ASTOS Volume 2, Number 15.  September 15, 2004
All-Star things-and-other-stuff
Brought to you by things-and-other-stuff

FIRST REEL: 
Hi everybody, and welcome back!  As promised a few days ago, this issue is packed!  We have three profiles, a Hollywood Story, and four new Photo ID Guides!  Plus, I've been busy in other areas as well--Our Prices Realized section has been updated to August 31 and we have split a couple of the categories.  There are now 6 categories total, including a new section for Theatre Flyers and Programs and another for Stills & Other Real Photos 8x10 & Larger.   Also, I forgot to mention last time, and I'm pretty sure it was done last time, but I completely overhauled the Home Page, so please have a look if you haven't visited recently.  I think the current design is a lot simpler and at the same time more informative than the old one.

Last time I talked about horror films a little bit in this spot, and mentioned that anyone who felt like it should send along their own list of favorites.  Well, frequent ASTOS contributor Scott D. O'Reilly (Ray Milland, Errol Flynn, Basil Rathbone) sent us his own Top 5, so without further ado here are Scott's picks with brief notes:

1. Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922) -- F.W. Murnau's dreamlike version of Bram Stoker's Dracula is still the most realistic and chilling vampire film ever made.
2.  Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) -- Maybe the best low budget sci-fi/horror film ever made.  Turn down the light while watching this at night and you really do get the sense that "You're next!"
3. I Walked with a Zombie (1943) -- Atmospheric, intelligent, a filled with subtle touches.  A real thinking person's zombie film.
4. White Zombie (1932) -- The first Zombie film is still one of the best.  Lugosi is every bit as creepy in this film as he was in Dracula.  Not to be missed.
5. The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939) -- Not a true horror film per se, but the combination of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Holmes and Watson battling a supernatural hound in the fog draped moors makes this one of the most atmospheric whodunits.

Can't argue with those!  On a side-note I finally ripped the cellophane of my copy of White Zombie put out by Roan.  The picture was superior, best I've ever seen for White Zombie after years of grainy PBS and AMC viewings, but the audio was not too great in my opinion.  I understand the flick is seventy plus years old, but that did let me down a little.  Another note, this one relating to my list from last issue, I picked up the 4-disc Ultimate Edition of Dawn of the Dead and so far, so good.  Really enjoyed the first documentary on there, those seventy plus minutes alone were worth the $35 or so that the set cost. 

Once again, anybody who has a list of their own, or even comments on Scott's list or my previous list, feel free to write things@things-and-other-stuff.com, and we'll publish your thoughts as well.  It's more fun if we keep the conversation going with as many voices as possible.

...here's what's featured:

1. J. Warren Kerrigan by Paul Samuels
2. Photo ID Guide Update: 1916 MJ Moriarty Playing Cards
3. Alice Faye by Kendahl Cruver
4. Photo ID Guide: 1930 Irving Theatre Programs (Chicago, IL)
5. Hollywood Stories: Strange Encounters With Hollywood Legends by Stephen Schochet
6. Photo ID Guide: 1930's Dixie Premium Photo Gallery of over 50 images
7. The Silent Collection featuring Rudolph Valentino by Tammy Stone
8. Photo ID Guide: 1936 Linen Premium Photo Gallery of over 100 images

The Kerrigan piece is by a new author to ASTOS--actually Paul is a great customer who does have some familial ties to J. Warren Kerrigan.  When he mentioned that he had done quite a bit of research to put together an article on Kerrigan I couldn't wait to read it.  It's very well-done, a little longer than our usual articles, but well-worth it.  I've been sending out offers to other contacts, but to make it official here, if you have any type of ties with the stars who fit our program (pre-1950), please feel free to submit an article to us at things@things-and-other-stuff.com.  If you're not a writer, it doesn't matter, I'd be more than willing to tidy up any pieces in need of work--these are the types of submissions which I hope can make ASTOS special as we continue to grow. 

Thanks again also to regular contributors Tammy Stone, who features legend Rudolph Valentino in her Silent Collection, Stephen Schochet, who features Strange Encounters With Hollywood Legends in his Hollywood Stories piece this month, and Kendahl Cruver, who returns to us with a well-written and interesting piece on Alice Faye.

I've still been getting auctions up pretty regularly each night Monday through Thursday.  Monday-Thursday have been featuring items being offered for the first time, though I wasn't able to get any new items up tonight, so I've put up some relists featuring a couple of our featured players: Rudolph Valentino and Alice Faye.  Tomorrow night there will be another batch of 5x7 Fan Photos going up, these mostly from the 1930's, and then I am planning to put up some new items Friday as well.  Check out all of our auctions:

All eBay Auctions

As usual, the Catalog  carries many additions, please have a look at your convenience. 

