1 00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:04,120 Speaker 1: Welcome to Steph you missed in history class from how 2 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 1: Stuff Works dot Com. Welcome to the show. I'm Holly 3 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: Fry and I'm Tracy Wilson. We recently had a live 4 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:19,319 Speaker 1: show in Salt Lake City. Tracy was unable to make it, 5 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:21,959 Speaker 1: so friend of the show and previous guest Brian Young 6 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: stepped into co host. I want to give my huge 7 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:28,640 Speaker 1: thanks to Brian Young. Yes, Brian Young has has been 8 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 1: a guest on our show on a number of occasions, 9 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:34,560 Speaker 1: many of them when I could not be present for 10 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:39,200 Speaker 1: a live appearance. Yeah, thank you so much for that, Brian. 11 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 1: And this live show is all about Lawn Cheney Senior 12 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 1: in the amazing career he crafted as both an actor 13 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 1: and a makeup artist. Yeah. I think I said before 14 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 1: we started that show, but to the audience that while 15 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 1: I was researching this, I really fell in love with 16 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 1: Lawn Cheney. I had not known all that much about 17 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: him beforehand, and I have immense respect and adoration for him. 18 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:06,560 Speaker 1: So let's jump right in. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. 19 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:10,399 Speaker 1: I'm Holly Fry and I'm Brian Uh. And Brian. In 20 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:14,399 Speaker 1: our long ongoing tradition of featuring classic horror stars, as 21 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: part of our lead up to Halloween, we're going to 22 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:19,319 Speaker 1: talk today about Lon Cheney, and not only was he 23 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:22,120 Speaker 1: a star as an actor, but he was famed really 24 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 1: for his use of makeup, and in fact, his passion 25 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: to completely transform himself for each role, coupled with a 26 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: determination to keep his life off screen as private as possible, 27 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:37,760 Speaker 1: probably robbed him a little bit of historical notoriety. But 28 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 1: his life story reveals more than just an actor. It 29 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 1: shows a man who loved the art of creating both 30 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:45,400 Speaker 1: stage and film in a holistic sense, a man who 31 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 1: was happy to move sets and stage manage and choreograph 32 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 1: and as well as act. And he was described by 33 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: one of his co stars is quote extremely kind, thoughtful 34 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: and protective. Yeah, which is kind of at odds of 35 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 1: the image he had. He played a lot of heavy ease, 36 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 1: but he was in fact apparently just the sweetest man. 37 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 1: But he didn't want anybody to know that because he 38 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: was afraid it would impact his career. And while he 39 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: appeared in more than one hundred and fifty films, today 40 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 1: he is most remembered for his roles into silent films 41 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: Hunchback of Notre Dame in ninety five Phantom of the Opera. 42 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 1: That is probably the image you immediately conjured in your 43 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 1: head was him in the Phantom of the Opera makeup. Uh. 44 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:29,399 Speaker 1: We're going to talk about those, but we'll also examine 45 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 1: his extensive career that's far beyond them, which led him 46 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 1: to eventually be called the Man of a Thousand Faces. 47 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 1: On April Fool's Day, which was April first, eighteen eighty three, 48 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 1: Leonidas Frank Cheney was born Lawn, as he became to 49 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:47,079 Speaker 1: be called, was the second child of four. His parents, 50 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:50,800 Speaker 1: Frank and Emma Cheney of Colorado Springs, Colorado, were both 51 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 1: deaf mutes. This had often been cited as the reason 52 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: that Cheney became such a proficient actor. He'd spent his 53 00:02:56,639 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 1: youth learning to communicate without language through gesture, signing, and 54 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 1: facial expression, skills he would use to inhabit roles on 55 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 1: stage and screen. And there's one particular point where that 56 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:08,799 Speaker 1: became really important in his life as a child, which 57 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 1: we will talk about right now. When Lawn was only 58 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: nine years old, his mother became really, really ill. She 59 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 1: had a very high degree of inflammation from rheumatism, and 60 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 1: it rendered her unable to perform most tasks, and Lawn 61 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: actually dropped out of school to become her nurse made 62 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 1: so he was basically in the fourth grade at this time, 63 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 1: and that is where his education ended. But this is 64 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:32,399 Speaker 1: one of the things people site because she had such 65 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: a difficult time communicating even she was really unable to 66 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: sign because she was in so much pain that she 67 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: couldn't move very much. And he really kind of went 68 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 1: to a whole other degree of pantomime to communicate with her. 69 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 1: And so that is really where his his ability to 70 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: communicate without speaking at all began. So it's a boy. 71 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: Lawn attended public school in Colorado Springs, but he didn't 72 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 1: finish his education like Holly said. Instead, he took a 73 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 1: job as a guide and made money by helping to 74 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 1: navigate the trail to Pike's Peak. His next job brought 75 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 1: him into the theater. The Colorado Springs Opera House hired 76 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: him as a property boy, and working as a property 77 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 1: boy offered him a really unique learning experience that impacted 78 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 1: his life forever. While he was in the theater, he 79 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: would actually watch other actors put on their makeup, noting 80 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:23,359 Speaker 1: the various techniques that each of them were using to 81 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 1: achieve different looks, and he learned through observation. Basically, one 82 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 1: of those actors that he spied on while the man 83 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 1: applied his own makeup was Richard Mansfield, who was famous 84 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:35,840 Speaker 1: for his portrayal of the dual role of Dr Jekyll 85 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 1: and Mr Hyde and who was also a suspect in 86 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: the Jack the Ripper case. Uh. Mansfield could very well 87 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 1: be a podcast subject in the future. Yeah, he's on 88 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: my list because he's a whole other fascinating thing. But 89 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:49,640 Speaker 1: he was really a famous actor at the time. So 90 