Home | Movies By Year | Movies from 1926


The Still Alarm

Buy The Still Alarm now from Amazon

First, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the movie. And once you've experienced the movie, tell everyone what you thought about it.

Wikipedia article




'The Still Alarm' is a melodramatic play by Joseph Arthur that debuted in New York in 1887 and enjoyed great success, and was adapted to silent films in 1911, 1918, and 1926. Though never a favorite of critics, it achieved widespread popularity. It is best known for its climactic scene where fire wagons are pulled by horses to a blazing fire.Rahill, Frank. [https://books.google.com/books?id=q0-0AAAAIAAJ&q=%22joseph+arthur%22+%22still+alarm%22&dq=%22joseph+arthur%22+%22still+alarm%22&hl=en&ei=e4qUTqq9I6ba0QGN7fDKBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CEQQ6AEwBDge The world of melodrama], p. 257 (1967) ("the greatest of all the fireman plays")

Background



The play debuted at the Fourteenth Street Theatre in New York City on August 30, 1887.Brown, Thomas Allston. [https://books.google.com/books?id=mDALAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA495#v=onepage&q&f=false A history of the New York stage], p. 495-96 (1887 original production), p. 498 (March 1888 return)(31 August 1887). [https://www.nytimes.com/1887/08/31/archives/amusements-the-still-alarm.html Amusements - "The Still Alarm"], 'The New York Times'Burt, Daniel S. (ed.) [https://books.google.com/books?id=VQ0fgo5v6e0C&pg=PA271&dq=%22the+still+alarm%22+1911&hl=en&ei=VUyUTp73Jorj0QGH18W-Bw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CEkQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=%22the%20still%20alarm%22%20&f=false The chronology of American literature], p. 271 (2004)(28 August 1887). [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1887/08/28/100931527.pdf Notes of the Week], 'The New York Times' Harry Lacy played the lead role of Jack Manley.[https://books.google.com/books?id=8-QRAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA252-IA2#v=onepage&q&f=false Advertisement], 'The Theatre' (August 1887)

Though it ran only a few weeks in its initial engagement, the play returned in March 1888 and ran for over 100 more performances.Bordman, Gerald Martin. [https://books.google.com/books?id=CxT5xVATAv8C&pg=PA259&dq=#v=onepage&q&f=false American theatre: a chronicle of comedy and drama, 1869-1914], p. 259 (1994)(27 March 1888). [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1888/03/27/103172619.pdf Musical and Dramatic Notes], 'The New York Times'(17 June 1888). [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1888/06/17/112633725.pdf Amusements: Notes of the Week], 'The New York Times' Its popularity was then well-secured. In September 1889, it re-appeared at the Grand Opera House.(3 September 1889). [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1889/09/03/100970426.pdf Notes of the Stage], 'The New York Times' It ran again at the Fourteenth for two weeks in 1891,(30 August 1891). [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1891/08/30/106053032.pdf The Dancing Girl Is Here], 'The New York Times' and returned to the Grand Opera House in 1892.(5 April 1892). [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1892/04/05/104123648.pdf Notes of the Stage], 'The New York Times'

The play was also successful in England, and ran for 100 nights at the Princess's Theatre in London in 1888.(11 September 1895). [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1895/09/11/106080899.pdf The Profit Too Large], 'The New York Times'

Critics noted its success with guarded bemusement. An August 1888 note on its London success reported that "the critics have come down rather severely on "The Still Alarm", but as this was not unexpected, the management does not worry. Meanwhile, Bucephalus and Pegasus, the two horses, have made a tremendous hit, and are drawing crowded houses. Next to them in order of merit, according to the critics, comes the dog."(5 August 1888). [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1888/08/05/100943298.pdf Old World News By Cable], 'The New York Times'

'The Still Alarm' was Joseph Arthur's first successful creation, but he enjoyed similar success with more melodramatic fare including Blue Jeans (1890) and 'The Cherry Pickers' (1896).

On opening night of the play, Arthur announced that theatre critic Andrew Carpenter Wheeler, known as "Nym Crinkle," was his collaborator. Wheeler received a writing credit on the 1926 film version.[https://pfaffs.web.lehigh.edu/node/54285 Wheeler, Andrew Carpenter (1835-1903)], The Vault at Pfaff's, Retrieved 28 November 2018

Original New York cast



*Jack Manley by Harry Lacy

*John Bird alia Gorman by Nelson Wheatcroft

*Willie Manley by Charles Dickson

*Franklyn Fordham by Eugene A. Eberle

*Doc Wilbur by Jacques Kruger

*Jenkins by Thomas W. Ford

*Nozzle by Joseph Doane

*Elinore Fordham by Blanche Thorne

*Cad. Wilbur by Blanche Vaughn

*Mrs. Manley by Mrs. Selden Irwin

*Pegasus, Bucephalaus .. The Twin Arabian horses

Film adaptations



'The Still Alarm' has been adapted to silent film three times, in 1911, 1918, and 1926.

