Mabel normand

Mabel Normand, Keystone star, put a burglar to rout in an unrehearsed comedy scene at the Keystone studio one afternoon last week. It was late and nearly everyone had left for home. Miss Normand motored to the studio from her cottage at the beach, having forgotten a suitcase which she had left in her dressing room. A daylight burglar had walked through the studio entrance while the watchman was not looking and had gone up to the second tier of dressing rooms. When Miss Normand arrived she entered her room and found the roughly clad man bending over her trunk. Thinking him to be the janitor she was not frightened while the intruder immediately became panic stricken. As he backed out of the room Miss Normand picked up a heavy medicine ball which was lying in her room, and flung it at the man, striking him on the chest. “Take that old thing out and put it in the property room,” she exclaimed. “It’s too hot to exercise except at the beach.” The man was taken by surprise--the force of the ball overbalanced him and he fell over the railing on the balcony and to the floor below. Before Miss Normand could rush to his aid he had picked himself up and the last seen of him he was running toward the hills at top speed.

The crowning event of the convention [held in San Francisco, July 13-17, 1915] was the grand ball, held in the Municipal Auditorium in the Civic Center. This event had been widely heralded, and extensive preparations made, a feature of the arrangements having been the bringing from Los Angeles of almost fifty prominent screen artists from the leading studios. As was the case with the convention itself, the task of arranging the details of the ball devolved upon the chairman of the Convention Committee, M. E. Cory, and much of the credit for the success of this affair must be given him.

Owing to the fact that the historic old Liberty Bell arrived in San Francisco late Friday evening, some of the plans for the ball had to be changed at the last minute and many of the dignitaries of the state and city were unable to be present until the festivities of the evening were well under way. Governor Johnson, who was to have led the grand march with Geraldine Farrar, was a member of the committee that brought the historic relic to the exposition grounds and unfortunately could not be present. Mayor Rolph was also absent, but representatives of the city government were on hand to grace the occasion.

The gathering of screen favorites was fully up to the expectation of the ball committee, and during the early part of the evening the boxes they occupied were surrounded by eager throngs of admirers, the floor officers finding difficulty in keeping the crowd moving.

In keeping with the exposition and Liberty Bell spirit which prevailed, the hall was tastefully decorated in the exposition and national colors, and after the commencement of the grand march the scene was further enlivened by the releasing of hundreds of colored balloons.

The grand march was led by Carlyle Blackwell and Blanche Sweet, followed by other leading picture players, the new and retiring officers of the National League and the state and local organizations. Following this, the regular dance program began and lasted until the early morning hours. Owing to the immense size of the auditorium, and the fact that many who attended were onlookers occupying seats in the balcony, the floor was crowded at no time, and the attendance was larger than appeared to be the case. Motion Pictures were taken of the grand march by Mills Brothers. Mr.Sciaroni was in charge of the lighting and photographing. The pictures were shown at the Empress theater on Saturday evening...

Among the player folks and film men who were present and occupied boxes were Geraldine Farrar, Blanche Sweet, Carlyle Blackwell, Mabel Normand, Raymond Hitchcock, Mrs. Raymond Hitchcock (Flora Zabelle), Mack Sennett, Owen Moore, “Diamond Jim” Brady, Barney Baruch, Fred Mace, Marshall Neilan, Ella Hall, Robert Leonard, Hobart Bosworth, Hobart Henley, M. L. Markowitz, Bessie Barriscale, Howard Hickman, Frank Keenan, W. S. Hart, House Peters, Kenneth O’Hara, Myrtle Gonzales, Mrs. Gonzalez, Sam Spedon, William Duncan, Jesse Lasky, Morris Gest and wife, C. B. De Mille, W. W. Hodkinson, wife and party, Bobbie Harron, Mae Marsh, Dorothy and Lillian Gish, Mrs. Gish, Francix X. Bushman, Marguerite Snow, Irving Ackerman, Fred J. Balshofer, Marie Empress, Art Smith, aviator; Mrs. Smith and Manager William Bastar and Mrs. Bastar, G. M. Anderson, Victor Potel and Mrs. Potel, Ben Turpin, Jesse Jackson, and Shorty Jack Hamilton...

