- Published on
Comedian and silent film star Harold Lloyd’s first talkie.
The Film Daily (Sept 24, 1929)
Date of Release: Oct 12, 1929
Studio: Harold Lloyd Corp (distributed by Paramount Famous Lasky Corp)
Director: Clyde Bruckman
Screenplay: Clyde Bruckman, Lex Neal, Felix Adler, Paul Girard Smith
Music: Lynn Cowan, Paul Titsworth
Leading Actors: Harold Lloyd (Harold Bledsoe), Barbara Kent (Billie Lee), Noah Young (Clancy), Charles Middleton (John Thorne), William Walling (Captain Walton), James Wang (Doctor Gow), Douglas Haig (Roy)
Harold Lloyd was a gifted comedic actor who after starting in early silent comedies, went on to become one of the most successful and most highly paid silent film stars of his day. He specialized in situational comedy that placed him in dangerous situations, and performed most of his own stunts. He often produced in own films, and Welcome Danger was his first talkie.
Like Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd believed comedies were best served silent and, furthermore, did not believe the talkie phenomenon would last. As such, Welcome Danger was originally made as a silent film. The original version was screened to test audiences, who found the film too long and Lloyd set about trimming it down. Whilst editing, Lloyd came to realize that sound pictures were inescapable. He scrapped most of the silent version, and re-made a talkie version.
Studio: Harold Lloyd Corp (distributed by Paramount Famous Lasky Corp)
Director: Clyde Bruckman
Screenplay: Clyde Bruckman, Lex Neal, Felix Adler, Paul Girard Smith
Music: Lynn Cowan, Paul Titsworth
Leading Actors: Harold Lloyd (Harold Bledsoe), Barbara Kent (Billie Lee), Noah Young (Clancy), Charles Middleton (John Thorne), William Walling (Captain Walton), James Wang (Doctor Gow), Douglas Haig (Roy)
Harold Lloyd was a gifted comedic actor who after starting in early silent comedies, went on to become one of the most successful and most highly paid silent film stars of his day. He specialized in situational comedy that placed him in dangerous situations, and performed most of his own stunts. He often produced in own films, and Welcome Danger was his first talkie.
Like Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd believed comedies were best served silent and, furthermore, did not believe the talkie phenomenon would last. As such, Welcome Danger was originally made as a silent film. The original version was screened to test audiences, who found the film too long and Lloyd set about trimming it down. Whilst editing, Lloyd came to realize that sound pictures were inescapable. He scrapped most of the silent version, and re-made a talkie version.
Welcome Danger was the first talkie to release a coordinated press book to industry players. Paramount’s advertising manager Russell Holman sent out letters to theatre managers requesting their ideas, which were compiled into a comprehensive publication. As reported in Exhibitors Herald World (Oct 26, 1929), the press book covered “every conceivable angle of exploitation, including newspaper layouts, tieups, lobby displays and ballyhoos.” The Managers’ Round Table Club, which had a regular feature in Motion Picture News promoting club activities, proudly claimed that of the fifty-one managers selected for inclusion out of thousands of submissions, thirty-one were members of the club.
While theatre managers were being wooed with a comprehensive press book, audiences were being drawn to the theatre by Harold Lloyd’s name and distinctive man-with-glasses image. In Philadelphia, Harold Lloyd look-a-likes drove around the city in “old collegiate cars,” while in New York the Rivoli Theatre was decorated with life-size cardboard cutouts of Harold Lloyd in various states – clowning, pensive, fighting, and scared.
In a later publicity stunt, and act of charity, children from the San Francisco Protestant Orphanage were treated to a screening. As reported by Exhibitors Herald World (Dec 28, 1929), “Enroute to the theatre the children were amazed and amused at the spectacle of a headless man threading his way among the crowd. A placard on his back read: “I laughed my head off at Harold Lloyd in Welcome Danger.”"
While theatre managers were being wooed with a comprehensive press book, audiences were being drawn to the theatre by Harold Lloyd’s name and distinctive man-with-glasses image. In Philadelphia, Harold Lloyd look-a-likes drove around the city in “old collegiate cars,” while in New York the Rivoli Theatre was decorated with life-size cardboard cutouts of Harold Lloyd in various states – clowning, pensive, fighting, and scared.
