Merton of the Movies (1924 film)

{{Infobox film

| name = Merton of the Movies

| image = Merton OTM.jpg

| caption = 1924 movie poster

| director = James Cruze

| producer = Adolph Zukor
Jesse Lasky

| writer = Walter Woods (scenario)

| based_on = 1922 novel Merton of the Movies by Harry Leon Wilson
1922 play by George S. Kaufman and Marc Connelly

| starring = Glenn Hunter
Viola Dana

| music =

| cinematography = Karl Brown

| editing =

| distributor = Paramount Pictures

| released = {{Film date|1924|11|03}}

| runtime = 80 minutes; 8 reels (7,655 feet)

| country = United States

| language = Silent (English intertitles)

}}

Merton of the Movies is a 1924 American comedy film directed by James Cruze, written by Walter Woods, and starring Glenn Hunter and Viola Dana. It is based on the George S. Kaufman and Marc Connelly 1922 play of the same name, which in turn was based on Harry Leon Wilson's novel, also titled Merton of the Movies.

Glenn Hunter had originated the role of Merton Gill in the Broadway play and reprised his role in this film. Since the play had depended on funny dialogue, the movie (being silent) was opened up and a good deal of slapstick used instead. Thomas Hischak described the result as "uneven" although "Hunter still pleases and there are some droll performances by the supporting cast".

The film is now considered a lost film. It was remade in 1932 (as Make Me a Star) and again in 1947.

Plot

Merton is an aspiring movie actor. He is a terrible actor but when the movie executives see how funny his overacting is, they cast him in a comedy, but tell him that he's acting in a drama.

Cast

{{Cast listing|

Glenn Hunter as Merton Gill
Charles Sellon as Pete Gashwiler
Sadie Gordon as Mrs. Gaswiler
Gale Henry as Tessie Kearns
Luke Cosgrove as Lowell Hardy
Viola Dana as Sally Montague or 'Flips'
DeWitt Jennings as Jeff Baird
Elliott Rothe as Harold Parmalee
Charles Ogle as Mr. Montague
Ethel Wales as Mrs. Montague
Frank Jonasson as Henshaw
Eleanor Lawson as Mrs. Patterson

}}

References

{{reflist|refs=

{{cite web |url=http://www.silentera.com/PSFL/data/M/MertonOfTheMovies1924.html |title=Merton of the Movies |work=Silent Era |accessdate=February 20, 2017}}

{{cite book |last=Hischak |first=Thomas S. |title=American Literature on Stage and Screen: 525 Works and Their Adaptations |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vfie60kGGuAC&pg=PA144 |accessdate=February 20, 2017 |year=2012 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0786468423 |page=144}}

}}

External links

{{IMDb title|0015131|Merton of the Movies}}
{{tcmdb title|id=496124}}
{{AFI film|10735}}
[http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MvnX3d-Df0s/Uv9o9OcTbfI/AAAAAAAAKsM/lHReMeY4_QQ/s1600/Viola+Dana+and+Glenn+Hunter+-+Merton+of+the+Movies+%25281924%2529+still.jpg Viola Dana and Glenn Hunter]

Category:1924 films

Category:1924 comedy films

Category:1924 lost films

Category:1920s American films

Category:1920s English-language films

Category:American black-and-white films

Category:American films based on plays

Category:American silent feature films

Category:English-language comedy films

Category:Films about actors

Category:Films about filmmaking

Category:Films about Hollywood, Los Angeles