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 1: when Lon Cheney later cited in his life during interviews like, oh, yeah, 91 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 1: I learned from watching Mansfield do his makeup, it was 92 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 1: pretty noteworthy. It would be like someone today going totally 93 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:02,039 Speaker 1: spied on Johnny Depp. Uh, it's the same idea. And 94 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 1: later Cheney would say of this time in his life 95 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 1: and its impact, quote, I used to watch Richard Mansfield 96 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:11,239 Speaker 1: and Robert Mantell and others. Those old doctor actors never 97 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:14,800 Speaker 1: showed the audience themselves, but really dawned the personality of 98 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:17,599 Speaker 1: the character they were playing. From the beginning of my 99 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 1: acting career, I always strove to bury my own personality 100 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:24,160 Speaker 1: in my part. When Cheney was in his late teens, 101 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 1: he started his first stage acting job. The play was 102 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:30,599 Speaker 1: called The Little Tycoon and Cheney had written it with 103 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:33,720 Speaker 1: his brother John. His brother was also a theater manager, 104 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 1: so they had a venue to produce the play, and 105 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 1: it went well enough that the brothers next produced a 106 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 1: series of Gilbert and Sullivan operas there in Colorado Springs 107 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 1: and so a tour was the next logical step, but 108 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 1: it really barely off. The got off the ground before 109 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 1: the sibling impresarios ran out of money. Uh So the 110 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: solution was that they had to sell their theater company. 111 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 1: But even after that sale, Lawn state on uh and 112 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:58,839 Speaker 1: the new iteration of the troupe was on tour in 113 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:02,279 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City, and Lawn Cheney I met a singer named 114 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 1: Francis Cleveland Creighton, who went by Cleveland for short. Cleveland 115 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 1: joined the tour, which was something she did despite pressure 116 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 1: from her family to stay in Oklahoma City, and she 117 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:14,760 Speaker 1: and Lawn became romantically involved. The pair were married in 118 00:06:14,839 --> 00:06:17,280 Speaker 1: nineteen o five, and in February of nineteen o six, 119 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 1: they had a son, Creighton Toll Cheney. Creighton would become 120 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 1: better known by the stage name Lawn Cheney Jr. And 121 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,160 Speaker 1: he followed in his father's footsteps as an actor. This 122 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: is one of those parts of Lawn Cheney's life that 123 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:32,280 Speaker 1: is a little different depending on your source, because there 124 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 1: are rumors that, in fact, of course, they got pregnant 125 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 1: and had to get married, but some versions of it 126 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 1: suggests that they actually didn't get married until after the 127 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: baby was born, and then they fudged the record. Uh 128 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 1: So it's a little unclear, but it's a hundred years ago. 129 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 1: We'll just give it to him. And eventually the couple 130 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:50,600 Speaker 1: went back on the road. They paused for a little 131 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:54,479 Speaker 1: while when uh uh, Creton was a baby, but this 132 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:56,960 Speaker 1: time they just took their son along with them. And 133 00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 1: Lawn had always wanted to continue work in the theater. 134 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 1: He didn't see family life as something that was really 135 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 1: going to be fulfilling for him, even though he gave 136 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:08,480 Speaker 1: it a whirl like in more traditional jobs, and even 137 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 1: as he got work as an actor. Though. One of 138 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 1: the things that was interesting is that he actually maintained 139 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 1: his stage hands Union card, so he would help move 140 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 1: scenery during shows without hesitation. He was perfectly happy to 141 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 1: be backstage helping out, even while he was waiting for 142 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 1: his cues. UH, and while he still pursued acting and dancing, 143 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 1: his knowledge of the technical side of production enabled him 144 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: to really be a diversified UH job opportunist, and so 145 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 1: he could also get work as a stage director, for example, 146 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:39,679 Speaker 1: and make sure he always made ends meet for the family. 147 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 1: As part of a vaudeville troupe, the Chinese traveled to 148 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 1: the West Coast in nineteen ten and settled there. Lawn 149 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 1: would act, stage managed, choreograph whatever was required to keep 150 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 1: a job in the theater. Cleveland began to build a 151 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 1: decent singing career, but she also developed a drinking problem 152 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: and their marriage really started to suffer. There was also 153 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 1: a lot of jealousy and there were allegations of cheating, 154 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 1: and it just was not a good match long term. 155 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 1: Uh and Cleveland became increasingly unstable, and in en she 156 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 1: attempted to take her own life by drinking by chloride 157 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:16,320 Speaker 1: of mercury. But she did this in a very dramatic way, 158 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 1: which was that she did it off stage in a 159 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:21,360 Speaker 1: theater where Lawn was working at the time, and it 160 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 1: ruined her voice, so her singing career was destroyed, even 161 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 1: though she did not die, and it ruined their marriage forever. 162 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 1: Their divorce was final the next year, and Lawn Cheney 163 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 1: raised his son, Creighton as a solo parent after the split. 164 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: I have read that he actually told Creighton that his 165 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 1: mother had died, and so he never knew his mom 166 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 1: until after she had actually passed away. He never knew 167 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 1: what had really happened. So before we pick up with 168 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 1: Chenese life after his divorce, we're gonna take a quick 169 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:55,360 Speaker 1: break where we left off. We had just talked about 170 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 1: Clevland's suicide attempt, and not only did this of course 171 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 1: completely shatter his family life, but this cast a shadow 172 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: over Lawn's career in the theater. It basically kind of 173 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 1: was always going to be associated with him in theatrical circles, 174 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 1: and it made it hard for him to get a job, 175 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:14,200 Speaker 1: and it was part of why he turned to film 176 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:17,120 Speaker 1: to sort of shift gears and kick start his career 177 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 1: all