In a later publicity stunt, and act of charity, children from the San Francisco Protestant Orphanage were treated to a screening. As reported by Exhibitors Herald World (Dec 28, 1929), “Enroute to the theatre the children were amazed and amused at the spectacle of a headless man threading his way among the crowd. A placard on his back read: “I laughed my head off at Harold Lloyd in Welcome Danger.”"
Although the idea of simultaneous premiers across the country was floated for Welcome Danger, the film had the usual New York premier at the Rivoli Theatre on October 12. Keen to understand how audiences responded to his work, Harold Lloyd sat in on just about every screening during the first week. Motion Picture News (Nov 9, 1929) stated that Lloyd was “clocking laughs, noting audience reactions…and jotting down what he learned in a copious, mental notebook for future guidance.”
In its opening week, Welcome Danger played to sold-out houses and topped the box offices grosses, beating out Why Bring That Up? and The Trespasser. Although the numbers dropped in the following weeks, it remained one of the highest grossing pictures and played for a successful six week run. This pattern repeated itself around the country, and Welcome Danger was among the top grossing films of 1929.
The film told the story of Harold Bledsoe (Harold Lloyd) who travels from New York to San Francisco to join the police force. Whilst on the train across country, he falls in love with Billie Lee (Barbara Kent), who is traveling to San Francisco with her ailing brother to find a world-renowned doctor, Doctor Gow (James Wang), and a cure. In San Francisco, Harold joins the force and becomes a detective. Due to his obsession with fingerprinting, he quickly becomes the laughing stock of the force. Harold learns that the “Dragon,” the evil spirit of Chinatown, has kidnapped Doctor Gow. Out to solve the case, a high chase through the underground of Chinatown ensues. Harold succeeds, becomes the hero of the police force, and (of course) wins the girl.
The film contained plenty of high energy antics that showed off Harold Lloyd’s brand of physical comedy. As reported in Motion Picture News (Nov 23, 1929), some theatres, to the amusement of its patrons, created complete blackouts for the underground scenes where the characters were in total darkness. Anyone who has tried to create a complete blackout in a theatre today with those pesky exit signs and OH&S rules will understand the joy of this!
While audiences enjoyed Welcome Danger, the critics were squarely divided in their opinions. The Educational Screen described the film as “hilarious fun,” and Motion Picture News called it “an outstanding laugh hit that will be classed among the best Lloyd has ever made.” Variety enthusiastically claimed Welcome Danger was “a scream constantly for two hours” and that people would have to go twice in order to absorb all the comedy.
Meanwhile, the National Board of Review Magazine stated “…the picture becomes tiresome as it develops and is not up to the usual caliber of the productions made by this clever comedian.” Mordaunt Hall in the New York Times described the dialogue as “amateurish,” and derided the chase scenes as too long and self-indulgent.
Harold Lloyd was obviously admired by the critics, but he received mixed reviews. Several reviewers claimed his voice was well suited to the talkies, while others insisted Lloyd should stick to silent film.
The supporting cast generally received positive reviews. Barbara Kent playing the can-do Billie was described my Motion Picture News as having “a captivating personality, and the same kind of a voice.” Kent got her start in movies after winning the Miss Hollywood competition in 1925. She became a popular silent film star, making a notable appearance in Paul Fejo’s highly acclaimed Lonesome (1928). Kent made a seemingly successful transition to talkies, however her roles diminished and she retired from acting in the mid-1930s. When Kent died at the age of 103 in 2011, her status as one of the last surviving silent film stars granted her obituaries in The New York Times and The Guardian.
Noah Young, playing a policeman on the force, received several mentions for his performance. He was a regular feature in Harold Lloyd comedies, and also appeared in Laurel and Hardy films, often playing the serious foil.
In its opening week, Welcome Danger played to sold-out houses and topped the box offices grosses, beating out Why Bring That Up? and The Trespasser. Although the numbers dropped in the following weeks, it remained one of the highest grossing pictures and played for a successful six week run. This pattern repeated itself around the country, and Welcome Danger was among the top grossing films of 1929.
