During the 1920s, Raymond Griffith was one of the most popular comic actors in movies. Today, he is mostly forgotten since most of his films are lost ”“ but two films that survived are being presented for the first time on DVD and Blu-ray.
On June 13, Undercrank Productions will release “Raymond Griffith: The Silk Hat Comedian,” which will feature two of the star’s surviving features ”“ “Paths to Paradise” (1925) and “You”™d Be Surprised” (1926) ”“ in new 2K digital restorations from 35mm archival preservations by the Library of Congress, and new musical scores have been created for them by celebrated film historian and silent film composer Ben Model.
“I first learned about Raymond Griffith through Walter Kerr”™s book ”˜The Silent Clowns,”™ and then from screenings of his films at Kerr”™s home,” said Model, who is also the founder and president of Undercrank Productions. “I was instantly a fan, and over the past couple decades I”™ve found that the Griffith comedies are always a hit whenever they”™re shown. They”™re really clever, deftly balancing character and situational humor with physical comedy, and Griffith’s unflappable demeanor is something you don”™t usually see in silent comedy. Classic film fans are in for a real treat!”
Also included on the disc is a video essay “Raymond Griffith: Silent Comedy”™s Silk-Hatted Secret,” which outlines the comedian”™s life and career. More information is available online at the Undercrank Productions website.
Photo of Raymond Griffith courtesy of the Museum of Modern Art.
