-40%
HOLLYWOOD (1923) Silent Film Star NITA NALDI Plays Herself LOST SILENT FILM
$ 209.08
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Description
Vintage original unrestored 11x14 in. US lobby cardfrom the
lost silent film
comedy/drama,
HOLLYWOOD
, released in 1923 by Paramount Pictures and
directed by James Cruze
. Angela Whitaker (Hope Drown) comes to Hollywood with only two things: her dream to become a movie star, and Grandpa (Luke Cosgrave). She leaves an Aunt, a brother, Grandma (Rudy Lafayette), and her longtime boyfriend back in Centerville. Despite seeing major movie stars around every corner, and knocking on every casting office door in town, at the end of her first day, she is still unemployed. To her horror, when she arrives back at their hotel, she finds that Grandpa has been cast in a movie by William DeMille and quickly becomes a star during the ensuing weeks. Her family, worried that Angela and Grandpa are getting into trouble, come to Hollywood to drag them back home. In short order Aunt, Grandma, brother, boyfriend, and even the parrot become superstars, but Angela is still unemployed.
This vintage original lobby card is one of the most desirable from the set, as it features real-life silent film star
Nita Naldi
seated inside her chauffeur-driven convertible automobile as "grandpa"-turned-movie star Joel Whitaker (
Luke Cosgrave
) approaches her on the lot and catches himself acting a little too familiar with the beautiful silent screen siren. The film's title is depicted inside a strip of 35mm motion picture film that wraps completely around the image and border artwork depicts a cameraman cranking a 35mm Bell & Howell motion picture camera, which was the most popular model during that period. Printed for the film's original 1923 US theatrical release, this vintage original lobby card is unrestored in near-fine condition with a 0.75 in. diagonal and vertical on either side of the center of the top border; a 1 in. and 0.5 in. diagonal crease on the top right corner; an imperceptible 0.25 in. horizontal crease in the lower background area to the right of the cameraman's jacket; some tiny speckles along the bottom edge; and light signs of wear on the bottom left corner. There are no pinholes or other flaws and the color tints are fresh and vibrant without any signs of fading. This card was made during a great time during Paramount's publicity machine, as they created lobby cards with super-saturated solid colors (such as the purple background and green area around the tripod) that makes these lobby cards very sought-after by collectors.
Hollywood
is a lost silent film, as no prints are known to exist. Due to the movie-themed subject, and the fact that so many major stars appeared in cameos as themselves, there is a great desire among hardcore movie fans that a copy will eventually be found.
Nita Naldi
was referred to as "The Female Valentino," as she not only co-starred with him in several of his films, but her sultry dark looks and mysterious persona was similar to that of Valentino himself.
The film was made and released in 1923, the same year as the famous 'Hollywood' sign, which was originally spelled 'HOLLYWOODLAND.' So many major stars appeared in cameos as themselves that it was necessary to find unknowns for the lead roles. One of the film's few serious moments is a cameo by Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, whose career was essentially ended in 1921 by criminal charges (even though he was acquitted). He makes a rare appearance here as a sadly unemployed actor, whose name is not mentioned.
The February 13, 1923
Film Daily
announced the start of principal photography that day. Director James Cruze cast unknown actress Hope Drown,
whom he described in the February 21, 1923
Film Daily
as the “ideal type” for the role of “Angela Whitaker.” The March 3, 1923
Motion Picture News
noted that the film would feature “the famous cafes, road houses and cheap resorts of Hollywood and Los Angeles.” While production was underway, Cruze travelled to New York City to shoot sequences featuring actress Hope Hampton,
as reported in the March 23, 1923
Film Daily
. On April 21, 1923,
Motion Picture News
announced that photography was nearing completion. More than two months later, the June 30, 1923
Motion Picture News
stated that the picture was ready for release. The article revealed that Cruze’s search for the unknown lead actors “occupied fully two months” of his time. A news item in the June 2, 1923
Motion Picture News
included Paul Iribe and Charles Eyton
among the celebrity guest stars. A full-page advertisement appearing in several publications also listed actor Richard Dix and director Herbert Brenon.
According to the August 4, 1923
Motion Picture News
,
Hollywood
was scheduled to premiere “next Sunday,” presumably August 12, 1923, at the Rivoli Theatre in New York City. Critical and public response was generally positive.
The April 16, 1923
Film Daily
noted that a stage version of the film, written by Frank Condon and Tom Geraghty, was performed on April 27 and 28, 1923 in Los Angeles. The picture marked the first screen appearance in nearly two years by comedian Roscoe Arbuckle, whose acting career was ruined by scandal. Despite the hopes expressed by film critic Frank Shelton in the July 14, 1923
Motion Picture News,
the cameo role did not hasten Arbuckle’s return to acting.