Pearl White's Children's Party, or The Serial Queen of Tots?

Pearl White "Queen of the Serials" hosting several children at her home. From Photoplay magazine, February 1920. 

While exploring the January to June 1920 volumes of Photoplay magazine, I found a curious page article called "Pearl White's Party". The full-page article tells a story of an orphan boy named Russell at the historic Ottilie Orphan Asylum in Queens, New York who told the reigning Queen of the Serials that he wanted a party. As a result, Russell and nearly 30 children were invited to Ms. White's home in the Bayside community of Queens for a party with "ice cream cones and gingerbread".

Pearl White with little Russel who became the "ringmaster" of the children's party. From Photoplay magazine, February 1920.

How true this account is speculative since this is a movie fandom magazine, but it is interesting to see Pearl White with so many children. The common thought about the serial genre is that serials were not geared towards a younger audience until the mid to late 1920s. In Pearl White's time as a serial queen, the genre was seen as more adult. So this 1920, suggests that Pearl White may have had a good-sized juvenile audience as well. Or, that she or her producers were starting to recognize juveniles as an increasing serial audience. 

These youngsters would have seen Pearl on the screen in "The Black Secret" (1919) which was supposed to be her last serial. She would return to cliffhangers one more time in 1923's Plunder. 

This Month(s) in Children's Media January - April 2017 (Part I)

Running a blog with a monthly feature is tough. There were several highlights from January through March that I've missed and I will share a few, but focus mostly on April. 

January 2017 

Radar Men From The Moon - January 9th, 1952. This famous (?) latter day Republic Serial has been in the public domain for most of its 65 years and may be one of the most widely seen of the old Saturday Matinee cliffhangers.

March 2017

100 Years Ago! - March 23, 1917 - Jimmie Dale Alias The Grey Seal  was a live action film serial verison of a pre-Zorro character who was a childhood favorite of Walt Disney. In fact Disney attempted to adapt The Grey Seal to television in the 1950s, but was more successful with Zorro. According to some sources, this entire serial may still exist in the archives of the Museum of Modern Art, but its preservation status is unknown.

April 2017

65 Years Ago! - April 4, 1952. The Abbott and Costello classic Jack And The Beanstalk turned 65 on April 4th, 2017. With its public domain status it may be their most widely seen movie. The duo was quite popular with children (they even had a Saturday morning radio show) and this film remains a great intro to these classic comedians.

75 Years Ago! - April 3, 1942.  The Jungle Book - Live action color version of the Ruyard Kipling book starring Sabu. In the public domain and enjoyed by several generations.

From Film Daily, April 7 1942 - http://lantern.mediahist.org/catalog/filmdail81wids_0056

75 Years Ago! April 4, 1942.  Spy Smasher - Famous wartime serial starring Kane Richmond and directed by William Witney.

Smithson, E. J. "Hazard Hero". Hollywood Magazine Vol. 31, No 7, July 1942.
This magazine was digitized by the Media History Digital Library. To read the entire 3-page article go to http://www.archive.org/stream/hollywood31fawc#page/n493/mode/2up  

April 8th, 1941 - Last year I missed the chance to recognize 75th anniversary of the death of Earle Graser (1909 - 1941) was not the 1st Lone Ranger, but he was the first to become widely known for the role. He was killed in an automobile accident 76 years ago today. He is one of the earliest examples of a broadcast star of a program popular with young audience who died suddenly during the production. His legacy would continue with the Lone Ranger television series as his cry of "Hi-Yo Silver" was used at times in the series. This video is one example from the 3rd episode of the TV series "The Lone Ranger's Triumph" originally broadcast September 29, 1949.

Eventually I would like to post a complete Lone Ranger radio adventure starring Graser.

'Lone Ranger' Killed in Michigan Crash, Motion Picture Daily - April 9, 1942.

