Janes granddaddy, pop dillon, owns the last horsedrawn street trolley in nyc, and some bad men are trying to push. Speedy is a good harold lloyd comedy, a great peek into. The nickname also was used by lloyd in the freshman 1925, in which his character instructed, step right up and call me speedy. Transferred from the best surviving prints, published 201015 new line. It was lloyd s last silent film to be released in theatres. The film speedy, originally released in 1928, stars harold lloyd 18931971. Of course, popular taste is no indicator of what art will last. It marks the first appearance of the glasses character in a tworeeler, and is the only one of his films aside from speedythats set in new york city. Lloyd is considered alongside charlie chaplin and buster keaton as one of the most influential film comedians of the silent film era. Jan 22, 2016 speedys plot is immediately familiar to those who have watched other works in lloyds oeuvre. Speedy harold lloyd and jane ann christy apply some tricks to get a seat on the subway as they ride to coney island in speedy, 1928.
Speedy bluray disc, 2015, criterion collection for sale. The harold lloyd trust 1992 alternate version as suzanne lloyd. Apr 16, 2020 harold lloyd, american film comedian who was the highestpaid star of the 1920s and one of cinemas most popular personalities. Having appeared in more than 200 films and widely considered to be one of cinemas most respected comic geniuses, harold lloyd was one of hollywoods first true movie stars. Harold speedy swift, a fan of babe ruth and the new york yankees, saves from extinction the citys last horsedrawn trolley, operated by his girlfriends grandfather. Howe story, lex neal story, and howard emmett rogersstory with uncredited assistance. See the full list of harold lloyds funny side of life cast and crew including actors, directors, producers and more. Harold speedy swift, a fan of babe ruth and the new york yankees, saves from extinction the citys last horsedrawn trolley, operated by his. Speedy 1928 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Bumping into broadway a 1919 lloyd tworeeler, newly restored and with a 2004 score by robert israel. The slapstick legend reprises his glasses character, this time as a goodnatured but scatterbrained new yorker who cant keep a job. Theres a startling moment in speedy, harold lloyds final silent feature released this week as part of the criterion collection, that occurs so. Apr 22, 2010 harold lloyd and babe ruth ross verlag postcard april 22, 2010 by cliff aliperti leave a comment i dont, and havent, had this one in stock, but a very good customer who prefers anonymity had shared the image with me awhile ago and id been meaning to post it.
The film was written by albert demond titles, john grey story, j. Ive been meaning to do a post on harold lloyd for a while. He does with traffic what he did by climbing a tall building in safety last. Using maps, aerial views, and vintage photographs, my book silent visions shows how harold. Speedy is another harold lloyd silent comedy recently restored in 4k by the folks at the criterion collection for their bluray release. When a crooked railroad official steals pops last car, hoping to force him into a shutdown, speedy must race against the clock. Speedy 1928 plot summary silent comedy filmed in new york city and starring harold lloyd as speedy, he has a girlfriend named jane ann christy and he loves the yankees more than any job he. Chronically unemployed yankees fan harold speedy swift harold lloyd dates jane dillon ann christy, a girl whose beloved grandfather, pop bert woodruff, runs a failing horsedrawn trolley.
As the movie opens, harold is working as a soda jerk, but his mind is on the yankeeswhite sox. This movie hasnt been circulated as much as some of his other films, but this one ranks up there with the freshman and safety last. This was comedian harold lloyds last silent film, and one of his most charming. Lloyds films are all trademarks andor service marks of harold lloyd entertainment inc. It is also lloyd s breakthrough picture which set him on the rank of chaplin and keaton and we can easily see why. Born in buchard, nebraska, usa to elizabeth fraser and j. Speedy is a 1928 silent film that was one of the films to be nominated for the short lived academy award for best director of a comedy. Harold lloyds funny side of life 1966 cast and crew. Speedy is the third harold lloyd film to be given the deluxe criterion treatment. Now, entertainment enthusiasts of all ages can enjoy the work of the man who inspired generations of acting greats with the harold. Selection of actor harold lloyd s home movies, narrated by his granddaughter, suzanne lloyd. It stars harold lloyd, jobyna ralston, brooks benedict, and james anderson. Darcie foxy lloyd who fought constantly and soon divorced at the time a rare event, harold clayton lloyd was nominally educated in denver and san diego high schools and received his stage training at the school of dramatic art san diego. He finally finds his true calling when he becomes determined to help save the citys last horsedrawn streetcar, which is operated by his sweethearts crusty.
Aug 18, 2014 harold lloyd was the first movie star to incorporate eyewear in an iconic persona. Similar to fatty arbuckles coney island, a lot of the fun of watching this is seeing what coney island was like back in the day. Speedy was the last silent feature to star harold lloydand one of his very best. The harold lloyd comedy collection boxed set is the definitive account of one of the silent cinemas greatest comediansand for a time, its most popular star. Movie crazy is one of harold lloyd s very best films, and that includes his silents. Images and movie frame images reproduced courtesy of the harold lloyd trust and harold lloyd entertainment inc. The freshman is a 1925 comedy film that tells the story of a college freshman trying to become popular by joining the school football team. Speedy was the last silent feature to star harold lloyd safety last. Previous criterion releases are safety last 1923 and the freshman 1925 each criterion bluray comes with a. Safety last born in buchard, nebraska, usa to elizabeth fraser and j. It was a handle that suited the athletic, fastmoving lloyd, whose character in speedy. Exploring harold lloyd and speedy leonard maltins movie. When a crooked railroad official steals pops last car, hoping to force him into a shutdown, speedy.
