During the mid-1920s, Raymond Griffith was among the most popular stars of feature-length comedy films. With his silk top hat and crispy tailored tuxedo, the self-confidence and urbane Griffith was a suave alternative to the beleaguered characters played on screen by Chaplin, Keaton and Lloyd.
BOOTLEG FILES 833: “The Anita Bryant Florida Orange Juice Commercials” (1969-80 television advertising campaign).
LAST SEEN: On YouTube.
AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.
REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: No one is going to touch this for an anthology.
CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Girl, are you kidding?
Here is a question for you: Which celebrity was the first victim of cancel culture? My choice for an answer will probably offend some people – especially since I am writing this during the month of June – but I will say it anyway: Anita Bryant.
Is Matt Rife funny? He must be – he’s always laughing at his own jokes.
For every sure-bet in movie casting, there are scores of questionable decisions on whether an actor can handle a certain role. And that’s where the screen test comes in.
A screen test provides the opportunity for a director and producer to determine whether a specific part should go to an actor who might not be the obvious choice for the role. David O. Selznick memorably shot scores of screen tests to find the right actors that would bring Margaret Mitchell’s characters to life in the film version of “Gone with the Wind” – except for the role of Rhett Butler, which was always envisioned for Clark Gable. Several decades later, George Lucas brought together a line-up of promising under-the-radar talent to test for his “Star Wars.”
BOOTLEG FILES 832: “Second Chorus” (1940 musical comedy with Fred Astaire, Paulette Goddard and Burgess Meredith).
LAST SEEN: On YouTube.
AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: On public domain labels.
REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: A lapsed copyright.
CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Not likely, although in theory there could be a rescue it from public domain hell.
In 1968, Fred Astaire returned to films after a six-year absence to star in the big-budget musical “Finian’s Rainbow.” In the media push for the film, Astaire was asked by a reporter which one of his film’s was his worst – the star stated without pause that the 1940 “Second Chorus” was the low point of his career.
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BOOTLEG FILES 831: “Mondo Trasho” (1969 underground comedy directed by John Waters).
LAST SEEN: On Archive.org.
AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: As a VHS title.
REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: Music rights clearance costs are too high.
CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Not likely.
It is difficult to appreciate “Mondo Trasho” today because the 1969 work was the first attempt at feature-length filmmaking and it pales in comparison to the classic works that he would be churning out during the 1970s. Even Waters has been harsh on his film, claiming in interviews that it was overlong – “It’s got 20 minutes of good footage in it” he said about the 90-minute work – and complaining that his black-and-white cinematography was overexposed.
BOOTLEG FILES 830: “Tony and Lena” (1973 TV special starring Tony Bennett and Lena Horne).
LAST SEEN: YouTube.
AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.
REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: Music clearance costs.
CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Not likely.
During the 1970s – also known as The Decade That Good Taste Forgot – most television specials were bizarre concoctions populated by dubious talents. Where else but in the 1970s would the phrase “Special Guest Star” and names such as John Davidson or Florence Henderson be united amid waves of canned applause?
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