Karl Dane in Bela Lugosi "The Whispering Shadow" Talkie 1!

http://forgetthetalkies.com presents Karl Dane (http://silentfilms.wikia.com/wiki/Karl_Dane) in his last film, a Bela Lugosi serial talkie titled "The Whispering Shadow".

Karl Dane was a silent film actor who appeared in some of the biggest grossing Silents of all time, including "The Big Parade", "La Boheme", and "Son of the Sheik". He appeared alongside John Gilbert, Rudolph Valentino, Lillian Gish, and Vilma Banky.

Towards the end of the silents he teamed with a fellow Comedian named George Arthur to form the duo Dane & Arthur. They made several silent films together and eventually transitioned to 'talkies' (sound films) in 1928. Many claim this is where Dane had a downfall due to his 'unacceptable accent' yet not only did Dane & Arthur go on to make several more talkies, Karl himself went on to make over 20 talkies before his death.

Dane retired from pictures in the early 30s intending to turn towards mining but his buisness ventures failed him and he lost all his savings. He desperately turned back towards film with "The Whispering Shadow" being his 'comeback' picture. Unfortanitly the serial was not well recieved and it was the last film Dane ever made though he died a year later.

Dane took odd jobs and due to really unfair circumstances (such as being fired from being a waiter because being a 'former celebrity' didnt attract customers) he became broken down. He was pickpocketed of the meager dollars he had left, and the next night shot himself. His downfall had more to do with personal issues and bad investments, than his voice as rumored.

For more information on Karl Dane please see http://forgetthetalkies.blogspot.com/search/label/Karl%20Dane and http://www.karl-dane.com run by his biographer. A biography on him is expected out in the coming year.

About the film: In this long boring serial (hoooours of it) Karl plays 'Sparks' an apparently ''special'' dispatcher who goes around playing with his 'toy' (a bunch of keys that make a puzzle) and acting stupid and funny. Only in the end do we find out the TRUTH...obvious warning: if you watch this or the other 3 clips be aware this is pretty much the movie summed up...so MAJOR spoilers!
Karl Dane was a silent film actor who appeared in some of the biggest grossing Silents of all time, including "The Big Parade", "La Boheme", and "Son of the Sheik". He appeared alongside John Gilbert, Rudolph Valentino, Lillian Gish, and Vilma Banky.

Towards the end of the silents he teamed with a fellow Comedian named George Arthur to form the duo Dane & Arthur. They made several silent films together and eventually transitioned to 'talkies' (sound films) in 1928. Many claim this is where Dane had a downfall due to his 'unacceptable accent' yet not only did Dane & Arthur go on to make several more talkies, Karl himself went on to make over 20 talkies before his death.

Dane retired from pictures in the early 30s intending to turn towards mining but his buisness ventures failed him and he lost all his savings. He desperately turned back towards film with "The Whispering Shadow" being his 'comeback' picture. Unfortanitly the serial was not well recieved and it was the last film Dane ever made though he died a year later.

Dane took odd jobs and due to really unfair circumstances (such as being fired from being a waiter because being a 'former celebrity' didnt attract customers) he became broken down. He was pickpocketed of the meager dollars he had left, and the next night shot himself. His downfall had more to do with personal issues and bad investments, than his voice as rumored.

For more information on Karl Dane please see http://forgetthetalkies.blogspot.com/search/label/Karl%20Dane and http://www.karl-dane.com run by his biographer. A biography on him is expected out in the coming year.

About the film: In this long boring serial (hoooours of it) Karl plays 'Sparks' an apparently ''special'' dispatcher who goes around playing with his 'toy' (a bunch of keys that make a puzzle) and acting stupid and funny. Only in the end do we find out the TRUTH...obvious warning: if you watch this or the other 2 clips be aware this is pretty much the movie summed up...so MAJOR spoilers!

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Bela
• Lugosi
• Karl
• Dane
• Dracula
• Talkies
• Hollywood
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• Kenneth
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• talkies
• Son
• of
• Sheik

[SatchmoSings]

I only know Dane from "The Big Parade."

His voice is fine; he could have easily played immigrant/character roles like this.

[80stimeagain]

Thank you very much. I know of Karl Dane from Son of the Sheik. Wow. I can't believe he shot himself. That is sad. This is the first time i've heard Karl talk. But, i think his voice is fine. I can understand what he's saying. I don't understand why accents were not accepted back then. What nationality was Karl?

[WSenator1]

Agreeing with all comments. I had heard about Karl Dane, of his being one of the tragedies from the silent era, whose accent was too "unintelligble" to be acceptable in talkies. He sounds more than fine here. What was the problem? There has to be more to the story than this.

[MildredDavisLloyd]

I first heard him talk in Buster Keaton's "Free and Easy" with Anita Page and I understand him perfectly! It made me out-raged that the studios said his voice was "un-recordable". I can actually understand him better than Greta Garbo! It is very tragic and un-forgivable that they ruined his career!

[vildrik]

he was from copenhagen , Denmark :-)