* from Photoplay, August 1915

Mabel Normand, comedy Grand Duchess of the Keystone, was offered thirty weeks on the “big time” at a salary that would stagger a Maharajah recently; but for several reasons, including her contract with Keystone, she turned it down.
* from Photoplay, August 1915

 Harry Carr

by James R. Quirk

It was raining the first day I visited the Keystone Studio. The air was full of Glooms. Little Glooms slipped under the doors of the dressing rooms, clambered up over the mirrors, smuggled themselves into the damp wardrobes, took possession of the entire outfit and dripped over everything.

Joy and Cheer were unable to stand the terrific onslaught of the dismal army.

The enemy was in full possession of the capital of the Kingdom of Fun.

Lieutenant Mack Sennett and Sergeant Charlie “Hogan” Murray tried to rally the retreating forces, but the joys and cheers kept right on running.

Ford Sterling was peeved at Polly Moran because she refused to jump off a three-story building to make a thrill -- the first time Polly had ever balked at anything -- and of course Polly wasn’t radiating joy right then either.

Chester Conklin did his best to start something, but Chester was struck by a shell of gloom gas and died like a hero.

Suddenly a loud chug-chug-chug-chug-chug (six cylinders) was heard outside. The prisoners held captured by the gloom army raised their heads. Even Ford grinned at Polly, and Polly grinned back and said she’d jump off a skyscraper if he said so.

The clouds rolled by. The sun burst forth. Joy and Cheer made a bayonet charge on the Gloom trenches, and nary a Gloom lived to claim a victory in the war reports.

Mabel Normand had arrived.

“Hello fellers,” yells Mabel -- just like that, as she flashed her great laughing eyes around in a general greeting, and everyone drinks in the smile.

“Hello Mabel,” they all yell back; and inside five minutes five cameramen are winding the funniest film comedies in the world into big black boxes, and half a hundred high salaried fun makers are seriously at work manufacturing laughs for the movie millions.

Now maybe Mabel didn’t induce that shower to stop or lure out old Sol, but if that bright fellow has any appreciation of bewitching femininity at all he simply couldn’t have resisted her.

After witnessing the wonderful metamorphosis which the presence of this girl brought about in that studio, I felt more convinced than ever that character and personality has brought out with marvelous accuracy by the camera and screen. The evidence of this is the failure of many great stage stars to shine with anything like equal candlepower on the films. The “close-up” generally tells the truth.

Just take Miss Normand at her screen value, and you know her.

Being a firm believer in “close-ups,” I started out to get some of them on Miss Normand from her friends. I quit this very quickly. I was engulfed and overwhelmed with a tidal wave of adjectives, adverbs, superlatives, and other parts of speech they talk about in the grammar books. Mabel has no friends among her intimates. She has worshipers.

Her fame as a comedienne is coupled closely with the success of Mack Sennett, the director of the Keystone studios, but Sen­nett himself is the first to proclaim her capabilities as a creator of situations and the important part she has played in the tremendous task of organizing the forces of the company. Many of the comedy artists at the Keystone studios vow eternal grati­tude to the girl who spent many hours aiding them in their own parts after she had spent a long, tiresome day at her own work.

If generosity ever becomes a fault, Miss Normand has one glaring defect. Although she draws one of the largest salaries in filmland, she will never be rich unless someone has a pocketbook guardian appointed for her. I do not mean that she is a spender. Mabel does not spend half as much on herself as others who earn one-fifth as much.

Here is just one little instance. It is typical. Miss Normand just cannot stand to see anyone else in need.

One day, away back of the properties, in an out of the way nook of the Keystone studios, she found a little extra girl crying, her head in her arms, bent over her meager little dressing table. In her outstretched hand was a telegram -- “Mother very sick; wants to see you; can you come home?”

Miss Normand lifted the little extra girl’s head. She had never seen her before.

