Hollywood
1923 · United States
- Director
- James Cruze
- Screenplay
- Thomas J. Geraghty
- Producer
- Adolph Zukor
- Cinematography
- Karl Brown
- Production company
- Famous Players-Lasky Corporation
Cast
What it is about
Angela Whitaker arrives in Hollywood hoping to become an actress, bringing her grandfather, Joel Whitaker, along for the trip. She meets the usual obstacles faced by anyone trying to break into the industry, and the story follows the two newcomers through their first day in town.
How it was made
The film was a feature-length follow-up to A Trip to Paramountown (1922), a short in which Paramount itself played version of its own studio. Directed by James Cruze, adapted by Thomas J. Geraghty from a story by Frank Condon, with cinematography by Karl Brown, it was made under Adolph Zukor at Famous Players-Lasky. Its main draw was its parade of cameo appearances by the era's biggest stars, among them Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks.
Reception and legacy
The film is presumed lost and appears on the National Film Preservation Board's list of lost American silent features, cited in February 2021. Its historical interest rests mainly on its cameos, which make it a curious record of 1920s Hollywood self-portraiture.
Stills
Trivia
Follow-up to a short
The film expands A Trip to Paramountown, a 1922 short in which the studio presented itself. That format gave it its starting point.
A parade of stars
Its cameo roster includes figures such as Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and Gloria Swanson, making it an inventory of the period's celebrities.
More films by James Cruze
The Covered Wagon
If I Had a Million
The Duke Steps Out
Hawthorne of the U.S.A.
The Roaring Road
The Valley of the GiantsOriginal Cinematopedia text based on Wikipedia (es) and Wikipedia (en) and Wikidata.