Dan C. asked, "Is there a DVD somewhere I can buy to see all of Robert's comedy shorts please? I'd really like to buy it.
Answer: You can find them easily on Amazon (other vendors as well). There is no single collection of all in one place because he worked for competing studios, so the copyrights are held by various companies.
Anyone care to add to this response to Dan?
The movie industry was born in West Orange, New Jersey, in 1893 by Thomas Edison. Within thirty years, Hollywood grew into America's fourth largest, and by far most glamorous, industry. Revisit the Golden Age of Hollywood, when actors became global celebrities, moguls became millionaires, and the entire nation became movie crazy. Using digitally remastered news footage, rare studio archives, and home movie footage, look back on the dawn and meteoric rise of Tinseltown in color. Watch "America in Color: Hollywood's Golden Age" on your cable provider and keep on eye open for an uncredited Robert Benchley serving up a meal for our service men at the Hollywood Canteen.
This musical chronicles the history of jazz music and features many of the most popular musical acts from the early 1940s, including Gene Krupa and Benny Goodman. The story centers on a trumpet player who falls for a young woman with an equal passion for music. Unfortunately, the girl is still grieving for her true-love whom she lost during the war. The trumpeter begins working to get the girl to trust her. He simultaneously tries to start a band. Songs include: "Goin' Up the River" (Dave Torbett, Leith Stevens), "You Made Me Love You" (Joseph McCarthy, James V. Monaco), "Only Worry for a Pillow," "Chicago Ragtime" (Stevens), "Under a Falling Star" (Rich Hall, Stevens, sung by Connie Boswell), and "Slave Market" (Hall Johnson).
Wikipedia lists this film as making $6 million in 1936:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_films#High-grossing_films_by_year
They're not referring to the Benchley short subject, are they? Do you have any idea?
Thanks,
Mark M.
Funny you should ask just now. With the "Oscars" being awarded recently, there was an article in Smithsonian (http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/movies/2012/02/what-ever-happened-to-the-short-film/ that addresses the issue, although not that specific film. Indeed, short subjects were big business in the golden age of Hollywood and did sometimes exceed the box office gross of the feature films. So the short answer is, yes, assuming the the Wikipedia entry is correct, then Robert Benchley's short, "How to be a Detective" was the highest grossing picture of 1936.
Following up my October e-mails, may I just let you & your members know that my excellent contact in Surry has now aquired me a region free DVD of the Paramount shorts as well? He's Geoff Hogg (geoff hogg geoffhogg@btinternet.com) which my wife & i are so enjoying watching.
All the best, David C.
Dear Mr Trumbull
You may recall that I e-mailed the Benchley Society earlier this year about obtaining the Benchley shorts DVD & had varying replies about whether region 1 would show or not in Europe. I held off trying that but have since discovered an excellent firm that was able to supply me with a region 2 compatible edition of the Warner Archive DVD via an agent in the USA. Their e-mail is geoffhogg@btinternet.com. I realize most of your members will be in the USA but there may be others like myself questing these splendid shorts.
All the best from Scotland ("as for the Scots- Good Lord, I won't be dare to show my face around there for a year!" ["A Belated Tribute"]),
David C.
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See Here, Private Hargrove (1942) is a book by journalist Marion Hargrove about the author's experiences in becoming a soldier in the U.S. Army during World War II. The light-hearted book was a hit with readers, and spent 15 weeks atop the New York Times best seller list. It was still in print 50 years after its original publication date.
The book was made into a film in 1944 starring Robert Walker, Donna Reed, Keenan Wynn, Chill Wills, and Robert Benchley
My uncle was a Scot who went to America in the 1920s and became Dean of the Chapel at Duke. He regularly sent my parents [American books] and I grew up in the '50s with Chips off the Old Benchley. Since then I've added to my Benchley collection but am most frustrated that the DVDs of his shorts are only available in Region 1 format whereas Europe uses 2. I actually have the book The "Reel" Benchley but wondered if you wondered if you or any of your members knew if the DVD was otherwise available or indeed if pace its format it can play here (as some 1s can). If you could answer this I'd be most grateful. Many thanks, [Name withheld]
Hello I'm looking for this Robert Benchley film:
Dark Magic, Metro Goldwyn Mayer,Directed by Roy Rowlan, Acting Robert Benchley and John Scarne.
