Boobley’s Baby (2023) original piano score for early silent film feature, for Vitagraph Comedies Collection, Vol 2., curated by Kino Lorber. Published April 2024.
From the Website:
The history of screen comedy did not begin with Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton. Prior to their appearances on the American screen, an entire generation of comedians was already establishing (and breaking) the boundaries of this rapidly evolving genre. While working at the Vitagraph Studios, music hall artists such as John Bunny, Frank Daniels, and Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew retooled their brands of comedy into something uniquely cinematic, advancing the art form and setting the stage for the slapstick explosion. This three-disc collection, presented by the Library of Congress, showcases the bold innovation of these overlooked pioneers, including the ingenious trick film The Disintegrated Convict, the gender-bending irrereverence of Edith Storey, and the epic scale of Larry Semon’s The Sawmill. Vitagraph Comedies also provides precious glimpses of comedians (e.g. Flora Finch or the comedy duo Montgomery and Rock) who are virtually forgotten today, because so little of their work has survived.
DISC TWO
Vitagraph Comedies, Part Two (2024, 7 min.) Video introduction featuring Rob Farr, Lynanne Schweighofer, Rob Stone, and George Willeman.The Flat Dwellers: Or, The House of Too Much Trouble (1907, 6 min.) Music by Shane Prediville.
The Haunted Rocker (1912, 8 min.) Featuring George Ober, Clara Kimball Young. Music by Peter Valsamis.
Kitty and the Cowboys (1911, 11 min.) Featuring John Bunny. Music by Ben Model.
In the Clutches of a Vapor Bath (1911, 7 min.) Featuring John Bunny. Music by Andrew Earle Simpson.
The Deceivers (1915, 13 min.) Featuring Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew. Music by Liz Magnes.
His Wife Knew About It (1916, 14 min.) Featuring Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew. Music by Linda Chase.
A Horseshoe for Luck (1914, 13 min.) Featuring Sidney Drew. Music by Don Ross.
The Professional Scapegoat (1914, 14 min.) Featuring Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew. Music by Violin Noir.
Beautiful Thoughts (1915, 11 min.) Featuring Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew. Music by Dana Reason.
Boobley’s Baby (1915, 14 min.) Featuring Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew. Music by Renée T. Coulombe.
A Safe Investment (1915, 14 min.) Featuring Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew. Music by Ben Model.
A Telegraphic Tangle (1916, 13 min.) Featuring Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew. Music by Violin Noir.
Bullies and Bullets (1917, 13 min.) Featuring Hughie Mack, Patsy De Forest. Music by Dana Reason.
Captain Jinks’ Evolution (1916, 12 min.) Featuring Frank Daniels. Music by Caterina Maddalena Barbieri.
Captain Jinks, the Cobbler (1916, 12 min.) Featuring Frank Daniels. Music by Dylan Talisien.
A Little Ouija Work (1918, 13 min.) Featuring Edward Earle, Agnes Ayres. Music by Ben Model.
Mr. Jack Ducks the Alimony (1916, 13 min.) Featuring Frank Daniels. Music by Violin Noir.
Mr. Jack, the Hash Magnate (1916, 12 min.) Featuring Frank Daniels. Music by Chris Rorrer and Daniel Mandrychenko.