over again. And he had already been getting into 178 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 1: film at this time. It wasn't like he went theater's 179 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 1: over film now. He just put more of his effort 180 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 1: into film work at that point, and he had appeared 181 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:29,480 Speaker 1: in a short made by the Rex Motion Picture Company 182 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 1: at that point called the Honor of the family. That 183 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 1: was in nineteen twelve, but after the scandal of his 184 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:38,679 Speaker 1: failed marriage ending dramatically as I said, he completely abandoned 185 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 1: theatrical work and pursued film work full time. Shaney initially 186 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 1: appeared in a number of bit parts. He eventually worked 187 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 1: on films such as False Faces and Riddled Gone, among others, 188 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:52,120 Speaker 1: before appearing in his first credited role in the nineteen 189 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 1: fourteen Universal Pictures film Hell Morgan's Girl. He also did 190 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 1: slapstick comedies and worked with Western star J Warren Carragan 191 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 1: on seven films. Yeah, we think of him as like 192 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:06,160 Speaker 1: this silent film horror actor, but he did all kinds 193 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 1: of different genres. He really was completely multifaceted as a performer. 194 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:12,680 Speaker 1: As we said. He could dance, and he could uh, 195 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:15,200 Speaker 1: you know, direct, and he could basically do almost anything 196 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 1: you handed him. And in nineteen fifteen he married again, 197 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:20,559 Speaker 1: this time to a woman named Hazel Hastings, And at 198 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 1: that point he was working for Universal still and his 199 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 1: son Creighton, who at that point had been in boarding 200 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 1: school because Lawn's job was taking up so much time, 201 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:32,040 Speaker 1: moved to Los Angeles and the trio kind of settled 202 00:10:32,040 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 1: into life as a as a family together, and Hazel, 203 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 1: who had been a chorus girl, was with Lawn Cheney 204 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:39,600 Speaker 1: for the rest of his life. So the second time around, 205 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 1: he got it right. From nineteen fourteen and nineteen eighteen, 206 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:47,440 Speaker 1: Lawn Cheney made more than one hundred movies with Universal Pictures. 207 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:54,440 Speaker 1: That's that's that's fifty a year a year. That's ridiculous. Yeah. 208 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 1: So if you think about how long productions take today, 209 00:10:57,280 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 1: imagine doing two a month for four years straight. So 210 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:04,040 Speaker 1: he then asked the studio for a raise at this point, 211 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:07,200 Speaker 1: and when he was turned down, he left the studio 212 00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 1: system to work as an actor for hire for a while, 213 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:12,640 Speaker 1: and it was rough going initially until he started getting 214 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:15,240 Speaker 1: the work in Western's we mentioned just a moment ago. Yeah, 215 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:17,160 Speaker 1: it was like a thing where he I think I'm 216 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 1: gonna guess on the numbers. I know I have heard 217 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:20,319 Speaker 1: them and I didn't write them down, but it was 218 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 1: like he was making a hundred dollars a week and 219 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 1: he asked for one and they're like, you're never going 220 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:26,440 Speaker 1: to get that. Who do you think you are? Uh? 221 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 1: And eventually he could say I'm long Cheney as who uh. 222 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:32,840 Speaker 1: And when he appeared as a con man character in 223 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 1: a film UH called The Miracle Man. He appeared as 224 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 1: a man called the Frog who had feigned a handicap, 225 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 1: And this was in ninete and this particular role really 226 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 1: brought him accolades for his incredible skill both with acting 227 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:50,200 Speaker 1: and with makeup, and it was basically his breakout role, 228 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 1: bringing him really widespread recognition. At that point, some people 229 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:57,319 Speaker 1: knew him, but he wasn't like famous, and then he was. Uh. 230 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:00,040 Speaker 1: It also made more money for Paramount than any of 231 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:02,920 Speaker 1: their film that year, so those people at Universal probably 232 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 1: felt really stupid after that. At that point, he was 233 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 1: drawing on what he'd learned through observation and through his 234 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 1: own experimentation. He had no formal training in the art 235 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 1: of makeup. Through the years, though, he became more and 236 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 1: more serious in learning about the application and uses of makeup. 237 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:19,800 Speaker 1: Eventually became such a recognized expert on the manner that 238 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:23,600 Speaker 1: he was asked to write Encyclopedia Britannica's Makeup entry in 239 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:27,800 Speaker 1: the nine edition of the publication. His makeup case, which 240 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 1: was basically a small tool case, became famous for the 241 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 1: many looks he could create using its content. Yeah, there's 242 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 1: actually a great documentary where, uh, there is a historian 243 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:39,840 Speaker 1: who has the makeup case. And what's sort of fabulous 244 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 1: is that when you open it, there's nothing unique in there. 245 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:45,160 Speaker 1: I mean, it's the same tools anyone else would have had, 246 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:47,160 Speaker 1: but he was just so deft at using them that 247 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:50,960 Speaker 1: he turned it into a magical source of all kinds 248 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:54,680 Speaker 1: of things. Um. Also in nineteen nineteen, Cheney acted in 249 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 1: another film called The Wicked Darling, and the director on 250 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:01,559 Speaker 1: this picture was someone we've probably all heard of before, 251 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 1: Todd Browning, who eventually went on to direct the cult 252 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 1: classic Freaks, which sort of ended his career. But this 253 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:10,960 Speaker 1: was before that. Cheney knew that he could sometimes go 254 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:12,959 Speaker 1: too far as an actor. I mean he recognized that 255 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 1: coming from theater and being so expressive, he needed a 256 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: director to kind of reel him back and tell him 257 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 1: when he had gone too far. Uh, And Browning for him, 258 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:25,160 Speaker 1: was like a perfect match. They ended up having this 259 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 1: fantastic working relationship and they actually made ten films together. 