A 1911 film version was directed by Francis Boggs and starred Robert Z. Leonard, Herbert Rawlinson, and Al Ernest Garcia. William Selig produced the film, which has been preserved by the Museum of Modern Art Department of Film.[http://www.film-foundation.org/common/movies/film_details_v2.cfm?QID=980&clientID=11004&sid=2&ssid=7 Still Alarm - 1911] , Film-foundation.org (listing for 1911 version of Still Alarm, preserved), Retrieved October 11, 2011

Selig produced a wholly new film version in 1918. This version starred Tom Santschi, Fritzi Brunette, and Bessie Eyton, directed by Colin Campbell, and distributed by Pioneer Film Corporation.Brownlow, Kevin. [https://books.google.com/books?id=FHO0AAAAIAAJ&q=%22the+still+alarm%22+selig&dq=%22the+still+alarm%22+selig&hl=en&ei=okqUTrGNMoe50QHAw-nNBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CEQQ6AEwBA Behind the mask of innocence], p. 478 (1990)(31 August 1918). [http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85058396/1918-08-31/ed-1/seq-5/ 'The Still Alarm' Great Picture At Orpheum Tomorrow], 'Ogden Standard'(14 December 1918). [http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84026749/1918-12-14/ed-1/seq-3/ Famous "Still Alarm" at Loew's Columbia], 'Washington Times'(27 March 1919). [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=K0kzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=te4HAAAAIBAJ&pg=6188,1769509&dq= You Can't Pass Up This Show Friday Night], 'Lodi Sentinel'(25 August 1918). [https://archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume556newy#page/192/mode/1up Exciting Well Played Fire Meller; Rather Poorly Assembled], 'Wid's Daily', p. 13-14

The final silent film version of the film, from Universal, was released in 1926. It starred Helene Chadwick, William Russell, and Richard Travers, and was directed by Edward Laemmle.[https://books.google.com/books?id=rlLbRAPOgP0C&pg=PA765&lpg=PA765&dq=%22the+still+alarm%22+%22joseph+arthur%22&source=bl&ots=DKRbAtHTaA&sig=2A-gAyqFSbljbVriwMFQa794Zrw&hl=en&ei=x0OUTr65F8Lf0QHy-PG-Bw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CE4Q6AEwBjgU#v=onepage&q=%22the%20still%20alarm%22%20%22joseph%20arthur%22&f=false The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States: Feature Films, 1921-1930], p. 765 (1971)(17 April 1926). [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ccVHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4f4MAAAAIBAJ&pg=4505,6865261&dq "The Still Alarm" Opens Sunday Night at Poli's], 'Meriden Record' Film archivist William K. Everson reviewed the film positively in 1956, noting that though it has "no reputation and is little known", it is "one of the very best" of the "fire-fighting thrillers" popular in the 1920s.Everson, William K. [http://www.nyu.edu/projects/wke/notes/huff/huff_561218.htm Notes to December 18, 1956 film showing], William K. Everson Archive at nyu.edu, Retrieved October 11, 2011

Unrelated "Still Alarm" titles



A 1903 Edison short called 'The Still Alarm' consists of footage of moving New York fire equipment and is not a film adaptation of the play.Niver, Kemp R. [https://books.google.com/books?id=1xTUO7zStYQC&pg=PA316&lpg=PA316#v=onepage&q&f=false Motion Pictures From The Library of Congress Paper Print Collection 1894-1912], p. 316 (1967).

A 1930 Vitaphone short of the same title is a comedy skit by George S. Kaufman, where Fred Allen and Harold Moffet debate what to wear before exiting a burning hotel, later joined by similarly blase firemen, who play the violin. The sketch comes from 'The Little Show', a revue that opened on Broadway in 1929.Bordman, Gerald Martin. [https://books.google.com/books?id=YiBaRas9jTwC&pg=PA501&lpg=PA501&dq=%22still+alarm%22+%22fred+allen%22&source=bl&ots=2Q24BKiZzl&sig=0vVDSBKwv0-N-Xtv31qTAYyICx4&hl=en&ei=Ql6UTtnJHOSC0QGHi6HSBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CDIQ6AEwATgU#v=onepage&q=%22still%20alarm%22%20%22fred%20allen%22&f=false American musical theatre: a chronicle], p. 501 (3d ed. 2001).

Legacy



Despite its roaring success as a play in New York, London and elsewhere, including repeated revivals and local productions mounted for many years,(18 May 1911). [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zg1aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8EoNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4106,4050996&dq= Theatrical: The Still Alarm], 'Flushing Daily Times' (reporting on 1911 revival) the sensationalistic fame of 'The Still Alarm' eventually had to ebb. In 1920, a feature in the 'New York Tribune' about the phasing out of the use of horses for fire fighting still highlighted 'The Still Alarm' as the quintessential firefighting example.Prince, Arnold D. (4 January 1920). [http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1920-01-04/ed-1/seq-69/ The Fire Horse, First Aid to Melodrama, Will Soon Respond to His Last Alarm], 'New York Tribune', p. 3. But Everson's observation in 1956 that it has "no reputation and is little known" (though he was only referring to the 1926 film version) fairly characterizes its lack of long-term staying power.

References




Buy The Still Alarm now from Amazon

<-- Return to movies from 1926



This work is released under CC-BY-SA. Some or all of this content attributed to http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1105833351.