I'm a magician.I'm doing a private study about John Scarne. Scarne was a famous magician, so I'm trying to collect footage of John Scarne. Please if you know where can I get this film would be great. I have spent long time looking for this film.
I recently read a book on Benchley's short film subjects and have just watched the DVD film "Robert Benchley & the Knights of the Algonquin," most of which I had seen before on VHS. I was struck by the fact that absolutely no one else in these short films gets any credit. The woman playing his wife in most if not all of the "domestic" subjects, Ruth Lee, is nowhere credited and I had to discover her name on the internet. The author of the study of his short subjects, oddly enough, makes no mention of this oversight, or if he does, I overlooked it myself. And yet there are comic touches provided here and there by some of the supporting actors, for instance by the grim-faced Indian guide in "How to Take a Vacation." Was Benchley that jealous of fame to insist on exclusive billing, or was this some policy at Paramount (which produced most of the subjects)?
I believe it was standard practice at the time, especially in short subjects, to give onscreen credits to just a few principle players. I doubt if Benchley had much if any say in who got credit.
I am writing to inquire if you are aware of any "speeches" or "public addresses" that Robert Benchley may have made. I am specifically looking for something in the range of six to ten minutes for a Forensics speech competition. My eleven year old son is competing, and he feels most comfortable and does his best when delivering something humorous. Mr. Benchley's writings are some of the funniest pieces I have ever read. Do you know if he happened to "deliver" any of them to an audience? I suppose a transript of a radio address could qualify as a "public address".
Thank you for contacting the Robert Benchley Society. Yes, indeed, there are several Benchley "pieces" that might serve for your boy.
Mr. Benchley's humor career started when he delivered his "Treasurer's Report" on the New York stage. The text can be found in two collections of Benchley's work published in book form:
--The Treasurer's Report and Other Aspects of Community Singing (beginning on page 334) and
--Benchley Beside Himself (beginning on page 193).
Both are available in libraries. "Benchley Beside Himself" is also available for purchase through Amazon; you'll find a link to it on our website at http://www.robertbenchley.org/shop/index.htm.
He reprised The Treasurer's Report as a movie. In fact it was the first "all-talking" picture ("The Jazz Singer" is usually considered the first "talkie" but it actually had talking --and singing-- in just a few parts, with most of the picture being silent). A film library may have a copy of the movie. It has also been transferred to DVD and is available for purchase. To obtain a copy see our website http://www.robertbenchley.org/sob/shorts.htm. "The Treasurer's Report" is tremendously funny when delivered by someone who can keep an absolutely straight face while making a fool of himself.
Benchley went on to have a successful Hollywood career. He is particularly known for his "short subjects." His 1935 short "How to Sleep" won him the Academy Award. Most of his shorts were on the "How to" theme. That's a theme he returned to in his writings as well. You'll find, our website a list of his essays along with a feature that allows you to look up an essay by keyword. It's at http://www.robertbenchley.org/sob/index.htm For example, any of the "How To" essays would be good for a public address, and Benchley did, indeed, deliver many of them in his movies.
One of Benchley's books "Love Conquers All" is no longer under U.S. copyright and we have posted it to our website at http://www.robertbenchley.org/lca/index.htm Perhaps you can find something there.
Benchley did quite a lot of radio work, but I'm not sure how best to direct you to recordings or transcriptions.
Even the Benchley essays that we not originally written for public delivery work very well as spoken pieces. In fact, I was first exposed to Benchley when, in 9th grade drama class, my friend Steve read aloud "Vacation Time in Sunny Las Los." I've been a Benchley fan ever since.
Please let us know if the lad decides to use a Benchley piece for the competition. It would make many of our members happy and would please Mr. Benchley's family to read in our Society news that Benchley's humor is being enjoyed by a new generation. Best luck for success in the competition.
Here's another suggestion for a Benchley piece for your son's competition.
According to Benchley scholar Gordon Ernst (Robert Benchley: An Annotated Bibliography, Greenwood Press, 1995) "The Woolen Mitten Situation" was originally published by the Association of National Advertisers Through the Courtesy of the Champion Coated Paper Company (1926) as a speech given by Benchley to the Association in Atlantic City, N.J. on November 9, 1926.
