Author Archive: Retro

Arthur Vaughn, a rising young artist, steps into a cobbler’s shop to “save his sole,” and sees there a girl, the daughter of the cobbler. The cobbler is an habitual drunkard, and the artist tells the girl to leave the squalor of her surroundings and offers her work in his studio. The girl accepts. One day, the artist paints her as she stands, in her rags. It is pronounced a master work. Another day the girl dons the satins and silks of the models, and bids him paint her in those raiments. His trained eye notes the distinct contrast, and he paints her in fine feathers. The portraits, with their contrast and realism, are masterpieces, and quickly establish the artist’s reputation. At an exhibition of the Art League it attracts the attention of the President, who becomes curious to know the model. He meets her, and exhorts her to leave the life she is leading. [...]

Bad influences drag a young urbanite into a life of crime.

Charlie is a clumsy waiter in a cheap cabaret and must endure the strict orders from his boss. He meets a pretty girl in the park and pretends to be a fancy ambassador but must contend with the jealousy of her fiancé.

A woman performs a music hall act with her extremely welltrained dogs.

This short experimental film tells the story of a man who comes to Hollywood to become a star, only to fail and be dehumanized (he is identified by the number 9314 written on his forehead), after which he dies and goes on to Heaven where the number is removed.

Animated industrial short

The name of the trouble is Max Wilson, a celebrated tenor. When he arrives at a seaside hotel every other brand of hero sinks into insignificance. However, the boys do not wish to play second fiddle. One rejected suitor goes so far as to spy upon the tenor. He sees him powder his nose and, but to tell would spoil the story. Howbeit he carries the news to other rejected suitors. Between them they plan an intrigue. While the singer is entertaining the girls on the front porch the suitors procure a fish pole and station themselves upon the upper balcony. At an opportune moment a rejected suitor lowers a fishline and allows the hook to catch in the great singer’s hair. He then pulls. No, the tenor is not pulled up by the hair; the hair is pulled up by itself. Confusion, chagrin, embarrassment, these are the emotions of the victim and in less [...]