Tweet Color from Black-and-White: colorized photos

Bob,

Like the Rudy. The Harlow looks nice too. I have several poses of Clara with those Polka dots. Here are a couple from a long time ago. Not the ones I was looking for though as these don't really tell you much.

Thanks for your input on the "Reaching for the Moon" photo!
Here's my latest effort. I picked up this still of "Partners in Crime" several weeks ago for a very modest sum. I'm glad to read on the old alt.movies.silent archives that this film still survives. It certainly looks like an interesting movie. Anyway, since we all tend to have different tastes as to brightness and contrast, I'm presenting a few different versions. The first is my preferred variant. What do you think?

Caesar,

Oh, I definitely like the middle one best. We should keep in mind that variances in our respective monitors can give each of us a slightly different impression than what the others are seeing on their monitors. I tinkered with your photo ever so slightly, especially to remove the "lint" off of Beery's suit.


BTW, I saw the Beery-Hatton BEHIND THE FRONT (1926) recently and it was pretty good.

Gagman,

I like the muted color you gave Clara's polka dots!

Caesar,

The Powell still looks pretty good. BEHIND THE FRONT was a big hit in 1926. In-fact, I'm surprised at the much better known films today that it apparently out-grossed. I never thought much of it. Best thing about it to me was precious Mary Brian. ("Will You Be My War Hero?") Just Hilarious! It's notable as one of Richard Arlen's very first movies.

Bob,

I can't find the photos in the Polka Dot top that I was looking for. I think there might be a few more in my Slide-show. Take a look and see? Glad this was still on line since my Youtube account has been gone since January. Found it on Basil Nelson's alternate channel which he has not been using. He had posted my four Slide-shows for me while I was between accounts about 2 and a half years ago. Gee, has it really been that long?

Bob,

Imagine the confusion? "Err, No sir, you'll have to take the shorter one. I'm not for sale!" Looks like she is in costume for THE YOUNG DIANA (1922), which appears to be a lost film. What a mysterious movie with those Frankenstein slaps, lab, and the Ice Crystal people shown in the trade ad's and lobby-cards.




"Marion Doll! Marion Doll! Get Your Marion Doll Today!"

Gagman,

I'd appreciate your advice as our Clara Bow color expert. What color do you think those polka dots should be? I can see green or blue:

Bob, I'd try green dots on a yellow background. It's more of a late-'30s type pattern, but might be worth a try . . .

In honor of Lon Chaney's birthday today (1883), here are some color transfers that I don't believe I've posted here before:

THE PENALTY (1920):


THE BLACKBIRD (1927):


THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925):


Also, I posted Chaney color lobby cards on the "Talking About Silents" thread.

Bob,

The one of Blizzard in THE PENALTY looks great That's Lon as Dan Tate in THE BLACKBIRD, the second shot. The Phantom still looks interesting, not enough shadow though and that effectively eliminates much of the sense of menace. How did you like my Clara Bow slide-show? You have probably seen it before.

Thanks for posting these.

Gagman,

Your Clara slideshow is terrific! You certainly have lots of her photos. I'm reading her bio, RUNNING WILD, and it's quite sympathetic to her. I'd like to do a little tribute to her in my next OLD HOLLYWOOD book that I'm planning for this summer.

Bob,

You can hear a little of the Carl Davis Main-Title theme to WINGS in the Clara Bow Slide-show. Here's my Colleen Moore Slide-show. The 4 Slide-shows Clara, Colleen, Renee Adoree, and John Gilbert are the only four I have ever done. Maybe sometime I will revise them a little, and also do a Marion Davies Slide-show or somebody else.





Here is another still of Lili Damita. This gal was so gorgeous and so incredibly healthy looking it's a crime! Why on earth would Erroll Flynn or any man divorce her?

Bob,

Do you know what film this Alice White pose is from? Maybe you can fix her hand. It is way to dark, and I have not been able to do anything about this? Not happy with the results on this photo all around. Gerr!




Alice White- "Golden Shorties!"

Gagman,

I heard that Lili Damita had a bad temper, perhaps that's why her screen career tanked. Flynn was bitter than when he was in financial straits she hounded him for the huge support payments. She did not remarry until after Flynn's death.

I'm no Alice White expert. I'll see what I can do with the left hand. Her right seems to get lost in the costume and hair.

Bob,

Do you know what film this Alice White pose is from? Maybe you can fix her hand. It is way to dark, and I have not been able to do anything about this? Not happy with the results on this photo all around. Gerr!