They have done a wonderful job here and speedy makes for an. Lloyds character here is called harold speedy swift, an upbeat young man whose fatal attraction for. Harold is a hardscrabble young man with big dreams of making good. Harold lloyd, along with buster keaton and charlie chaplin, formed the triumvirate of early silent film actors who expanded the role of cinema in american life. The slapstick legend reprises his glasses character, this time as a goodnatured but scatterbrained new. Harold lloydhes surely the most underrated comedian of them all. But, unlike those latter films, speedy gets a chance to be more playful than his previous incarnations. Thats the movie s ostensible plot, but it doesnt really kick in until the final halfhour or so. Overview of speedy, 1928, directed by ted wilde, with harold lloyd, ann christy, bert woodruff, at turner classic movies. In the movie speedy, lloyd plays a character named harold speedy swift. Jul 02, 2012 watch the trailer for speedy, starring harold lloyd.
Speedy is a good harold lloyd comedy, a great peek into new. Speedy aka driving around new york city 1928 harold lloyd and. Its interesting to note that unlike chaplin and keaton, lloyd was able to successfully transfer his stock character to the talkies. Harold lloyd vintage 1928 silent film classic speedy. Thats the movies ostensible plot, but it doesnt really kick in until the final halfhour or so. Speedy was the last silent feature to star harold lloyd. It starts off with speedy, lloyd s last silent feature and another outstanding film. The film has some of the earliest location footage ever shot in new york city. Directed by ted wilde 1928 united states speedy was the last silent feature to star harold lloyd, and one of his very best. The seven discs included in this threevolume set have virtually all of lloyd. Speedy 1928 plot summary silent comedy filmed in new york city and starring harold lloyd as speedy, he has a girlfriend named jane ann christy and he loves the yankees more than any job he has ever had which is plenty. Jun 17, 20 babe ruth has a cameo in the last lloyd silent, the marvelous speedy 1928. His screen trademark was an ordinary man in round glasses, and he developed his humor from plot and physical danger.
The title for the harold lloyd vehicle speedy 1928 came from the bespectacled comics own nickname, bestowed upon him by his father. Jan 12, 2006 while harold lloyds name has all but been forgotten and great films like girl shy and grandmas boy are no longer in the public eye, lloyds spirit lives on in the movie industry he helped. The harold lloyd encyclopedia, by annette dagostino lloyd. Speedy is a 1928 american silent comedy film starring harold lloyd. Speedy 1928, starring harold lloyd video watch the trailer for speedy, starring harold lloyd. Speedy 1928 starring harold lloyd, ann christy, bert woodruff, babe ruth, byron douglas synopsis of speedy. Speedy is a 1928 american silent comedy film starring comedian harold lloyd in the eponymous leading role. For a number of people, this is their harold lloyd film, especially if they are from new york city.
Harold lloyd about harold lloyd american masters pbs. Speedy loses the bottom part of the trolley in the ditch, but he continues on to the end of the line, saving the day and making the deadline with two minutes to spare. Speedy was the last silent feature to star harold lloyd and one of his very best. The slapstick legend reprises his glasses character, this time as a goodnatured but scatterbrained new yorker who cant. This saturday morning, may 30, harold lloyd s granddaughter suzanne lloyd and i will be introducing lloyd s final silent comedy speedy 1928 at the castro theater as part of the san. The slapstick legend reprises his glasses character, this. The film stars famous comedian harold lloyd in the eponymous leading role. Starting his career in 19, harold lloyd went on to make over 200 shorts for studios such as universal and keystone. The pace is swift especially the scene where harold delivers the babe to yankee stadium. The character speedy has an unfortunate fanatical love of baseball that. More than most of lloyds features, speedy is a succession of tangentially related tworeelers, each of which would work would just fine on its own. More than most of lloyd s features, speedy is a succession of tangentially related tworeelers, each of which would work would just fine on its own. Howe story, lex neal story and howard emmett rogers story with uncredited assistance from al boasberg and paul gerard smith. It was lloyd s last silent film to be released theatrically the film was written by albert demond titles, john grey story, j.
Harold speedy swift, a fan of babe ruth and the new york yankees, saves from extinction the citys last. Harold lloyd discussion news, rumors, gossip moviechat. Chronically unemployed yankees fan harold speedy swift harold lloyd dates jane dillon ann christy, a girl whose beloved grandfather, pop bert woodruff, runs a failing horsedrawn trolley business, in a rapidly changing city where the railway is becoming king. Harold loses his job, buys a new suit and takes his girl to coney island. With harold lloyd, ann christy, bert woodruff, babe ruth.
April 20, 1893 march 8, 1971 was an american actor, comedian, and stunt performer who appeared in many silent comedy films. Speedy is a 1928 silent film that was one of the films to be nominated for the shortlived academy award for best director of a comedy. Dec 22, 2015 the package also includes one of lloyds lively tworeel shorts, bumping into broadway 1919, featuring snub pollard and my favorite of harolds leading ladies, bebe daniels. Grandmas boy is among the first silent comedies that focus on characterization. Harold lloyd and babe ruth ross verlag postcard immortal. I can understand that, as its a funny movie and has great shots of. Stuffed full to the brim with gags, action and romance, lloyd brought his silent filmmaking era to a stylish, entertaining conclusion. The clips for this compilation of the silent film star harold lloyd were. Speedy aka driving around new york city 1928 harold lloyd. The slapstick legend reprises his glasses character, this time as a goodnatured. Harold lloyd s great silent comedies arent new to home videoi introduced them on dvd a decade agobut now theyre getting deluxe treatment from the criterion collection on bluray and dvd. How nebraska native harold lloyd invented the modern action movie. Harold lloyd movie ads from the worldherald and elsewhere 1 of 16 an ad for a harold lloyd film that ran in the worldherald in the 1920s. Harold is a big new york yankees fan who cannot seem to keep a job.
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