260 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:33,080 Speaker 1: That was like three weeks of work. It was until 261 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:37,640 Speaker 1: later in they made several over the years. So Cheney 262 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:40,079 Speaker 1: would go to extreme lengths to create the illusion of 263 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:44,040 Speaker 1: an entirely new character, different from himself playing the character 264 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 1: Blizzard in a film called The Penalty. Cheney's character was legless, 265 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 1: so he physically strapped his legs back and his knees 266 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:55,520 Speaker 1: were contained in leather covers that simulated stumps which he 267 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:58,439 Speaker 1: walked on. And this system was not only painful, it 268 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 1: cut off the circulation in his legs. I highly recommend 269 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:04,719 Speaker 1: you go online and look for clips of this film. 270 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:08,160 Speaker 1: It's mind blowing. Um, he kind of has crutches, but 271 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:10,400 Speaker 1: he really is just walking around on his knees throughout 272 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:14,200 Speaker 1: the whole film. Uh. And it looked utterly convincing. I 273 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 1: mean utterly convincing. And it was a really powerful part 274 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:20,400 Speaker 1: in this film that was very full of upsetting images 275 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 1: and ideas. It was kind of a controversial film at 276 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 1: the time, and in it, Cheney's character wanted to cut 277 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 1: off another man's legs and have them grafted onto his own. 278 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:32,440 Speaker 1: And while this is not considered one of Cheney's horror movies, 279 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:35,960 Speaker 1: his performance in it is utterly chilling and as scary 280 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 1: as anything you will find today. Was the first instance 281 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:42,760 Speaker 1: of the phrase the Man of a thousand faces being 282 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 1: associated with Cheney. That line was used as part of 283 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 1: the marketing promotion for his film The Trap, a revenge 284 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: story of a minor played by Cheney who has his 285 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:55,240 Speaker 1: mind and love interest stolen by a rival and then 286 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 1: plots to ruin the usurper's life. It's melodramatic and it 287 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:01,560 Speaker 1: was not considered a succe. Yeah, he had really been 288 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 1: like on such a h an upward trajectory in terms 289 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 1: of his career that it was a little troubling to 290 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:09,560 Speaker 1: studio heads that they were like, why why are you 291 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: doing this weird melodramatic film that is not making any money. 292 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 1: They were early mad at him. They were more concerned 293 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:17,680 Speaker 1: with the director. But of course his makeup work for 294 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:21,760 Speaker 1: his role of Quasimodo in the film Hunchback of Notre Dame, 295 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 1: which we mentioned at the top of the show, was impressive, 296 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 1: so impressive at the time, including complete coverage of one 297 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:30,680 Speaker 1: of his eyes with a shell and then it was 298 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:32,680 Speaker 1: disguised in putty, so he looked like he had a 299 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 1: completely mangled side of his face. But it was wearing 300 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 1: this harness that both held the hunchback prosthetic, which you'll 301 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 1: see it often listed as weighing like fifty pounds um. 302 00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:47,520 Speaker 1: Historians have amended that to say, No, it was heavy. 303 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 1: It was probably like between ten and twenty, but it 304 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 1: was not fifty. That was an exaggeration. Um. But it 305 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:57,320 Speaker 1: held the hunchback prosthetic and it also altered his posture significantly. 306 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:00,720 Speaker 1: And it was all of this that really completed his 307 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 1: transformation into the hunchback physically. Patsy Ruth Miller, who was 308 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:07,920 Speaker 1: Lawn's co star in the role of Esmeralda, once said 309 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 1: in an interview that she felt Lawn, rather than Wallace Worsley, 310 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 1: that truly directed the film. It was a massive and 311 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:17,080 Speaker 1: expensive undertaking, but it paid off. It was a huge 312 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: success and made Cheney the most sought after actor in Hollywood. Yeah, 313 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:23,800 Speaker 1: Wallace Worsley, who directed The Hunchback Is was one of 314 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 1: Lawn Cheny's good friends and so, uh, it really felt 315 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:29,920 Speaker 1: a little bit like Lawn Cheney had the better touch 316 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 1: with actors when dealing with them, which is why his 317 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:35,360 Speaker 1: co star said she really felt like he directed that film. Uh. 318 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 1: The MGM film He Who Gets Slapped was made in 319 00:16:39,520 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 1: which is kind of the best title ever. Uh, and 320 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: it starred Lawn Cheney. And this is actually a very 321 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 1: depressing one. It's the story of a bitter clown uh. 322 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 1: And it was a success, and it was also the 323 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 1: start of a long term partnership between the studio and 324 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:55,480 Speaker 1: the actor. MGM was so happy to have him because 325 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 1: he was doing amazing work for them. But of course 326 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:01,760 Speaker 1: it was Cheney's role in Phantom of the Opera that 327 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 1: most modern audiences remember. Once again, the actor transformed himself 328 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:08,880 Speaker 1: through makeup. The moment when his character's mask is removed, 329 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:12,439 Speaker 1: revealing the disfigured face underneath, is one of film history's 330 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:16,160 Speaker 1: iconic scenes. The appearances in the film prior to that reveal, 331 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:20,160 Speaker 1: when the actor's face isn't even visible, really showcase Cheney's 332 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:23,960 Speaker 1: use of his physicality, particularly his hands, to convey emotion. Yeah, 333 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:27,160 Speaker 1: he was. He played all of these like really kind 334 00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 1: of heard edge characters a lot of the time, but 335 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:31,360 Speaker 1: he was one of the most graceful men you will 336 00:17:31,359 --> 00:17:35,119 Speaker 1: ever see move. His hands were just completely graceful and 337 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:37,159 Speaker 1: beautiful when he wanted them to be. And there's this 338 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:41,280 Speaker 1: great scene in Phantom of the Opera where he is 339 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 1: reaching out to touch the shoulder of the female lead 340 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:48,399 Speaker 1: and it is so beautiful and so elegant, but also 341 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:51,159 Speaker 1: so creepy at the same time. That it just evidences 342 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 1: how this one person who just knows how to use 343 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 1: his hands can convey keep points of the story without 344 00:17:57,080 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 1: ever uttering a word. Uh. And then Phantom was followed 345 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:03,080 Speaker 1: by another film that you have probably seen images from, 346 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:06,480 Speaker 1: called London After Midnight, and that was in nine seven. 