The Entertainer by Margaret Talbot

The Entertainer:
Movies, Magic and My Father's Twentieth Century
by Margaret Talbot
November 2012
Riverhead (Penguin)
Hardcover ISBN: 9781594487064
$28.95 US retail


In her captivating, impeccably researched narrative - a charmed combination of Hollywood history, social history, and family memoir - Margaret Talbot conjures warmth and nostalgia for those earlier eras of '10s and '20s small-town American, '30s and '40s Hollywood. She transports us to an alluring time, simpler but also exciting, and illustrated the changing face of her father's America, all while telling the story of mass entertainment across the first half of the twentieth century. - Riverhead Books

Margaret Talbot's The Entertainer is not simply a biography about her father the actor Lyle Talbot. Rather the book consists of two parallel stories; one of Talbot's life as a man and career as an actor and the other about the evolution of Hollywood and the entertainment industry in the twentieth century.

This book is a portrait of an entertainer placed firmly on the canvass of twentieth century history. The Entertainer is a charming book with a lot of insight and thoughtfulness and a rich abundance of information. The book chronicles Lyle Talbot's life and career almost chronologically. There are several jumps back and forth through time but the course keeps steady and it reads as though you are moving forward continuously rather than simply jumping around.

Margaret Talbot doesn't try to romanticize her father. She is frank about his drinking problem and how he never became a major movie star. But this book is also an ode to the father who she knew and loved dearly. Their age gap reminds me very much of the one I have with my own father (52 years in my case and almost 60 in hers). Her father was secretive about his romantic past, much like my own is now. A lot of what Margaret Talbot found out about her father Lyle's girlfriends and wives was from her research.

Speaking of research, the author relies a lot on the memories of her father as well as the stories that her father told her and the ones shared by family and friends. She also relies on scrapbooks, photographs, clippings, receipts, menus, telegrams, postcards and other papers saved over the years. She revisited taped interviews and transcripts and dug up articles and interviews from various publications and read many biographies, novels and books on history and criticism. She recounts a lovely story about a man finding a photo scrapbook of her father at a yard sale, realizing it's importance and contacting her about transferring the book back to the family. I'm sure a lot of people would have kept those photographs or sold them so it's nice to hear that someone was generous enough to give them to the family for safe keeping.

The book clocks in at over 400 pages and includes 45 black and white photos which appear throughout the text. This type of design is my ideal as the photos appear with the relevant text to go along with it. It keeps me from flipping back and forth from a photo insert to where I had left off reading (which I have done many times in the past with other books).

For those of you who are looking for a book about an actor's life, without all the salaciousness of other biographies and with plenty of context, then look no further than this book. I wish there were more books like this one; kind yet frank portrayals with lots of added information. I would go so far to call this book an enhanced biography. I found The Entertainer to be absolutely charming, well-written and insightful.

Check out the official Pinterest board for The Entertainer!

Disclosure: Thank you to Riverhead Books (a division of Penguin) for providing me with an advance readers copy of the book to review.

Catching Up with Quelle (6)

Celebrities in my town - I helped break a local news story that a scene from the HBO movie Clear History (2014) was being filmed in my town. Not only that the location was a block away from where I live. The film will star Michael Keaton, Eva Mendes, Jon Hamm (OMG), Kate Hudson and more. It's being directed by Larry David and he's the only celebrity anyone saw.

Another pair of celebrities in my town - Laurel and Hardy!

My town has a Halloween parade every year. That's right. A Halloween parade. And each year I see this miniature car with two guys pretending to be Laurel and Hardy. I always miss taking a picture of them but I got one this year!

TCM Classic Film Festival 2013 News - Tickets will go on sale November 15 and they haven't announced the full lineup but have revealed some of the events. There will be a gala to celebrate the restoration of the film Funny Girl (1968). I wonder if Barbra Streisand will be in attendance. Or perhaps Omar Sharif. I'd much prefer to see Omar Sharif! Other films being screened include The General (1926) with Alloy Orchestra playing live musical accompaniment, a restoration of Giant (1956)  and The Great Escape (1963). So far this is looking kind of disappointing. I have already seen the Alloy Orchestra perform, I have no interest in Funny Girl and watching newly restored brown face in Giant doesn't necessarily appeal to me. If Carroll Baker and/or Rod Taylor made an appearance, I think it would be worth going. And if James Garner attended the screening of The Great Escape that would be amazing. So far I'm not impressed. I look forward to see the full lineup which should be announced very soon.

