Harry Langdon |
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Harry Langdon Biography |
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Langdon was 12 years old when he ran away to join the circus. Soon he was involved in medicine shows, circuses and Vaudeville where he spent the next 20 years developing an act called "Harry`s New Car". With Vaudeville, he would play and perfect the act in town after tank town, year after year. By 1923, Langdon had been picked up by Mack Sennett and Sennett gave Langdon to the writers to develop something from his character. Luckily for everyone involved, director Harry Edwards and the writers Frank Capra and Arthur Ripley were able to create the perfect story lines for the pantomime of the baby faced 40 year old comic. His film style of comedy would consist of indecision and helplessness, and the two reel films that he made would make him a star. One of his best performances was as the henpecked husband who comes back after a spree with a buddy and hopes to tell his wife off in Saturday Afternoon (1926). In 1926, Harry left Sennett to form his own company, the Harry Langdon Corporation, which had a six picture deal with First National. Harry took Edwards, Capra, and Ripley with him to his new company and the first picture made was _Tramp, Tramp, Tramp (1926/I)_ which became a big hit. The girl in the picture was named Joan Crawford and Harry would be walking across the country to win her hand. The next two films The Strong Man (1926) and Long Pants (1927) were directed by Capra. With 3 big successful films, and an ego to match, Langdon fired Capra and put himself into the director`s chair. The problem was that Langdon was as naive as his character about what made his character popular and how to film it. His next three films were disasters as to plot, character and editing and were, worst of all, not funny. With the end of his six film commitment came the end of his popularity and Langdon was soon bankrupt. In 1929, he would sign with Hal Roach to stage a comeback in sound, but after 8 unremarkable shorts, he would be fired. In 1932, he was making cheap two reelers which were no where near the quality that he made under Capra. In 1934, at age 50, langdon would sign with Columbia where he would stay for the next 10 years. At Columbia, he would work in shorts, most of which were rehashes of his earlier films. He would also work once more at the Hal Roach Studio where he became a writer for the comedy team of Laurel and Hardy. By this time, he was a much nicer person as the setbacks has deflated his ego years before. Attempts to team Langdon with other performers such as Charley Rogers were tried and then dropped. If anything, he was finding his place as a character actor in a number of Columbia shorts and Monogram features. The small sad man with the white baby face and the jacket that was too small would die from a cerebral hemorrhage in 1944 as a shadow of what might have been. Langdon had been married four times.
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Quotes A comedian should establish a character with human appeal. Then he`ll be pretty indestructible. For instance, in developing my character I use little childish gestures - and children are always appealing. Such a comedian isn`t a machine. I know the limits of my character - a little too aggressive, for instance, and he`s gone. I`ve tried to inject this character into parts offered me, but if the director interfered the character would be lost. Without character, the comedian is lost. When I play in what I call the O- Ouch-O comedies, where the comedian runs about, is hit on the head, etc., I am just an animated suit of clothes. Women have a keener sense of humor than men, are more observing and responsive. Women care more for comedy than men do, too. You have to get dirty to get men to laugh. The oddest thing about this whole funny-business is that the public really wants to laugh, but it`s the hardest thing to make them do it.Trivia Has a star on Hollywood Blvd in front of the Chinese Mann Theatre His son is world famous photographer Harry Langdon (II) He is related to actress Lynne Langdon Made his debut in movies at the age of forty, when joining Mack Sennett Studios in 1924, starring in several short comedies which quickly became very popular. During the years 1924-27, Harry Langdon was considered a rival of Charlie Chaplin in popularity, but his status as a star was meteoric. Through the years, many silent film fans as well as historians have tried to find an explanation. Some blame it on Langdon`s little business-experiences, most significantly when he fired director Frank Capra in order to take over the direction himself; others consider Langdon`s "child- man" an acquired taste whom the audiences perhaps grew tired of after a while. Was a veteran in vaudeville when joining the movies. Was an avid cartoonist; he drew the caricatures in the opening credits of Laurel & Hardy`s feature Blockheads (1938), a film which he also co-wrote. His first marriage reportedly produced one child who died at birth, around 1911. Harry never told his later wife and son about this tragedy. His first marriage reportedly produced one child who died at birth, around 1911. Harry never told his later wife and son about this tragedy.
Was an avid cartoonist; he drew the caricatures in the opening credits of Laurel & Hardy`s feature Blockheads (1938), a film which he also co-wrote.
Was a veteran in vaudeville when joining the movies.
During the years 1924-27, Harry Langdon was considered a rival of Charlie Chaplin in popularity, but his status as a star was meteoric. Through the years, many silent film fans as well as historians have tried to find an explanation. Some blame it on Langdon`s little business-experiences, most significantly when he fired director Frank Capra in order to take over the direction himself; others consider Langdon`s "child- man" an acquired taste whom the audiences perhaps grew tired of after a while.
Made his debut in movies at the age of forty, when joining Mack Sennett Studios in 1924, starring in several short comedies which quickly became very popular.
Has a star on Hollywood Blvd in front of the Chinese Mann Theatre
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