I am nearing completion of a project on the once "considered lost" 1927 Louise Brooks film, Now We're in the Air, and need help identifying a few of the actors, the model of airplanes, and perhaps even the locale of some of the exterior shots. As many of you may know, a 23 minute fragment of the film was found in the Czech Republic in 2016 by Robert Byrne, and was shown at the 2017 San Francisco Silent Film Festival and most recently at Pordenone in Italy. IF YOU ARE ABLE TO HELP IDENTIFY ANY OF THE ACTORS OR AIRPLANES OR
LOCALES IN THE FOLLOWING IMAGES, PLEASE POST IN THE COMMENTS, OR EMAIL
THE LOUISE BROOKS SOCIETY AT silentfilmbuff [AT] gmailDOTcom. THANK
YOU!
Now We’re in the Air was made by Paramount and shot between August 1 and September 8, 1927 at the Paramount studio near Hollywood and on location in nearby Southern California. What else is known is that the following actors appeared in the film:
#14 I couldn't leave it at thirteen images. That would be unlucky. So, here is a crowd shot with
Louise Brooks and some of the extras. Who might the portly fellow to the right of Brooks be?
Now We’re in the Air was made by Paramount and shot between August 1 and September 8, 1927 at the Paramount studio near Hollywood and on location in nearby Southern California. What else is known is that the following actors appeared in the film:
Wallace Beery as Wally
Raymond Hatton as Ray
Russell Simpsonas Lord Abercrombie McTavish
Louise Brooks as the twins Griselle & Grisette Chelaine
Emile Chautard as Monsieur Chelaine, father of the twins
Malcolm Waite as Professor Saenger
Duke Martin as Top Sargeant
Mattie Witting as Madame Chelaine, mother of the twins (uncredited)
Fred Kohler (uncredited)
The preserved 23-minute fragment of Now We're in the Air show that the film utilized at least a couple dozen additional actors, mostly in crowd shots and/or in the background. A handful of these actors appear again and again (such as the military officers), or are given a fair amount of screen time (such as the carnival workers). I am wondering if anyone can identify any of these uncredited actors?
#1 Group shot of American military officers
#3 Close-up shot of German military officers
UPDATE: R Michael Pyle identified the shorter officer in the middle left as Theodore von Eltz. Steve Massa identified the the taller officer in the middle as Richard Alexander.
UPDATE: R Michael Pyle identified the shorter officer in the middle left as Theodore von Eltz. Steve Massa identified the the taller officer in the middle as Richard Alexander.
#4 Emile Chautard, the noted French director and actor who plays Brooks' father in the film, is far left. I wonder who the two carnival performers might be?
#7 My understanding is that fifteen airplanes, including some actual WWI aircraft, were used in
the making of the film, including a 76-foot Martin Bomber which was deliberately wrecked
in one of the film’s “big thrill scenes.” Can anyone identify these planes?
UPDATE: fredhedges stated the large aircraft is a Martin MB-1. The scout plane nearest the camera looks like a Fokker D-VII judging by the tail and struts. The other scout I can't make out from the photos provided.
the making of the film, including a 76-foot Martin Bomber which was deliberately wrecked
in one of the film’s “big thrill scenes.” Can anyone identify these planes?
UPDATE: fredhedges stated the large aircraft is a Martin MB-1. The scout plane nearest the camera looks like a Fokker D-VII judging by the tail and struts. The other scout I can't make out from the photos provided.
#8 A close-up of the larger plane, the Martin bomber?
UPDATE: T0m M stated that the bomber in photo #8 appears to be the same one as in photo #7. In this case we can see four widely and equally spaced wheels, indicative of a Martin MB-1.
UPDATE: T0m M stated that the bomber in photo #8 appears to be the same one as in photo #7. In this case we can see four widely and equally spaced wheels, indicative of a Martin MB-1.
#9 Another close-up of the larger aircraft. Notice the four-wheel configuration. And notice the round landmark in the distance on the left. (This scene was, no doubt, shot in front of a filmed backdrop.)
UPDATE: T0m M stated "Photo #9 is clearly not the same aircraft in photos #7 and #8. Everything is slightly scaled down and simplified. The radiator tops are not as rounded and the skull and crossbones are notably different. The eye sockets are larger and more oval, the nose socket is longer and the bones cross at much closer to a right angle. I believe this is a mock-up to facilitate simulated (i.e. in-studio) aerial shots"
UPDATE: T0m M stated "Photo #9 is clearly not the same aircraft in photos #7 and #8. Everything is slightly scaled down and simplified. The radiator tops are not as rounded and the skull and crossbones are notably different. The eye sockets are larger and more oval, the nose socket is longer and the bones cross at much closer to a right angle. I believe this is a mock-up to facilitate simulated (i.e. in-studio) aerial shots"
#10 The three aircraft.
UPDATE: T0m M stated "Photo #10 appears to be from Wings. The scouts are the same Curtis P-1 Hawks used in Wings. They are identifiable by wings which are tapered on both leading and trailing edges. As in Wings, the left scout is dark coloured, while the right scout is light coloured. If this is from Wings, the bomber is a Martin MB-2. The bombers in both films are Martins but different versions. This films uses an MB-1, while Wings employs an MB-2."
UPDATE: Vanwall emailed that he came across a link which notes "a low-budget production of Paramount includes a SPAD VII with the same decorations as that of Wings."
UPDATE: T0m M stated "Photo #10 appears to be from Wings. The scouts are the same Curtis P-1 Hawks used in Wings. They are identifiable by wings which are tapered on both leading and trailing edges. As in Wings, the left scout is dark coloured, while the right scout is light coloured. If this is from Wings, the bomber is a Martin MB-2. The bombers in both films are Martins but different versions. This films uses an MB-1, while Wings employs an MB-2."
UPDATE: Vanwall emailed that he came across a link which notes "a low-budget production of Paramount includes a SPAD VII with the same decorations as that of Wings."
#11 Now We're in the Air was shot in Southern California, near Los Angeles. Can anyone identify this landscape? Notice the round landmark in the upper right, and the winding road.
UPDATE: missdupont wrote "The shot of the winding road from the balloon looks like it could be the Topanga Canyon area."
UPDATE: Henry Bisharat thought that the landscape resembled "Mulholland Drive over the Hollywood Hills due to the S shape of the road. Best to find maps of the area from 1920s. Mulholland Drive opened in 1924."
UPDATE: missdupont wrote "The shot of the winding road from the balloon looks like it could be the Topanga Canyon area."
UPDATE: Henry Bisharat thought that the landscape resembled "Mulholland Drive over the Hollywood Hills due to the S shape of the road. Best to find maps of the area from 1920s. Mulholland Drive opened in 1924."
#13 A view of the carnival and the village. Might anyone recognize this mountain formation?
UPDATE: missdupont wrote "The carnival sequences are at the Lasky Ranch in what is now Forest Lawn Hollywood. The hill visible behind is now called Mt. Lee, and the Hollywood Sign is on the other side."
UPDATE: missdupont wrote "The carnival sequences are at the Lasky Ranch in what is now Forest Lawn Hollywood. The hill visible behind is now called Mt. Lee, and the Hollywood Sign is on the other side."
Louise Brooks and some of the extras. Who might the portly fellow to the right of Brooks be?
No comments:
Post a Comment