Your Most Wanted Lost Films

[donnie]

They also interviewed someone who was at the Institute of Living in Connecticut (a residential psychiatric facility) at the same time she was there in 1949. He recalled that she looked much older than she actually was and that she didn't talk to anyone.

I wonder if there are any photos of her when she was older?

[BettyLouSpence]

Yep - I couldn't find one from 1949 specifically, but here's two from 1947 when she appeared as Mrs. Hush on the Truth or Consequences radio show to support the March of Dimes. Both she and husband Rex do look noticably aged: they were only 42 and 44, respectively:

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[BettyLouSpence]

The1920sChannel on YouTube recently released a second part to to his first These 1920s Lost Films Must Be Found! video. Here's the second part, where he goes in depth on 4 Devils (1928), Wine (1924), and Hollywood (1923) - especially 4 Devils. I was actually rather surprised to see him talk about Wine; that isn't a film people often bring up when discussing their most wanted lost silents.

What do you think of the films listed and his reasons for wanting them found?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IhpvX1ZjsiM

[donnie]

What do you think of the films listed and his reasons for wanting them found?

This was well made and had interesting information on the films.

4 Devils would have to be a masterpiece. So strange that there wouldn’t be a known print of that left. I think it would be interesting to see the version with the talkie sequences added, also (morbid curiosity).

Wine sounds suspiciously like an attempt to titillate the audience while disguised as a moral message. It does sound like a great look at pop culture of the time.

Hollywood sounds fascinating. The plot pretty obviously seems to be just a flimsy excuse for the cavalcade of stars—but I doubt anyone complained; I wouldn’t. And I’ll bet it did do well at the box office. I’d particularly like to see that Arbuckle scene; I wonder if it was as poignant as it sounds.

I’d put 4 Devils definitely in first place, with Hollywood second. Not that I wouldn’t love to see Wine.

How about you? I'm guessing Wine would be your first pick, for some reason. Can't imagine why...

[BettyLouSpence]

4 Devils would have to be a masterpiece. So strange that there wouldn’t be a known print of that left. I think it would be interesting to see the version with the talkie sequences added, also (morbid curiosity).

Apparently, actress Mary Duncan was the last known person to have a copy of the film. According to Martin Koerber of the Deutsche Kinemathek:

A print of this was last seen in the 1940s in the Fox warehouse in Los Angeles. According to the files on this title in the Fox papers at UCLA, the print was given to Mary Duncan, lead actress. Legend has it that she either burned it or drowned it in her swimming pool. We can still hope this is an urban legend. No one has traced Mary Duncan's things, she died only in the 1990s, and there may be heirs...

Let's hope the print given to Mary Duncan wasn't the only one left.

There's a reason to have hope for the existence of Wine, however. Years ago, Bruce Calvert noted that the film was listed in a British Kodascope catalog from 1939:

This is a 1939 British Kodascope catalog with the film listed in it. This is an 8mm catalog. That means that some 8mm prints were made, and at least one 16mm print was made to convert the film to 8mm. So hopefully an 8mm collector in Europe has a print of this film somewhere.

I'm not aware of any info on the last known whereabouts of Hollywood, if it was duped for home movies, etc. I believe I read somewhere (on NV, possibly) that a script for the film survives.

How about you? I'm guessing Wine would be your first pick, for some reason. Can't imagine why...

You got me there...

[BettyLouSpence]

A magazine advert for The Cat's Pajamas, a lost 1926 film starring Betty Bronson and Ricardo Cortez. This looks like it would've been a fun and lighthearted romp. Most importantly, however, Theodore Roberts is back!

[donnie]

What a colorful and busily happy ad. Gowns, gayety, fervent love scenes, and fast, frisky comedy, indeed.

Most importantly, however, Theodore Roberts is back!

And I didn't even know he had ever left. I have a theory that he somewhere in every silent film ever made.