It was subsequently published in two books of essays during Benchley's life:
--20,000 Leagues under the Sea, or David Copperfield (1928) beginning on page 212 and
--Inside Benchley (1942) beginning on page 298.
Janie lives to dance and will dance anywhere, even stripping in a burlesque house. Tod Newton, the rich playboy, discovers her there and helps her get a job in a real Broadway musical being directed by Patch. Tod thinks he can get what he wants from Janie, Patch thinks Janie is using her charms rather than talent to get to the top, and Janie thinks Patch is the greatest. Steve, the stage manager, has the Three Stooges helping him manage all the show girls. Fred Astaire and Nelson Eddy make appearances as famous Broadway personalities.
Watch for:
- Joan Crawford in a rare dancing role;
- Ted Healy and His Stooges presenting their physical humor in the same film with the dry wit of Robert Benchley (it's so early a Stooges appearance that Curly is still being billed by his real name -- Jerry);
- Film debut of Fred Astaire;
- File debut of Nelson Eddy;
- Early (uncredited) appearance by Eve Arden; and
- Grand musical finale with sets and choreography that MGM will recycle later in the decade for the Emerald City scenes in The Wizard of Oz.
Thanks for the heads-up. I have seen "Dancing Lady" and I liked it very much. It certainly has one of the most eclectic casts in movie history, including, of course, Robert Benchley.
You also point out that the Three Stooges (then known as Ted Healy and His Stooges) are in the film and that Curly was billed by his real name, Jerry. Do you know if Benchley reviewed Healy and the original Stooges (Moe, Larry and Shemp) when they were on Broadway in the late '20s?
In 1927, Ted and Shemp were in "A Night in Spain" (Moe and Larry had dropped out of the act temporarily) and Shemp got good notices, including one that said, "He whom the program describes as Shemp Howard makes the most of an exceedingly comic face and a diffident manner."
In 1929, Ted, Moe, Larry and Shemp (along with a fourth Stooge, Fred Sanborn) starred in "A Night in Venice" and were billed as Ted Healy and His Racketeers. The Racketeers got good reviews from several critics, including Brooks Atkinson, who called Moe, Larry and Shemp "three of the frowziest numbskulls ever assembled" and said their antics were "rough and hardy sport, but unendingly funny." It would be interesting to read what, if anything, Benchley had to say about them.
Thanks again. Take care and keep up the good work on the site.
Benchley reviewed "A Night in Spain" in his Drama column in the May 26, 1927 issue of Life magazine:
"We were afraid that a show called "A Night in Spain" would entail a great deal of Spanish dancing, an we were quite right. But it also brings on several other features which make the Spanish dancing easier to bear and, on the whole, it is a good bet.
"In the first place, there is Phil Baker, with his accordion and the confident Sid Silvers in the box, making an act which is hard to beat for sheer amusment value. And then there is Ted Healy, who is very funny, and Brennan and Rogers continuing the "Margie" legend--and, unless our ears deceived us, a song in which "Rheims" is ryhmed with "dreams," probably quite correctly but all making for a jolly evening."
He also mentions the show in the September 8, 1927 issue of life:
"In the middle of the first act of "What the Doctor Ordered," our companion--a fellow of infinite jest--whispered, "Are you going to the theatre this evening?" This put the idea into our head and ten o'clock saw us over at "A Night in Spain," listening to Phil Baker and Syd Silvers. Sometimes ones's pleasantest evenings are cooked up right on the spur of the moment like that. We never dreamed, when we went to "What the Doctor Ordered," that we would get such a good laugh before the evening was over."
We don't have a citation for "A Night in Venice" in my book, so we'd say that Benchley didn't review it.
I am searching for a video copy of Robert Benchley's last movie, "Snafu" (Columbia, 1945). As far as I can discover, it's not available from any commercial source, and I thought you might have some ideas about where I might look for it. I'm hoping to locate it for the family of one of the screenwriters--Louis Solomon, who wrote both the screenplay and the Broadway play from which the movie was made.
As fas as we know, this was never released on video. Since it is a Columbia release, it might have been shown on a channel such as Turner Classic Movies. You might try contacting them about it.
