Die schleiertänzerin.

I had hoped to have a post ready for Edith Meinhard's birthday last Sunday, but family and work obligations put things on hold. New information is as scarce as ever, but I do have scans from a recently-acquired film program for Die Schleiertänzerin. The film was released in 1929, shortly after Tagebuch einer Verlorenen (Diary of a Lost Girl), and sadly is presumed lost.

The program is quite weathered and worse for wear, but it's another way to highlight the importance of preserving films and film ephemera regardless of condition. If there's sufficient interest I can and will continue to upload scans of film programs and other memorabilia. Why keep it to myself? It belongs to anyone and everyone. I'm thankful for film databases and social media groups that unite fans (and even industry professionals) and promote a continued interest in film history and the people who built it.

Also of interest, there is a new cut of Diary available from Kino. The print is crisp, clear, and luminous; Louise Brooks and Edith are both at their best. Thomas Gladysz of the Louise Brooks Society provides commentary on this edition, which includes the bonus short Windy Riley Goes Hollywood (Brooks speaks!).

More to come...

From film to canvas.

At last I can reveal the fruits of my labor! Though I took art classes all the way through college, I have somehow never painted a portrait...until now. No real surprise whom I've chosen to paint:

[Top to bottom] The finished product; the photo I used as a model (a promo shot from 1929's Tagebuch einer Verlorenen).

I had actually completed most of the painting by mid-July but had to set it aside for numerous reasons, mostly that I didn't want to overwork and derail my progress. I'll need to get a better photo of the painting eventually, one that better showcases the details. Not a picture-perfect replica, and more of a stylized piece (new mantra: when in doubt, Art Deco), but I feel rather pleased with the end result. More to come soon! Take care.

More rare gems.

New information on Edith Meinhard is still as scarce as ever, but I have made a couple of relevant acquisitions recently. Featured below are promotional portraits for the 1931 film Voruntersuchung, notably starring Gustav Frohlich of Metropolis fame. Having been made available for the first time in at least three years, I knew I had to make them mine. Edith is Mella Ziehr, a prostitute who returns home one morning to the scene of a grisly murder, the memory of which torments her through the duration of the film. Her social status is largely irrelevant; she is treated with dignity (except by the detectives, of course) and becomes a sympathetic character. Another great performance by Edith, and one of the few surviving films in which she has a substantial role. There is a DVD available with optional English subtitles, and it's well worth a watch.

Some Saturday Follies.

Having taken an extra long weekend to burn up a glut of vacation days from work, I've finally had a chance to scan some of my vintage ephemera. I wanted to share a collection of photos of Anastasia Reilly, dancer with the Ziegfeld Follies and pal of Louise Brooks, who spoke glowingly of Reilly; leaving show business behind, she married Theodore Buhl (nephew of Flo Ziegfeld) in 1927 and moved to Grosse Pointe, Michigan where she was an editor of the local paper. She sadly succumbed to cancer in 1961 but left behind tales of a colorful life.

"Stasia", as she was affectionately known, age 16.

In Brooklyn, her stomping grounds.

With mother Hattie in Atlantic City.

With Paulette Goddard in the Follies era. According to handwritten notes on the reverse, "Stasia always said she (Paulette) had lousy legs!"

In riding gear. Stasia was incredibly fond of animals and had a cattery on her own property.

 

I've saved the best for last...you'll recognize who's writing the ticket:

Follies wheeling around in 1925. Stasia's own notes are on the back: "Gag shot taken at Ethel Shutta's house- where we spent a weekend. The "cop" next to the car is Louise Brooks- my pal- who married Eddie Sutherland."

Signed, sealed, delivered.

Things have been quiet on the Edith Meinhard front for a while...that is, until I found this gem on eBay:

Most Edith-related auctions that come up are either film programs or DVDs, but my jaw dropped when I saw this photo postcard. It just had to be mine. The autograph is original, and most likely done around the same time the postcard was produced (early-to-mid-1930s). It seems that Edith was well-known and well-renowned enough to have fans seeking her autograph, and how comforting to know that she received the appreciation she deserved. Who knows what other treasures may be out there?

Little treasures...

I apologize for the minimal posting as of late. I took a full-time job just over two months ago, which forces me to be selective in what I do with what little free time I now have. Admittedly it's been difficult to find fulfillment and balance in my life as a result, but I'm bound and determined to keep my passions alive. One of my many wintertime projects is to scan the various paper ephemera and photographs I've collected over the years, for posterity and, more importantly, to share them with the world.


On with the show! Today's feature is a program from the Scala cabaret theater in Berlin, which was built in 1920 and with a great stroke of luck managed to survive most of the Nazi occupation; the theater faced severe destruction in 1943 and the remaining stages were shut down by the end of August, 1944.

If you look closely at the second scan, you'll recognize at least one of those names, and thus the reason for this post:

It seems that Edith Meinhard didn't give up theater after her 1928 film debut, but rather split her time between the stage and the silver screen. She worked with several of these actors in films: Hellmuth Kruger in Kabarett-Programm Nr. 3 (one of Kurt Gerron's short variety films), Rudolf Platte in Der Blaufuchs, and Else Reval in Der Herzensphotograph, Rote Orchideen, and Der andere Mann. My research hasn't turned up a great deal of information on her theater work in general, but programs like this provide invaluable information.

In the future I will have scans from various film programs, mostly from her films that have been lost or are otherwise unavailable for viewing. If anyone has more information regarding the Scala's programming or on Berlin theater in general, or if you have any information on Edith, feel free to share. Your thoughts are always welcome.

Another treasure unearthed...

Recently I've received a couple of comments from others interested in the lovely Edith Meinhard, which is wonderful! I haven't given up on her, but it's been tough to find any new information as of late...in English, that is. Using the right keywords makes all the difference, and tonight they've led me to a lovely surprise in an issue of Das Magazin from 1928:

I hope to have more updates for you soon, major or minor. I do keep her filmography post updated as new films become available to stream or purchase. Many thanks for the wonderful feedback!