James Whitcomb Riley was an American writer, poet, and best-selling author. During his lifetime he was known as the "Hoosier Poet" and "Children's Poet" for his dialect works and his children's poetry. His poems tend to be humorous or sentimental. Of the approximately 1,000 poems Riley wrote, the majority are in dialect. His famous works include "Little Orphant Annie" and "The Raggedy Man".
Colleen Moore was an American film actress who began her career during the silent film era. Moore became one of the most fashionable stars of the era and helped popularize the bobbed haircut.
The Riley Birthplace and Museum, one of two homes called the James Whitcomb Riley House on the National Register of Historic Places, is located at 250 West Main Street in Greenfield, Indiana, twenty miles (32 km) east of downtown Indianapolis.
"Little Orphant Annie" is an 1885 poem written by James Whitcomb Riley and published by the Bobbs-Merrill Company. First titled "The Elf Child", the name was changed by Riley to "Little Orphant Allie" at its third printing; however, a typesetting error during printing renamed the poem to its current form. Known as the "Hoosier poet", Riley wrote the rhymes in 19th-century Hoosier dialect. As one of his most well known poems, it served as the inspiration for the comic strip Little Orphan Annie, which itself inspired a Broadway musical, several films, and many radio and television programs.
Her Wild Oat is a 1927 American silent comedy film made by First National Pictures, directed by Marshall Neilan, and starring Colleen Moore. The screenplay was written by Gerald C. Duffy, based on a story by Howard Irving Young.
Smiling Irish Eyes is a 1929 American pre-Code Vitaphone musical film with Technicolor sequences. The film is now considered a lost film. However, the Vitaphone audio discs still exist.
Why Be Good? is a 1929 American sound comedy film produced by First National Pictures starring Colleen Moore and Neil Hamilton. While the film has no audible dialogue, it is accompanied by a Vitaphone soundtrack that features a musical score with sound effects and some synchronized singing.
So Big is a 1924 American silent film based on Edna Ferber's 1924 novel of the same name which won the Pulitzer Prize for the Novel in 1925. It was produced by independent producer Earl Hudson the film and distributed through Associated First National. Unseen for decades, it is considered to be a lost film. Only a trailer survives at the Library of Congress.
Orchids and Ermine is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by Alfred Santell and starring Colleen Moore that was filmed partly on location in New York. The film still exists. This was Mickey Rooney's first feature-length film.
Slippy McGee is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Wesley Ruggles and based on the book Slippy McGee: Sometimes Known as the Butterfly Man by Marie Conway Oemler that was published in 1917. The film was an Oliver Morosco Production released by Associated First National and featured actress Colleen Moore as Mary Virginia. It is not known whether the film survives.
Naughty but Nice is a 1927 American silent romantic comedy film directed by Millard Webb. Colleen Moore plays Bernice Sumners, a hayseed sent to a ritzy boarding school for finishing after her family strikes it rich in oil.
Twinkletoes is a 1926 American silent romantic drama film directed by Charles Brabin and starring Colleen Moore. The film, as with most of Moore's vehicles at this time, was produced by her husband John McCormick with the couple distributing through Moore's resident studio First National. This film is one of Moore's surviving films from the late silent era and is available on DVD.
So Long Letty is a 1920 silent American comedy film directed by Al Christie and starring Grace Darmond, T. Roy Barnes, and Colleen Moore. It was an adaptation of a 1916 popular stage comedy musical of the same name that starred Charlotte Greenwood.
Oh, Kay! is a 1928 silent film produced by John McCormick and distributed by First National Pictures. McCormick's wife Colleen Moore starred and Mervyn LeRoy directed the film. It is based on the 1926 musical Oh, Kay!, which had music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and a book by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse.
His Nibs is a 1921 American comedy film directed by Gregory La Cava and starring Chic Sale and Colleen Moore.
Little Orphant Annie is a 1918 American silent drama film directed by Colin Campbell and stars Colleen Moore, in her first leading role, as the title character. The film is based on James Whitcomb Riley's popular 1885 poem of the same title. Riley also appears in the film.
Social Register is an American 1934 pre-Code comedy-drama musical film starring Colleen Moore. The film re-united her with her old friend and one of the first directors to give her film career a start, Marshall Neilan. The film was based on the 1931 play of the same name by Anita Loos and John Emerson.
Success at Any Price is a 1934 American pre-Code film starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Genevieve Tobin, Frank Morgan and silent film star Colleen Moore. It is based on the 1932 play Success Story by John Howard Lawson.
Sally is a 1925 American silent romantic comedy film starring Colleen Moore. The film was directed by Alfred E. Green, produced by Moore's husband John McCormick, and based on the musical Sally written by Guy Bolton and Clifford Grey that was adapted to film by June Mathis. The play was a Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. production written specifically for Marilyn Miller that opened on December 21, 1920, at the New Amsterdam Theatre on Broadway. It ran for 570 performances.
It Must Be Love is a 1926 American silent comedy film directed by Alfred E. Green and starring Colleen Moore, Jean Hersholt, and Malcolm McGregor.