At this point, it looks like I have a very slim chance of going. Finances are definitely a problem with my recent hospital visits and my car issues. But if the festival is truly amazing (Kirk Douglas, Olivia de Havilland or Joan Fontaine, Mickey Rooney, etc.) then I might make the sacrifice financially to go.

The Naked Prey (1966)

I remember Ginger from Asleep in New York raving about Cornel Wilde and dreaming about him in the buff. And in an episode of Mad Men, Don Draper is asked if he has seen The Naked Prey (1966). It's mentioned that Cornel Wilde is mostly naked in the film. Both of those nudity references got my interest piqued.

The Naked Prey (1966) is directed by Cornel Wilde who also stars in the film. He plays "the man" a nameless Westerner who is put in a very difficult situation. His colleague refuses to give a tribe a gift for their leader. This stirs their ire and their whole group, including members of another African tribe, are humiliated, tortured and killed. They leave Cornel Wilde's Man for last.

He's stripped down to nothing and released. He gets a head start but that's it. After a little while, a group of men from the tribe hunt him down like the naked prey he is.

I was both horrified by the story and impressed with Cornel Wilde's performance. I don't really see the appeal of  watching Cornel Wilde naked on screen. He had a very fit body but given the circumstances of the story I just felt bad for him. No lust involved! In fact, I really just wanted to give him water and food.

The theme of predator versus prey holds the story together as the man continues to elude the tribal men who hunt him down. The man witnesses snakes killing birds, lions killing antelopes, and one tribe killing another tribe. It's interesting to watch how resourceful both prey and predator become in the game of life. The tricks both the man and his hunters develop in order to achieve their goal.

I highly admire Cornel Wilde for taking on such a project. There is very little dialogue, conditions must have been harsh and the work was very taxing on his body. I've read that he was ill during the filming and that at one point he was bitten by a snake. Also to expose his body like that, to both the elements and to film audiences, must have taken a lot of courage.

 For me the hardest scene to watch was the stock footage of the elephants being shot down one by one. I also had a difficult time watching the captured men being tortured in various inhumane ways. The story was originally about Native Americans and took place in North America. However, the South African government gave the filmmakers an incentive to work on their land so the story was changed to suit the setting.




The movie is available on DVD from Criterion. You can rent it from Netflix. I recommend at least one viewing of this! It's quite a remarkable film.

Frankenstein (1931) and The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) on the big screen

Last Wednesday I got the chance to see Frankenstein (1931) and The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) on the big screen courtesy of TCM and NCM Fathom Events. I had never seen these films and it was a treat for Halloween that's for sure.

Before the films were screened, there was an intro with Robert Osborne. They also showed footage of Osborne's interview with Bela Lugosi Jr., Boris Karloff's daughter Sara Karloff and renowned film make-up artist Dick Smith. This was my favorite part! I loved to hear what they had to say about Lugosi and Karloff and about the history of horror films. And I find solidarity in the fact that they avoid contemporary horror films too. I avoid them like the plague and much appreciate suggestion and suspense to gore, torture p-rn and jump scares.

The movies were fun to watch but overall I had a difficult time. I didn't appreciate the laughter from the audience. I felt like they were making fun of the movies. This irked me especially since how much these films have influenced movies we watch today. Also, I have avoided the Universal monster movies for a very long time and now I understand why. They are just not my bag. I appreciate the Val Lewton films which do a lot with light, shadow and suggestion. No silly costumes or props. The makeup, hair and clothes were amazing in the Frankenstein films. I loved the sets too. But monster movies are just not for me. I do concede that they are still vastly better than any of the scary movies Hollywood produces today and that I might have enjoyed these films if I had watched them at home instead.

Sorry for what comes out to be one of the most boring posts I've ever done!