The film told the story of Harold Bledsoe (Harold Lloyd) who travels from New York to San Francisco to join the police force. Whilst on the train across country, he falls in love with Billie Lee (Barbara Kent), who is traveling to San Francisco with her ailing brother to find a world-renowned doctor, Doctor Gow (James Wang), and a cure. In San Francisco, Harold joins the force and becomes a detective. Due to his obsession with fingerprinting, he quickly becomes the laughing stock of the force. Harold learns that the “Dragon,” the evil spirit of Chinatown, has kidnapped Doctor Gow. Out to solve the case, a high chase through the underground of Chinatown ensues. Harold succeeds, becomes the hero of the police force, and (of course) wins the girl.
The film contained plenty of high energy antics that showed off Harold Lloyd’s brand of physical comedy. As reported in Motion Picture News (Nov 23, 1929), some theatres, to the amusement of its patrons, created complete blackouts for the underground scenes where the characters were in total darkness. Anyone who has tried to create a complete blackout in a theatre today with those pesky exit signs and OH&S rules will understand the joy of this!
While audiences enjoyed Welcome Danger, the critics were squarely divided in their opinions. The Educational Screen described the film as “hilarious fun,” and Motion Picture News called it “an outstanding laugh hit that will be classed among the best Lloyd has ever made.” Variety enthusiastically claimed Welcome Danger was “a scream constantly for two hours” and that people would have to go twice in order to absorb all the comedy.
Meanwhile, the National Board of Review Magazine stated “…the picture becomes tiresome as it develops and is not up to the usual caliber of the productions made by this clever comedian.” Mordaunt Hall in the New York Times described the dialogue as “amateurish,” and derided the chase scenes as too long and self-indulgent.
Harold Lloyd was obviously admired by the critics, but he received mixed reviews. Several reviewers claimed his voice was well suited to the talkies, while others insisted Lloyd should stick to silent film.
The supporting cast generally received positive reviews. Barbara Kent playing the can-do Billie was described my Motion Picture News as having “a captivating personality, and the same kind of a voice.” Kent got her start in movies after winning the Miss Hollywood competition in 1925. She became a popular silent film star, making a notable appearance in Paul Fejo’s highly acclaimed Lonesome (1928). Kent made a seemingly successful transition to talkies, however her roles diminished and she retired from acting in the mid-1930s. When Kent died at the age of 103 in 2011, her status as one of the last surviving silent film stars granted her obituaries in The New York Times and The Guardian.
Noah Young, playing a policeman on the force, received several mentions for his performance. He was a regular feature in Harold Lloyd comedies, and also appeared in Laurel and Hardy films, often playing the serious foil.
Exhibitors Herald World (Oct 5, 1929)
Although not household names today, the creative team behind Welcome Danger were some of the most influential and prominent comedy writers and performers of their day.
Clyde Bruckman was a prolific and highly successful silent comedy director and writer. Although his success continued into the sound era, Bruckman was frequently accused of plagiarism. He had a brief reprieve working as a writer on The Abbott and Costello Show, however he was effectively blacklisted from the industry thanks to lawsuits concerning the plagiarism. In despair, Bruckman committed suicide at the age of 60. A biography, The Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy, was published in 2015.
Lex Neal was a popular vaudeville performer who was a contemporary and close friend of Buster Keaton. Neal later worked as a writer for Harold Lloyd’s production company, before moving to Paramount.
Felix Adler (not to be confused with Felix Adlers, who founded the Society for Ethical Culture), started out in vaudeville. He went on to become an influential and much adored Hollywood comedy writer, working with some of the greatest comedians of his day including Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello, and The Three Stooges. A wonderful biography can be found at Under the Hollywood Sign.
Paul Girard Smith (later known as Paul Gerard Smith) was a highly respected writer who worked on Broadway and in Hollywood. He started out writing for vaudeville and musical revues. His Broadway scripts include Funny Face (1927) and Shuffle Along (1952). In Hollywood he wrote nearly 100 screenplays.
Welcome Danger contained two songs, “Billie,” and “When You Are Mine” by Lynn Cowan and Paul Titsworth (the composers for The Great Gabbo). Although “When You Are Mine” became a best-seller, no reviewers made any mention of the music.
