Thirtieth anniversary of the passing of Louise Brooks

Today marks the thirtieth anniversary of the passing of Louise Brooks, who died on August 8th, 1985. Her death was reported on in newspapers all over the world. Here is a link to the New York Times obituary. And here is an Australian clipping.

Louise Brooks in China, part 2

Here are a few more items I found while scouring a couple of English-language newspapers from China for any and all Louise Brooks material. As mentioned in the prior post, the actress and her films received a good deal of coverage. Witness these couple of clippings, the first for The City Gone Wild (1927), and the second and third for A Girl in Every Port (1928).

Louise Brooks in China, part 1

I recently had the chance to look through a couple of English-language Chinese newspapers in search of mention of Louise Brooks and her films. I am pleased to report I found a lot of articles, reviews, captioned photographs and advertisements. Here is just one of the many items I found, Brooks on the front page of the China News in October, 1928.

Brooks and her films were well represented in China, with most films enjoying repeated screenings. In fact, I found material on the exhibition of the following films. (The dates in parenthesis represent the month of the film's American release / followed by the month of the film's showing in China):

Street of Forgotten Men  (8-25 / 7-27, 4-28)
The American Venus (1-26 / 4-27, 11-27, 4-28)
A Social Celebrity (3-26 / 9-28, 6-29, 10-29, 9-30)
It's the Old Army Game (5-26 / 12-27, 1-28, 6-28)
The Show Off (8-26 / 1-28, 7-28)
Love Em and Leave Em (12-26 / 7-28, 8-28, 11-28, 8-29)
Just Another Blonde (12-26 / 10-27, 11-27)
Evening Clothes (3-27 / 8-28, 2-29, 3-29)
Now We're in the Air  (10-27 / 4-29, 4-30)
The City Gone Wild  (11-27 / 3-29, 6-30)
A Girl in Every Port  (2-28 / 5-28, 6-28, 12-28, 1-29)
Beggars of Life (9-28 / 8-29, 9-29, 10-29)
Canary Murder Case (2-29 / 9-29, 10-29, 7-30)
It Pays to Advertise (2-31 / 4-31, 6-31)
When You're in Love (2-37 / 8-37) 
King of Gamblers (5-37 / 10-37)

The Love Goddesses (12-66) documentary

I found a couple of mentions of Rolled Stockings, but never any instances of the film showing in China. Both Now We're in the Air and A Girl in Every Port received a lot of coverage, and proved popular, as did Canary Murder Case. Check out this full page advertisement from November, 1927 for The American Venus.

Louise Brooks a la Valentina news stand in Rome

Gianluca Chiovelli sent this snapshot of a news stand in Rome which features an image of Valentina, the Italian comix character based on Louise Brooks.

Jean Paul Gaultier designed scarf said to depict Louise Brooks

A Jean Paul Gaultier designed scarf (dimensions 63 X 81 cm) for sale on eBay is said to depict Louise Brooks, but IMHO, it does not. Perhaps there is vague resemblance, but to me, that don't look like her. What do you think?

Louise Brooks film Diary of a Lost Girl coming on Blu-ray

I am pleased to let everyone know that KINO will be releasing the 1929 Louise Brooks film, Diary of a Lost Girl, on Blu-ray in the Fall. And that this new release will feature audio commentary by yours truly, Thomas Gladysz. 

Below is a sneak peak at the cover art. The print on the Blu-ray is the Murnau Stiftung restoration (the best we are likely to ever get). My commentary will reveal a number of previously unknown bits about the cast and film - like the fact that the actor who plays the elder Count Osdorff was a friend of James Joyce and had a role in the original stage production of Pandora's Box alongside author Frank Wedekind! And then there is the Cabinet of Doctor Caligari connection....

Louise Brooks film and blues moaner Clara Smith

Over the years, I've come across newspaper advertisements for one or another of Louise Brooks' films which have included musical acts on the bill. That's because back in the 1920's, many theaters programmed musical or vaudeville acts to accompany films.

For example, I have found advertisements which had a Brooks' film and performances by Paul Ash and Vincent Lopez (each a noted band leader of the time), as well as another with a Brooks' film and the great jazz pianist Art Tatum!

And here is another I just came across, proclaiming an appearance by the great Clara Smith (c. 1894 – February 2, 1935), an African America blues singer billed as the "Queen of the Moaners". Also showing was the 1926 Louise Brooks' film Love Em and Leave Em.

This particular ad promotes the Royal Theater, one of Baltimore finest and one of a circuit of five such theaters for Black entertainment in big cities. (Its sister theaters were the Apollo in Harlem, the Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C., the Regal Theatre in Chicago, and the Earl Theater in Philadelphia.) The biggest stars in Black entertainment, including jazz and blues singers aand musicians, performed at the Royal. Ethel Waters debuted there, as did Pearl Bailey, who sang in a chorus line. Louis Armstrong and Fats Waller worked as accompanists, while Louis Jordan, Duke Ellington and others performed at The Royal.