Hollywood Ghosts On The Loose!

The Old-Time Gang's All Here: Richard Conte and Checked-Coat Bill Castle Confer With
(Left To Right) Helen Gibson, Francis X. Bushman, William Farnum, and Betty Blythe

Hollywood Story (1951) Picks Silent Era Bones

Bill Castle was a better showman than director, his megging a mere perfunctory step toward promoting he preferred. His foothold, however, was made with really boring Columbia programmers under Sam Katzman's tent (a few good ones prior to that in the 40's). Hollywood Story isn't among the dog lot, being Universal-International, and worthwhile for early-50's explore of unsolved murder dating to silent movieland era. The gimmick was to spin off the William Desmond Taylor snuff-out, a potato still warm despite chasm of thirty years since it happened. Names weren't used, and by time writers got done, the whole of yarn was fiction, but death scenes for Taylor and Hollywood Story's "Franklin Ferrara" look remarkably alike, a parallel for at least insiders to munch on. Otherwise, this was strict who-long ago-dunit set on a back lot, that device as old as talkies themselves. What interest Hollywood Story generates is behind-camera glimpse of the town and folk working in it, H'wood home movie aspect a most compelling reason to watch.

It was habit then to drag out old-timers for occasion like this. Otherwise, they'd be ignored as usual, resulting in time-to-time burn from most outspoken of them. Elmo Lincoln was called, he of ancient Tarzan guise, only to be pushed far into background as glorified extra. Those of the gone era who spoke did so briefly: Betty Blythe, William Farnum, Helen Gibson. Value of these relics was to publicize Hollywood Story, not perform in it. Francis X. Bushman perhaps understood this best. He was an old ham who'd been curing since the teens, hopeful swain to many a Grandma who might be induced now to come and see him flash a still manly profile. Difference was, Bushman had old-world charm and was an elegant speaker besides. Him on tour for Hollywood Story was guarantee of local press interest, wherever he appeared. You couldn't necessarily say that of flash-in-pan talent being incubated at U-I.

Chicago Grannies Converge On "Frankie Boy" Bushman --- Placards Courtesy U's Art Dept.

So it really came down to who among vets could be most useful, Elmo Lincoln as remind of how mighty had fallen, or Bushman with oodles of joie de vivre and capacity to fill a lodge or ladies' tea. Elmo would dig a losing hole deeper with remarks to '51 press thus: "Every time they want to exploit something like Hollywood Story, they call on us ... The motion picture industry is the most unappreciative, selfish business in America today." And yes, he was justified, Universal having paid the former Tarzan a miserable $15 for the single day's work, but talk about burning a bridge ... Elmo Lincoln would, in any case, be gone the year after Hollywood Story was released. For Bushman however, 1951-52 would be season to roll up frayed cuffs and drum-beat for not only Hollywood Story, but blockbuster that was David and Bathsheba, in which he had a small, but speaking, part. Both were country-wide tours, Betty Blythe joining him on Hollywood Story's behalf as they flew into Chicago, Cleveland, elsewhere. The X man would remain a good luck charm around town. They'd use him not only to evoke old tinsel-ville, but to lend solid character support as well. Look close next time at The Bad and The Beautiful or Sabrina and you'll find Francis.

My Town Boasted No Silent Stars I Was Aware Of --- Did Yours?

Yes, you could say pioneers of the screen were ignored, but a number of them kept up with each other, and search of L.A. press finds much in the way of reunion, luncheons, and such to which survivors were invited. Trouble was tar brush applied by Sunset Boulevard, having come a year before Hollywood Story, and paving way for hereafter noirish approach to pre-talk themes. You'd think from these two that old-time emoters dabbled as much, then and now, in mayhem, if not outright kill-off of peers. What kept Hollywood Story from explicit treat of Wm. Desmond Taylor's case was continued, if ghostly, presence of Mary Miles Minter and her said-to-be gun totin' mother, Mary with litigious bent, Mom inclined to self-help in disposing of troublemakers (it was widely believed about town that she had offed Taylor).

Hollywood Story Highlight When We Visit a U-I Soundstage

So what we got was tentative evoke of old Hollywood, minus any actual names, other than guests along Bushman, Farnum, Gibson lines who were paid for few words, plus recognition by elder-enough fans. Otherwise, it's Richard Conte and Julia Adams bemused by what was left of a waxen museum, Conte a modern-day producer availing himself of old films as quest for authenticity ... but even that was problematic for Universal having burned up all its silent prints and negatives a few years before, a fact few were aware of in 1951. So what does he screen? Just the most famous strip of film Universal still had --- 1925's unmask scene from Phantom Of The Opera. Hollywood Story gave best glimpse of its title subject by going outdoors, specifically poolside at the fabled Roosevelt Hotel, footage of the annual Christmas parade down H'wood Blvd., and locationing at the Chaplin studio, where much welcome stuff was shot. There's also a visit to Universal's own sound stage, Joel McCrea good-sporting a cameo. Best echo of vanished times is Julia Adams playing a 20's romance scene with Paul Cavanagh --- she nails the Swanson style to point of it looking like real silent stuff. This may have been the show of talent that got Adams her U-I contract. Hollywood Story has just been released on DVD by TCM Archive --- quality is OK.