Posts from arthurarnell in thread „Duke's Missing And Rare Movies“

  • Duke's Missing And Rare Movies

    Hi Elly, Bob and Keith

    I think the work that the thee of you are doing wrt Duke's missing or rare films is not only worthwhile and commendable but what I think this board is all about namely giving a sound reliable basis for future research that will intelligently inform serious investigators of Duke's work.

    I think we are very lucky to have you aboard.

    Regards

    Arthur

  • Duke's Missing And Rare Movies

    Hi Ellie

    As I was one of the original contributers to ths topic in 2005 - was it really that long ago- I would certainly be interested in seeing your research notes.

    Fred Landesman's work will be worth the wait it is very good and as an authority he worked in very close collaboration with Tim Lilley even visiting him in Akron from California and used Tim's notes from his Big Trail series.

    Hope to hear from you soon

    Best Regards

    Arthur

  • Duke's Missing And Rare Movies

    Hi

    Of all of the films listed I think that most of the three esquiteers films have or are coming out on DVD.

    The Life of Jimmy Dolan is already out, I'm not sure about the earlier ones.

    There were three versions of the Oregon Trail made, I would be prepared to say that the Duke version was destroyed.

    Of the others I think Adventures End is in the same catagory.

    Certainly Tim Lilley is certain about Duke's participation in Noahs Ark for when writing the Timeline for the Big Trail with his help I was able to extend John Wayne's film career from the start of Christianity to the dawn of time when ever that was.


    Regards

    Arthur

    Regards

    Arthur

  • Duke's Missing And Rare Movies

    Hi Kieth

    Looking at your list I think I would agree with the majority of your choices. The two exceptions would be Men Are Like That and Hangman's House, the first because Duke has a fairly substantial role in the film, the second because it is recognised as being one of his first pivotal roles. it is also often erroneously reported that he is seen as a spectator demolishing a fence in the horse race scene. he is also seen in sillouhette being sentenced to be hung, and again has a 'speaking part' if that can be said in a silent picture, in the crowd riot scene. And if all else fails then there is still Victor McLaglen.

    Interestingly in this years Trail Beyond Tim Lilley includes an article by me entitled The John Wayne Timeline in which he mentions John Wayne as an extra in the film 'Noah's Ark' along with Andy Devine who were both in the drowning sequence.

    Regards


    Arthur

  • Duke's Missing And Rare Movies

    Hi Clanc and Mike


    That is a facinating article and perhaps they might e a good place to start. I believe that the film deteriorating into powder after being left in the can was what happened to the Oregon Trail.


    Its amazing what peolple can find out in only a couple of days.


    After all it was only a year or so ago that Bucking Broadway an old John Ford Western that had been lost for 70 years turned up in France.


    Regards


    Arthur

  • Duke's Missing And Rare Movies

    Hi


    Looks like my prompt started a whole lot of comments.


    In this matter Roland (ITDO) is by far more expert than I am. He seemed to think that some of the university Libratries might hold copies and possibly the Congress Library but being English I am in a world that I don't understand.


    I think that I may contact the British film institute to see if they can help and there is a big motion picture libray in Bradford I believe. I may make a quest in te ext few months to find out once and for all.


    Thanks for your imput keep it up.


    Senta I don't know what the equivalent German and Russian libraries are but they may well have them and my On this Day Thread also list a number of his early films being released in Finland.




    Regards


    Arthur

  • Duke's Missing And Rare Movies

    Hi


    As the membership grows so does our knowledge and experience.


    For years it has been accepted that the John Wayne version of The Oregon Trail is one of the Dukes "Lost Film's".


    In the last couple of years the John Wayne Appreciation Society has issued some of his 1930s Universal films until only Adventures End is still awaiting issue, and both ITDO and I although not world experts on the topic have come around to the feeling that this too is a lost film.


    In a couple of recent threads it has been suggested that Girls Demand Excitement and Three Girls Lost may also be in this catagory.


    What I thought was with all the people on the board pooling our knowledge perhaps the list of films that are or are not lost can be accurately ascertained and that there can be no doubt as whether a film is in existence or is definately lost.


    In one of his last threads ITDO suggested that many of these old pictures may still be stored in major American Libraries just laying there forgotten. I don't know if he is right or not but it does sound reasonable.


    I would like to hear your thoughts on this by our combined efforts we might discover a lost treasure.


    Regards


    Arthur

  • Duke's Missing And Rare Movies

    Hi ethanedwards


    Fred Landesman includes both Strong Boy and Sweet heart of Sigma Ri in his book.


    The former with Wayne working as a prop man.


    In the latter film he includes a picture showing Wayne complete with moustache in the background. TYhis is the only mention I have heard of the picture and certainly the only film still I have ever seen, the photo must be priceless.


    Regards


    Arthur