Where are the stars of yesteryear? (1927 edition)

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CoffeeDan
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Where are the stars of yesteryear? (1927 edition)

Post by CoffeeDan »

I originally posted this on another website (now defunct), but thought my friends at SSO would be interested . . .

This comes from a collection of articles by Robert Landry in Variety that was reprinted in the August 27, 1927 issue of Liberty magazine. Landry was kind of the Richard Lamparski of his day, tracking down the once-famous stars of the cinema firmament and updating readers of Variety on their current activities and whereabouts. I swear I don't know about a third of the names here, and don't know how accurate it is overall, but I thought I'd post this as a snapshot of early Hollywood and how much it had changed by the end of the silent era. Now let's see whatever happened to . . .

CLARA KIMBALL YOUNG. One of the earliest stars. After a long career, she refused to accept feature roles and retired. In vaudeville since.

VIVIAN MARTIN. Early Fox star. On legit stage for many seasons past.

MARGUERITE CLARK. Second only to Mary Pickford at one time. Married and living in New Orleans.

MAE MARSH. D. W. Griffith protegee. Failed to click when coming out of retirement a couple of seasons ago.

GEORGE BEBAN. Makes one picture annually and travels with it as a road show.

FANNIE WARD. Recently in vaudeville. Early screen luminary.

MARY MILES MINTER. Left in flood of unfavorable publicity. Now in Europe.

ANITA STEWART. One of the great a decade ago. Popularity gradually diminished.

G. M. ANDERSON ("Broncho Billy"). Led way in riding and shooting operas. Made much and lost lot producing musical revues. Now on coast.

ROSCOE ARBUCKLE. Just getting break after notoriety interrupted career. Has been playing vaude dates.

WILLIAM FARNUM. Stepped from the legit stage to become one of Fox's biggest stars. Recently appeared in a coast production of The Firebrand (play).

MAX LINDER. French comedian who made several pictures on this side. Committed suicide in Paris last year.

BEVERLY BAYNE. Former wife and co-star of Francis X. Bushman. Vogue couple of years ago in Warner Brothers' pictures. Inactive lately.

EARLE WILLIAMS. Recently died in Hollywood. Vitagraph star for many years. Later appearances were in featured roles.

CARLYLE BLACKWELL. Early matinee idol. Transferred to English screen several years ago. Married to heiress.

HAROLD LOCKWOOD. Died during the influenza epidemic of 1919 at height of popularity as screen hero.

MAY ALLISON. Allowed herself to get out of the public eye. Recently married James Quirk, publisher of a fan magazine, and now appearing more often.

OLGA PETROVA. Metro star during war. Since leaving screen has appeared in plays written by herself.

FRANK KEENAN. Appears intermittently on screen and stage. Star of the old Triangle.

WILLIAM S. HART. Away for two years. Once greatest of western stars.

GERALDINE FARRAR. Retirement from screen was followed some seasons later by retirement from grand opera. Ex-wife of Lou Tellegen, screen actor.

EDDIE POLO. One of the earliest stunt men to star in serials. Kids he once thrilled are now grown up.

J. WARREN KERRIGAN. Has done little since THE COVERED WAGON.

PAULINE FREDERICK. Has refused to accept secondary roles and is seldom seen on screen over here. Appearing during the past season on London stage and screen.

WEDGEWOOD NOWELL. Old-time movie villain. Now represents Equity in Los Angeles.

J. BARNEY SHERRY. One of the real "old-timers." Graces an occasional flicker drama.

JANE and KATHERINE LEE. Kid stars. Became a standard vaudeville act.

TEXAS GUINAN. Did a female Bill Hart on screen. Now New York night-club light.

MARJORIE DAW. Protegee of Geraldine Farrar. Enjoyed several seasons of popularity. Last appearance in recent Tom Mix release.

LOUISE GLAUM. Of "vampire" vogue. Away for four years.

RUTH ROLAND. Serial star. Immensely wealthy, due to business sagacity in Los Angeles real estate.

MITCHELL LEWIS. Star when popular fancy favored hefty heroes. Still active.

ELLIOTT DEXTER. Does an occasional chore for picture producers, but has worked chiefly in vaude of late. One of Cecil De Mille's early proteges.

MONROE SALISBURY. Of old burly type of hero. Last reported breaking in act around Los Angeles.

MOLLY KING. Married.

CARTER DE HAVEN. Did light domestic farces with wife. In real estate. Promoted Hollywood Music Box Theater last year.

JUSTINE JOHNSTONE. One of the stars who rose and set overnight. Went to England. Married to Walter Wanger. Played Orpheum Circuit last year.

