In honor of Ann Forrest (Houdini’s Leading Lady in “The Grim Game”) who was born 124 years ago today, thought I would share some cinema cards from my personal collection.
Note: If look closely, you will find references to “The Grim Game” on the back of two of the cards, which make them extra special.
Joe M. Notaro Collection
They each starred with Harry Houdini in one of his two-pictures under the Paramount-Artcraft banner. Ann Forrest in the Grim Game (1919) and Lila Lee in Terror Island (1920)
Joe M. Notaro Collection
They were together in Paramount-Artcraft’s The Prince Chap (1920)
And they were card 11 and card 17 of the 20 card Spanish Silent Movie Card Set (Series VII) from the 1920s. Harry Houdini was card 20.
Joe M. Notaro Collection
Related:
Snippet of Still 298-82 from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
HOW HOUDINI DID IT. Ann Forrest, who has played the heroine in Houdini’s picture, “The Grim Game,” at the Pentridge since Thursday, is described by Houdini himself as “one of the prettiest girls on the screen.” She was born the Isle of Fan, just off the coast of Denmark, and received her education there. She is of a true Danish type, with masses of blonde hair, large blue eyes, and the complexion of a milkmaid. Houdini referring to the love scenes he played with Ann Forrest, pathetically complained that he could not “love” Ann Forrest with Mrs. Houdini as a spectator. After a consultation, Houdini solved the problem giving his wife a cheque to spend in the bazaars, whilst the love scenes were being filmed.
[ Burnley News Saturday 20 November 1920]
During the making of the Grim Game, Houdini has been photographed at Lasky Studios getting cozy with:
Gloria Swanson,
Ann Forrest,
and the young lady pictured below.
Care to guess who that young lady is? Next week, I will reveal who that is, along with a very rare photo of the Hollywood starlet being swept off her feet by Houdini at Lasky Studios. You won’t want to miss it.
Irvin Willat was born on November 18, 1890 in Stamford, Connecticut, USA. He was a director and writer, known for The Grim Game (1919), The False Faces (1919) and Down Home (1920). He was married to Billie Dove. He died on April 17, 1976 in Santa Monica, California, USA.
Candid Grim Game photo of Harry Houdini, Ann Forrest and Irvin Willat (Courtesy of NYPL, Image 21665)
Irvin Willat was the only man who could do better tricks and more tricks than Houdini.
He knew a good action scene when he saw one, and was the one cranking away steadily from a third plane, that caught the entire collision and the start of what looked like a fatal crash as the two Canucks spun earthward with Houdini’s stunt double, Robert E Kennedy, flying at the end of the rope like the tail on a doomed kite. Willat saw to it that the movie script was rewritten to take in the collision, and The Grim Game was finished accordingly.
In a telegram to Willat, Houdini wrote, with some degree of exaggeration, “Grim Game opened today Broadway Theatre. Scored sensational success. Its [sic] the talk of New York. I am appearing in person and in my speech yours is the only name I mention. Am giving you the biggest boost you ever had but you earned it.”
Sources:
Last week I posted a snippet of an article by Bayard Grimshaw about THE STUDENT AND THE BLOW from Abracadabra Magazine Saturday 23rd March 1974. This week, in honor of the Oscars, I thought I would share a Grim Game photo that was used in that same special edition of Abracadabra Magazine:
This came from a sheet issued to the Cinema Trade to promote The Grim Game Movie in 1919.
The bottom image is from still 298-54 .
Mary [Ann Forrest] is visiting Houdini at the jail to let him know that hoax is going according to plan. The guard then gives them contrary news: “They found the body [Cameron] in the old well – poor place to hide it. Guess your trial will be a short one”. Houdini smiles and voices his doubt. The guard tells them he is not joking…Gradually the truth of the matter that Cameron is really dead is forced home on Houdini and Mary. Houdini tells Mary to go see the others and tell them to explain the hoax and have him released. [scenes 212-225 Paraphrased from Paramount Files at Margaret Herrick Library]
And the top image is from still 298-63 and is part of the sequence where Houdini escapes from the jail after Mary leaves. See the following earlier post for details:
Last year, I did a post, where I gave clues WRT who could be the other man in still 298-22.
