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Libraries
> Exhibitions > Elsie Janis > Elsie Janis and the Movies
Elsie
Janis and the Movies
Janis
did film work in the early years of the medium beginning with The
Caprices of Kitty, Betty
in Search of a Thrill, Nearly
a Lady, and Twas Ever Thus,
writing the screenplays and acting in all four (Bosworth Studios,
1915). After her return to the United States following the war,
Janis did several films for Selznick Pictures, including A Regular Girl (1919) for which she wrote the screenplay, co-wrote
the title song, and acted.
Janis recognized that she performed best with a
live audience, and in later years her work was behind the scenes
rather than in front of the camera.
She wrote screen treatments and songs for films, as well as
served as production supervisor for such projects as Paramount
on Parade. Her film
music writing included such songs as “Love Your Spell is
Everywhere,” originally sung by Gloria Swanson and later recorded
by Peggy Lee, and “Oh Give Me Time for Tenderness” sung by Vera
Van for the Bette Davis film Dark Victory.
Click to Enlarge
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Lobby
card. “Selznick
Presents Elsie Janis in A Regular Girl.”
From the Richard E. Teichert Collection of Film Promotion
Materials.
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| Lobby card. “Selznick
Presents Elsie Janis in A Regular Girl.”
From the Richard E. Teichert Collection of Film
Promotion Materials. |
Click to Enlarge
|
|
Lobby card. “Selznick
Presents Elsie Janis in A Regular Girl.”
From the Richard E. Teichert Collection of Film Promotion
Materials.
|
| Lobby card. “Selznick Presents Elsie Janis in A
Regular Girl.” From the Richard E. Teichert
Collection of Film Promotion Materials. |
Click to
Enlarge
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Sheet music cover: “A Regular Girl.”
Music by Elsie Janis, words by Bert Kalmar and Harry
Ruby. New York:
Waterson, Berlin & Snyder Co., 1914.
From the Elsie Janis Collection of the Laura M. Mueller
British and American Theatre and Film Collections. |
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