Friday, August 5, 2011

A Top Ten List (Of Sorts)

I've been cleaning up my blog's appearance lately, including trimming the gargantuan list of "labels"—you know what "labels" are in the blogging context, right? that list of names and subjects at the end of a post that with a click of the mouse will connect you with every other post I've written on that subject.

When the number of labels reached 500, I thought, this is ridiculous, especially since there are better ways to search this blog for past posts—either the "search this blog" gadget at the top of the right hand column; or you can scroll down just beneath that, and click on the "here" link under "What are the Katie-Bar-The-Door Awards" or the "Silent Oscars" link under the heading, wait for it, The Silent Oscars, after which you can click on any highlighted link and go to the post about that person or movie.

You can still click a "label" at the end of a post to see what else I've written on a subject, but the list of labels on the right hand side of the page will no longer be six feet long. So long and God speed, boys.

But because I am a compulsive fussbudget, and because my essay about Buster Keaton is nowhere near ready, I thought before this information disappears forever, I would share with you photos of the ten movie personalities I have mentioned the most since I began writing this blog. (Included is a link to my favorite post about that person.)

Starting with number ten:

10. Louise Brooks

9. Cary Grant

8. Anita Page

7. D.W. Griffith (with the Gish sisters)

6. Joan Crawford

5. Greta Garbo

4. Douglas Fairbanks (with Mary Pickford)

3. Buster Keaton

2. The Marx Brothers

1. Charles Chaplin

The only real surprise on the list is Joan Crawford since I haven't actually written about her before. But she made movies with everybody and was willing to say something nasty about all of them so she makes for a great quote to spice up somebody else's entry. Fret not, though—I'll be writing about her at length when I finally get to Mildred Pierce, sometime around the turn of the next century.

Since I'm working my way through the silent era, there's bound to be a lot more Chaplin, Keaton and Douglas Fairbanks on the horizon. But eventually I'll return to the sound era and, assuming I live long enough, Cary Grant will surge to the top of the list. Something to look forward to.

14 comments:

  1. "The only real surprise on the list is Joan Crawford since I haven't actually written about her before. But she made movies with everybody and was willing to say something nasty about all of them so she makes for a great quote to spice up somebody else's entry."

    I think I laughed at this more than I should have ;D

    I'm a terrible one for not commenting on blogs (I usually feel like I have nothing to contribute) but I just wanted to say that your blog is one of my favourites. I'm trying to expand my knowledge of classic film, and as such, I find your posts really marvellous. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love reading other people's lists. Louise Brooks had the best haircut EVER! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Louise Brooks had the best haircut EVER! :)

    Uh, Colleen Moore had that haircut and popularized it long before Louise. If you took a time machine, traveled to 1928 or '29, and mentioned the page-boy 'do, at least 90 percent of the respondents would have made a reference to Colleen, not Louise. And that's nothing against Brooks as an actress or icon, just setting the record straight.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks, Sophie! That's awfully nice of you to say.

    I myself am often at a loss what to write in the comments section, even in my own blog, much less others. If you find yourself stuck in the future, I'd recommend just saying "Monkey, you're a genius!" That always goes over big here.

    Well, it would if anybody ever wrote it ...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Louise Brooks had the best haircut EVER! :)

    Speaking of haircuts, I need to carve out some time and get one -- click here for a recent photo if you don't believe me ...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Uh, Colleen Moore had that haircut and popularized it long before Louise.

    That's true, actually -- and she was one of the biggest stars of the late '20s. Now nearly completely forgotten by all but a handful of film fanatics such as me and thee.

    There are a couple of her movies floating around YouTube -- I'd suggest one of the comedies if you've never seen her.

    ReplyDelete
  7. In fact, here's a photo of Colleen Moore from this very blog. Here.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh, and who were numbers 11-20?

    11. Mary Pickford
    12. Jean Harlow
    13. Lillian Gish
    14. Marie Dressler
    15. Clark Gable
    16. Ernst Lubitsch
    17. Clara Bow
    18. Marlene Dietrich
    19. Howard Hawks
    20. Norma Shearer

    Anyone of whom I would have bet money was higher up the list than Joan Crawford ...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Is Louise Brooks wearing lace knee pads in that picture? Because I ... I just want to know, that's all.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Is Louise Brooks wearing lace knee pads in that picture? Because I ... I just want to know, that's all.

    A simple question about fashion -- yeah, that's it, fashion ...

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ms. Louise Brooks was striking, not pretty. That's why I want to fuck her.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ms. Louise Brooks was striking, not pretty. That's why I want to fuck her.




    Well. How charming.

    LKet me respond in kind by saying oh no, fuck you!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I just want to say that I really enjoy your blog - and wow! that's great work you do!
    Very impressiv and much more inspiring!

    ReplyDelete

Direct all complaints to the blog-typing sock monkey. I only work here.