“Are you going?” she asked.

“No, I can’t,” was the sobbing answer.

“Well, you come right along with me,” she commanded. “If your only trouble is money, you are going home to New York today.”

Miss Normand’s picture career began before a Vitagraph camera. She had been model in an exclusive Fifth Avenue shop before that. She was only with the Vitagraph a short time when she joined the old Biograph pioneers and was one of that famous group which included David Wark Griffith, Mary Pickford, Owen Moore, Mack Sennett, Florence Lawrence, Billy Quirk, Blanche Sweet, and others, who have since achieved fame.

From the start she demonstrated an unusual ability for comedy, and when Mack Sennett left the Biograph to start the Keystone company, Mabel went with him. The Keystone films made a hit from the start. They had a character all their own. Sennett‘s fertile brain -- and by the way, Miss Normand calls him “Nappy,” short for Napoleon -- brought forth one novel plot after another, and Miss Normand was his right hand bower in working them out. Always brim-full of new ideas and ever creating new scenarios she helped Sennett make moving picture history out there in Edendale, Calif.

Miss Normand’s views on the future of the comedy picture are enlightening.

“I make it a part of my daily work,” she told me, “to attend theaters where they show Keystone pictures. I listen eagerly for criticisms among the audience and many times get good ideas in this way. But I do not confine myself to my own pictures either. I see everybody’s. That is the only way I can keep in touch.

“The comedy of four or five years ago was very different affair from those made today, but I think there is still plenty of room for improvement, and the next few years will witness as great a development.

“Of course there will always be the slap-stick work. That brand of humor is still popular on the stage, with some people, and there will always be more or less of a demand for this kind of fun.”

“Did you ever want to be a regular heroine without any comedy business to do?” I asked her.

“Goodness, yes,” she answered. “But why should I go looking for such large competition.”
* from Photoplayers, Weekly, August 5, 1915

Mack Sennett, Fred Mace, Mabel Normand, Raymond Hitchcock and others have been working at the beaches during the past hot week. It is strange how readily a director may switch his story so that the beach scenes are absolutely indispensable when the weather gets too hot to be comfortable at the studio.
* from Photoplayers Weekly, August 5, 1915

Mabel Normand, Keystone star, took exception to the statement of a Los Angeles “reformer” to the effect that no girl can work in motion pictures and retain her respectability. She wrote an article in reply which was immediately purchased by a national newspaper syndicate and it will be widely published at once.

Mabel Normand, the favorite Keystone star, has written a song which will be published in the near future. Miss Normand is an accomplished musician and frequently entertains her friends with her vocal and instrumental accomplishments, but this is her first attempt at really publishing a song. She sang the ditty to her own piano accompaniment while Harry Williams and Jean Schwartz were present at her home one night this week and they enthused over the beauty of the thing, have urged her to take immediate action toward having it published.

[photo caption] Mabel Normand and “Big Ben,” the tame seal, disporting in the surf at Santa Catalina, Cal.

There was a grand reunion of the big factors in the success of the New York Motion Picture Corporation at the Keystone studios at Los Angeles the day following the signing of the incorporation papers of the Triangle Film Corporation, when Messrs. Kessel, Bauman[n] and Sennett arrived from Colorado, where the $5,000,000 corporation was put over.

The accompanying picture shows the gathering at the Keystone studio and reading from left to right in the picture one beholds Charles Kessel, Mabel Normand, Adam Kessel, Jr., C. O. Baumann and Mack Sennett.
* from Photoplayers Weekly, August 26, 1915

Mabel Normand, star of the Keystone Film company, got word one day recently that one of the seven Foy children was celebrating a birthday at the Foy bungalow down at Santa Monica. Mr. [Eddie] Foy was out with his director and supporting company working on a scene which was being made several miles from Los Angeles. Mabel was anxious to send a birthday present to the Foylet in question but not knowing whether it was one of the boys or one of the girls she was unable to decide on anything appropriate. So she called her car, drove to town and bought a gift for each of the seven and had her chauffeur hasten to the Foy party and deliver the goods. “I’m glad I never worked in the same company with Brigham Young,” was Miss Normand’s conclusion.¹²⁵

On Monday, August 2, the Los Angeles Boosters’ Club show was given at Shrine Auditorium to a capacity audience and hundreds were turned away. Managing Director Mack Sennett of the Keystone Film Company supplied over one-third of the program. The Keystone artists who appeared with the permission of Mr. Sennett were Raymond Hitchcock, Jean Schwartz, Fred Mace, Harry Williams, Eddie Foy, Flora Zabelle, Charlie Murray, Ford Sterling, Roscoe Arbuckle, Syd Chaplin, Mack Swain, Chester Conklin, Mabel Normand and others.

In making My Valet, Mack Sennett wrote in some scenes in which Mabel Normand and Fred Mace have a struggle in the surf. The scenes were taken at the beach at Santa Monica, where the surf is high at full tide and Mabel, being an excellent swimmer, did some astonishing work in the swirling waters. In one scene she is tied to a rock and the waves dash over her, completely submerging her at times. In this scene Miss Normand struggled frantically and Sennett and the other members of the company applauded her for her cleverness. When the scenes were over the struggles and cries of Miss Normand continued and Sennett swam out to where she was tied. Immediately he called for help and a half dozen men swam to him. It was found that a middle-sized devil fish had hold of Miss Normand’s ankles and she had been held throughout the scene by the monster. She was released after a fight with the fish and it was soon killed. Miss Normand was almost hysterical for a few minutes but soon recovered her nerve and continued work. To those who see My Valet, it will be interesting to know that in the scene in which she is tied to the rock the sea terror has a firm hold on her feet and ankles.

Mabel Normand, Keystone star, was the victim of footpads one night last week. Returning from the home of a friend located a block and a half from her own residence, Miss Normand refused to depend upon an escort and, merrily bidding her hostess and other friends goodnight, started homeward. She had not gone more than a block when a masked man stepped out from behind a tree and commanded her to put her hands up. “I never obeyed an order quicker in my life,” said Miss Normand the next day in telling of her experience, “and I kept them up until the brut was convinced I had really left my purse at home and then I kept them up until I reached home. For once in my life I was scared out of my wits.” The would-be thief escaped.

Mabel Normand defeated 20 others in a five-mile swim at Santa Monica recently.

Lillian Gish entertained recently at the Fine Arts studio Mabel Normand, the popular Keystone Triangle comedienne; Blanche Sweet and a party of friends. They remained to witness Miss Gish, Rozsika Dolly and Wilfred Lucas play a scene in their present starring vehicle, “The Lily and the Rose.”

While Gus Edwards was playing the Orpheum theater in Los Angeles he and his “Song Review” stars, together with Nan Halperin and a number of others on the bill, visited the Keystone studios at the invitation of Mabel Normand and spent an interesting morning watching the making of scenes for the Sennett feature. They were guests of Miss Normand at dinner the same night, as were Eddie Foy, Mrs. Foy and the famous seven Foylets.

 J. Van Cartwell

Extra! Mabel Normand has become a director. She recently returned to the studio with 500 feet of negative, and when it was developed and printed, it was found there was not a retake necessary in the whole lot. Sounds good, Mabel, but --

* from Los Angeles Herald, September 20, 1915

While medical science waged a desperate battle for her life, Mabel Normand, famous film star and comedy queen, was unconscious and rapidly sinking today.

Her physician, Dr. O. M. Justice, early today stated that the chance for her recovery was slight.

Last night the beautiful movie star was in extremely low condition, according to advisors from the sick room, and not once during the night did she rally to consciousness.

Miss Normand, who was Charlie Chaplin‘s partner in the world of famous comedy acts, was held by thousands to be the most beautiful woman in filmdom. Today these thousands are anxiously awaiting developments from her sick room, and the laughter which she caused to rise to thousands of lips with her

clever comedy is hushed by the seriousness of her condition.

