Joseph M. Schenck Movies
Executive producer Joseph M. Schenck was born in Rybinsk, Russia, and emigrated to the U.S. as a child. While growing up in New York, he worked as an errand boy; eventually he wound up owning a pair of drugstores with his brother, Nicholas. In 1908, they opened an amusement park in upstate New York; four years later, they purchased Palisades Amusement Park in New Jersey and had become business associates of Marcus Loew, who was chief executive of a burgeoning chain of movie theaters. The two Schencks eventually became high-ranking executives with Loew, the parent company of MGM. In 1917, Joseph Schenck left Loew (Nicholas stayed) to produce films independently. He first signed Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle up for a comedy series to be distributed by Paramount. His most important star during this time was Buster Keaton. In 1924, Schenck was elected the first chairman of the board on the groundbreaking production company United Artists. In 1933, he founded 20th Century with Darryl Zanuk and became its first president; he became chairman of the board when the company merged with Fox in 1935. Schenck encountered hard times in 1941 after he was convicted of income tax irregularities and union payoffs then sentenced to a year in prison; he was released after four months and then returned to 20th Century Fox as an executive producer. For his many distinguished years of service in American cinema, Schenck won an honorary Oscar in 1952. A year later he co-founded the Magna corporation with Michael Todd. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1917
Oh, Doctor! was the fifth of Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle's two-reelers for his own Comique Film Corporation (the unlettered Arbuckle always referred to the name of his studio as "Comeeky"). Fatty plays a doctor who falls in love with beautiful horse fancier Alice Lake. For her sake he bets on a 500-to-one shot, which amazingly comes across the finish line first. When Fatty learns of his good fortune, he is dressed in a policeman's uniform for reasons that are too complicated to go into here. Celebrating his windfall, the hero rushes into a poolroom, where the patrons take one look at his uniform and head for the hills. Once the "phony cop" gag has been milked for all it's worth, the story goes off on a different tangent when Fatty is led to believe that he's lost his fortune. Arbuckle's close pal Buster Keaton was here cast as Fatty's son (!), while the star's nephew, Al St. John, enacted the principal "heavy" role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle
- 1917
The first collaboration between producer Joseph M. Schenck and his wife Norma Talmadge was also their first huge success. The film's title character (played by Talmadge) is a pianist graduate of the Moscow Conservatory. An evil Baron (L. Rogers Lytton) lusts after her, and through his machinations she winds up in jail. She escapes, only to be shipwrecked on the coast of England, where she meets and falls in love with Gerald Mordaunt (Earle Foxe), who is also a classical pianist and composer. They marry, but to finance the performance of a composition of Gerald's, Panthea is forced to become involved with the Baron. The Baron dies, however, and Panthea is re-arrested upon returning to Moscow. She and Gerald wind up in Siberia together, with the hope that the English consulate will get them a formal release. According to Anita Loos, Norma's mother, Peg Talmadge, came up with the idea of acquiring the Monckton Hoffe play from which this film was made. But it doesn't matter, really, who thought of combining Norma Talmadge with the role of a beautiful, long-suffering woman -- the shoe fit, and she wound up specializing in such roles for the rest of her career. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1917
This two-reeler by Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle involves a man (Arbuckle) who escapes from his battle-axe wife Agnes Neilson by disappearing into Coney Island. There, he encounters Al St. John and the two of them vie for the girlfriend (Alice Mann) of Buster Keaton. This scrambled plot is merely an excuse for a vast array of timeless gags. It's entertaining enough to watch these three clowns turn the amusement park upside down, but what's really notable about Coney Island is Keaton's performance. His face hasn't yet frozen into its familiar deadpan, and he mugs throughout the film almost as much as Al St. John! ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle
- 1917
In Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle's second independent two-reeler, Fatty goes to the park and flirts with another man's girl (Alice Lake). As a result, he gets a sound thrashing. To explain his injuries when he gets home to his family, he spins a wild tale about how he came to the defense of a little blind woman. The truth comes out a few nights later when he and his folks go to a cinema, and they see that Fatty's escapade in the park has been filmed for posterity. The object of his flirtation is there with her boyfriend, and all mayhem breaks loose. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle
