I, Ophelia
(A Story of Old Hollywood)
Inspired by: The Untold, True, and Tragic Story of Silent Film Actress, Regina Doyle
By: Stephen Gilbert Brown
“Draw thy breath in pain to tell my story”
–Hamlet
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1: The Last Rehearsal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 DOWNLOAD
Chapter 2: A Merry War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 DOWNLOAD
Chapter 3: A Director at Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Chapter 4: Ophelia at the Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Chapter 5: All My Sins Remembered . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Chapter 6: The Circus Comes to Town . . . . . . . . . 85
Chapter 7: The Banana Peel From Hell . . . . . . . . 103
Chapter 8: Making Hay in The Barn . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Chapter 9: Bleacher Confidential . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Chapter 10: Ophelia Gets Into Character . . . . . . . 136
Chapter 11: Naked at the Feast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Chapter 12: The Black Curtain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Postscript: “God Makes Wine” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Biography
Time Line:
1919: Eugene Field Public School: Winner “Best Scenario Prize,” Chicago Daily News;
1923: Discovered/ Offered Silent Film Contract, Carl Laemmle, President, Universal Pictures Corporation; Dramatic Reading, Gold Room, Congress Hotel, Chicago; Documentation: Article, “Winner in Contest Becomes Actress.”
Universal Silent Films (1925-1931
1925 Bashful Whirlwind: Director, Ernst Laemmle; Cast, Edmund Cobb;
1926 The Lone Prairie: Director, Lewis D. Collins; Cast, George Magrill;
1928 Saps and Saddles: Director, Walter Fabian; Cast, George Chandler;
1928 Scrappin’ Ranger: Cast, Edmund Cobb, Ben Corbett;
1928 A Clean Sweep: Director, Walter Fabian; Cast George Chandler;
1929 Daring Dude: Director, Walter Fabian; Cast, George Chandler;
1929 Beyond the Smoke: Director, Bruce Mitchell; Cast, Edmund Cobb, Walter Shumway;
1929 Just in Time: Director, Doran Cox; Cast, Edmund Cobb;
1929 Red Romance: Director, Walter Fabian; Cast, George Chandler;
1929 Perilous Paths: Director, Ray Taylor; Cast, Edmund Cobb;
1929 Ridin’ Leather: Director, Walter Fabian; Cast, Bob Curwood, Lotus Thompson;
1929 The Danger Line: Director, Bruce Mitchell; Cast, Edmund Cobb;
1929 The Lone Rider: Director, Walter Fabian; Bob Curwood, Lotus Thompson;
1930 A Fighting Fool: (female lead, killed during production; Revived w/ cast: Tim McCoy, Marcelline Day in Regina’s role.
NOMINEE’S QUALIFICATIONS
Regina Doyle’s “star” quality is evidenced by numerous factors. In first offering her a Universal film contract, Carl Laemmle, President, was “struck by her youthful beauty and dramatic expression” while attending her performance in the Gold Room of the Congress Hotel (Chicago, 1922, see article): an impression no doubt enhanced by her abilities not just as an actress, but as a singer (a gift of her Limerick, Ireland heritage). She was one of several “starlets” being groomed by Mr. Laemmle, including Gloria Swanson and Clara Bow, whose subsequent fame casts a retrospective light on Regina’s talent, as does the body of her work (14 films). The successful careers of the male leads in her films (George Chandler, President Screen Actors Guild; Edmund Cobb, 100+ films) further testifies to her own qualifications, including the lead role (age 24) opposite Edmund Cobb in her last film, Fighting Fool (see article, “Regina Doyle Gets Break”)—which was suspended by her tragic death (see article, “Film Actress Dies as Train Strikes Auto).” The successful careers of the directors who cast her (Ernst Laemmle, Walter Fabian, and Walter Shumway) further evidence Regina’s talent, while studio photos of her “youthful beauty” leave little doubt of her qualifications on this score. That she was one of several silent film artists recently honored at the Universal City 100th Anniversary Celebration (The Barn, Hollywood Heritage Museum, Oct 14, 2015) comprises perhaps the most compelling testament to Regina’s talent (see HHM Newsletter). During the ceremony, her grand children presented Richard Atkins, HHM President, with a commemorative poster from her film, “The Danger Line.”
The scene of her fatal accident (N. Highland and Franklin) while returning from the set of Fighting Fool adds a poignant touch to her Hollywood career, as it occurred just one block from the Lasky DeMille “Barn” where she was recently honored, three blocks from the neighborhood in which she lived with our mother and great-grandparents, and around the corner form the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Bodie Chandler’s Email Bytes
(Son of George Chandler, Uncle Petie of Lassie fame, Buster Keaton’s understudy, President of Hollywood Screen Actor’s Guild, and Regina’s co-star in five Tenderfoot Thriller Sage-Brush Romances)
Organized By Date, Starting With First Email
- “Stephen, if you agree this is Regina, than we have hit the jackpot!” –Bodie
- “The deeper I dig, the more I find.” –Bodie
- “Who knows what else lurks in these old boxes?” –Bodie
- “Life is always an adventure and you never know where it will take you.”
-–Bodie (Maybe this should be the last one—the exclamation point to the new montage)?)
- “Came across yet another “A Clean Sweep” foto. Will it ever stop!” –Bodie
- “Coming to you in batches!” –Bodie
- “I have fotos strewn all over the place . . . just found a bunch from “Saps ‘n Saddles.” –Bodie
- “Hard to believe these publicity stills have been laying around in a box for 90 years . . . and still look this sharp. Ah, the good ol’ days!” –Bodie
- “The number at the bottom of each still is a title code . . . these are from Tenderfoot Thriller, and Regina apparently played a major role in them.” –Jordan Young
- “It has been my pleasure to bring these photos out of the past into your lives. They have been in a box for 90 years and have been in my keeping for over 30 years since my father passed.” –Bodie
- “I often wondered why I was holding onto this box . . . Every now and then, when I had to move the box, I would take a look inside and peruse the stills of the hundreds of films and TV shows my father appeared in including the early “Tenderfoot” series in which Regina also appeared.”
- “It seems fate had me hold onto this memorabilia (instead of one of my brothers . . . ) just waiting for you to come along so I could share it. I don’t know if the stars were aligned for all this to happen or if it’s coincidence that Steve and I were both born at Queen of Angles Hospital, he went to UCSB as did my son, and like you I am one of three brothers.” –Bodie
- “Hi Bodie. Absolutely priceless! Each time we discover one of these it’s like finding a Christmas present under the tree with Regina’s name on it!” –Steve
- “Hi Bodie. My brothers and myself have been researching Regina and her silent film career . . . for the past 15 years and never in our wildest dreams could we have imagined being able to see so many amazing photos of her. It has truly been one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences of our lives and with these pictures you have provided our family a lifetime of enjoyment and happiness. . . . . I will simply say from the bottom of my heart, Thank you very very much!” —Dennis
- “These are priceless photos . . . Please let me know if there is anyway to repay you.” –Dave