347 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:09,720 Speaker 1: And like I said, you've probably seen stills from this movie. 348 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 1: It's uh. It features Cheney disguised as a vampire. His 349 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:16,440 Speaker 1: character is actually in a disguise as a vampire. He's 350 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 1: not a vampire in a top hat. And he has 351 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:21,479 Speaker 1: these bulging eyes and so you've probably seen this, and 352 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:25,320 Speaker 1: that effect was actually achieved by fitting wires around his 353 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:28,080 Speaker 1: eyes and his eyelids to keep them open and looking 354 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:30,240 Speaker 1: sort of bulging. There are a couple of images you 355 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:31,960 Speaker 1: can see of close ups and and you can see 356 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 1: the wire and if you're one of those people that's 357 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 1: weird about stuff around your eyes, it will give you 358 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 1: the he b gbs really bad. Um. But the film itself, 359 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:44,360 Speaker 1: unfortunately has been lost. There have been attempts to um 360 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:47,920 Speaker 1: find the pieces of footage that still exists and sort 361 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:50,040 Speaker 1: of put them back together, but the full film will 362 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 1: never be seen again. Uh. And while it was something 363 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 1: of a sensation at the time, and one man even 364 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 1: claimed that it drove him to murder. That was actually 365 00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:00,440 Speaker 1: his defense in court was that he saw this movie 366 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:02,439 Speaker 1: and it freaked him out so bad that he had 367 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:05,000 Speaker 1: to go out and kill someone. Uh. He did not 368 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:08,600 Speaker 1: get off on that charge. Uh. People who actually saw 369 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:10,600 Speaker 1: it in theaters and then talked about it later in 370 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:14,080 Speaker 1: life generally rated it as less enthralling than Phantom. But 371 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:16,080 Speaker 1: because it has been lost, it kind of gets a 372 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:18,879 Speaker 1: little bit of cash a and people maybe misremember just 373 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:22,120 Speaker 1: how scary it was. So Ever, working to both refine 374 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:25,200 Speaker 1: his makeup skills and to innovate, he made a mark 375 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 1: literally when he found new ways to simulate scars in 376 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:32,960 Speaker 1: the film The Road Demand Alay. That same year, he 377 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:36,119 Speaker 1: made an uncharacteristic non makeup performance and Tell It to 378 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:39,680 Speaker 1: the Marines. Cheney played a tough drill sergeant and it 379 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:41,800 Speaker 1: set the standard for all the others that have been 380 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:45,159 Speaker 1: played in films since. And though he wore no makeup, 381 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:47,399 Speaker 1: audiences were so accustomed to seeing Cheney and one of 382 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:51,600 Speaker 1: his character creations that to some his real face looked unnatural. 383 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:54,800 Speaker 1: One critic wrote that the makeup work looked fake and 384 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:57,960 Speaker 1: that one of the lines was inconsistent. He had on 385 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:02,640 Speaker 1: no makeup whatsoever. Um. I've even read accounts to say 386 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:04,280 Speaker 1: he didn't even use powder. He just showed up on 387 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:06,520 Speaker 1: set and you know, went for it because there was 388 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 1: a lot of action in that film. He was playing 389 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:11,040 Speaker 1: a marine and they were loading guns and stuff, and 390 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:13,639 Speaker 1: I mean like the huge size, and he was just 391 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:15,440 Speaker 1: there to do the physical work. And so they never 392 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:18,280 Speaker 1: bothered with powder, knowing it would vanish. But there were 393 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:20,119 Speaker 1: still some write ups that were like that makeup is 394 00:20:20,160 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 1: not as good as we're used to seeing. Um. But 395 00:20:23,440 --> 00:20:26,320 Speaker 1: positive reception for Tell It to the Marines far outweighed 396 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:29,719 Speaker 1: any of the negative reactions. Uh Lawn. Cheney was lauded 397 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:32,439 Speaker 1: for the performance, and he was actually even made an 398 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 1: honorary US Marine and he was the first actor to 399 00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:37,760 Speaker 1: be honored in this manner. And in the year that 400 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:40,960 Speaker 1: it was released, ninety nine just has been as had 401 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:44,159 Speaker 1: been the case the previous year of Night Lawn, Cheney 402 00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:47,640 Speaker 1: was rated the number one mailbox office attraction by US 403 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:51,440 Speaker 1: theater owners. Next, we're gonna talk about how Cheney's intensely 404 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 1: private life fueled rumors about why he was slow to 405 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:57,760 Speaker 1: transition into talkies. But first we're gonna pause for a 406 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:05,399 Speaker 1: little break to do to his makeup work and his 407 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:10,359 Speaker 1: commitment to physically uh, to complaying a completely different physicality 408 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:13,199 Speaker 1: in his roles. Lon Cheney became known as he had 409 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:16,679 Speaker 1: planned from the beginning for vanishing into each character that 410 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 1: he played, essentially disappearing as himself, and this was in 411 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:23,639 Speaker 1: line with his proclivity to keep his personal life completely 412 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 1: to himself. He allegedly said at one point quote between pictures, 413 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:31,080 Speaker 1: there is no Lawn Cheney. In truth, he just enjoyed 414 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:34,520 Speaker 1: a quiet life in Beverly Hills. He dabbled in photography 415 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:36,879 Speaker 1: and like to go fishing. He loved to read and cook. 416 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:40,159 Speaker 1: He studied the criminal justice system and actually wrote extensively 417 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 1: about how prisons are run. And he only rarely did 418 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:45,960 Speaker 1: press like when any movie comes out now there's always 419 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:49,119 Speaker 1: a huge press junket, and actors have to spend ungodly 420 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:51,679 Speaker 1: amounts of time like basically just answering the same questions 421 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:53,639 Speaker 1: over and over. He refused to do this for the 422 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:56,760 Speaker 1: most part. Uh. He thought maintaining his air of mystery 423 00:21:56,840 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 1: was actually going to be better publicity than giving interviews, 424 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:03,600 Speaker 1: and he was right. But this quiet life purposely away 425 00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:06,879 Speaker 1: from the press also made it really, really easy for 426 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:09,679 Speaker 1: people to speculate about the real man behind all of 427 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:13,080 Speaker 1: those performances. That speculation reached a fever pitch as the 428 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:17,399 Speaker 1: film industry began moving away from silent pictures. Cheney, like 429 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:20,240 Speaker 1: Charlie Chaplin, waited as long as he could before taking 430 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:23,120 Speaker 1: a speaking role in film, and this led to wild 431 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:25,639 Speaker 1: theories that there was something wrong with his voice and 432 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 1: that he'd never be able to make it in cinema's 433 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: new age of sound because apparently none of those people 434 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:32,199 Speaker 1: knew that he had come up as an actor in 435 00:22:32,240 --> 00:22:36,680 Speaker 1: the theater. Uh and this conjecture had been fueled as 436 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:40,040 Speaker 1: well by news in May nine that Lawn Cheney had 437 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:43,640 Speaker 1: become quite ill. It was reported as a bad case 438 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:46,560 Speaker 1: of the flu in the papers, but because his doctors 439 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 1: refused to say anything about his condition or make any statements, 440 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:53,520 Speaker 1: it led to whispers of something more dangerous or insidious. 