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Hollywood Unknowns
Extras, "bit" players, and stand-ins have been a part of the film industry almost from its conception. On a personal and a professional level, their stories are told in "Hollywood Unknowns," the first history devoted to extras from the silent era through the present.
" Hollywood Unknowns" discusses the relationship of the extra to the star, the lowly position in which extras were held, the poor working conditions and wages, and the sexual exploitation of many of the hardworking women striving for a place in Hollywood society. Though mainly anonymous, many are identified by name and, for perhaps the first time, receive equal billing with the stars. And "Hollywood Unknowns" does not forget the "bit" players, stand-ins, and doubles, who work alongside the extras facing many of the same privations. Celebrity extras, silent stars who ended their days as extras, or members of various ethnic groups--all gain a deserved luster in acclaimed film writer Anthony Slide's prose. Chapters document the lives and work of extras from the 1890s to 1950s. Slide also treats such subjects as the Hollywood Studio Club, Central Casting, the extras in popular literature, and the efforts at unionization through the Screen Actors Guild from the 1930s onwards.
Slide chronicles events such as John Barrymore's walking off set in the middle of the day so the extras could earn another day's wages, and Cecil B. DeMille's masterful organizing of casts of thousands in films such as "Cleopatra." Through personal interviews, oral histories, and the use of newly available archival material, Slide reveals in "Hollywood Unknowns" the story of the men, women, and even animals that completed the scenes on the silver screen.
" Hollywood Unknowns" discusses the relationship of the extra to the star, the lowly position in which extras were held, the poor working conditions and wages, and the sexual exploitation of many of the hardworking women striving for a place in Hollywood society. Though mainly anonymous, many are identified by name and, for perhaps the first time, receive equal billing with the stars. And "Hollywood Unknowns" does not forget the "bit" players, stand-ins, and doubles, who work alongside the extras facing many of the same privations. Celebrity extras, silent stars who ended their days as extras, or members of various ethnic groups--all gain a deserved luster in acclaimed film writer Anthony Slide's prose. Chapters document the lives and work of extras from the 1890s to 1950s. Slide also treats such subjects as the Hollywood Studio Club, Central Casting, the extras in popular literature, and the efforts at unionization through the Screen Actors Guild from the 1930s onwards.
Slide chronicles events such as John Barrymore's walking off set in the middle of the day so the extras could earn another day's wages, and Cecil B. DeMille's masterful organizing of casts of thousands in films such as "Cleopatra." Through personal interviews, oral histories, and the use of newly available archival material, Slide reveals in "Hollywood Unknowns" the story of the men, women, and even animals that completed the scenes on the silver screen.
265 pages, Hardcover
First published September 5, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 12, 2017
Hollywood Unknowns: A brief history
Pity the "extras, bit players and stand-ins." These are the mostly overlooked and forgotten men and women in early Hollywood, especially those in the major Hollywood films from 1910 right through the dream factory's golden era. There were struggles of extras to make a decent living in harsh work environment. Low pay, little or no work, rip-offs from private employment agencies, and sexual harassment of women. Young women were always under threat from men; from studio bosses to casting and marketing departments. There were just too few jobs for far too many extras, some of whom were lured to Hollywood by what seemed to be rags-to-riches tales of stardom. Hollywood extras came from all walks of life-and many had good careers. Among the extras appearing in George Cukor's 1933 production of Sylvia Scarlet are: former silent leading man Gaston Glass; the first wife of Rudolph Valentino, Jean Acker; an early flyer, Major John Farrell; and Beth Taylor, the sister of actress Laurette Taylor. One commentator wrote in the late 1920s, extras would encounter "poverty, pathos and perversity in this fabulous paradise of prosperity, plenty and prodigality. This book discusses several issues related to the plight and working conditions of the “extras.”
Specific examples from this book are as follows: One star of the silent era sympathetic to the plight of the extras was actor John Barrymore. It is reported that he walked off the set in the middle of the day, leaving a couple of hundred extras with nothing to do. He was not particularly tired, but he was aware that making a living was difficult for extras. By deserting the set, Barrymore guaranteed them another day's work.
