Buddy Rogers filmography
here is a list of all his films (as far as i know.) a lot of work went in to this, finding his films and reviewing them. i mean it was a project i had assigned to myself, but it was hard work nonetheless (not without it's rewards--nothing beats seeing Buddy sing "Bee in Your Boudoir" in Safety in Numbers!!) NOTE: all were made at Paramount Pictures, unless otherwise noted.
1926
Fascinating Youth
His first movie, as well as starring role. Featuring the graduates from the illustrious Paramount Pictures "School of Stars", Buddy was in the lead as Teddy Ward, promoting his father's resort hotel with an iceboat race. With the exception of Rogers and the lovely Thelma Todd, the careers of their 'classmates' never took off. Sadly, no known copies of this film are known to exist. Directed by Sam Wood.
More Pay-Less Work
Not too much known about this film, except that it is most likely lost and that it was made for Fox studios (which would explain why it's lost, most of Fox's early titles burned in a huge vault fire in the 40s or 50s).
So's Your Old Man
W.C. Fields stars as the father of a small-town girl after the wealthy Kenneth Murchison (Rogers). Fields invents a shatter-proof windshield for cars and goes to Washington to raise money so that his daughter can marry her man. This film is also presumed lost.
Buddy and frequent costar Nancy Carroll
1927
Wings
This epic WW1 drama won the first Academy Award (before they were ever known as 'Oscars') for best picture, and was the only silent film to have won that award. This film cemented Buddy's place in Hollywood as a genuine star. He played John 'Jack' Powell, a small-town kid with dreams of flight. Jack and David Armstrong (Richard Arlen) fight over the same girl (Jobyna Ralston), while the good-girl Mary Preston (the wonderful Clara Bow) is virtually ignored. Their lives are turned upside down as Jack and David head off to Europe for the war. It's a great movie, and the battle scenes even stand up to the digitally-enhanced action we have today in film. William Wellman directed. Also worth noting is Clara's infamous topless scene. Said Buddy, "That was the most i'd ever seen of Clara". hehe.
My Best Girl
I cannot say enough about this film. It is just too good to miss. Mary Pickford plays stockgirl Maggie Johnson, and Rogers is Joe Grant, the clumsy new stockboy who works with her. Little does she know that Joe Grant is actually Joe Merrill, the store owner's son. He seems to forget this himself, as he falls in love with Mary and breaks his engagement to the high-socitety Millicent. It's a charming, entertaining story, and while Mary's 'rant' at the end is a bit long, it's otherwise perfect. Directed by Sam Taylor and written by Hope Loring, who wrote many of Pickford's pictures.
Get Your Man
Ths is the second movie Buddy co-starred with Clara Bow. It takes place in France, where Robert Albin (Rogers) is betrothed to Simone de Valens (Josephine Dunn). Clara plays Nancy Worthington, the American girl that Buddy falls for in a Paris department store. Nancy decides to 'get her man' and hatches a plan so she can break up the engagement. A very cute comedy, and even though two reels are missing, the copy recently recovered by the AFI is fine. (It gives me great hope that maybe more of Buddy's films can be recovered)
1928
Varsity
Varsity is another film that i've all but given up on ever finding *sigh*. A college-type picture, it was described as "Very good entertainment...inside dope on speakeasy joints and carnival life... wasn't what our patrons expected from Buddy Rogers and Mary Brian." (quite honestly i forget where the quote is from, sorry!) Chester Conklin plays the school's caretaker, and tries to steer Buddy's character from drinking, gambling, and the usual college debauchery. Rogers' first 'talkie' if you can call it that. It had a few musical numbers and very little dialogue.
Someone to Love
Buddy Rogers and Mary Brian star in this remake of The Charm School (1921). After taking charge of an all-girls school, William (Rogers) has to convince Joan (Brian) that he isn't a fortune-hunter. Another lost film.
Abie's Irish Rose
Anne Nichols's play opened on Broadway in 1922 to the dismay of many theatre critics. The same happened in '28 when the movie adaptation was released. However, it fared well at the box office, and moviegoers enjoyed the first of the Rogers-Nancy Carroll features. As Jewish soldier Abie Levy (which is at least somewhat ironic considering he's almost 100% Irish), he falls for Rosemary Murphy, a young Irish girl. I haven't seen the movie, but the book was good! This is another film considered lost.