441 00:22:53,840 --> 00:22:57,720 Speaker 1: When Cheney finally did star in a talkie n it 442 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:00,800 Speaker 1: was it was in a film called The Unholy Three, 443 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:04,639 Speaker 1: which was chosen very deliberately while director Todd Browning, who 444 00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:06,800 Speaker 1: had already directed Cheney in a silent version of the 445 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 1: Unholy Three had consistently denied the rumors that his frequent 446 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:15,240 Speaker 1: collaborator had any kind of vocal issue. Those rumors weren't 447 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:18,679 Speaker 1: really put to rest until this film debuted. In the 448 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:23,120 Speaker 1: strategy behind choosing this film, it really showcased Lawn Cheney's 449 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:26,920 Speaker 1: wide vocal range. He used five different voices in the film, 450 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:30,960 Speaker 1: including that of a parrot uh and in the film Laon. 451 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:34,600 Speaker 1: Cheney's character, who is a ventriloquist named Echo, joins up 452 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:37,680 Speaker 1: with two of his side show colleagues to commit burglaries, 453 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,199 Speaker 1: and for much of the film, Echo actually appears in 454 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:43,240 Speaker 1: disguise as a woman, so he's also doing a woman's voice. 455 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:46,439 Speaker 1: But just to make sure that people knew that it 456 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:49,360 Speaker 1: was in fact lawn Cheney doing all of those voices, 457 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:53,160 Speaker 1: they had a notary corroborate that Lawn and only Lawn 458 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:56,159 Speaker 1: was responsible for all of them. Throughout the making of 459 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 1: the film, the notary fl Henderson of Los Angeles took 460 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:02,359 Speaker 1: Cheney's deposition on the matter, in which he stated, I 461 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:06,639 Speaker 1: Lawn Cheney being first duly sworn, deposed and say In 462 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:10,480 Speaker 1: the photoplay and entitled The Unholy Three, produced by Metro 463 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:14,320 Speaker 1: Goldwyn Mayor Corporation, all voice reproductions which purport to be 464 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:18,160 Speaker 1: reproductions of my voice, to with the ventriloquists, the Old Woman's, 465 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:21,680 Speaker 1: the Dummies, the parrots, and the girls are actual reproductions 466 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:25,000 Speaker 1: of my own voice, and in no place in said Photoplay, 467 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 1: or in any other of the various characters played by me, 468 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:32,000 Speaker 1: and said photoplay was a double or a substitute. So 469 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 1: while doing press for this picture, which he did this 470 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:37,960 Speaker 1: time around, he also said, quote, I want to play 471 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 1: roles in which I can use several voices in the 472 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:43,359 Speaker 1: same play, so that people really won't be able to 473 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:46,240 Speaker 1: say which is my natural voice, just as I always 474 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:48,760 Speaker 1: have used makeup so they don't quite know what my 475 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:52,040 Speaker 1: real face is like. My whole career has been devoted 476 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:55,400 Speaker 1: to keeping people from knowing me, and I wouldn't sacrifice 477 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:58,679 Speaker 1: it by talking. On the other hand, the public is 478 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:02,120 Speaker 1: demanding that screenplay air's talk, and so we must talk. 479 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:05,200 Speaker 1: But I don't want to talk and spoil any illusion. 480 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 1: But there really was a problem. Just six weeks after 481 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 1: the premiere of The Unholy Three, news broke that the 482 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:14,440 Speaker 1: actor was quite ill. This basically was like a daily 483 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:17,680 Speaker 1: update in the papers at the time, so on July eighth, 484 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:20,400 Speaker 1: nineteen thirty, a brief article appeared in The New York 485 00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 1: Times indicating that Cheney had been hospitalized at Memorial Hospital 486 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:27,320 Speaker 1: in New York, and, according to the blurb that was 487 00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:30,720 Speaker 1: written quote, the nature of his illness was not disclosed, 488 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 1: and although it was said that he is here to 489 00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:35,679 Speaker 1: undergo treatment on his throat, it is understood that he 490 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:39,360 Speaker 1: is suffering from a gall ailment. Neither the hospital nor 491 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:42,359 Speaker 1: Metro Goldwood Mayor would confirm that Cheney was even a 492 00:25:42,359 --> 00:25:45,919 Speaker 1: patient at Memorial at the time. Chinese hospitalization after we 493 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:49,439 Speaker 1: returned to Los Angeles continued to be news. The story 494 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:51,159 Speaker 1: in the papers was that he had an attack of 495 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 1: pneumonia and was a mnemic as a consequence. On August 496 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:58,199 Speaker 1: nineteen thirty, The New York Times reported that Cheney received 497 00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:02,359 Speaker 1: a full blood transfusion, the third such treatment, and that 498 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:06,680 Speaker 1: he was improving. The following day, August, another article confirmed 499 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:08,720 Speaker 1: that the actor was resting while and making games and 500 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:12,200 Speaker 1: his battle against pernicious anemia. He died later that day 501 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:15,359 Speaker 1: of a throat hemorrhage. While it had not been made public, 502 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:19,200 Speaker 1: the actor had been battling bronchial cancer while filming bronchial 503 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:21,800 Speaker 1: cancer while filming The Unholy Three. And he was only 504 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:25,920 Speaker 1: forty seven when he died. Yes, so allegedly that instance 505 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:28,680 Speaker 1: in May of nine when he got sick was when 506 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 1: he was actually diagnosed, and so he had known throughout 507 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:34,760 Speaker 1: filming that this may be his only his last picture. Uh. 508 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:37,760 Speaker 1: So he appeared in exactly one talkie, but boy is 509 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:40,160 Speaker 1: it a doozy because he did do five different voices. 