SESSUE HAYAKAWA. Japanese star of Robertson-Cole (now FBO). Since return to America, produced and starred in spoken drama that flopped. Has done vaude sketch.

WANDA HAWLEY. Star for Artcraft. Now in independent pictures on coast.

CRANE WILBUR. Early leading man. Appeared in THE PERILS OF PAULINE in 1913. Playwright and stage actor. Now in vaude sketch.

IRENE CASTLE. Came to fame via fox-trot craze. Appeared in many features and several serials. Now married and living in Chicago.

WILFRED LYTELL. Brother of Bert Lytell. Returned to the legit stage.

HOPE HAMPTON. Married Jules Brulatour, millionaire. Ambitions for operetta.

IRVING CUMMINGS. Turned director.

ELAINE HAMMERSTEIN. Not on screen since automobile accident. One of Selznick's stars.

THEODORE ROBERTS. Ill health. At height of screen career was probably best known and liked character man in pictures.

GAIL KANE. Back in legit. Picture star for brief time.

ENID BENNETT. Wife of Fred Niblo. Seldom seen on screen. Formerly leading woman to Fairbanks and numerous other big names.

LILA LEE. Recently appeared with husband James Kirkwood in legit play produced in Los Angeles. Beginning in vaude as protegee of Gus Edwards, hoisted overnight into picture stardom.

HARRY MOREY. Great favorite of old Vitagraph. Seldom on view.

MAURICE COSTELLO. After passing into oblivion, returned to memory through prominence recently achieved by two daughters, Dolores and Helen. Costello screen idol more than fifteen years ago.

AGNES AYRES. Retired upon marriage to Mexican. Marriage reported on rocks, with Miss Ayres' return to screen not unlikely.

WALLACE REID. Before Valentino, greatest male star. Died some years ago.

WESLEY BARRY. Kid star. Now married and conducting jazz band.

LEAH BAIRD. Writing scenarios.

DORIS MAY. Once co-starred by Paramount with Douglas MacLean. In semi-retirement since marrying Wallace MacDonald, screen actor.

NAZIMOVA. Went out via the Orpheum Circuit and to England.

ETHEL CLAYTON. Appears now and then between legit engagements. Former Paramount star.

DOROTHY DALTON. Now Mrs. Arthur Hammerstein.

JANE NOVAK. Reported appearing in pictures in Australia. On screen here now and then in independents.

PEARL WHITE. In Paris for many years. Picture for Fox about five years ago. First serial queen.

FRANCIS FORD. Leading man and villain in serials. Directing for Universal.

FRANKLYN FARNUM. Western star. In vaude.

ORA CAREWE, DOLORES CASINELLI, LOUISE LOVELY, LOUISE HUFF, ALICE LAKE, BILLIE RHODES, GLADYS LESLIE, and MISS DUPONT. Each twinkled briefly and was forgotten.

BILLIE BURKE. In retirement with husband Flo Ziegfeld.

JOSEPH KILGOUR. A familiar heavy. Returned to spoken stage last season.

ROSEMARY THEBY. No longer active. Of the vamp school.

MILDRED HARRIS. Chaplin's first wife. Has had many ups and downs. Still functions sometimes as leading lady, sometimes in bits.

KATHERINE MCDONALD. Introduced as overnight star by First National. Married wealth and retired.

MARY MACLAREN. Sister of Katherine McDonald. Married. Reported living in India.

FRANK MAYO. Infrequent player.

JUNE CAPRICE, CATHERINE CALVERT, PEGGY HYLAND, JUANITA HANSEN, EVELYN GREELEY, SYLVIA BREAMER, JUNE ELVIDGE, FRANCELIA BILLINGTON, MIRIAM COOPER, GLADYS WALTON, ANN LITTLE, ZENA KEEFE, SHANNON DAY, RUBYE DE REMER, and VIRGINIA PEARSON. Passed from camera's eye and public memory.
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movieman1957
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Re: Where are the stars of yesteryear? (1927 edition)

Post by movieman1957 »

Don't recognize but a handful of names but Billie Burke's status made me laugh. Retired? Just for a little while.
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Re: Where are the stars of yesteryear? (1927 edition)

Post by moira finnie »

I would love to have seen Sessue Hayakawa in vaudeville to see if his considerable presence translated to the stage (and his command of English in the '20s). Crane Wilbur went on to considerable success as a screenwriter (film noir, primarily) from the '30s-'60s.

Many of the names are a mystery to me too, Dan. Thanks for posting this here.
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