“The Twistum Toy is the latest fad among the stars of Hollywood. Here is Myrna Loy, of the Warner studio, with one of the new pets.” — Myrna #botd, in an early publicity photo, 1926. (Thread)
Myrna not only did publicity photos for the wooden Twistum Toy company — presumably at the behest of Warner Brothers — she also appeared in the Oakland, California company’s print advertising:
More from the Warners/First National roster of actors touting Twistum Toys: Virginia Lee Corbin and Bessie Smith. The toys, handcrafted from wood with inner wires and springs to allow bendable posing, were patented and popular in the 1920’s and ‘30’s.
More on the studio/Twistum Toy promotional tie-ins with Dorothy Mackaill and Blanche Mehaffey, c. mid-1920’s.
May McAvoy in a creative Twistum ad campaign and a young lad apparently pleased with his new birthday present:
And finally a Twistum catalog assortment and price list. For reference, $2 in 1925 would be about $30 in 2021 dollars.
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My mission: figure out (finally) who this spectacularly costumed actress was from Madam Satan (1930), Cecil B. DeMille’s legendary and jawdroppingly bizarre sci-fi cheesefest. It’s a tough job, but, well…you know… (Thread)
This particular character appeared in Madam Satan’s wild and weird production number “Ballet Mécanique”where dozens of dancers strut, writhe and leap as robotic generators and turbines, decked out in angular Deco costumes.
Yes, it’s a crazy scene as the large, buff “Electricity” (Bolshoi ballet dancer and choreographer Theodore Kosloff) leads the gear-laden troupe in an inexplicable pagan-ish ceremony that’s part mayhem, part spirited athletic workout. It’s DeMille on acid. Or something.
Jean Arthur and a Benda mask from an unusual photo session with Eugene Robert Richee, 1929. (Thread)
Jean posing with another Benda mask from the Richee shoot for Paramount most likely in studio publicity for her role in The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu (1929) and The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu (1930).
Wladysław Teodor Benda was Polish-American painter, illustrator, and designer known for his remarkable, meticulously designed, and hand-painted papier-mâché masks.
Louise poses with “Dismal Desmond (the Doleful Dalmatian)” and “Bonzo” in 1928. Both stuffed toy canines were modeled on popular cartoon characters of the era. Photo by Eugene Robert Richee. (Thread)
“Dismal Desmond” premiered as a short in 1926 which spawned its own foxtrot number. The name also became British slang for a miserable person.
Bonzo was a popular but short lived animated featurette that began in 1924 in England with “Sausage Snatching Sensation,” one of the first known cartoons in wide release. The cartoon doggy became an international hit and Bonzo toys were sold around the world.
Louise and Adolphe Menjou in a Swedish poster for A Social Celebrity (1926). (Thread)
Louise, Menjou and Chester Conklin (R) in a French poster for A Social Celebrity (1926). Illustration by Maurice Toussaint.
Louise, Menjou and director Malcolm St. Clair (L) pose on the set of A Social Celebrity (1926). The film’s salon scenes, filmed on location in Manhattan, were said to have caused quite a commotion in the busy neighborhood.
Louise — in heels, of course — poses with Sally Blane (L) and Nancy Phillips (R) on the SoCal beach, 1927. (Thread)
The three worked together on the lost college-themed film Rolled Stockings (1927) with Louise getting star billing and Sally (who also happened to be Loretta Young’s sister) receiving a credited role. Nancy went uncredited and never made another film.
Photoplay magazine featured the three in a “Bathing Togs” story in August, 1927, reminding the reader that “trunks and jackets should match or you just aren’t in the swim.” And “it’s the derniest cri” means “it’s the latest fashion.”
Louise poses in costume with the visiting Iris Gray from the Paramount Picture School. The pic was taken on the Astoria studio set of The American Venus (1926). (Thread)
Iris cuts the rug to the accompaniment of Marion Harris and Charles “Buddy” Rogers in a still from Fascinating Youth (1926). The trio were a few of the sixteen budding actors from The Paramount Picture School, a short lived strategy the studio used to find young, new talent.
Four members of the graduating class of The Paramount Picture School, 1926: Iris Gray, Thelma Todd, Josephine Dunn and Charles “Buddy” Rogers. Trivia: Rogers married Mary Pickford in 1937 after a ten year love affair while Mary was still wedded to Douglas Fairbanks.