510 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:44,399 Speaker 1: His funeral was announced in the papers on August quote, 511 00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:47,639 Speaker 1: Lawn Cheney will be buried as he lived, simply and 512 00:26:47,680 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 1: without display, at Glendale tomorrow. Uh. And at the time 513 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:54,639 Speaker 1: that Chenese remains were laid to rest, all pictures in 514 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:58,399 Speaker 1: production and studios in Hollywood stopped work and they went silent. 515 00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:02,119 Speaker 1: I'm gonna get all choke up. Uh, And they went silent. 516 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:05,679 Speaker 1: To honor the actor. On the MGM lot, a marine 517 00:27:05,680 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 1: color guard played taps and lowered the studio's flagged half mast. 518 00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:13,320 Speaker 1: Lawn Cheney's crypt in Glendale's Forest Lawn Cemetery bears no name. 519 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:16,119 Speaker 1: That's one of those things that sometimes portrayed is like 520 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:19,200 Speaker 1: a big mystery. His crypt has no name. But if 521 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:21,440 Speaker 1: you just look at his life story, you completely understand 522 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:24,280 Speaker 1: why he didn't want his name on the crypt uh. 523 00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:27,280 Speaker 1: And The New York Times reported that Lawn Cheney had 524 00:27:27,359 --> 00:27:30,640 Speaker 1: left five hundred and fifty thousand dollars worth of property 525 00:27:30,680 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 1: to his widow, Hazel. That's Hazel Hastings Cheney at that point. 526 00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 1: This is a nice little, uh, kind of stick it 527 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:42,400 Speaker 1: to his ex wife. Cheney's will also stipulated that exactly 528 00:27:42,480 --> 00:27:44,920 Speaker 1: one dollar was to go to his ex wife, Clevel 529 00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:48,200 Speaker 1: Creton Bush, and this was done so that she could 530 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 1: not claim that she had been left out of the 531 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:54,399 Speaker 1: will and mount an effort to contest it. His driver 532 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:57,560 Speaker 1: and companion of the last I think roughly decade of 533 00:27:57,560 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 1: his life, John Jaski, received five thousand dollars in the will, 534 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:03,840 Speaker 1: and an insurance policy that was valued at two d 535 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:07,480 Speaker 1: seventy five thousand dollars was split among his siblings. In 536 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:10,520 Speaker 1: ninety seven, a biopic of Cheney's life titled Man of 537 00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:14,160 Speaker 1: a Thousand Faces and Start James Cagney was made. UH 538 00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:17,000 Speaker 1: And I have to say it's incredible. It's a really 539 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:19,960 Speaker 1: good to me fantastic So a lot of screen time 540 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:22,560 Speaker 1: in the movie was devoted to his tumultuous relationship with 541 00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:25,200 Speaker 1: his first wife, and one of the advertising taglines for 542 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:27,760 Speaker 1: the film was who were the women who twisted his 543 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:30,919 Speaker 1: life and love, igniting the flame of his genius, driving 544 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:35,679 Speaker 1: him to immortal flame, to immortal fame. Yeah, it's a 545 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:41,240 Speaker 1: little melodramatic. Uh, There's there's such a fantastic moment in 546 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:43,600 Speaker 1: that movie though, where he's in the hospital dying of cancer, 547 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:48,080 Speaker 1: and there's there's so much importance placed on his makeup box, right, 548 00:28:48,440 --> 00:28:50,920 Speaker 1: and his son is they're like coping with the death 549 00:28:50,960 --> 00:28:53,320 Speaker 1: of his father. And James Cagney does this. It's such 550 00:28:53,360 --> 00:28:56,040 Speaker 1: a level that's you know, you think of Robert Downey Jr. 551 00:28:56,040 --> 00:28:58,800 Speaker 1: As chaplain and Chaplain Cagney did the same thing as 552 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:02,120 Speaker 1: Lawn Cheney in this movie. And so Cagneys they're laying 553 00:29:02,120 --> 00:29:05,000 Speaker 1: in the hospital bed and he and he beckons with 554 00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:07,920 Speaker 1: without a voice because his throat is messed up, and 555 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:10,720 Speaker 1: he beckons his son to come over with the makeup 556 00:29:10,760 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 1: box and it says Lawn Cheney on it, and he 557 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:17,360 Speaker 1: just he gets a piece of the grease paint or 558 00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:21,040 Speaker 1: whatever and then writes Junior on the box. And that's 559 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:24,360 Speaker 1: sort of in the movie. The last sort of communication 560 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:26,400 Speaker 1: he has with his son before he before he dies. 561 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:29,120 Speaker 1: Then it's It's beautiful, which I think is fiction. But 562 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:32,520 Speaker 1: I'm sure, I'm sure it's fiction, but it's fantastic in 563 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:34,560 Speaker 1: the movie. I mean, here's the thing. If anybody could 564 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:36,680 Speaker 1: pull out that kind of like drama at the end 565 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:39,719 Speaker 1: of their lives, it's Lawn Cheney. But I believe that's fiction. 566 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:43,360 Speaker 1: And it's actually not clear how many films exactly Lawn 567 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:47,280 Speaker 1: Cheney appeared in before his untimely death. There is a count, 568 00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:49,880 Speaker 1: sort of an official count of a hundred and fifty seven, 569 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 1: but even that is qualified as uncertain because in those 570 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:56,240 Speaker 1: early days at Universal, he appeared in so many movies 571 00:29:56,280 --> 00:29:59,400 Speaker 1: as an uncredited bit player that's it's almost impossible to 572 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:03,200 Speaker 1: get an accurate account. Um, it's not like we can 573 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:05,400 Speaker 1: go back and look at all the films and seek 574 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:08,360 Speaker 1: him out one because he was already doing some disguise 575 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:11,320 Speaker 1: work and to because a lot of those films don't 576 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:14,280 Speaker 1: exist anymore. So there's really no way to know. Uh, 577 00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:16,160 Speaker 1: we do know that there was a period where he 578 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:18,920 Speaker 1: would get pictures of himself in films and send them 579 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:21,280 Speaker 1: to his relatives, and he was so good even then 580 00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:23,360 Speaker 1: at disguising himself he would have to circle who he 581 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:25,960 Speaker 1: was in the picture because they didn't know, they couldn't 582 00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:27,920 Speaker 1: pick him out. And I believe like in his early 583 00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:29,280 Speaker 1: career when he was doing films, like he was just 584 00:30:29,320 --> 00:30:31,160 Speaker 1: picking up a lot of extra work because he was 585 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:33,320 Speaker 1: disguising himself so well. So it was it wasn't even 586 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:35,640 Speaker 1: like he was a featured player, Like he'd be bit 587 00:30:36,080 --> 00:30:38,360 Speaker 1: bit player number three in the background with a really 588 00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:40,600 Speaker 1: gnarly scar on his face. Yeah. Yeah, he could just 589 00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:43,600 Speaker 1: transition like that. He was the guy to call when 590 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:46,280 Speaker 1: you needed an extra body. So there's a wonderful story 591 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:49,360 Speaker 1: that Cheney himself allegedly loved. Um And at some point 592 00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:52,800 Speaker 1: in the nineteen twenties, when Cheney's fame for transforming himself 593 00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:55,920 Speaker 1: was well established and revered, a workman on a picture 594 00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:59,080 Speaker 1: that that Marshall Neelan was directing saw a spider on 595 00:30:59,120 --> 00:31:02,200 Speaker 1: the floor and prepared to end its life with his foot, 596 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:05,320 Speaker 1: and the director interceded on the spider's behalf, saying, don't 597 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:09,840 Speaker 1: step on it. It could be lawn. Cheney, he apparently 598 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:15,720 Speaker 1: loved this story. Um. And then to close out, I 599 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:17,640 Speaker 1: thought it might be right to leave you with some 600 00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:20,960 Speaker 1: advice that Lawn Cheney actually gave to Boris Karloff, and 601 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:23,760 Speaker 1: it is about finding success, in this instance in a 602 00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:26,840 Speaker 1: movie career, but it is also just really good life advice. 