William James Craft Movies

Filmed in an early Technicolor process, The Runaround tells the story of Broadway dancer Mary Brian, who refuses to play the gold-digging games indulged in by her fellow chorines. Though she's sorely tempted to accept a $1000 bracelet from an elderly admirer, Brian turns down the gift when she learns that her benefactor expects a few "favors" in return. By sticking to her principles, our heroine finally lands a pure-hearted husband, wealthy Geoffrey Kerr. Comedy relief was offered by two former silent-screen favorites, Marie Prevost and Johnny Hines. A box-office loser to the tune of $160,000, The Runaround didn't fare much better in Great Britain, where it was released as Waiting for the Bride (who knows why?) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Reginald Denny, one of Universal's top stars of the 1920s, tried to transfer his light-comedy formula to talkies with Embarrassing Moments. Hoping to fend off the advances of suitor Jasper Hickson (William Austin), heroine Marion Fuller (Merna Kennedy) claims she already has a husband. When the time comes to prove the existence of her imaginary mate, Marion persuades total stranger Thaddeus Cruikshank (Denny) to pose as hubby. It is understood, of course, that our hero is to keep his distance, and not to do anything as foolish as falling in love with Marion. And, of course, Thaddeus is true to his word -- not! Reginald Denny's silent-screen image as a go-getting young American was undercut by his pronounced British accent, and before long he was consigned to secondary roles, albeit good ones. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Silent-screen comedian Harry Langdon was the darling of the critics in 1927, but his career quickly lost momentum, and by the time talkies came in, Langdon was considered a has-been, reduced to starring in 2-reelers for comedy producer Hal Roach. In 1930, he made a feature-film comeback bid in a brace of unsuccessful films, the first which was Universal's See America Thirst. Harry and Slim Summerville play Wally and Slim, a couple of dumb lummoxes who are mistaken for underworld hit men by prohibition gangster Spumoni (played by Capone look-alike Stanley Fields). Sent to wipe out a rival gang, our heroes end up dangling precariously from the mouth of a WWI cannon, perched atop a high-rise apartment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Based on a play by Floyd Dell and Thomas Mitchell, Little Accident stars Douglas Fairbanks Jr. as bridegroom-to-be Norman Overbeck. On the eve of his wedding to Madge (Sally Blane), Norman is visited by his first wife Isabel (Anita Page), who tells him that he's just become a father. Stuck with a kid on his hands, our hero is forced to postpone the wedding and "play daddy." He comes to like the job so much that he ends up marrying Isabel all over again -- but not before a long and drawn-out custody battle. Considerably toned down from the original play (in which the baby was illegitimate), Little Accident is a bit too antiseptic for its own good. The film was remade under the same title as a "Baby Sandy" vehicle in 1939, then again as the Gary Cooper starrer Casanova Brown in 1944. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Not a remake of the pre-1920 film of the same name, The Kid's Clever was Glenn Tryon's last silent vehicle; he would pursue a brief talkie acting career before going behind the cameras as a producer. On this occasion, Tryon plays Bugs Raymond, a would-be inventor who has developed a car that runs without gasoline or any other kind of fuel. Through the auspices of Ruth Decker (Kathryn Crawford), daughter of automobile magnate John Decker (Russell Simpson), Bugs is able to stage a demonstration of his invention. The test run goes disastrously wrong, but it turns out that this is the handiwork of Bug's crooked rival Ashton Steele (Lloyd Whitlock). Things are set aright when Bugs and Ruth virtually kidnap Decker and force him to take another test ride -- this one a smashing success. Black comedian Stepin Fetchit is seen in a tiny role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Previous films based on the "Skinner" stories of Henry Irving Dodge had starred such silent-film luminaries as Reginald Denny and Bryant Washburn. The leading role in the all-talkie Skinner Steps Out was Glenn Tryon, who'd proven his skill with dialogue in the Universal superspectacular Broadway. This time around, junior executive William Henry Skinner (Tryon) is goaded into improving his lot in life by his ambitious wife Honey (Merna Kennedy). Hoping to impress an influential businessman, Skinner tries too hard and messes things up. But all turns out for the best when our hero comes up with a brilliant scheme which saves his company from ruin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this, at times, hilarious silent, romantic comedy, love blossoms after a posterhanger has an highway mishap with a Broadway star. Later the hard-working fellow finds out that someone has stolen the actress' jewels from her New York home. Still smitten, he heads for the Big Apple to get them back and win her affection. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The popularity of Priscilla Dean had eclipsed by 1927, but she still proved an attractive and talented leading lady in Columbia's Birds of Prey. Dean plays a member of a clever criminal gang, headed by mastermind Gustav von Seyfertitz. The heroine would give anything to reform, but this won't happen so long as Von Seyfertitz has anything to say about it. The film's climax finds the bank-robbing crooks trapped in a sudden earthquake, though it's obvious from the get-go that the people the audience care about will survive. Most critics recognized Birds of Prey as a low-budget derivation of Lon Chaney Sr.'s The Unholy Three. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this silent crime drama, a clown comes home and finds his wife in bed with his colleague. He naturally flies into a jealous rage and tries to kill his rival. A storm erupts and destroys their house. The woman dies and the lover accuses the husband of killing her. The husband goes to prison for many years. One day, a circus comes to the prison and there the hero sees his own child playing a clown. He is so proud and excited that he busts out of prison to get grisly revenge, involving the lover and a hungry lion. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Glenn Tryon stars as Hiram Hastings, a cabdriver who aspires to be the next Charles Lindbergh. Trouble is, he's never been in an airplane in his life -- but he has learned to fly via correspondence school. Falling in love with Mary Sloan (Patsy Ruth Miller), the daughter of wealthy soap manufacturer Samuel Sloan (Burr McIntosh), Hiram tries to coerce the old man into sponsoring a Transatlantic plane flight. Sloan is resistant, but thanks to a little "prodding" from Hiram's pet monkey Bobbie (a busy simian actor of the period), he agrees to bankroll the flight. One thing leads to another, and by film's end both Hiram and Mary are in the cockpit of a rickety old airplane, bound for Russia! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Produced independently by the enterprising Nat Levine, this ten-chapter action serial featured Danish-born character actor Anders Randolph as the inventor of a completely silent airplane motor. Various villains are out to steal the potentially valuable contraption but are foiled at every turn by the serial's star trio: handsome young secret serviceman Lloyd Darrel (Malcolm MacGregor), pretty Helen Corliss (Louise Lorraine), and most importantly, Silver Streak, a clever German shepherd. The latter, of course, was Levine's low-budget answer to Warner Bros.' lucrative Rin Tin Tin. Hughie Mack, an obese comic in the style of "Fatty" Arbuckle was added to provide comedy relief. Levine produced the entire serial on location and on rented stages, managing to bring all ten chapters in on a budget of 70,000 dollars. Instead of releasing this his first serial on the usual states rights basis, Levine sold it outright to Universal for 75,000 dollars, the profits going toward establishing Mascot Pictures, a Poverty Row company that would proudly carry the serial tradition into the talkie era. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

This obscure silent western features Bill Cody as a cowboy who discovers that his stock is all but worthless due to the bankruptcy of a ranch owner. The supposedly worthless stock certificate bears the name of waitress Joan Meredith's long-lost father, who suddenly reappears to save Cody from ruin. A former stunt-rider and a strong, silent type, Cody was popular with audiences tired of the flamboyant style of western stars such as Tom Mix. Heroine Meredith hailed from Hot Springs, Arkansas and was voted a 1925 WAMPAS Baby Star by Hollywood publicists. She retired right after King of the Saddle, married well, and became a well-known Beverly Hills matron. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide