Ralph Staub

Mickey Rooney, plugging his latest Columbia film, stops by Ralph Staub's editing room and film vault, and the two of them watch clips from Rooney's films, dating back as far as the Mickey McGuire comedies.

Mickey Rooney, plugging his latest Columbia film, stops by Ralph Staub's editing room and film vault, and the two of them watch clips from Rooney's films, dating back as far as the Mickey McGuire comedies.

Ralph Staub visits Hollywood's annual "Out of This World" charity-baseball game between two celebrity baseball teams.

Ralph Staub zooms his Screen Snapshots camera in on many of the most famous newspaper comic-strip cartoonists and creators of the era. Notable in that all of the comic-strip characters referenced, with the exception of "Our Debbie" and "Smoky Stover", appeared in films or cartoons at some point or another, ranging from the silent years past 1950. Gus Edson's "Dondi" while not mentioned in this short, was also made into a feature film.

The correct and full name of this short is "Screen Snapshots: Laguna,U.S.A." (Columbia production number 9852), in which director/producer Ralph Staub is out touring Laguna Beach. While there, he drops in at the Griffin Theatre where actors Brian Aherne, Lon Chaney Jr., Dane Clark and Eddie Bracken are rehearsing, as members of the Griffin Theatre Players, their roles in an upcoming stage presentation of "Of Mice and Men." To be precise, Lon Chaney is not in this film as "Lennie", as some sources seem to think.

A look back at 25 years of Columbia's series of newsreels chronicling the film industry and the lives of Hollywood stars. Clips from earlier films in the series are featured, along with a montage of film greats who have passed away in the intervening years.

A look back at 25 years of Columbia's series of newsreels chronicling the film industry and the lives of Hollywood stars. Clips from earlier films in the series are featured, along with a montage of film greats who have passed away in the intervening years.

A look back at 25 years of Columbia's series of newsreels chronicling the film industry and the lives of Hollywood stars. Clips from earlier films in the series are featured, along with a montage of film greats who have passed away in the intervening years.

A look back at 25 years of Columbia's series of newsreels chronicling the film industry and the lives of Hollywood stars. Clips from earlier films in the series are featured, along with a montage of film greats who have passed away in the intervening years.

1944 short film nominated for an Oscar in the category of Best Short Subject, One Reel

Actors are seen in their new roles as military men during WWII: Robert Stack displaying his remarkable skill as an artillery training officer; Tyrone Power as a Marine drill instructor; Rudy Vallee leading a military band; and Glenn Ford in the everyday grind of a Marine private.

Actors are seen in their new roles as military men during WWII: Robert Stack displaying his remarkable skill as an artillery training officer; Tyrone Power as a Marine drill instructor; Rudy Vallee leading a military band; and Glenn Ford in the everyday grind of a Marine private.

Actors are seen in their new roles as military men during WWII: Robert Stack displaying his remarkable skill as an artillery training officer; Tyrone Power as a Marine drill instructor; Rudy Vallee leading a military band; and Glenn Ford in the everyday grind of a Marine private.

Actors are seen in their new roles as military men during WWII: Robert Stack displaying his remarkable skill as an artillery training officer; Tyrone Power as a Marine drill instructor; Rudy Vallee leading a military band; and Glenn Ford in the everyday grind of a Marine private.

The edition of Screen Snapshots celebrates 25 years of production. It looks at the content of edition #1, then a tribute to movie people who have died in those 25 years. Finally there are tributes to the Screen Snapshots series by Cecil De Mille, Walt Disney, Louella Parsons and Rosalind Russell.

Sgt. Renfrew and Constable Kelly go aloft to search for a plane missing with a shipment of gold from the Yukon Mine Company. Inventor Speavy has devised a power ray which disrupts electrical impulses, and Morgan and his gang of crooks has brought in Prof. Lewis to increase the ray's range, telling him he's helping the government develop this new weapon. Speavy spills the beans to Prof. Lewis and his daughter Madeleine,and Morgan threatens to implicate them in his crimes unless they cooperate. Morgan kills Speavy when he tries to warn Renfrew, but when Madeleine stows away on board the doomed plane Renfrew is piloting, will the crooks be able to make Prof. Lewis use the power ray to bring the plane down?

The Royal Mounties are called in when one of the armored cars owned by Maxwell, containing a gold shipment, disappears with driver George Hill suspected of trying to get away with the gold. Actually, Maxwell and two henchmen had poured acid on the brake lines, causing the car to crash. Genevieve, daughter of the Mountie chief, suspects Maxwell and Thomas Hatch, president of the bank shipping the gold, but she quickly becomes more trouble than help to Sergeant Renfrew in charge of the investigation. Renfrew and Constable Kelly drive the next shipment but Maxwell plans to make them crash the same way as Hill did. Renfrew steers the vehicle into a hillside and this gives him an idea of what happened to the other car.

When the plane owned by the "Yukon and Columbia Mail Service" crashes, RCMP Sergeant Renfrew (James Newill) and Constable Kelly (Dave O'Brien) suspect murder. Their suspicions are confirmed when Renfrew finds the control stick has been jammed, forcing the plane to fly in one direction until the gas ran out. Mine owner Louise Howard (Louise Stanley) reports that her superintendent is missing. The Mounties find him murdered and that too has been made to look like an accident. A new mail service pilot, Bill Shipley (Warren Hull), arrives. He had gone to training school with Renfrew but had been cashiered for misconduct. The Mounties discover that Raymond (Karl Hackett), who had been working for Louise, really owns the flying line managed by Yuke Cardoe (William Pawley.) They find proof that all the gold from the mine isn't being turned over to Louise, and suspect that Raymond and Yuke are stealing the gold and shipping it to Seattle by plane.

Chip of the Flying U was Johnny Mack Brown's first western entry for 1940. Brown essays the title role of Chip Bennett, foreman of the Flying U ranch. Before the second reel has tumbled over the spools, Chip finds himself falsely accused of robbery and murder. The actual miscreants are in the employ of a band of foreign gunrunners, who speak in heavily Teutonic accents. Rest assured that Chip makes short work of these bush-league Storm Troopers before the sun sets in the West. Musical interludes are provided by a group calling themselves the Texas Rangers, even though they actually hailed from Kansas City.

Chip of the Flying U was Johnny Mack Brown's first western entry for 1940. Brown essays the title role of Chip Bennett, foreman of the Flying U ranch. Before the second reel has tumbled over the spools, Chip finds himself falsely accused of robbery and murder. The actual miscreants are in the employ of a band of foreign gunrunners, who speak in heavily Teutonic accents. Rest assured that Chip makes short work of these bush-league Storm Troopers before the sun sets in the West. Musical interludes are provided by a group calling themselves the Texas Rangers, even though they actually hailed from Kansas City.

The four Westmore brothers work their make-up magic on a variety of Hollywood stars.

The four Westmore brothers work their make-up magic on a variety of Hollywood stars.

An assortment of musical acts parade before the camera; Joy Hodges and Pinky Tomlin sing; The Elderblooms, a group of ladies ranging in age from 63 to 76, sing a song; acrobatic dancer Lucille Page does a turn; and young Mary Ruth winds it up playing a classical piece on the piano. Disjointed is the word.

Ice skating is the theme; at the Tropical Ice Garden, in Westwood Hills, are seen a flock of skating stars including Irene Dare and Phyllis Ann Thomoson, as well as Hollywood luminaries such as Franklyn Pangborn, Norma Shearer, Rita Hayworth, Mickey Rooney, Dick Purcell and Ann Sheridan.

Ice skating is the theme; at the Tropical Ice Garden, in Westwood Hills, are seen a flock of skating stars including Irene Dare and Phyllis Ann Thomoson, as well as Hollywood luminaries such as Franklyn Pangborn, Norma Shearer, Rita Hayworth, Mickey Rooney, Dick Purcell and Ann Sheridan.

Ice skating is the theme; at the Tropical Ice Garden, in Westwood Hills, are seen a flock of skating stars including Irene Dare and Phyllis Ann Thomoson, as well as Hollywood luminaries such as Franklyn Pangborn, Norma Shearer, Rita Hayworth, Mickey Rooney, Dick Purcell and Ann Sheridan.

Ice skating is the theme; at the Tropical Ice Garden, in Westwood Hills, are seen a flock of skating stars including Irene Dare and Phyllis Ann Thomoson, as well as Hollywood luminaries such as Franklyn Pangborn, Norma Shearer, Rita Hayworth, Mickey Rooney, Dick Purcell and Ann Sheridan.

Knowing that is contains valuable helium gas, a gang of bad guys first tries to purchase the ranch which Gene straw-bosses. When that fails, they lay a hidden pipeline to snag the gas.

Gene takes care of three tough kids sent west from Chicago after their father died and left them a cattle ranch. They help him catch a bunch of rustlers.

A visit to Buck Jones's new ranch and his horse, Silver, to James Gleason and his dog, to Charles Ruggles and his kennels; on the set of 'You Can't Take it With You', director Frank Capra and stars James Stewart and Jean Arthur celebrate Lionel Barrymore's sixtieth birthday; a ski meet is held at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

A visit to Buck Jones's new ranch and his horse, Silver, to James Gleason and his dog, to Charles Ruggles and his kennels; on the set of 'You Can't Take it With You', director Frank Capra and stars James Stewart and Jean Arthur celebrate Lionel Barrymore's sixtieth birthday; a ski meet is held at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

This MGM short provides brief glimpses of over sixty screen actors and actresses, all whom started in silent films.

This MGM short provides brief glimpses of over sixty screen actors and actresses, all whom started in silent films.

A tour of Hollywood, featuring such star frequented spots as the Vendome, the Lakeside Golf Club, the West Side Tennis Club, the Santa Anita Racetrack, the Ambassador Hotel's Cocoanut Grove, the Biltmore Bowl, and the American Legion Stadium.

A tour of Hollywood, featuring such star frequented spots as the Vendome, the Lakeside Golf Club, the West Side Tennis Club, the Santa Anita Racetrack, the Ambassador Hotel's Cocoanut Grove, the Biltmore Bowl, and the American Legion Stadium.

A tour of Hollywood, featuring such star frequented spots as the Vendome, the Lakeside Golf Club, the West Side Tennis Club, the Santa Anita Racetrack, the Ambassador Hotel's Cocoanut Grove, the Biltmore Bowl, and the American Legion Stadium.

A tour of Hollywood, featuring such star frequented spots as the Vendome, the Lakeside Golf Club, the West Side Tennis Club, the Santa Anita Racetrack, the Ambassador Hotel's Cocoanut Grove, the Biltmore Bowl, and the American Legion Stadium.

A heartthrob singer, Tony Paige, also known as "America's Boyfriend" decides to wed a Swedish actress. His manager doesn't want this because he is afraid of Tony losing female fans so he takes up a 300 hundred thousand dollar insurance policy if Tony does in fact wed. Tony soon meets a girl name June Delaney on a bus who doesn't swoon over him like other girls. He falls for her but doesn't know her true identity.

Cappy Ricks, a crusty old sea captain, returns home from a long voyage to discover that his family and his business are in chaos--his daughter is set to marry a nitwit that he can't stand, and his future mother-in-law has taken over everything and is set to merge his business with that of a rival company. Worst of all, though, is that she--in the interests of "progress"--has completely automated his beloved ship, "Electra"!. He sets out to put an end to all this foolishness and comes up with what he thinks is a foolproof plan.

A sailor bets his friends he can get a date with any woman they choose. They pick out a librarian with glasses and a bookish appearance. When he pursues her, he discovers that she is quite beautiful and that he has competition -- but his rival has more sinister intentions than anyone imagines.

New York City cop Phil Donlon leaves the force to join the U.S. Olympic team. When he falls for a Marine colonel's daughter he gets kicked off the team. Joining the Marines to win the Colonel's approval many adventures follow.

Ellery Queen solves a mystery involving a valuable stamp.

After being run out of town after town for trying to sell worthless stock, two con artists breeze into the small town of Chesterville, where they find themselves accused of kidnapping a young boy to whom they offered a ride. When that misunderstanding is cleared up, the two conmen hatch a plot to unload all their worthless paper on the gullible citizens of Chesterville.

Viewers are provided a visit to Ken Maynard's private circus; Bette Davis poses for her portrait; Frank McHugh plays with his children; a visit to the West Side Tennis Club affords glimpses of many stars.

Viewers are provided a visit to Ken Maynard's private circus; Bette Davis poses for her portrait; Frank McHugh plays with his children; a visit to the West Side Tennis Club affords glimpses of many stars.

A successful songwriter and a struggling singer become involved professionally and romantically on the road to stardom.

Echo Mountain (1936) is a color musical short where they sing their songs in a mountains setting.

In this musical short, a shipwrecked sailor is washed up on the shores of a tropical island and falls in love with a beautiful princess.

It's carnival time, crowds gather for horse races and the games and food of a midway. Bobby the singing jockey will be riding the favorite Stardust, and if they win, the prize money will enable Bobby to ask Maggie, a carnival florist, to marry him. Tony, an exuberant balloon man, happens on a plot to hobble Stardust. Tony has bet his business on the race's outcome. How will Stardust do?

A Salesman tries to locate a notorious Mexican bandit.

The Keystone Hotel hosts a very prestigeous beauty contest. When the cross-eyed judge presents the first prize to an elderly cleaning woman, angry members of the audience respond by hurling custard pies. The Keystone Kops are summoned, and arrive just in time to get plastered with pastry.

Tina (Wini Shaw), a singing Gypsy with a band of roving gypsies, is invited by Tom (Phillip Reed) to come over to his mother's (Margaret Dumont) estate where a lawn party is in progress. She brings along her friends and a whole caravan of gypsies take over the green, telling fortunes, singing and dancing. Most of the comedy is supplied by the kleptomaniac butler,Bellingham, (Eddie Shubert) and his employer who humors his nutty ways...as good help seems to be hard to find.

