THE OLIVE THOMAS COLLECTION DVD-OLIVE THOMAS EVERYBODYS SWEETHEART & THE FLAPPER

Description: One of the most TALENTED yet forgotten SILENT SCREEN actresses of HOLLYWOOD.....here is OLIVE THOMAS in this must have DVD... THE OLIVE THOMAS COLLECTION After winning a beauty contest in 1914 at age 19, Thomas began a modeling career. Dubbed “Most Beautiful Girl in New York City,” she posed frequently for artists and graced numerous magazine covers. She also attracted the attention of Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr., later performing as part of the Ziegfeld Follies and other Ziegfeld productions. Though Ziegfeld was married to Billie Burke, he frequently had affairs, with Thomas being one of his romantic pursuits. Thomas would continue her modeling career while working for Ziegfeld, becoming the first “Vargas Girl.” In the portrait, “Memories of Olive,” she was portrayed nude from the waist up, holding a rose. A copy of the portrait hung in Ziegfeld’s office at the New Amsterdam Theatre. When it became clear that Ziegfeld would not marry her, Thomas ended the relationship and pursued work in films. She signed a contract with the International Film Company in 1916, making her silent film debut in the tenth episode of Beatrice Fairfax (1916). Her feature film debut would occur in A Girl Like That (1917) for Paramount Pictures.In 1916, she signed a contract with Triangle Pictures, soon becoming engaged to Jack Pickford, brother of film star Mary Pickford. In an effort to dissuade audiences from thinking that her success stemmed from associations with the Pickford family, the marriage was initially kept secret. As her films for Triangle Pictures were released, she grew in popularity. There, films like Madcap Madge (1917), Indiscreet Corrine (1917), Toton the Apache (1919), and The Follies Girl (1919) became part of her filmography.Later, Thomas signed with the Selznick Pictures Company in hopes of securing more challenging roles. Her appearance in Upstairs and Down (1919) was the first of her hits for the Selznick Pictures Company. She would also be the first actress to play a flapper in a film–aptly titled The Flapper (1920)–which would be one of her most celebrated films. Her final film role would be in Everybody’s Sweetheart (1920).Behind the scenes, Thomas’s relationship with Pickford was one of deep love and tumult as well as many parties. The two developed a reputation for their hard-partying and preference to live life intensely. Pickford’s family did not completely approve of Thomas and did not support the marriage.Eventually, the marriage became strained. In an effort to try and save their relationship, they decided to travel to Paris for a second honeymoon. Typical of their lifestyle, they actively sought out entertainment and parties while abroad.On September 5th, 1920, their night on the town took a dark turn. The couple retired to their suite at the Hotel Ritz where they planned to rest after a busy evening out. Though accounts are varied, it is believed that Thomas accidentally ingested Pickford’s prescription of mercury bichloride used to treat his chronic syphilis. Thomas likely took the medicine thinking it was either water or medicine that would allow her to sleep. To complicate matters, the writing on the label was in French, likely adding to her puzzlement. She began to react negatively to the dosage and was transported to a nearby hospital, realizing that she had poisoned herself.Thomas would die five days later with Pickford and his former brother-in-law Owen Moore (Mary Pickford’s first husband) at her side. Though conscious and speaking, her kidneys eventually failed. She was 25 years old.During that five-day period, the press circulated a wide variety of rumors, ranging from suspecting that Thomas committed suicide to her being plagued by addiction. Though her death was ruled accidental, she was still the first big celebrity tragedy to occur at the height of her fame and popularity. Her death was shocking to her loved ones and fans, in addition to being one of Hollywood’s earliest scandals.Thomas’s funeral was held in New York City at St. Thomas Episcopal Church. Police escorts were present at the service, as the many actors in attendance drew major crowds. She was interred in a small mausoleum at Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, with the Pickford name gracing the small structure. Her property was auctioned in an estate sale while her estate was divided between her mother, brother, and Pickford. Pickford gave his share to her mother. Though the Pickford mausoleum at which Thomas is at rest was built to occupy two, Pickford was buried in his family’s plot at Forest Lawn Memorial Park–Glendale upon his passing–just 13 years after Thomas. Chances are that not that many people today have heard of silent screen actress Olive Thomas. If anything, for most people who frequent the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City, her name is known as the ghost that is supposedly haunting the theatre.Sure, there are many people today who are familiar with Mary Pickford, Lillian Gish, Norma Shearer, Gloria Swanson, Clara Bow and many female actresses of the era, but Olive Thomas seems to have been forgotten. And perhaps its because many of her silent films are lost (many silent films are lost and unfortunately shot on combustible nitrate film which many have suffered massive acid deterioration or were destroyed in a fire caused by the nitrate film) and have not had the distribution like Pickford, Swanson and Bow.But Olive Thomas was one of the most popular actresses at the time, earning the nickname "Everybody's Sweetheart". Even rivaling Mary Pickford who was dubbed "America's Sweetheart". Not only was she Florence Ziegfeld's #1 go to lady for the Ziegfeld Follies but she was also a favorite of Hollywood's most popular producers, the Selznick brothers. Her beauty and girl-next-door looks captivated many that knew her, and similar to a big star of today she graced many magazine covers, was on many product advertisements, and to everyone's surprise, Olive Thomas married her screen rival's brother, Jack Pickford. Olive Thomas had a radiant life and a career that was skyrocketing in 1920. But after a night of partying hard in France and hoping to strengthen her deteriorating marriage to Jack Pickford, Olive Thomas was dead at the young age of 26.Her death was reported as accidental as the actress supposedly woke up early in the morning to grab an aspirin but ended up grabbing Jack Pickford's syphilis medication (mercury bichloride), which was supposed to be used topically but she put it into her drink and by then, the poison started to work in her body and within a few days she was dead.Like many actresses and young socialites of today who fill the tabloid papers for their hard partying and lifestyle, Olive Thomas was the one celebrity in which the media took her death and showed the public and warned them of hard partying and the Hollywood life. But the intrigue and public mourning of Olive Thomas led to many theories of her death. From accidental death, to suicide or even a case of murder which people blamed Pickford for Olive's death. Olive Thomas was loved by her fans. She was more popular than many of the young silent film actresses at the time and it's unfortunate that many of her films are lost and that the legacy of this fine young actresses has not stood out compared to other contemporaries due to the fact that people today have had not much access to any of her films unless you attend a silent film festival. One night, I discovered Olive Thomas by mistake. I was going through various sites reading about Louise Brooks and more on the Flapper trend of the "Roaring Twenties" and when it came to women that people looked at being the quintessential Flapper, I noticed Olive Thomas listed. I asked myself, who is Olive Thomas? As I was familiar with the other women on the list except her.As I started to do my research on Olive, I was shocked but what I found. Here is one of America's top actresses, who worked hard and played hard and lived a short life. Married the brother of Mary Pickford (an actress that she did not want to be like) and created a career for herself and was loved and adored by many. I asked myself, "How can I not know Olive Thomas?" and it's simple: Similar to how Harold Lloyd is not easily remembered because of his lack of film distribution on television for nearly 80 years, the same can be said about Olive Thomas. While many past stars enjoyed success in their lives, many of these lives were tragically cut short. Olive Thomas showed great promise during her life until it all came to an abrupt end because of her untimely passing at age 25. A great LEGEND is that OLIVE THOMAS' ghost haunts the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City...which I find somewhat amusing! I love OLIVE THOMAS' films...it is so unfortunate that not many of her films exist in complete form today. Also I find it sad that her talent seems to be forgotten....but FINALLY...we have this to DVD remind us of all the charm and beauty that was Olive Thomas. First up on this excellent DVD is a wonderful documentary on OLIVE THOMAS... OLIVE THOMAS: EVERYBODY'S SWEETHEART This excellent DVD collection introduces us to Olive Thomas: Everybody's Sweetheart, an hour long documentary chronicling the actress's life and career--including her relationships with Flo Ziegfeld and the three Selznicks, Lewis J., Myron, and David--and affording glimpses of some of her other movies. Much of the commentary is supremely fatuous, but not the legend that her ghost haunts the New Amsterdam Theatre where her star first rose. It is informative and well produced. There are a wealth of clips and photos and it features narration from Rosanna Arquette. An awesome documentary detailing Olive's career and personal life and bits and pieces of her work from other films. Nicely put together...a GREAT way to find out who OLIVE THOMAS the person was. Quite fascinating!! Also on this FABULOUS DVD Collection is the GREAT Olive Thomas film, THE FLAPPER from May of 1920... THE FLAPPER (1920) Sixteen-year-old Genevieve 'Ginger' King (Thomas) is living in a very wealthy family in the boring town of Orange Springs, Florida with her younger siblings, where her unchaperoned decision to drink a soda with a young male is considered scandalous. Because of her questionable behavior and yearning for a more excitable life, Ginger's father decides to send her to a boarding school in Lake Placid, New York. Mrs. Paddles' School for Young Ladies is administered by the strict disciplinarian, Mrs. Paddles (Marcia Harris).Despite the strictness there, the girls have fun getting into flapper-lifestyle trouble including flirting. Richard Channing (William P. Carleton), an older man, rides past the seminary every day, prompting romantic fantasies among the schoolgirls. When Ginger connives a sleigh ride with Channing, she lies to him about her age, saying she is "about twenty". Ginger is quickly charmed and becomes enamored with him. Ginger soon gets into trouble with the headmistress by sneaking out to the local country club where Channing is having a party. One of her schoolmates, Hortense (Katherine Johnston), who is described as “a moth among the butterfies”, informs on her. Hortense’s actual motive for doing this is to get the headmistress out of the way so she can rob the school's safe and flee with her crooked boyfriend Thomas Morran (Arthur Housman). Acting on a vaguely worded note she receives, Ginger—while traveling home from school—goes to a hotel in New York City where Hortense and Thomas are staying. They force her to take some suitcases for safekeeping, cases that contain stolen valuables, including fancy clothes and jewelry.Knowing that Channing has gone to Orange Springs on a yachting trip, Ginger decides to use the clothes and jewels to present herself as a more-mature, well-dressed “woman of experience” when she returns home. Her plan backfires, and her father believes she is lying when she says it is all a joke. Detectives then show up wanting to know why she has stolen loot; and both her young admirer Bill and Channing think she has really become a wicked woman. Hortense and her crooked boyfriend now turn up in Orange Springs to reclaim their illgotten loot.Their subsequent capture by the police clears Ginger's name and restores her reputation. The Flapper is a 1920 American silent comedy film starring Olive Thomas. Directed by Alan Crosland, the film was the first in the United States to portray the "flapper" lifestyle, which would become a cultural craze or fad in the 1920's. The events in the lives of Ginger King and another character are presented as incidents in a (non-fiction) newsreel at the end of the movie.Frances Marion wrote the screenplay, which is credited with popularizing the slang term “flapper” throughout the United States in the 1920's.Olive Thomas appeared in only two films after The Flapper. She died in Paris in September 1920. Olive Thomas is one of the forgotten actresses from the silent era and a name that may not be recognized by people today, but she was an actress who was known for working hard, playing hard. She was determined, passionate and wanted to be the best actress in Hollywood. Her career was ended before she could win any Academy Awards....lay a hand print or her signature on wet cement on Hollywood's Walk-of-Fame....way before her career could be ever, fully recognized. But for those who are silent film fans, especially the new generation of fans who are discovering the films right now and are researching various DVD's to purchase for their collection, "The Olive Thomas Collection" is a must-own DVD. This DVD is produced by the mighty MILESTONE FILMS, which produces and distributes the highest quality of early Hollywood silent features and shorts. Don't be fooled by the cheap, imitation DVD issues of early silent films. THE MILESTONE COLLECTION has the BEST quality of early HOLLYWOOD CLASSIC films!! MILESTONE FILMS has upgraded this great DVD Collection!! AUDIO & SUBTITLES:"The Flapper" is presented in Dolby Digital Stereo. The film is presented with a piano score by Robert Israel which matches the film quite well. The documentary "Olive Thomas: Everybody's Sweetheart" is presented in Dolby Digital and dialogue and music are clear and I found no problems with the audio.SPECIAL FEATURES:"The Olive Thomas Collection" comes with the following special features:* Stills Gallery - Featuring still galleries of Olive Thomas which can be viewed via remote.* Re-Enactments of anecdotes about Olive Thomas s told by Billy Blitzer and Lenore Coffee - (4:23) Re-enactments featuring actors about Olive working with Billy Blitzer (D.W. Griffith's cinematographer) and Lenore Coffee (writer) that were not used in the documentary.* Illustrated Interview with Bernard Krug Thomas, Olive's first husband, found in "The Pittsburgh Press (May 4, 1931) - (11:10) Featuring a narrated featurette from a 1931 interview as Bernard Krug Thomas reminisces his marriage with Olive Thomas and how things were during their marriage and the divorce. How Olive Thomas wanted to become a Ziegfeld girl and that was her dream and thus her divorce to Bernard. Also, what transpired between the two after their divorce.* Two songs written especially for Olive Thomas - "The Glorious Lady" and "The More I See of Somebody Else, The More I Think About You" - Of the three songs about Olive Thomas that were found, Milestone presents two of the songs. This DVD is RARE......difficult to find BRAND NEW!!! This DVD is BRAND NEW...NEVER OPENED...STILL SEALED!! Will be shipped VERY SECURELY!! PAYMENT THRU PAYPAL THANKS FOR LOOKING!!!!!! “I think that you die when your time comes and not until then. I feel the same about other things as I do about death. I don’t think you can change anything that is going to happen to you any more than you can change anything that has happened to you. That’s why I never worry, and that is why I don’t think people should get conceited and think themselves better than others.” –Olive Thomas.

Price: 38.95 USD

Location: Lake Stevens, Washington

End Time: 2024-02-25T00:59:13.000Z

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