According to Dr. Justice, Miss Normand has been unconscious for several days and has not responded to the efforts of science to restore her to normal condition. That no rally is expected today was the intimation given out from her sick room at the Baltic Apartments today.

Miss Normand’s illness is attributed to an accident in the studio of the Keystone company, of which she is a leading lady, a little more than a week ago. It is stated that the beautiful star fell, sustaining injuries to her head.

Since the fall Miss Normand has suffered concussion of the brain and not once since the accident has she uttered a coherent word.
* from Santa Monica Outlook, September 21, 1915

Film Star Hurt in Rough Comedy

Although not out of danger, Miss Mabel Normand, one of the best known motion picture actresses before the public, was re­ported last night to be much improved, and her recovery is ex­pected.

It was learned yesterday that Miss Normand was injured during the staging of a wedding scene at the Keystone studio. It was a typical wedding, which means there was considerable ‘rough stuff.’ Roscoe Arbuckle, the heavyweight comedian, was the bride­groom and Miss Normand the bride. It is not known whether the movie police force took part; but at any rate there was a general bombardment of old shoes and rice after the ceremony, and some enthusiastic celebrator hurled a boot at the bridal couple. Arbuckle dodged the boot, and it struck Miss Normand on the head.

A day later, however, she complained of pains in her head, and a short time later collapsed.

Mack Sennett, director general of the Keystone Company, had Miss Normand taken home to the Baltic Apartments, where she has been under the constant care ever since of Dr. O. M. Justice.

Mr. Sennett said yesterday that the accident was unavoidable and that no one could be blamed.

A brilliant after-dinner dance was given at the Hotel Alexandria Saturday, September 4, in honor of the three new vice-presidents of the Triangle Film Company, David W. Griffith, Thos. H. Ince and Mack Sennett. Many notable film stars were present to do honor to the heads of the Reliance-Majestic, New York Motion Picture Corporation and Keystone Film Company.

 Paul Conlon

Mabel Normand may have occasional days of temperament and “nerves,” but in a crisis she seems to be on the job. This week, when a laborer was run over by a street car in front of the studio, the men nearby were panic-stricken. Mabel kept her head, ordered the men to get water, ‘phoned for an ambulance and, tearing an undergarment into strips, bound the man’s wounds.

The plucky girl’s first aid treatment saved the man’s life.

Mabel Normand, the favorite Keystone star, has written a song which will be published in the near future. Miss Normand is an accomplished musician and frequently entertains her friends with song and piano.

* from Motion Picture Magazine, October 1915

Raymond Hitchcock is starred in the Mack Sennett production of the Keystone (Triangle) feature “My Valet.” Hitchcock, a bachelor (this in itself is funny to those of us who know Ray­mond), takes a trip to the coast, accompanied by his valet (Mack Sennett). En route they are shown on a swaying train and indulge in seltzer bottle “jasbo.” Taking a taxi to a hotel they encoun­ter a girl on a runaway equine and Hitchcock jumps from the auto to the animal’s back and brings him to a halt. The “girl” is Mabel Normand. Heroic stuff, which “Hitchy” handles in his inimitable comedy vein. Mabel had started for a gallop with a French nobleman (Fred Mace). “Hitchy” gives his card to Mabel, who tells her parents all about it. On reading the card, the father, a bearded old geezer, writes “Hitchy,” saying that if he is the son of his old friend, to come at once, as the two fathers had be­trothed “Hitchy” and Mabel when they were children. “Hitchy” doesn’t know it is the girl he rescued and induces his valet to impersonate him, while he plays valet. The “slapstick” complica­tions that ensue are fast and furious, and of tried and approved Keystone brand. They include the burning of father’s whiskers, the breaking of crockery over people’s craniums, automobile wrecks, near-drownings, and so on ad infinitum. The big climax is reached when Hitchcock sees Miss Normand drowning and jumps from his window with an umbrella for a parachute and lands in the ocean alongside Mabel, thereby effecting a thrilling rescue. The audience screamed with laughter at the innumerable sure-fire situations, which owe their origin to the old-time “nigger acts.”(Jolo.)