Lost Classic Film : Perils Of The Wild (1925) - The Silent Version of "Swiss Family Robinson"

Full page add for "Perils of the Wild" (1925) from Motion Picture News, September 19, 1925.
From the Media History Digital Library.

Perils of the Wild. (1925, August 27). 15 chapter serial. Director: Francis Ford.
Screenplay: Isadore Bernstein & William Lord Wright. Based on the story by Johann David Wyss

Joe Bonomo as Frederick Robinson.
Margaret Quimby as Emily Montrose
Jack Mower as Sir Charles Leicester
Alfred Allen as Captain William Robinson
Eva Gordon as Frau Mitilla Robinson
Jack Murphy as Jack Robinson
Howard Enstedt as Ernest Robinson
Francis Irwin as Francis Robinson
William Dyer as Black John
Albert Prisco as Tonie
Fanny Warren as Bonita (as Fannie Warren)
John Wallace as Pirate
James Welsh as Pirate
Philip Ford as Pirate (as Phil Ford)
Sammy Gervon as Pirate
Boris Karloff (unknown)


This silent-era adventure serial that starred strongman, actor, and stuntman Joe Bonomo (1901 - 1978) was the first live-action adaptation of Johann David Wyss's 1812 novel "The Swiss Family Robinson". The serial's widely given premiere date was August 27, 1925 - 91 years ago today; although it may have been available as early as August 1, 1925.

By the mid 1920s the serials or "cliffhangers" were increasingly geared to younger audiences (especially boys) who flocked to movie houses each week to see the latest exciting chapter with leading actors Walter Miller, William Desmond, Ben F. Wilson and Eddie Polo. The idea of this famous story (a family shipwrecked on an unknown island) being serialized (told in chapters, with an exciting cliffhanger at the end) and starring one of the first great strongmen of the cinema sounds very appealing even after 90 years. "Perils Of The Wild" was one of six serials released by Universal Studios that year under the production label of "Adventure Pictures" or the "Lucky 6 Adventure Serials".

A page from Joe Bonomo's autobiography, "The Strongman" with stills from "Perils of The Wild", the first screen version of Johann Wyss' novel "The Swiss Family Robinson". Bonomo played Frederick Robinson.

Like most silent serials "Perils Of The Wild" hasn't been seen since its original run. Reviews of the serial by two theater owners suggest that it may have been a "fairly good serial", but some audiences may not have been so receptive to a non-western serial or one from a non-contemporary setting. As a serial from Universal Pictures, the last known existing prints were most likely scrapped around 1948, when the studio began to become more prominent and many of its silent films were discarded. Many sources claim anywhere from 75 to 90% of films made during the silent era are lost. The closest one can come to seeing this film today is to check out Bonomo's autobiography Strongman: A True Life Pictorial Autobiography of the Hercules of the Screen, which includes several photos, chapter summaries and behind the scenes stories of the production. It is not impossible that a print of this serial, if only one reel, may surface again one day.

Chapter Titles:

1. The Hurricane
2. The Lion's Fangs
3. The Flaming Jungle
4. The Treasure Cave
5. Saved by the Sun
6. The Jungle Trail
7. Pirate Peril
8. Winds of Fate
9. Rock of Revenge
10. The Rescue
11. The Stolen Wedding
12. Marooned
13. Prisoners of the Sea
14. The Leopard's Lair
15. In the Nick of Time

"The Swiss Family Robinson" has fascinated audiences through movies and television for over 90 years. Which version of the story are you most familiar with?


Motion Pictures
Swiss Family Robinson (1940)
Swiss Family Robinson (1960)

Television Series
Lost in Space (1965)
Swiss Family Robinson (1974)
Swiss Family Robinson (1975)
The Swiss Family Robinson: Flone of the Mysterious Island (1981 Japanese anime)
The Swiss Family Robinson (1975) - TV movie

Brainstorm*
What other classic adventure story could be retold as an exciting serialized story with suspenseful cliffhanger endings?