon Brando.
IMDB entry.
Picture of her with Brando with James Dean.

Stars of stage and screen # 2 : Ina Claire

Reverse reads:

A series of 48, no.5

Born in Washington in 1892, Ina Claire made her name in vaudeville and became one of New York's famous variety stars, being especially noted for her impersonation of Sir Harry Lauder. She is a capable actress in straight parts playing throughout the long runs of "The last of Mrs. Cheyney" and "Reunion in Vienna". Her films include "The Greeks had a word for them"and she has recently reappeared on the London stage in the succesful play "Biography".
Park Drive Cigarettes. Gallager Ltd. Virginia House, London & Belfast.

IMDB entry for Ina Claire. Interestingly she was in 'Ninotchka' with Greta Garbo. The only film of Ina's I have seen.

Here is a better picture.

Coming attraction: Grizzly Man

I can't wait for this. Seems Herzog has been off our screens for too long.

Official site.

Stars of screen and stage # 1: Mary Ellis

Reverse reads:

A series of 48, no. 2

In 1924 Mary Ellis, with her fine voice and acting powers made a world-wide hit as the original "Rose Marie" in New York. She was born there in 1899, studying singing for three years before making her stage debut in 1918. She first came to England in 1930, and had success in the West End in "Knave and Queen" "Strange Interlude" and "Queer Cattle". She returned to America, but is shortly re-appearing here in the title-role of "Josephine".
Park Drive Cigarettes. Gallaher Ltd, Virginia House, London & Belfast.

Is this the same Mary Ellis? The date does not quite correspond. Is there only one Mary Ellis or are there several? A picture search is inconclusive here and here.

Again I have an incomplete series of these cards.

Camera Studies # 4: Genevieve Tobin

According to the mini-biography on IMDB Genevieve Tobin abandoned her acting career in 1940.

Dream double bill # 9 'Mamma Roma' and 'Nights of Cabiria'

The theme of this weekend's double bill is changing circumstances, escape, self improvement; call it what you will. It doesn't matter that much that Mamma Roma and Cabiria share the same profession both want to escape their current lives and improve their circumstances for themselves or in the case of Mamma Roma for the sake of her son too.

Pasolini helped Fellini with the dialogue on 'Le Notti di Cabiria', both directors and both films show us changing lives, dreams, happiness and disappointments so well.

'Mamma Roma' (1962) directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini.

Anna Magnani as Mamma Roma.

Silvana Corsini as Bruna.

'Le Notti di Cabiria' (Nights of Cabiria) by Federico Fellini (1957).

Guiletta Masina as Cabiria.

Wanda played by Franca Marzi waves good bye to Cabiria who is on her way to a new life.

A remake of Citizen Kane?

Not quite. But a remake it seems of the so called Citizen Kane of horror movies: 'The Wicker Man'. I'm having trouble believing it.

Camera studies # 3: Rosalind Marquis

Rosalind Marquis.

Reverse reads: Photo courtesy of First National Pictures.

Dream double bill # 8 'Eyes without a face' and 'Peeping Tom'

The theme of this double bill is horror. Horror as a by-product of science. Doctor Génessier and his assistant Louise lure young ladies so that they can provide his daughter Christiane with a new face in 'Eyes without a face' (Yeux sans visage) meanwhile he continues his experiments on dogs. Is Mark Lewis continuing the work of his father in 'Peeping Tom'? Both films offer us the faces of madmen absorbed by science and experiments, something I think we see less and less in modern day horror films where ordinary people tend to perpetuate the horror.

'Les Yeux sans visage' (1959) (Eyes without a face) directed by Georges Franju.

Alida Valli as Louise.

Edith Scob as Christiane Genessier.

'Peeping Tom' (1960) directed by Michael Powell.

Carl Boehm plays Mark Lewis.

According to this site, this end sequence (exterior) was filmed right across the street from where Michael Powell lived in Kensington/ Holland Park area.

Pier Paolo Pasolini

Photographed by John Phillips, Rome 1962.

It seems to me that Pasolini was often photographed with his hands close to his face.