To the time tunnel we go!
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J. WARREN KERRIGAN
By Paul Samuels
George Warren Kerrigan was born on July 25, 1879, one of a set of twins (with brother William Wallace) in Louisville, Kentucky, to John and Sarah (McLean) Kerrigan.  In addition to his twin brother, there were six other brothers and one sister.  The family moved to New Albany, Indiana in 1880, which they came to regard as their hometown.  New Albany always remained close to J. Warren Kerrigan’s heart and he often returned for visits with old friends.  For more than four decades, the Kerrigan Theater in New Albany (built in the teens by virtue of J. Warren's generosity) showcased motion pictures, stage productions, and served as a meeting place for events in the community.   

This is just a teaser--check out Paul's entire column with pictures!
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Photo ID Guide #1:
UPDATE: 1916 MJ Moriarty Playing Cards
Click the link above for images & details!
What we've done here is begun listing as many variations on these cards as we could find.  There are quite a few thus far, 83 different cards have been found in this 53 card set.  Scroll to the bottom of the hyperlinked page above to check out our findings!
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ALICE FAYE
By Kendahl Cruver
There was never an Alice Faye type. With her mellow persona and warm, sincere style of singing, she had a unique appeal that made her one of the biggest musical stars of the thirties and early forties.   

This is just a teaser--check out Kendahl's entire column with pictures!
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Kendahl Cruver is a writer based in Seattle, Washington. She also writes about classic actresses for Suite101.com.
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Photo ID Guide #2:
1930 Irving Theatre Programs (Chicago, IL)
Click the link above for images & details!
The above link actually brings you to the main page of our new Flyers & Theatre Programs page of the Prices Realized section.  As of this time the Irving Theatre Programs are all that are listed on this page, but they proved popular enough at auction that I felt they were worth including here.  Each program listed is linked to images of both front and back.  On the down side, each program listed has also already sold, however feel free to click any of the images for other programs which are still available.
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Hollywood Stories: Strange Encounters With Hollywood Legends
By Stephen Schochet
Meeting famous people is often a surreal experience for both parties.  In 1956 when Elvis Presley arrived in Hollywood he and his entourage stayed at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.  One day he got into the elevator.  “What floor?”  asked the operator. “Tenth please.”  The operator looked at him with disdain.  “You can’t go up to the tenth floor.  Elvis is staying there.  No one is allowed there.” 
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This is just a teaser--check out Stephen's entire column with pictures!
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Stephen Schochet is the author and narrator of the audiobooks Fascinating Walt Disney and Tales Of Hollywood. The Saint Louis Post Dispatch says,” these two elaborate productions are exceptionally entertaining.” Hear RealAudio samples of these great, unique gifts at http://www.hollywoodstories.com.
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Photo ID Guide #3:
1930's Dixie Premium Photos Gallery of 50+ Images
Click the link above for images & details!
Always popular, these are from a very successful recent sale.  All images are thumbnails, but due to the number of them please do be patient and give the page time to load--it'll be worth it!
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The Silent Collection by Tammy Stone
Rudolph Valentino
It took a bit of creative genius to come up with the catchy name of Rudolf Valentino (and his even catchier nickname, The Sheik); this heartthrob was born Rodolfo Alfonzo Raffaelo Pierre Filibert Guglielmi di Valentina d’Antonguolla on May 6, 1895. He was born in Castellaneta, Italy, not too far from the first public motion picture screening ever, in Paris that same year. Rufolf’s father had been a circus-man and traveled a lot in this capacity before he settled down to have a family; he had three children and became a veterinarian.

This is just a teaser--check out Tammy's entire column with pictures!
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Tammy Stone is a freelance writer and journalist based in Toronto. Watch for her regular column on the greats of the Silent Screen here in each and every issue of ASTOS.  Tammy invites you to write her at tammystone444@yahoo.ca with any questions or comments on her column.
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Photo ID Guide #4:
1936 Linen Premium Photos Gallery of 100+ Images
Click the link above for images & details!
I'll simply repeat what I said for the Dixie's above, because the same is true: all images are thumbnails, but due to the number of them please do be patient and give the page time to load--it'll be worth it!
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See you again at the end of the month!

As always feel free to e-mail any thoughts or ideas to us at things@things-and-other-stuff.com, we're always willing to listen. 
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