Napoleon Demara

Napoleon Demara was the manager of a Lawrence theater who was involved in Thelma Todd's being signed by Paramount in the silent era. He was mentioned in the newspaper article about her being too pretty to work in a dime store.

Reblogged from https://www.flickr.com/photos/internetarchivebookimages/14764857271/

THOMAS F. TOOMEY and NAPOLEON DEMARA The theatrical business in Lawrence is largely represented in the enterprises of the Toomey & Demara Amusement Company. This concern controls four of the leading playhouses of the city, embracing three branches of the theatrical profession, viz., drama, vaudeville and motion pictures. The Empire, given over to vaudeville, is one of the largest and best equipped theatres in New England. It has a seating capacity of 2,300. The Broadway, with a seating capacity of 1,500, and the Premier, with a seating capacity of 700, are devoted exclusively to motion pictures. The Colonial, whose seating capacity is 1,650,provides drama. The last named is at the present writing sub-leased to a stock company. Thomas Toomey, to whom much of the success of the concern is due, came to Lawrence in 1906, when he opened the old Nickel theatre as a picture house, in what had been the Casto theatre. The first days receipts were only $8.20. The venture was extremely gloomy at the start.

  

The Empire Theater in Lawrence. The newspaper article called Napoleon Demara the theater's manager, but it has been said that he may actually have been the theater's owner.

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Napoleon Demara's nephew Ferdinand Demara gained some notoriety for impersonating other people in order to undertake various positions,  such as doctor, prison warden, and chaplain. The movie THE GREAT IMPOSTOR was based on the story of his life.

Ferdinand Demara himself played a doctor in THE HYPNOTIC EYE, a role that was related to his having impersonated a doctor in real life..

Napoleon Demara at the Empire / Warner Theater
http://www.pbase.com/jroy/warner

Theater Row in Lawrence:
http://benny-drinnon.blogspot.com/2013/07/theater-row-in-lawrence-massachusetts.html

Ferdinand Demara:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0218075/




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SPEAK EASILY Photos

Thelma Todd, Jimmy Durante, Buster Keaton, and Hedda Hopper in a publicity photo for SPEAK EASILY ( 1932 ). This photo differs from the scene in the actual movie, which was frequently the case, as these stills were shot separately.

Thelma Todd and Buster Keaton in a publicity photo for SPEAK EASILY ( 1932 ).

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SPEAK EASILY

Thelma Todd, Jimmy Durante, Buster Keaton, and Hedda Hopper in a publicity photo for SPEAK EASILY. There is no such scene in the actual movie.

Publicity claimed that Hedda Hopper in this movie dressed like Elsie Janis. I wouldn't know.



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SPEAK EASILY In The Fan Magazines

Thelma Todd made one movie with Buster Keaton, SPEAK EASILY.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Hedda Hopper item at middle left on this page. 

Elsie Janis had been "the sweetheart of the American Expeditionary Forces" of World War I. But I'm not sure why it was supposed to be a joke to try and look like her late mother.

Part of this page had been torn away, but it did not affect the picture much.






Elsie Janis:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsie_Janis




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Hedda Hopper Book _ FROM UNDER MY HAT

Hedda Hopper was a former actress who later became a gossip columnist.

 

The title of this book refers both to a well known expression and the author's association with hats. Hedda Hopper was a gossip columnist who was supposedly always telling secrets. As a matter of fact, the name of her column was "Under My Hat". She also wore a lot of fancy hats.




Thelma Todd as well as William Desmond Taylor is mentioned where she discusses the death of Paul Bern.

Her son William Hopper played the character of Paul Drake on PERRY MASON, and can therefore be considered to be associated with the White Brothers as Sam White was involved in the production of that series.





FROM UNDER MY HAT:
http://archive.org/details/fromundermyhat00hedd


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Hedda Hopper's "Hollywood Highlights" From May 1936

Gossip columnist Hedda Hopper mentioned Thelma Todd in her column in MOVIE CLASSIC in May 1936. The death of Thelma Todd had been a recent event at the time at which this was written.

Thelma Todd is described here as loving life.

 

 

 

 

Thelma Todd is mentioned again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mostly this article is just gossip, which is about what you would expect.



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