603 00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:30,320 Speaker 1: In my opinion, find something no one else can or 604 00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:33,400 Speaker 1: will do. The secret of success in movies lies in 605 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:44,920 Speaker 1: being different from everyone else. So that's Lawn Cheney. Many 606 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:47,400 Speaker 1: many thanks, as Tracy said at the beginning, to Brian 607 00:31:47,560 --> 00:31:50,000 Speaker 1: for co hosting on this one, but also from me. 608 00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:52,040 Speaker 1: He's I've said many times, he's like a brother to me. 609 00:31:52,080 --> 00:31:54,520 Speaker 1: I really love Brian and he's great to work with. 610 00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:56,040 Speaker 1: And if you want to know more about his work 611 00:31:56,080 --> 00:31:58,680 Speaker 1: as a writer, you can check out Brian Young fiction 612 00:31:58,760 --> 00:32:01,400 Speaker 1: dot com or you can chase down on Twitter. He 613 00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:04,680 Speaker 1: is at swank Matron, but we'll point out that it 614 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:08,120 Speaker 1: is Brian b r y A n oh. Yes, that's 615 00:32:08,120 --> 00:32:10,840 Speaker 1: a good thing to do. And immense thanks as always 616 00:32:10,880 --> 00:32:13,040 Speaker 1: to Salt Lake Comic Con and to Ryan Call, their 617 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:16,160 Speaker 1: director of programming. Salt Like Comic Con is one of 618 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:20,000 Speaker 1: both of our favorite cons. I was really bummed out 619 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:21,760 Speaker 1: that I had a commitment that meant that I could 620 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:24,680 Speaker 1: not be at this one. It is both exciting and 621 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:28,120 Speaker 1: relaxed at the same time, everyone who works to bring 622 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:30,760 Speaker 1: the show to fruition, from its administrators all the way 623 00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:33,520 Speaker 1: down to the volunteers, has just been incredibly kind and 624 00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:36,280 Speaker 1: delightful to be around every time we have been there. 625 00:32:36,280 --> 00:32:38,920 Speaker 1: So thank you, thank you, thank you. Yeah, I love it. 626 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:41,240 Speaker 1: I always have nothing short of a blast at salt 627 00:32:41,280 --> 00:32:44,080 Speaker 1: Like comic con, and I'm always delighted that people will 628 00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:47,320 Speaker 1: come up and introduce themselves and and hang out. UM. 629 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:49,440 Speaker 1: I met a lovely listener named Clark and his family 630 00:32:49,480 --> 00:32:51,120 Speaker 1: on the street while we were waiting for food trucks, 631 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:53,160 Speaker 1: and then I saw them later on UH and they 632 00:32:53,160 --> 00:32:55,560 Speaker 1: were just so sweet. I love everybody there, So thank 633 00:32:55,560 --> 00:32:58,920 Speaker 1: you Saltlake for having me again because I love it. UH. 634 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:00,600 Speaker 1: And now to close out, I have a little bit 635 00:33:00,760 --> 00:33:03,600 Speaker 1: of listener mail. And this is another postcard round up, 636 00:33:04,440 --> 00:33:07,320 Speaker 1: because we have a pile of postcards that is obscene 637 00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:10,200 Speaker 1: in size and I feel bad that, as we always say, 638 00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 1: we can't recognize every single person. UM. Our first postcard 639 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:18,120 Speaker 1: is from our listener UH Kirston, who is writing us 640 00:33:18,120 --> 00:33:21,640 Speaker 1: from Berlin UH and says that she's a huge fan 641 00:33:21,720 --> 00:33:24,320 Speaker 1: of the podcast and that she and her partner are 642 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:27,680 Speaker 1: vacationing and she works in film and television in Toronto, Canada. 643 00:33:28,120 --> 00:33:30,680 Speaker 1: She says, thank you for many hours of educational entertainment 644 00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:34,440 Speaker 1: while I work behind the scenes at the Canadian Broadcast Center. 645 00:33:35,320 --> 00:33:38,040 Speaker 1: She also gives us a really good idea for a 646 00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:41,440 Speaker 1: future episode that she came across while touring a German 647 00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:43,720 Speaker 1: film museum, and she says, your team always does such 648 00:33:43,720 --> 00:33:46,000 Speaker 1: amazing work. A thousand thank you from across the world. 649 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:49,720 Speaker 1: You're devoted listener, Kirston. Our team is really just me 650 00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:52,400 Speaker 1: and Tracy and Noel, but I feel like we haven't 651 00:33:52,440 --> 00:33:54,600 Speaker 1: taken an opportunity to thank Noel for being amazing in 652 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:57,160 Speaker 1: a while. We'd be dead in the water without him, 653 00:33:57,200 --> 00:34:00,560 Speaker 1: So nol thank you from us and listeners. UM. We 654 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:05,920 Speaker 1: also have a lovely postcard of the Chateau desh Antilly 655 00:34:06,120 --> 00:34:10,839 Speaker 1: from our listener Katerina. Um. It is absolutely beautiful. This 656 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:14,279 Speaker 1: one has gotten really obscured by the postal service and 657 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:16,799 Speaker 1: their markings, but it's a really beautiful postcard and I 658 00:34:16,840 --> 00:34:19,480 Speaker 1: wanted to thank you for sending it. Uh. And then 659 00:34:19,600 --> 00:34:22,560 Speaker 1: our last one is from our listener Katie, who says 660 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:23,920 Speaker 1: I just wanted to send a note to say how 661 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:25,759 Speaker 1: much I love your podcast. I listened to it on 662 00:34:25,800 --> 00:34:27,399 Speaker 1: my way to work and I often end up having 663 00:34:27,480 --> 00:34:30,160 Speaker 1: fun facts to share with my students. I've been leading 664 00:34:30,160 --> 00:34:32,440 Speaker 1: a US tour around the UK and I've been revisiting 665 00:34:32,520 --> 00:34:35,560 Speaker 1: some of the old episodes, like the Brontes. We spent 666 00:34:35,600 --> 00:34:37,520 Speaker 1: a day at the Royal Shakespeare Company and I was 667 00:34:37,560 --> 00:34:40,160 Speaker 1: able to share some information about Iref Frederick Aldrich with 668 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:42,560 Speaker 1: the group. Thank you for making my travels more fun. 669 00:34:43,320 --> 00:34:46,480 Speaker 1: And she sent a beautiful postcard from the Royal Shakespeare 670 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:48,520 Speaker 1: Company of the inside of the theater with all of 671 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:51,920 Speaker 1: the boxes UH displayed, and it's really really lovely, So 672 00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:54,080 Speaker 1: thank you, thank you, thank you. If you would like 673 00:34:54,120 --> 00:34:55,600 Speaker 1: to write to us, you can do so at History 674 00:34:55,640 --> 00:34:58,040 Speaker 1: Podcast at how sto works dot com. You can also 675 00:34:58,080 --> 00:35:01,080 Speaker 1: find us on social media as in History pretty much 676 00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:05,800 Speaker 1: anywhere you look, including Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Tumbler and interest. 677 00:35:06,160 --> 00:35:07,719 Speaker 1: If you would like to check out any of our 678 00:35:07,760 --> 00:35:10,120 Speaker 1: back episodes, we've got them all for me online. You 679 00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:12,200 Speaker 1: can do that at missed in history dot com, or 680 00:35:12,280 --> 00:35:13,799 Speaker 1: you will also find show notes for any of the 681 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:16,640 Speaker 1: episodes that Tracy and I have worked on together. So 682 00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:18,920 Speaker 1: we encourage you come and look around and explore history 683 00:35:18,960 --> 00:35:26,759 Speaker 1: with us. At missed industry dot com. For more on 684 00:35:26,840 --> 00:35:38,360 Speaker 1: this and thousands of other topics, visit housetop works dot com.