Alice White- "Golden Shorties!"

Gagman,

I lightened the skin tone and fiddled with a few other things:


then I thought there is too much brown, now there may be too much blue:

Bob,

Well, the Blue outfit looks allot different. It's no longer golden shorties that she is wearing.


Here are a couple of lobby-cards of Corinne Griffith in OUTCAST (1928).

Bob,

Wow! this poster is incredible! Can we find out the artist? I mean who painted this illustration?



Betty Compson- THE GREEN TEMPTATION (1922)

Just google "Henry Clive" He was both an artist and sometimes an actor, but he is not listed as acting in The Green Temptation.

Rick

A poster and a Lobby-card for THE CHEAT with Pola Negri and Jack Holt. Does this 1923 version still exist?

Do you know what film this Alice White pose is from? Maybe you can fix her hand. It is way to dark, and I have not been able to do anything about this? Not happy with the results on this photo all around. Gerr!

What kind of hair color is that? Although her hair was darker in her early films she is known for her blonde hair.
This looks like she just shampooed with mud!

Don't ask me? I didn't shampoo her hair with Mud. In all of these she has blonde hair.



"Quick, Grab That Dress Before It's Gone!"



"Jam On! Jam On!"



"You Gotta Have Kick!"



"Lazy Afternoon"

Loretta Young- "Green Eyed Easter Bunny"-1929

Somebody wished for color over on the Ernest Thesiger thread on Talking About Talkies. Although the reference was probably to his embroidary work, here's a frame enlargement:

Bob,

Jolly well done. No way to remove that huge logo? Got some new stuff here. Haven't posted anything for several days.




Pola Negri- "Profound Profile"-1920


This one wasn't real sharp. I wish I had a higher resolution version because it's a terrific still.



Valentino and Alice Terry- "Hullo Promising To Be Good"

Gagman,

That's an intricately colored photo of Rudy and Alice. I tried to sharpen it a bit but it didn't look any different. Here's one from THE CONQUERING POWER that I scanned from an 8x10 negative.


These two might be called a Beauty and the Beast combo. First is Olive Thomas:


and Louis Wolheim. I think the image is reversed, notice there's no jacket hankerchief pocket. Easy enough to flip but the autograph will be backwards.


It DOES look better though:

Bob,

The Olive Thomas is great. Why is the signature so pronounced though? Lo! Louis Wolheim was truly the inspiration for Monk Mayfair! Wasn't he?

Saturday was Claire Windsor's Birthday. So I worked on some photos of her.


"Easter Lilies"


"Big Fluffy Sleeves"


"Glamor Galore"

Man oh man, is this gonna be fun! I've made quite a few colorizations on the iPad. I'll transfer them to my laptop, and then try to post them tomorrow.

I look forward to seeing your work. Since you're new here just an fyi - this is the only thread for posting colorized photos. Gagman and I originally posted them on the Talking About Silents and Talking About Talkies threads but a few people claimed to be mortally offended so we were given our own little Elba-like exile here. The naysayers stay away so it works out nicely. You can tell from the huge number of hits this thread has gotten since its inception last September that it's easily one of the most popular - perhaps THE most popular - thread in all of N'ville. So welcome aboard!

Here's one I haven't posted before - Roscoe "Fatty " Arbuckle

I've been lurking this site since the Nita Naldi masthead - I actually did see that fatal thread which eventually led to a separate color thread! I will admit, I found it to be pretty funny!
Anyhoo, nice to meet'cha, Bobfells! I look forward to meeting Gagman, and fellow colorizers as well.
I'm turning in - see y'all tomorrow!

Steppenbow,

Great to welcome new people here. I will be anxious to see your work also.

Bob,

I haven't been around much this week. PC Problems. Basically, the Motherboard is dieing. This system is going on nearly 7 years old so it has had a very long run. I can't complain to much. Hopefully, it keeps on operating just long enough for me to find a good deal on a nice bare bones kit someplace.

Here are some photos I haven't posted yet on this site.


Raymond Griffith And Helene Costello in WET PAINT


Esther Ralston and Clara Bow-Publicity Still for CHILDREN OF DIVORCE



ROUGH HOUSE ROSIE- "THE WINNAH!!!"






Greta Garbo and Nils Asther in THE SINGLE STANDARD

Claire Windsor was quite a beauty. Those are good, Gagman!

Never mind, finally figured it out. Here:




Clara Bow in furs.