Did you go to the double feature screening of Frankenstein (1931) and The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)? What did you think?

I hope you all have a Happy Halloween!

Phantom of the Opera (1925) with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis

It's one thing to watch a silent film but it's quite another to watch it on the big screen with a performer playing live music to go with the film. The movie just comes alive in a way that it doesn't with prerecorded music. Jeff Rapsis is a very talented silent film accompanist and on Sunday October 21st a few friends, my husband and I got to see Jeff perform his live improvised music alongside a screening of The Phantom of the Opera (1925). It was a great way to celebrate Halloween, live music and classic film.

Carlos doesn't know how to smile for the camera.

Lisa, Frank and Diane.

Kevin and I

And I brought Cranberry Pecan Muffins for my friends!

Jeff Rapsis improvises his music. He comes up with some musical material ahead of time but nothing is written down. He reacts to the film, gets energy and inspiration from the audience's reaction and that's how the magic happens.

The Phantom of the Opera (1925) is one of the earliest horror films. The Phantom, Erik, as portrayed by Lon Chaney is truly evil. Whatever sympathy you have for him because of his unfortunately terrifying visage and his status as an outcast from society, is annulled by witnessing his selfish and greedy behavior. He desires Christine (Mary Philbin) and there is nothing that will stop him from obtaining her.

Fun fact about The Phantom of the Opera (1925): Carla Laemmle, niece of Universal Studios mogul Carl Laemmle, appears in a bit part as a prima ballerina in the film. She is still alive today (as of October 2012) and just recently celebrated her 103rd birthday.

The substantial gap in time from the present and when this film was made puts contemporary audiences at a bit of a disadvantage. It's hard for some of us to appreciate the over-the-top theatrics, especially those displayed by Mary Philbin's Christine as she expresses fear of the Phantom and Lon Chaney's hand and arm motions as he expresses terror as the Phantom. However, what I believe keeps modern viewers coming back to the film is it's historical importance, it's striking visuals and the various critical themes in the story including isolation, oppression, jealousy, manipulation, death, revelry, love, greed and mob mentality. The one theme I think is the most interesting is the mob mentality (spoiler ahead). The people of the town and the workers of the opera house are sick and tired of being held in a state of fear by this shadowy figure. They all get together and chase him out of the opera house and physically express their hatred upon his mortal body. Years of oppression and the kidnapping of Christine pushed them all over the edge.

The audience at the Somerville Theater laughed a lot at some of the more overly dramatic theatrics and at some of the title cards but overall I felt they were very respectful of the movie. Many people came up to Jeff Rapsis at the end of the show to thank him and to express their gratitude for the experience. It was a packed house too. I figured at least over a hundred people were in attendance!

Jeff Rapsis did a wonderful job accompanying his style of improvised music to the screening of The Phantom of the Opera. This time he used the theater's speakers rather than his own so it was pretty loud but not too loud for us not to be able to enjoy it. I kept tapping my foot and my hands to various beats of the music. It's hard to put into words just how special an experience like this is especially when it's orchestrated by someone as talented as Jeff Rapsis.

The version of the film showed was a 35mm print with color plates that Jeff borrowed from a collector in California. The color is amazing especially in the big party scene where the Phantom makes appearance dressed as the "Red Death". Jeff Rapsis plays on a digital synthesizer which reproduces the sounds of a full orchestra. He makes a point of never letting the music overpower the movie.

It has been quite a while since I've seen a classic movie at the Somerville Theater. Jeff Rapsis explained to me that the theater had been upgrading to a digital screening method in order to be able to show more first run movies. Their 35mm projector had to be put aside for the time being. However, recently they finished their upgrade and restored their projector so they can show both digital and 35mm film. For the future, this means more classic movies and more appearances by Jeff Rapsis including a Valentine's Day themed one in February for Harold Lloyd's silent comedy Girl Shy (1924).

Thanks again Jeff Rapsis for a wonderful experience!

Posts about Jeff Rapsis and his performances:

Buster Keaton and Live Musical Accompaniment at the Somerville Theater

Even More Buster Keaton and Live Musical Accompaniment at the Somerville Theater 

Interview with silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis 

Catching Up with Quelle (5)

Oops! I forgot to do one of these last week.