Abie's Irish Rose- the newlyweds
Red Lips
Hmm-- more information about this film as i receive it, please be patient
1929
Close Harmony
Buddy and Nancy pair up again for another lighthearted romance. This time he's Al West, a dance band leader (what a stretch) after the heart of song & dance girl Marjorie Merwin. It also starred Jack Oakie, Skeets Gallagher, and Harry Green. (lost)
River of Romance
Buddy stars in yet another love story, this one an adaptation of Booth Tarkington's play Magnolia. He turns on the Southern charm here, romancing the lovely Mary Brian. Here he also has the infamous sideburns which had caused quite a controversy in the movie magazines of that time. (lost)
Illusion
Set in the shady world of vaudeville, Buddy and Nancy are at it again, along with June Collyer and Mary Brian. The only thing worth noting are the songs, "When the Real Thing Comes Your Way" and "Revolutiuonary Rhythm", both by Larry Spier. (lost)
Halfway to Heaven
Ned Lee (Rogers) dreams of becoming a professional trapeze artist. He finally makes it in a traveling circus, but happens to fall in love with Greta Nelson,
June Collyer, Rogers, and sideburns
(Jean Arthur), who Nick (Paul Lukas) is also in love with. The climactic fight scene is probably the only time i've ever seen Buddy get angry, which makes it worth watching. I might add that Buddy is in a black leotard for most of the film, so this one shouldn't be missed!!
1930
Young Eagles
Buddy stars in another WW1 drama directed by Billy Wellman. This time Buddy (as Lt. Robert Banks) falls for a girl (Jean Arthur, again) who is involved with another man (Paul Lukas--notice a pattern?) She ends up being a spy, or so Buddy thinks.
Paramount on Parade
The funny thing about Paramount on Parade is that it isn't really a full-length feature, although it was advertised as that. All it really was was a series of shorts put together by Paramount to show off it's impressive stable of stars. Buddy's segment is the very first in the film. He sings the charming "Any Time's the Time to Fall in Love" with Lillian Roth. It also features Maurice Chevalier, Clara Bow, Nancy Carroll, Richard Arlen, Gary Cooper, Jean Arthur, Fay Wray, and Evelyn Brent... to name a few.
Safety in Numbers
I don't care how contrived the plot may be, or how the acting may not be considered Oscar-worthy, this is a GREAT film. Buddy is at his best. As William Butler Reynolds, Jr., he is sent to New York by his uncle to 'become a man' and learn to live in the real world. Three Follies girls are assigned to watch over him. Carole Lombard, Josephine Dunn, and Kathryn Crawford play the girls perfectly, and as Buddy's love interest Crawford is sweet. The song and dance numbers are classic; "My Future Just Passed", "The Pick-Up", and my personal favorite, "Bee in Your Boudoir". This movie set the example for other musicals of the era. Directed by Victor Schertzinger.
Follow Thru
GRR! Okay, bad way to start this. You see, the movie is available, but not to the public. I heard UCLA has it (correct me if i'm wrong.) This is Buddy's first film in technicolor, albeit a two-strip version (Paramount on Parade had technicolor sequences, yes, but not any that Buddy were in). I am very mad about this. I have to see this film. Anyway, it's a musical-comedy-romance deal, Rogers playing Jerry Downes, the lovesick golf instructor to Lora Moore (Nancy Carroll, in her fourth and last film with Rogers)Thelma Todd also starred as Lora's rival Mrs. Van Horn. Filled with delightful tunes "I Want to Be Bad", "Lucky Star", and "Button Up Your Overcoat", written by DeSylva, Brown, and Henderson. Directed by Lloyd Corrigan and Lawrence Schwab.
Outside the Law
Hmm.. okay. I know this one was directed by Tod Browning (Freaks) and that it was made for Universal Pictures. But as for Buddy Rogers actually being in the film, i have no clue. I'll have to find the film to verify that.
Heads Up
A cute, light comedy-again- with Buddy (as Jack Mason) chasing after the rich Mary Trumbull (Margaret Breen). He's a coast guard officer , but that doesn't impress Mary's mother (Helen Carrington). He fights to win her mother's affection, while trying to keep Mary's. He also has to deal with bootleggers using the girlfriend's boat. Buddy sings "If I Knew You Better" and other, more forgettable ballads.
-more later, i'm tired-
