"A Studio Stampede" / "Out of Control"

We get some nice shots of the Theatorium Sweet Shop at the beginning of the Ben Turpin comedy "A Studio Stampede" (Vogue Films, March 1917). The film was reissued for the home market as "Out of Control." Here Ben is in front of the Theatorium Sweet Shop in a storefront of the building housing the theatre called the Theatorium at 1624 Sunset Blvd. in Echo Park.

 

Robin Williamson directed the cast which also included Gypsy Abbott, Arthur Currier and Edward J. Laurie. Thanks to the Silent Film Detective John Bengtson for getting this screenshot and the others below.

 

Another Theatorium Sweet Shop view. John notes that the reflections in the glass are from a trolley going by. See the page about Echo Park's Theatorium on the Los Angeles Theatres site. It had opened as the Globe and ended up in the 40s being called the Holly Theatre. 

 

We also spend some time in Hollywood. The cameraman is standing in front of the Iris Theatre, 6417 Hollywood Blvd., for this view of destitute Ben approaching on the left. John notes that in the background of this shot we're looking across to the southeast corner of the Hollywood Blvd. and Cahuenga intersection. 

One of our commentators notes: "In this shot looking southeast across Cahuenga, you can see the old mission style frontage of the old Pacific Electric Hollywood Station. It became a restaurant site at some point, and then was torn down for a new structure. A rail yard sat to the east side just adjacent to the old church property. The new freight station was built down on Santa Monica at La Brea as the Vine Street area was being developed."

 

We see lots of the entrance of the Iris Theatre in the film because Ben's character is in love with the screen star Dora Darling and one of her films is playing. John calls our attention to the lower right where there's a bit of the "IRIS" in the tile.

 

 An image of Ben's love fading in. 

 

 

 

When coming out of the theatre he grabs a publicity still of his favorite star off the side of the boxoffice and gets into a tussle with the cashier. John Bengtson notes that the reflections in the glass offer a view of the building across the street. Head to the bottom of the page for that image.

 

We get a view of the boxoffice as Ben walks away with his prize. 

 

John comments about these shots: "I was so relieved to see that the theatre was on the north side of the street. That meant the early morning sun would cast shadows to the left, as apparent during the movie. Somehow black and white morning scenes look different than black and white late afternoon scenes. Shadows are great compass direction clues, and I rarely seem to be incorrect about morning vs. afternoon light, even though you’d think they would photograph identically." 

 

 

The cashier comes out and tries to stop him, unsuccessfully. Ben's next order of business is to head to the studio to meet Dora.

The Iris Theatre page on the Los Angeles Theatres site has more about this location, the second of three to use the Iris name. In early 1918 this one closed and the operation moved to a new theatre at 6508 Hollywood Blvd., one that would be renamed the Fox Theatre in 1968.

On IMDb: "A Studio Stampede"

| Part One - YouTube | Part Two - You Tube |  A very low-res version is on Internet Archive. |

 

Across the street from the Iris:

John Bengtson did this flipped version of the boxoffice shot to better look at the reflections. 

 

 

The building we see across Hollywood Blvd. John located this image in the Historic Hollywood Photographs collection. It's a cropped version of their catalog #HB-043.

Thanks to John for spotting the Iris in the film. He thanks Stan Taffel, president of Cinecon, for the loan of their print of the film. Check on John's latest explorations via the Silent Locations blog "Chaplin-Keaton-Lloyd film locations (and more)." 

John's books are available through Amazon or your local bookseller: "Silent Echoes: Discovering Early Hollywood Through the Films of Buster Keaton" | "Silent Traces: Discovering Early Hollywood Through the Films of Charlie Chaplin" | "Silent Visions: Discovering Early Hollywood and New York Through the Films of Harold Lloyd"

"Her Screen Idol"

We get a couple shots of a theatre entrance in "Her Screen Idol" (Paramount/Famous Lasky, 1918). It's a Mack Sennett production directed by Edward F. Cline starring Louise Fazenda, Ford Sterling and Jack Cooper. The most likely possibility is that we're at Jensen's Theatorium at 1624 Sunset Blvd. in Echo Park  It's a house that opened as the Globe and ended up being called the Holly Theatre. The theatre interior shots were most likely done on a set. 

 

 

A closer look in toward the display cases and entrance doors.

We see the same floor tile in "Mabel's Dramatic Career" (Keystone, 1913). In that film we get a better look at the area near the sidewalk where it appears to say "Globe Theatre." The short-lived Globe Amusement Co. opened theatres with that name in several neighborhoods, many of them with similar looking entrances.  Most were later renamed when the company folded.

Thanks to the Silent film Detective John Bengtson for the screenshots. Check out his latest explorations via the Silent Locations blog "Chaplin-Keaton-Lloyd film locations (and more)."

Ten minutes of the film can be seen on the website of Cineteca Milano, where you need to register as a user. Italian title: "L'eroe dello schermo."

On IMDb: "Her Screen Idol"

"Mabel's Dramatic Career"

The entrance of a theatre is seen in the Mack Sennett comedy "Mabel's Dramatic Career" with Mabel Normand, Fatty Arbuckle and Sennett (Keystone, 1913). We appear to be at the Globe Theatre at 1624 Sunset Blvd. in Echo Park. The venue was later called the Theatorium and the Hollyway before ending up as the Holly Theatre.

The short-lived Globe Amusement Co. opened theatres with their name in several neighborhoods, including Lincoln Heights, Downtown, South Central and San Pedro. Many of them had similar looking entrances and, indeed, may have used the same tile. Several elements here, including the display case configuration and some of the plaster moldings, make this Echo Park house the likely location. We see the same tile pattern, but without a chance to see lettering, in the another Sennett film involving moviegoing: "Her Screen Idol" from 1918.

An interior view, most likely a set.  

The very curious projection booth. 

Coming out of the theatre after causing trouble during the film. The theatre name is in the tile. 

It appears to say "Globe Theatre" but we never really get a good look at it. 

 A last look as our man stalks away vowing to track down the villain he's seen in the film.

Thanks to Cinema Treasures contributor ManWithNoName for spotting the theatre in the film. He initially suggested that it's the Optic Theatre, 533 S. Main St. But the tile work doesn't match that of the Optic. See his article: "Optic Theater in Downtown Los Angeles circa 1913" for a discussion.

The film is available for viewing on Internet Archive. The theatre sequence begins 8:28 into the 14 minute film with exterior shots and then goes inside. The film also appears on Disc 1 of "Slapstick Encyclopedia."

On IMDb: "Mabel's Dramatic Career"