This short shows the entrances of the various Hollywood studios, then specifically visits Warner Bros. / First National Studios. We start at the casting office, then see Busby Berkeley and choreographer Bobby Connolly working with chorus girls on production numbers. Then come some candid shots of several contract stars. Finally we see comedian Hugh Herbert filming a scene for an upcoming release, then the various behind the scenes steps that transition the raw film in the camera into the finished product.

A bill collector and a policeman are captured by a group of mad scientists and taken to an all-female Indian tribe for study.

During the Great Depression, vaudeville has fallen on hard times. The Palace Theater may have to close its doors, unless the proprietor, William Jenkins, does something different, so he allows his 12-year-old son to put on a kiddie show that packs the house.

Hollywood is a town that holds many memories of the movie business and the movies themselves, which has resulted in a town brimming with possibilities and wealth. But the town had very humble beginnings. Part of that history includes the professional lives of the plethora of who are now considered movie stars, such as Mabel Normand, 'Larry Semon', Willard Louis, Rudolph Schildkraut, Barbara La Marr, 'Rudolph Valentino', Dustin Farnum, William Russell, Roy Stewart, Alma Rubens, Frederick A. Thomson, Art Acord, George Beban, Louis Wolheim, George Siegmann, 'Douglas Fairbanks', Mary Pickford, Jack Pickford, Milton Sills, Lon Chaney, Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle, Renée Adorée, Lilyan Tashman, Lew Cody, Alec B. Francis, and Marie Dressler.

Elmer O'Dare fancies himself an expert circus performer.

Two Americans attempt to make time with the daughter of the British financier of an archaeological expedition to Egypt.

Harry Gribbon and Shemp Howard enter the world of fine art in Paris.

A 1934 Warner Brothers Vitaphone short, "Corn on the Cop." In this one, two hobos launch a get-rich scheme by trying to sell axle grease marketed as salve for relief from corns and bunions. The idea, unfortunately, goes awry. Starring Harry Gribbon with Shemp Howard, Boyd Davis, and Mary Doran.

Ben Blue has "the largest vein in the country," but not the kind that the gold prospectors in Alaska think he's got!

A man, his wife and his overgrown son visit a penny arcade, where he drops a penny in the moviola and he (and we) watch The Perfectly Formed Woman (1910), and another penny to watch The Song of the Wildwood Flutes (1910). The man encounters the disdain of his goody-two-shoes plump wife because of his lascivious ogling.

Harry Gribbon is Horace, a man with one passion in life: Mushrooms.

Long before the release of the cult film Dracula vs. Frankenstein, the original stars of Dracula and Frankenstein met face to face--for a game of chess. The scene is from an early 1934 episode of Columbia Pictures' Screen Snapshots, a series of short films featuring the off-screen lives of Hollywood stars.

A Columbia Pictures promotional short which explains how a movie is made.

A Columbia Pictures promotional short which explains how a movie is made.

Pola Negri, Bebe Daniels, Mitzi Green, Polly Moran, Mack Sennett and Marjorie Beebe are seen relaxing at Palm Springs, a California winter resort; Barbara Stanwyck and Ricardo Cortez play golf; other celebrities are shown in Malibu Beach.

Pola Negri, Bebe Daniels, Mitzi Green, Polly Moran, Mack Sennett and Marjorie Beebe are seen relaxing at Palm Springs, a California winter resort; Barbara Stanwyck and Ricardo Cortez play golf; other celebrities are shown in Malibu Beach.

Andy Clyde plays football with the Sennett girls; Mary Pickford's miniature golf course is shown.

Buster Keaton plays in a celebrity baseball game.

Players Aileen Pringle and Grant Withers are seen working on the set of Soldiers and Women at Columbia; Bessie Love and John Miljan are seen at MGM; Walt Disney is shown drawing Mickey Mouse; Eddie Cantor and his family arrive in Hollywood in preparation for his work in Samuel Goldwyn's Whoopee.

President and Mrs. Calvin Coolidge visit Jack L. Warner and Mary Pickford in Hollywood; various players are glimpsed at work on the Columbia lot; stars turn out for a Hollywood Premiere.

Eddie Lambert leads the tour; Douglas Fairbanks Jr., and Joan Crawford return from their honeymoon trip; Carl Laemmle, Jr. welcomes Paul Whiteman to Hollywood; Edward Everett shows off his menagerie; Eddie Quillan displays his saxophone skills; other players are glimpsed.

A Vitaphone featurette which takes audiences through the every day happenings of some of Hollywood’s finest film studios.

Seeing Hollywood, intimate glimpses of your favorite stars, at home, at work, and at play.