Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1916)

January 29, 1916. STUDIO DIRECTORY SECTION II THE KALEM "HAM" COMEDY COMPANY ONE of the most interesting companies of players making comedies is that of the Kalem Company, located at a studio in Hollywood, and composed of Lloyd Vernon Hamilton, the "Ham" ; Albert E. Duncan, the "Bud" of the Ham comedies, with Ethel Teare as their leading woman, and working under the direction of William Beaudine. M. E. M. Gibis business manager of the studio and writes many of the scenarios, besides looking after publicity for this studio and the Glendale Kalem studio. LLOYD VERNON HAMILTON, the -'Ham" of the Ham comedies, is the originator of this series now consisting of more than seventy-five, and is the featured comedian. Mr. Hamilton was born at Oakland, Cal., and is twenty-four. He was educated in Oakland public and high schools, and at fifteen became advance agent for the Frank Cooley shows. When he was six he stole sheets from the house to make a circus tent in the back yard. His second season was with Elleford stock company touring the Coast, and then he became juvenile lead for James K. Hackett, and for two seasons played in support of this actor in "The Prisoner of Zenda" and "Monsieur Beaucaire." The following years he was in stock, musical comedy and burlesque. About eighteen months ago he affliated with the Kalem company as featured comedian, and has been there ever since. In July of last year he met with an accident when his number nineteen shoes — worn only in comedies — caught in the sands when he was making a run down a mountain side, and was laid up. His hobby is hunting, and he has a very fine collection of guns. He is an excellent swimmer and has several medals for diving. He stands six feet one inch, and weighs two hundred and five pounds. ALBERT EDWARD DUNCAN, the miniature comedian "Bud" of Kalem Ham comedies, was born in Brooklyn, N. Y., Hallowe'en, 1886. His career as a professional entertainer began soon after he completed a course at Berkeley Military School at New York, for it was then he became astnt treasurer of the Grand Opera House. When a juvenile actor was needed in the production of "The Postmaster's Daughter," with Laura Dean, ihis miniature made his first stage appearance. He secured the name "Bud" in the part of Bud McGinnis in "Playing the Ponies." One of his best parts was in "A Night in a Music Hall," which he played on U. B. O. time. He was with Kolb and Dill following this. He played in "Summer Widowers" at the Broadway theatre, and then went into vaudeville with Clarence Kolb in "The Delicatessen Shop," Orpheum time. This took him to the Coast where he and Lee Moran organized a troupe in which they were the sole players, and together they did vaudeville for two years. Then "Bud" became little Jeff, of Mutt and Jeff, the comedies made by Al E. Christie. Following this, his first picture engagement, he returned to the legitimate stage, playing in comic opera stock and the All Star musical comedy Review. Then he tried pictures again only to return to a stock engagement at the Oliver Morosco Burbank theatre in Los Angeles. For a time he played in the Fred Mace Majestic Apollo brand, and then toured the Western Mexican coast in a forty-foot boat. Upon his return from this trip early in 1914. he joined the Kalem company, and with Lloyd Hamilton has since been appearing in Ham comedies. ETHEL TEARE, leading woman of the Kalem Ham, is a very pleasing comedienne. Miss Teare is a native of Arizona where she drank of the famous waters of the Hassayampa River, which is said to so affect every one who drinks of it that they are thereafter unable to speak the truth. She was born at Phoenix, and there received a high school education with special training in music. She became a vaudeville stage singer and played the best circuits of the West Coast. It was following the second tour over the principal vaudeville circuit that she accepted an engagement with the Kalem company. Miss Teare is equal to all occasions required by the scenarios for the Ham comedies, appearing in ingenue as well as elderly character parts. She enjoys the work in comedies despite the many hazards and extreme fast action required at times, but of all prefers the sweetheart parts. WILLIAM BEAUDINE, well known in both New York and Los Angeles film colonies as the result of his several years' connection with the Biograph company, is director of Ham comedies. Mr. Beaudine, although a young man, has had five years' experience in the making of pictures. For more than three years he served as assistant to Del Henderson, who directed the making of Biograph comedies, and while in this work played important parts. He left the Biograph company a year and a half ago, and became assistant director at the Kalem Ham studio, and recently became director. LLOYD V. HAMILTON". ALBERT E. ("BUD") DUNCAN. ETHEL TEARE. Be sure to mention "MOTION PICTURE NEWS" when writing to advertUert. WILLIAM HEAUDIXE.