Business Cards - New design, new domain and now I have new business cards! The design is by the talented Julianna Rose and they were made using Moo.com.

Poll - Please consider filling out the Poll below. I'd love to know what you would like to see more of on Out of the Past. There are a few things I just don't do well. I am terrible at keeping up with news and new DVD/Blu-Ray releases, I'm horrible at remembering birthdays and holidays and obituaries make me want to cry (that's why I do the quick ones). I like to think that I'm decent at everything else.

I'll leave the poll up until the end of November.






I believe in picture books - I did this video for a picture book campaign (read more about it here). I talk about how picture books help children develop empathy. In fact, the same can be said about classic movies. Please take a moment to watch the video.

Lightning Flash Giveaway ~ To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) Book and Screening Tickets

It's time for another lightning flash giveaway and this time it's hosted by publisher Harper Perennial (a division of HarperCollins). I'm giving away one prize package which includes pair of tickets to the Thursday November 15th screening To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) and a 50th anniversary edition of the book from Harper Perennial. Check out the NCM Fathom Events page for the screening for more information including which theaters are showing the film.

Note from Harper Perennial:

You’ve read the book…now see it come to life on movie screens nationwide!  

For one day only on Thursday, November 15^th, select movie theaters nationwide will show the award-winning film version of Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird, in an event in honor of its 50th anniversary. In partnership with Fathom Events, Harper Perennial is offering YOU a chance to win 2 tickets for this event, plus a copy of the book!

Even though I have a Bachelor's in English (summa cum laude!) and a Master's degree in Writing, Literature and Publishing, I was never taught To Kill a Mockingbird in school! It's a book I've been meaning to read and a movie I've been meaning to watch so I'm very grateful for this opportunity and to be able to share a nice prize package like this with one lucky reader.

You can enter to win a chance to see this here! It's a lightning flash giveaway so please be prepared to respond ASAP to my email if you are contacted.

Rules and Regulations:

1) US participants only.

2) Enter by Sunday October 28th at 11:59 PM EST.

3) Winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email.

4) There is only ONE SHOWING. If you are not available to see this on the evening of Thursday November 15th, please do not enter this contest.

5) If you win, you must reply to my announcement email by 8 am EST on Tuesday October 30th so NCM Fathom can get you the tickets in time.

6) If I don't hear from you by the deadline, I'll award the prize to another person.

Good luck!

CONTEST IS NOW OVER

Congrats to the winner Andy!

Warner Archive Wednesday ~ The Bride Walks Out (1936)

The Bride Walks Out (1936) stars Barbara Stanwyck as Carolyn, a model who makes decent money and enjoys her independence. She's got her own apartment, a steady job and even a maid.

Her beau Michael (Gene Raymond) is an engineer who is down on his luck. It's the Depression and there aren't enough well-paying engineering jobs to go around so Michael makes do while he waits for an opportunity to come along. All Michael can offer Carolyn is a $35-a-week lifestyle. And a happy marriage. But Carolyn isn't so sure that's what she wants.

Michael offers Carolyn a small modest bouquet of flowers.

While Michael is in court for a serious traffic violation, after trying (successfully) to get fired from his taxi driver job, Carolyn meets wealthy and permanently drunk Hugh McKenzie (Robert Young). Hugh is the opposite of Michael. He's carefree and reckless. But they have one thing in common. They are both in love with Carolyn.

And Hugh offers Carolyn huge fancy bouquets.

Carolyn marries Michael but life is hard as a stay-at-home wife on $35 a week. Bills start adding up, payments missed and repossessors are knocking on their door. Carolyn tries to keep this from Michael but she can't much longer. She needs to work to help support the family. But Michael is old fashioned and wants to be the only bread winner. And then rich boy Hugh steps in to save the day but what about their marriage?

You can't really afford a $49.50 gown on a $35-a-week budget

The Bride Walks Out (1936) is a light drama with some comedic elements. I love watching films about people during Depression era 1930s trying to make something of their lives with very little opportunity. In many of these films there is a strong tension between love and money. Barbara Stanwyck is quite lovely as Carolyn. I enjoyed Gene Raymond's and Robert Young's performances as well. To add some humor to the story there is Ned Sparks as Paul Dodson as Michael's sidekick. You may remember Ned Sparks as the disgruntled show producer in Gold Diggers of 1933. Also, Helen Broderick plays Paul's wife Mattie and she brings a wonderful element of comedy to the story. Paul and Mattie are a sour couple whose bickering overshadows their deep down devotion for each other.

Also of note is Billy Gilbert who plays Mr. Donovan, a collector for the Acme Furniture Company. There is a hilarious scene in which he comes to collect Carolyn's furniture and he, Carolyn, Mattie and the movers all get drunk over champagne that Hugh (Robert Young) brought over. Hilarious!

Also the delightful Hattie McDaniel has a small role as Carolyn's maid.

This movie really hit home for me. Times have been a bit tough financially with house expenses and some surprise medical and car bills. We want to buy a home and start a family but not having the funds to do that keeps us from moving forward with our lives. It comforts me in a way to see another couple going through something similar.

The Bride Walks Out (1936) is available on DVD via Warner Archive.

Warner Archive Wednesday - On (random) Wednesdays, I review one title from the Warner Archive Collection. Movies selected are rented from Classicflix, watched on TCM or purchased from Warner Archive, Classicflix or TCM. This series is not sponsored by Warner Archive.

It (1927) with Clara Bow

Image Source

Clara Bow was one of those mega-watt stars whose light burned bright in the silent film era. What makes an actress like Clara Bow a star? The x-factor and she had “it”. Now the x-factor isn’t one solitary thing. It’s a combination of things including personality, looks, appeal, approachability, charisma and talent. Not everyone has the x-factor. There is no way to manufacture it or manipulate it. You either have “it” or you don’t. And Clara Bow had “it”.

The film It (1927) explores another kind of x-factor: sex appeal.  This is how a quote from the film explains “it”.

 “’IT’ is that peculiar quality which some persons possess, which attracts others of the opposite sex. The possessor of ‘IT’ must be absolutely un-self-conscious, and must have that magnetic ‘sex appeal’ which is irresistible.”

Clara Bow plays Betty Lou, a poor shop girl with good looks and an eye out for the boss Waltham (Antonio Moreno). While Waltham doesn’t know she exists, his employee Monty (William Austin) has eyes for Betty. But Betty wants Waltham and she’s desperate to get his attention. She has “it” and he needs to know “it”. However, when she stands up for her sick friend Molly (Priscilla Bonner) whose baby is about to be taken away from her, Betty Lou’s two suitors, her boss and his employee, are turned off by her appearance of single motherhood. Just one bit of miscommunication and the it factor is snuffed out. What’s a girl to do?

One of the sad things about the x-factor or having “it” is that you are almost guaranteed to lose it. Some stars keep it forever, like Marilyn Monroe and Humphrey Bogart, but that’s very rare. Most of those who have “it” lose “it”. And how depressing that must be to be on top of the world only to be knocked off. It’s something I’m sure Clara Bow and many other stars struggled with.

I think a lot of folks today purposefully ignore the “it” factor. Some of us think too highly of ourselves to come to the realization that we’ll never have “it”.  It is something that I struggle with too.

I had never seen a Clara Bow film before so watching this was a real treat. My friend Paulie from Art, Wood, Movies and Whatnot   is a huge Clara Bow fan and has done several very fine illustrations of her.  I had hoped that I would see this film on the big screen with live musical accompaniment but the opportunity escaped me. Maybe I will someday in the future. It’s a nice film and most interesting for its lead star and its focus on that elusive “it” factor.

Note: Author Elinor Glyn meant "it" to be more about the overall x-factor than specifically sex appeal. But Hollywood had other ideas.

It (1927) used to be available on DVD but that DVD is now out of print. You can watch it on Netflix Instant or rent it through Classicflix.

Warner Archive Wednesday ~ Young Ideas (1943)

Young Ideas (1943) is a fun collegiate/family movie directed by Jules Dassin. Josephine Evans (Mary Astor) is a wildly popular author of novels. Her latest book, As I Knew Paris, is on its 10th edition and she's very in demand.

The trouble is, no one seems to know where she is. She's completely disappeared! And she won't tell anyone where she's hiding. Jo has been booked for many lectures and appearances but she has skipped them all. Her agent is at his wits end. 

In comes Jo's kids Susan Evans (Susan Peters) and Jeff Evans (Elliott Reid). They've grown accustom to the lifestyle that their mother's very successful writing career. They have all the luxuries they need and get to socialize with the best authors and poets. And they don't want to give that up!

They go to find their mother who has fallen in love with some mystery man. When they track her down to the last college town where she delivered a lecture. They find her there but things are a bit more complicated than they expected. Their mother Jo has secretly gotten married to Chemistry Professor Michael Kingsley (Herbert Marshall). And Michael's got it in his mind that he'll take care of Jo and she can give up her writing career.

Jo: "For the past 10 tens I have been living with Michael as a respectable married woman."

Susan: "Mother! You ought to be ashamed of yourself."

Susan and Jeff hatch a plan. They'll become students at Michael's college. That will buy them time to work on splitting up their mom from Michael. And of course hilarity ensues.

This is a very fun movie. I adore early films with a collegiate theme. And because I'm such a book nerd that the literary theme was a plus for me as well. The cast works well together and you feel bad for Jo who is trapped in the middle of this drama. She loves her new husband but still wants to make her kids happy. While Susan and Jeff could come off as spoiled brats, their characters develop through the movie which helps immensely when it comes to connecting with their characters. I also enjoyed Herbert Marshall's portrayal of the uptight yet loving professor. Fans of Richard Carlson will be amused to see him here as Tom Farrell, a young poetry professor who is charmed by Susan's literary smarts.

As many of you know, I'm a devoted fan of actress Susan Peters. I just think she was simply wonderful and she's the reason I chose to rent this film to watch. It's interesting to note that she receives top billing in the movie over both Mary Astor and Herbert Marshall.

MGM must have been really trying to build her up as an up and coming star. 

They also made a lot of effort grooming her. Susan Peters has the best wardrobe, makeup and hair of the entire cast. 

I love these collegiate sweaters!

One of the oddest things about the movie is the password siblings Jeff and Susan come up with in case Susan gets too emotional during their plan to break up their mother's new marriage. Of course Susan would be the weak emotional one being the female (ugh). Their choice for a password is strange.

Jeff: "They scrape a ton of rust a year from a iron bridge over the Yukon."

Susan: "No doubt you're right."

Umm, why that line? Why not something more simple? Like "don't be silly" or something?

Young Ideas (1943) is available on DVD via Warner Archive.

Warner Archive Wednesday - On (random) Wednesdays, I review one title from the Warner Archive Collection. Movies selected are rented from Classicflix, watched on TCM or purchased from Warner Archive, Classicflix or TCM. This series is not sponsored by Warner Archive.

Lightning Flash Giveaway ~ Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein on the Big Screen

It's time for yet another lightning flash giveaway hosted by TCM and NCM Fathom Events. I'm giving away three pairs of tickets to the Wednesday October 24th double-feature screening of Frankenstein (1931) and The Bride of Frankenstein (1935). Check out the NCM Fathom Events page for the screening for more information including which theaters are showing the double feature.

I hope you guys like these giveaways! I think it's wonderful that more people will be able to watch classic films on the big screen and this double feature is perfect for Halloween.

 You can enter to win a chance to see this here! It's a lightning flash giveaway so please be prepared to respond ASAP to my email if you are contacted.

Rules and Regulations:

1) US participants only.

2) Enter by Thursday October 18 at Noon EST.

3) Winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email.

4) There is only ONE SHOWING. If you are not available to see this on Wednesday October 24th, please do not enter this contest.

5) If you win, you must reply to my announcement email by 8 am EST on Friday October 19th so NCM Fathom can get you the tickets in time.

6) If I don't hear from you by the deadline, I'll award the prize to another person.

CONTEST IS NOW OVER. Thank you to everyone who entered.

Congratulations to the winners: Diane, Monique and Kate Gabrielle.