The choices were Harry Houdini (Harvey Hanford), Thomas Jefferson (Dudley Cameron), Augustus Philips (Clifton Allison), Tully Marshall (Richard Raver), Arthur Hoyt (Dr. Tyson), or Unidentified actor (Old Servant Banks). We previously ruled out Harry Houdini, Arthur Hoyt and Tully Marshall. So that left Thomas Jefferson, Augustus Philips and an unidentified actor. Just solely based on the photos of the actors, it looks like it could be Augustus Philips or Thomas Jefferson; however there was no photo of the actor that played Old Banks to compare. And if you read my blog, Thomas Jefferson Found, I made a statement: “That as far as I know, there are no movie stills of Thomas Jefferson from the Grim Game and I’ve seen and cataloged most if not all of the stills from the movie.” So based on the above information if correct, would lead us to Augustus Philips or Old Banks. I can tell you, it is not Augustus Philips. So does that make it Old Banks? Based on the circumstantial evidence previously presented, there was a strong case for Banks. However, I have some additional evidence to present, that makes me think otherwise now:
During the scene when Cameron is scolding Houdini and telling him to get out, he seizes a large, old-fashioned revolver from top of safe and tries to get a shot at Houdini. There is also another scene where Houdini mentions that Cameron has threatened to shoot him on sight. And if we look at still 289-21 and 298-22, you will notice that Houdini and Ann Forrest outfits are the same in both stills; let me explain the events that led up to 289-21 and 298-22 which help make the case for Thomas Jefferson: In an earlier scene, Cameron (Thomas Jefferson) asks Mary (Ann Forrest) if she can open a box – this is the box seen in still 289-21; Mary is working at lock of box when Houdini unexpectedly shows up at the Cameron house. Mary and Houdini are in the library – Mary is worried that Cameron who is in the dining room might enter and discover them – Houdini opens the box – Cameron enters and sees the couple – Mary jumps in alarm at the sound of Cameron’s voice – Cameron gets gun – and voila, we have Still 298-22. BTW, Houdini avoids the old man or disarms him and makes exit through window in comedy fashion. [Paraphrased from Margaret Herrick Files]
The scene with Banks, Houdini and gun appears later, right after the scene depicted in still 298-80 which shows Mary (white dress) and Houdini in different outfits from still 298-22.
So based on the evidence now, I would say this is Thomas Jefferson (Dudley Cameron) as opposed to an unidentified actor (Old Banks) in still 298-22.
Case closed for the time being!
The photo below is my rendition of what Ann Forrest might look like riding a motorcycle:
Scene 325 of The Grim Game takes place on a mountain road where we see Mary (Ann Forrest) riding in on a motorcycle. After riding a long distance, the road is too rough for Mary to go any farther. She stops and gets off of the motorcycle and proceeds quickly up a path. [Paraphrased from files at Margaret Herrick Library]
Let’s Elope?
This photo (Still 298-80) appeared in a Swedish Program [HHCE Collection] and a Danish Program [Arthur Moses Collection] for the Grim Game.
So what is going on in this photo?
Harvey Hanford (HH) calls at the Cameron home and finds Mary Cameron (Ann Forrest) in the garden. HH and Mary are sitting on a rustic bench. To her he explains the great newspaper scoop he hopes to put over which will make it easier for them to elope. Mary is quite enthusiastic over her lover’s attempt to land a big story and agrees with the plans. Their plans all arranged, HH kisses Mary good night. [Paraphrased from files at Margaret Herrick Library]
The image above is the front and back of card #38 from Houdini: The World’s First Superhero” cards. And once again the image on the right (back of card) is
misidentified. But instead of misidentifying the actress as Gloria Swanson like William Kalush and Larry Sloman did on page 360 of their book, The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of Americas First Super Hero; the card misidentifies the actress as Marguerite Marsh. Close, but no cigar. The actress is not Gloria Swanson or Marguerite Marsh, but Ann Forrest (Houdini’s co-star) from the Grim Game. Houdini did spend time with Gloria Swanson on the Lasky set, but was never in a movie with her. See my blog Harry gets cozy with a young Gloria Swanson (and Ann Forrest) at Lasky Studios. Houdini also cozied up with Margaret Marsh when he made the serial The Master Mystery. As the card above points out, Margaret Marsh played Eva Brent, the imperiled damsel in distress in the Master Mystery.
Houdini cozies up to Marguerite Marsh in The Master Mystery