Clyde Bruckman was a prolific and highly successful silent comedy director and writer. Although his success continued into the sound era, Bruckman was frequently accused of plagiarism. He had a brief reprieve working as a writer on The Abbott and Costello Show, however he was effectively blacklisted from the industry thanks to lawsuits concerning the plagiarism. In despair, Bruckman committed suicide at the age of 60. A biography, The Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy, was published in 2015.
Lex Neal was a popular vaudeville performer who was a contemporary and close friend of Buster Keaton. Neal later worked as a writer for Harold Lloyd’s production company, before moving to Paramount.
Felix Adler (not to be confused with Felix Adlers, who founded the Society for Ethical Culture), started out in vaudeville. He went on to become an influential and much adored Hollywood comedy writer, working with some of the greatest comedians of his day including Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello, and The Three Stooges. A wonderful biography can be found at Under the Hollywood Sign.
Paul Girard Smith (later known as Paul Gerard Smith) was a highly respected writer who worked on Broadway and in Hollywood. He started out writing for vaudeville and musical revues. His Broadway scripts include Funny Face (1927) and Shuffle Along (1952). In Hollywood he wrote nearly 100 screenplays.
Welcome Danger contained two songs, “Billie,” and “When You Are Mine” by Lynn Cowan and Paul Titsworth (the composers for The Great Gabbo). Although “When You Are Mine” became a best-seller, no reviewers made any mention of the music.
Notice the caricatured Chinese characters at the bottom of the ad, Motion Picture News (Oct 5, 1929)
Despite the fact that much of the film takes place in San Francisco’s Chinatown, no critics make mention of its representation. Without having seen the film, it’s hard to know if Welcome Danger falls into the category of “great film, pity about the racism.” Given the casting of (white American) Charles Middleton and James Wang however, it’s easy to imagine the film is resplendent with clichés and stereotypical depictions of Chinatown and its “villainous” inhabitants.
Charles Middleton often played villainous characters, and is best remembered for playing Ming the Merciless in thee Flash Gordon series. He started out in vaudeville, and after moving to Hollywood appeared in nearly 200 films, working with the Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy, and Harold Lloyd.
James Wang appeared in over thirty films over the course of about 15 years. Given the name of some of his films, East is West, Charlie Chan’s Courage, and China Sea, and the names of his characters, The Yellow Handkerchief, Wong, Bandit, and Won-Lee-Tong, it was likely James Wang only played stereotypical Chinese characters throughout his career.
Charles Middleton often played villainous characters, and is best remembered for playing Ming the Merciless in thee Flash Gordon series. He started out in vaudeville, and after moving to Hollywood appeared in nearly 200 films, working with the Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy, and Harold Lloyd.
James Wang appeared in over thirty films over the course of about 15 years. Given the name of some of his films, East is West, Charlie Chan’s Courage, and China Sea, and the names of his characters, The Yellow Handkerchief, Wong, Bandit, and Won-Lee-Tong, it was likely James Wang only played stereotypical Chinese characters throughout his career.
Despite being billed as Lloyd's talkie debut, a silent version was also released, Film Daily (Sept 24, 1929)
Welcome Danger is currently not commercially available in the United States, though a DVD copy is held at the UCLA Film and Television Archive. The silent version, often deemed the superior film, was screened at the Syracuse Cinefest in 2015.
Over the course of the 1930s, Harold Lloyd’s popularity declined. He retired from acting and focused on producing. In his spare time, Lloyd became a keen photographer, specializing in 3D images. A PBS documentary, Harold Lloyd: The Third Genius aired in 1990, and several books, such as Harold Lloyd: Master Comedian and The Harold Lloyd Encyclopedia, “A compendium of all things Lloyd,” have helped to generate renewed interest in Lloyd’s work.
Over the course of the 1930s, Harold Lloyd’s popularity declined. He retired from acting and focused on producing. In his spare time, Lloyd became a keen photographer, specializing in 3D images. A PBS documentary, Harold Lloyd: The Third Genius aired in 1990, and several books, such as Harold Lloyd: Master Comedian and The Harold Lloyd Encyclopedia, “A compendium of all things Lloyd,” have helped to generate renewed interest in Lloyd’s work.
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