Director Michael Curtiz, who was as cavalier loved to work with mobs. But he was abusive, and his violent confrontation with extras took place during the filming of Noah's Ark (1929) at Warner Bros. Both Curtiz and director Cecil DeMille had executive power, and they were autocratic with a mass of anonymous extras. Two Cecil B. DeMille productions of the 1920s made extensive use of extras, including many of the Jewish faith. On location in the sand dunes of Santa Maria, California, where much of The Ten Commandments (1923) was shot, more than two hundred Orthodox Jews added verisimilitude to the portrayal of Israeli slaves. King of Kings (1927) employed a large undisclosed number of Jewish men, supporting a cast that included prominent Jewish actors, Rudolph Schildkraut as Caiaphas, and Joseph Schildkraut as Judas, who were father and son. Their presence was of no account when the film garnered a storm of controversy from the Jewish community over its presentation of events immediately preceding the Crucifixion, strongly implying that Jews murdered Jesus Christ. More than ten years earlier, D. W Griffith had faced the same criticism with regard to his filming of the same sequences in intolerance (1916). And like DeMille, Griffith had hired "all the orthodox Hebrews with long whiskers to appear as extras in the lead up to the Crucifixion. Later, Griffith supposedly burnt that portion of the negative showing Jews crucifying Christ and re-filmed the scenes with Roman soldiers nailing Christ to the cross. The Warner Bros. production of Noah's Ark, directed by Michael Curtiz, released in November 1928 also claimed that some five thousand extras were hired for the film, with the casting department interviewing at least six thousand. Wardrobe, dressing, and makeup tents were pitched on the studio lot, which contemporary reports compared to an army camp. Military service was probably far less unpleasant because the extras were light-skinned, they did not resemble the dark-skinned tribes of the Middle East. As a result, the extras were ordered to strip, marshaled into line, and marched to enclosures, where some eighty makeup men and women sprayed them with a quick-drying, liquid brown solution. Once suitably darkened, the extras were ordered to costume themselves in robes, wigs, and beards. In 1929, director Raoul Walsh shot the most ambitious sound film to date, a historical Western epic titled The Big Trail, starring John Wayne, in the desert near Yuma, Arizona. It included numerous extras and filming included dangerous scenes. One extra, Pete Morrison saved three women from death by stopping the six oxen pulling the wagon in which they were seated from going over into a canyon. About four hundred Native Americans were gathered from Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. They were separately housed in a native village and represented tribes included members of the Arapaho, Crow, Bannock, and Northern Cheyenne nations.
One of the worst reported cases of physical abuse of extras took place on the set of MGM's Riffraff in October 1935. Forty women were called to the MGM set at 5:30 P.M. In the rain scene, they were soaked and hurled down by the full force of water from three fire hoses, backed by wind machines. Driven water, cold and sharp as icicles, blinded them and flung them about. Many were skinned from ankles to thighs. One woman was knocked unconscious, and another was paralyzed for hours. No drying equipment was provided. Working from 5:30 P.M. To 5:30 A.M, each woman got $11.25.
One director who was much liked by extras was W S. Van Dyke whose credits include, The Thin Man (1934) and San Francisco (1936). He was known as "one take Van Dyke” with time for niceties. Years later, Minta Durfee, a silent actress turned extra recalled, “He always showed great personal concern for the extras.'' Actress Mary Pickford was also concerned with the mistakes extras were doing by taking great risks in their lives. She cautioned them in 1923 that "Success cannot be governed by set rules or bound by conventions. While hard work will help immeasurably to achieve it, it is in no sense a guarantee.”
The book also tells the stories, briefly, of young women who were physically attacked, which include Ginger Wyatt at MGM Studios, Patricia Douglass at one of the Culver City Studios, and Virginia Rappe. I enjoyed reading this book and it is highly recommended to readers interested in the history of Hollywood, silent movie era, and the Golden age
Pity the "extras, bit players and stand-ins." These are the mostly overlooked and forgotten men and women in early Hollywood, especially those in the major Hollywood films from 1910 right through the dream factory's golden era. There were struggles of extras to make a decent living in harsh work environment. Low pay, little or no work, rip-offs from private employment agencies, and sexual harassment of women. Young women were always under threat from men; from studio bosses to casting and marketing departments. There were just too few jobs for far too many extras, some of whom were lured to Hollywood by what seemed to be rags-to-riches tales of stardom. Hollywood extras came from all walks of life-and many had good careers. Among the extras appearing in George Cukor's 1933 production of Sylvia Scarlet are: former silent leading man Gaston Glass; the first wife of Rudolph Valentino, Jean Acker; an early flyer, Major John Farrell; and Beth Taylor, the sister of actress Laurette Taylor. One commentator wrote in the late 1920s, extras would encounter "poverty, pathos and perversity in this fabulous paradise of prosperity, plenty and prodigality. This book discusses several issues related to the plight and working conditions of the “extras.”
Specific examples from this book are as follows: One star of the silent era sympathetic to the plight of the extras was actor John Barrymore. It is reported that he walked off the set in the middle of the day, leaving a couple of hundred extras with nothing to do. He was not particularly tired, but he was aware that making a living was difficult for extras. By deserting the set, Barrymore guaranteed them another day's work.
Director Michael Curtiz, who was as cavalier loved to work with mobs. But he was abusive, and his violent confrontation with extras took place during the filming of Noah's Ark (1929) at Warner Bros. Both Curtiz and director Cecil DeMille had executive power, and they were autocratic with a mass of anonymous extras. Two Cecil B. DeMille productions of the 1920s made extensive use of extras, including many of the Jewish faith. On location in the sand dunes of Santa Maria, California, where much of The Ten Commandments (1923) was shot, more than two hundred Orthodox Jews added verisimilitude to the portrayal of Israeli slaves. King of Kings (1927) employed a large undisclosed number of Jewish men, supporting a cast that included prominent Jewish actors, Rudolph Schildkraut as Caiaphas, and Joseph Schildkraut as Judas, who were father and son. Their presence was of no account when the film garnered a storm of controversy from the Jewish community over its presentation of events immediately preceding the Crucifixion, strongly implying that Jews murdered Jesus Christ. More than ten years earlier, D. W Griffith had faced the same criticism with regard to his filming of the same sequences in intolerance (1916). And like DeMille, Griffith had hired "all the orthodox Hebrews with long whiskers to appear as extras in the lead up to the Crucifixion. Later, Griffith supposedly burnt that portion of the negative showing Jews crucifying Christ and re-filmed the scenes with Roman soldiers nailing Christ to the cross. The Warner Bros. production of Noah's Ark, directed by Michael Curtiz, released in November 1928 also claimed that some five thousand extras were hired for the film, with the casting department interviewing at least six thousand. Wardrobe, dressing, and makeup tents were pitched on the studio lot, which contemporary reports compared to an army camp. Military service was probably far less unpleasant because the extras were light-skinned, they did not resemble the dark-skinned tribes of the Middle East. As a result, the extras were ordered to strip, marshaled into line, and marched to enclosures, where some eighty makeup men and women sprayed them with a quick-drying, liquid brown solution. Once suitably darkened, the extras were ordered to costume themselves in robes, wigs, and beards. In 1929, director Raoul Walsh shot the most ambitious sound film to date, a historical Western epic titled The Big Trail, starring John Wayne, in the desert near Yuma, Arizona. It included numerous extras and filming included dangerous scenes. One extra, Pete Morrison saved three women from death by stopping the six oxen pulling the wagon in which they were seated from going over into a canyon. About four hundred Native Americans were gathered from Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. They were separately housed in a native village and represented tribes included members of the Arapaho, Crow, Bannock, and Northern Cheyenne nations.
One of the worst reported cases of physical abuse of extras took place on the set of MGM's Riffraff in October 1935. Forty women were called to the MGM set at 5:30 P.M. In the rain scene, they were soaked and hurled down by the full force of water from three fire hoses, backed by wind machines. Driven water, cold and sharp as icicles, blinded them and flung them about. Many were skinned from ankles to thighs. One woman was knocked unconscious, and another was paralyzed for hours. No drying equipment was provided. Working from 5:30 P.M. To 5:30 A.M, each woman got $11.25.
One director who was much liked by extras was W S. Van Dyke whose credits include, The Thin Man (1934) and San Francisco (1936). He was known as "one take Van Dyke” with time for niceties. Years later, Minta Durfee, a silent actress turned extra recalled, “He always showed great personal concern for the extras.'' Actress Mary Pickford was also concerned with the mistakes extras were doing by taking great risks in their lives. She cautioned them in 1923 that "Success cannot be governed by set rules or bound by conventions. While hard work will help immeasurably to achieve it, it is in no sense a guarantee.”
The book also tells the stories, briefly, of young women who were physically attacked, which include Ginger Wyatt at MGM Studios, Patricia Douglass at one of the Culver City Studios, and Virginia Rappe. I enjoyed reading this book and it is highly recommended to readers interested in the history of Hollywood, silent movie era, and the Golden age
September 2, 2012
Their performances contributed to many movies which wouldn't have been realized without them. Unknown and unnoticed they added substance and atmosphere, yet they did not exit in the credits nor did it matter whether they even had talent. In his book Hollywood Unknowns Anthony Slide delves into the early days of the film industry, highlighting the big part extras, bit players, and stand-ins actually played.
The author manages to convey the vibe of the film industry wonderfully well, fills it up with well researched accounts and surprising tid-bits, all spruced up with photos showing extras at work. Granting detailed insights into what happened behind the scenes as much as in front of the camera, Slide does not shy away from accentuating the dark side of the industry either, broaching subjects such as sexual exploitation or racial issues. I found this book mesmerizing and disillusioning at the same time.
