Category Archives: The Grim Game

I’ve Seen Most of The Grim Game

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Poster Image created from still photo 298-8

That is, I have had the distinct pleasure and honor to be allowed access to the Margaret Herrick’s Library Special Collection file of original production stills from The Grim Game.   I can tell you it was an amazing experience that I will never forget.  There were 10 envelopes in the file that contained 87 unique stills ranging from Production# 298-1 to Production# 298-92.  All 92 production numbers were accounted for with the exception of these ten: 298-3, 298-33, 298-34, 298-35, 298-36, 298-37, 298-58, 298-66, 298-76 and 298-90.  Now, there were four stills in the file that did not have the production number on it, so they could account for four out of the ten missing; plus I have also seen 298-3 (L302-3, mid-air collision), 298-34 (plane), and three other stills (jail scene and two other mid-air plane images) without the production number that could account for five more of the ten missing. Plus, the infamous L302-55 (298-55) image was not in the file, but a totally different image for 298-55 was in the file.  And there were two images of 298-27 in the file that are totally different images.  So, there is no guarantee the stills are all correctly numbered.  In addition:  Production numbers 19, 20, and 21 were marked with 289-19, 289-20, and 289-21 as opposed to 298-19, 298-20, and 298-21.  And, some of the production numbers were written in pen on the still.

So, based on this circumstantial evidence, I can pretty much say that I have now seen and cataloged most of the production stills for The Grim Game.

Poster Image created from still photo 298-71

 

Here are some interesting counts of the 87 unique stills found in the special collection file at the Margaret Herrick’s Library:

  • Harry Houdini was in all 87 stills; Yes, I said ALL.  I don’t think you can say that for his other movies.
  • Ann Forrest was in 21 stills.
  • A Straw Hat was in 17 stills.
  • The Jail was in 15 stills.
  • An airplane was in 13 stills

 

 

If you or someone you know has a 298 or L302 image from The Grim Game with any of the following numbers (33, 35, 36, 37, 58, 66, 76 or 90) on it, please send me an email describing the image, so that I can correctly catalog all of the stills for The Grim Game.

Also, if you have an image from The Grim Game that is missing the production number on it, and would like to know what the production number is for that image, send an email and I will be glad to identify it for you.

The Grim Game Core Experience

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I decided to go for it.  That is, I took a day off from work and drove to the Margaret Herrick Library with the hope of making a future appointment to finally see The Grim Game, Master File 681 Paramount Script Collection and Archive of photos (original stills).

I showed up at the Margaret Herrick Library with a notepad, pencil and driver’s license.  The guard at the front greeted me, took my drivers license and had me fill out some paper-work.  After signing in, he told me to take the elevator to the second floor and check in at the desk.

My heart was pounding as I got off the elevator.  I was given a library card that was good for the day; I was then directed to go discuss my research project with the librarian.

Within moments, the librarian filled out a card for me to see the core collection for The Grim Game and the core collection for Terror Island.

The Grim Game core collection consisted of three envelopes:

Contents of Envelope 1 (1 card)

Contents of Envelope 2 (4 pages)

  • Copy of November 1919, Photoplay article (Page 112 and Page 115)
  • Copy of New School , program notes by Wm. K. Everson, “3/1/1974” (1 page)
  • B&W Copy of Page 19 from MUM Society of Americans Magicians Monthly Magazine August 1919 (Click here to see it in color)

Contents of Envelope 3 (Six stills): The two in bold (298-19 and 298-51), I had never seen before

  • 289-19 (Note:  prod#  is mis-labeled on still, should be 298 not 289)  Harry Houdini and Ann Forrest reading The Daily Call Illustrated Magazine
  • 298-51 (similar to this Library of Congress image) minus the chains and cuffs
  • L302-64 (same as this Lot 271 image that sold at Potter and Potter auction)
  • 298-16 (same as image found in MAGIC April 2001 magazine on page 106) Harry Houdini risks his life to escape by leaping out of moving car
  • 298-53 (same as this Kevin Connolly’s L302-53 image but with 298-53 prod# on it)
  • 298-87 (same as image in Grim Game Press Book  and image in The Adventurous Life of Versatile Artist) Harry Houdini lying down on the top wing of an airplane

 

After reviewing the core files, the librarians showed me how to use the library computers and helped me locate some other references on Houdini.

While I was there reviewing other Houdini references, I also had the opportunity to discuss my research project with Barbara Hall, Special Collections Research Archivist and Faye Thompson, Photograph Department Coordinator.  And schedule an appointment to see The Grim Game, Master File 681 Paramount Script Collection and Archive of photos (original stills).   Stay tuned!

Houdini risked his life and sustained injury in making “The Grim Game”

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Mr. Houdini in a short speech before the showing of the picture expressed his pride in the picture, and his hope that it would be a popular success.  He said: “This is really the first big picture that I have ever done and I am banking a great deal on its success.  If it goes across it will mean a lot to me.  I risked my life a dozen times in the making of it, and broke several bones.  I assure you that there is absolutely no trick photography in the entire picture, all of the stunts having been actually performed.  I thought of my life insurance policy all the time during the filming.”  [Sphinx September 1919, page 162]

In a fierce battle in which Houdini fights with a quartet of burglar “extras” his wrist snapped in the midst of the action and, though the scene was finished, further work on the picture had to be postponed for several weeks for it was found that a large bone in his wrist had been broken clearly in two.  [The Mt. Sterling advocate, March 02, 1920]

In Houdini’s previous movie, The Master Mystery: He did all his own stunts for the movie, and according to Bess, suffered from three broken bones in his left wrist and seven black eyes. The black eyes healed quickly enough, but the broken wrist troubled him for months afterward. [Harry HOUDINI, Death-Defying Showman by Rita Thievon Mullin]

And in escaping one of the prison cells, he again fractured his left wrist, not as badly as the year before but enough to have his arm wrapped and delay completion of the film by two weeks. [Houdini!!!  The Career of Ehrich Weiss by Kenneth Silverman]

So much for break a leg; in Houdini’s case, it was break a wrist.

 

Happy Valentines Day! The Grim Game is a powerful romance.

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Every critic says that “The Grim Game” has more thrills than any play ever conceived, and the romance which carries these thrills is one of the best of its kind ever written.  The heart interest is of the most intense kind, and what is best it is clean, wholesome true heart interest that grips by reason of its truth to human nature, Picture-lovers will have in “The Grim Game” not only a powerful romance, but a story that contains the greatest thrills ever produced, a coherent, clever narrative, and staged in a manner that excites wonderment.

 See Harry Houdini’s Romance in the movie.

The Poverty Bay Herald, Thursday 1920

Have you seen Ann Forrest in The Grim Game?

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John Cox launched a blog post today featuring a look back at the leading ladies who starred the bill with Houdini in his silent movies.  He started off with Ann Forrest who co-starred with Houdini in “The Grim Game”.  This inspired me to do this post on “Have you seen Ann Forrest in The Grim Game?”:

How many photos of Ann Forrest from “The Grim Game” have you seen?

So far, I have seen the following:

This photo above also appears on page 360 of The Secret Life of Houdini by William Kalush with the caption: “Harry gets cozy with a young Gloria Swanson”.  Note: This is an error: it is really Ann Forrest.

 

The above photo also appears on page 148 of The Original Houdini Scrapbook by Walter B. Gibson with the following caption: “Agile and acrobatic as well as physically powerful, Houdini stages a heroic film rescue”.

 

The photo above is identified as being from the movie “Haldane of the Secret Service” more times than not, but it is actually from “The Grim Game”.

Click on the links below to see other photos of Ann Forrest:

Also, in Milborne Christopher’s, Houdini A Pictorial Life, on page 96 there is a rarely seen photo of Houdini and Ann Forrest with the following caption next to it: Only the heroine believed he was innocent, not guilty of an alleged murder.

American Heritage April 1972 Houdini’s High-flying Hoax by Art Ronnie on Page 108 has a picture of Ann Forrest posing with the principals of the air collision after the accident.   Robert Kennedy seems to be thinking more about film star Ann Forrest than about his brush with death.

Have you seen any others?