I admit, particularly the small details made this read so engaging for me, eg how casting telephone operators adopted a form of abbreviated speech and the most depressing one syllable you could hear was "Nerk" signifying "no work". Or how about extras needing to own certain outfits to even stand a chance to get a part. You mightn't need talent, but certainly the right wardrobe.
An amazing portrait of those nameless faces lost in the crowds. Film buffs, you'll need to read this one!
In short: An utter delight for all film aficionados!
The author manages to convey the vibe of the film industry wonderfully well, fills it up with well researched accounts and surprising tid-bits, all spruced up with photos showing extras at work. Granting detailed insights into what happened behind the scenes as much as in front of the camera, Slide does not shy away from accentuating the dark side of the industry either, broaching subjects such as sexual exploitation or racial issues. I found this book mesmerizing and disillusioning at the same time.
I admit, particularly the small details made this read so engaging for me, eg how casting telephone operators adopted a form of abbreviated speech and the most depressing one syllable you could hear was "Nerk" signifying "no work". Or how about extras needing to own certain outfits to even stand a chance to get a part. You mightn't need talent, but certainly the right wardrobe.
An amazing portrait of those nameless faces lost in the crowds. Film buffs, you'll need to read this one!
In short: An utter delight for all film aficionados!
August 7, 2018
Very informative book with interesting stories, bit of a name dump at times. Definitely motivated me to watch more old movies.
April 21, 2022
A really great resource on early Hollywood that is often overlooked. The pictures are great and while it's light on details, it does provide a great overview of the use of extras in the silent era. I'm not crazy about the author's use of language, which often mirrors the language of the time it's discussing, not the time it was written (mid-2000s) and leads to some unnecessarily racist and sexist passages. The same thing can be said about some of the quotes chosen which use offensive language. In each case, I'm positive the same point could have been made with a quotation that didn't use slurs. Fortunately, these occurrences are not plentiful and is somewhat made up for by the chapter that focuses on racialized extras (although this one also contains some missteps in language).
Still worth a read for anyone interested in the period since there is so little produced covering this specific topic.
Still worth a read for anyone interested in the period since there is so little produced covering this specific topic.
October 1, 2025
Watching a Billy Bevan two-reeler yesterday I realized I'll never see extras and bit players the same way again.
June 16, 2016
Hollywood Unknowns by Anthony Slide
This is an incredible piece of research by the author on the role of extra players in American film history, beginning in the early years of the 20th century and concentrating on the 1920's and 30's. The author, Anthony Slide, is a preeminent film historian and author of many books on American cinema.
Slide reveals the diverse backgrounds, sometimes surprising goals, and successes and/or failures of the many thousands who came to Hollywood to make it in pictures. He shows lots of examples and goes into a large amount of detail about casting, pay, living conditions, ethnicity and gender differences, and the coming of sound to the film industry.
Scattered throughout the book are wonderful photos of the era showing extras at work and leisure, industry staff, and studio shots. The book is exquisitely referenced and includes an eleven-page bibliography.
I would highly recommend this book for serious film buffs and fans of early Hollywood.
I received this title free from NetGalley. I am glad to provide this review although I was under no obligation to do so.
Note: The Kindle version of the book had some serious formatting issues that caused words to disappear at the ends of some paragraphs. However, the Adobe Digital Editions versions was perfectly formatted.
This is an incredible piece of research by the author on the role of extra players in American film history, beginning in the early years of the 20th century and concentrating on the 1920's and 30's. The author, Anthony Slide, is a preeminent film historian and author of many books on American cinema.
Slide reveals the diverse backgrounds, sometimes surprising goals, and successes and/or failures of the many thousands who came to Hollywood to make it in pictures. He shows lots of examples and goes into a large amount of detail about casting, pay, living conditions, ethnicity and gender differences, and the coming of sound to the film industry.
Scattered throughout the book are wonderful photos of the era showing extras at work and leisure, industry staff, and studio shots. The book is exquisitely referenced and includes an eleven-page bibliography.
I would highly recommend this book for serious film buffs and fans of early Hollywood.
I received this title free from NetGalley. I am glad to provide this review although I was under no obligation to do so.
Note: The Kindle version of the book had some serious formatting issues that caused words to disappear at the ends of some paragraphs. However, the Adobe Digital Editions versions was perfectly formatted.
June 7, 2014
Not enough anecdotal evidence, too much memorialization. I can totally empathize with extras that were never given screen credit, so this is the author's chance to immortalize their names through another medium, but the whole narrative began to trail off towards the end as name after name after name kept being listed. The stories were much more interesting than the listing, of course. However, this WAS a super enlightening read. It was pretty surface level, and I want to know more.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews