This week’s mystery movie was the 1924 Pathe Picture Girl Shy, with Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralston, Richard Daniels and Carlton Griffin.
Directed by Fred Newmeyer and Sam Taylor.
Story by Sam Taylor, Ted Wilde and Tim Whelan.
Titles by Thomas J. Gray.
Photographed by Walter Lundin. Assisted by Henry N. Kohler.
Production manager John L. Murphy.
Edited by Allen McNeil.
Assistant director Robert A. Golden.
Technical director William MacDonald.
Art direction by Liell K. Vedder.
Produced by the Harold Lloyd Corp. William R. Fraser, General Manager.
Further information about Girl Shy is available from the AFI Catalog.
Girl Shy is available on DVD from Critics’ Choice Video.
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The trade papers were offline this week because the Internet Archive is recovering from an enormous data breach, so I had to use another method, selecting Girl Shy, which was just shown at the Pordenone Silent Film Festival. I already had a print in the Daily Mirror vault, an earlier release that isn’t as sharp, but has a score by Robert Israel. This print, preserved by the UCLA Film, Television and Radio Archives, is far superior – but with a ghastly improvised jazz score that makes no effort to fit the film. It’s 87 minutes of free improvisation by an unidentified ensemble. Just dreadful. Of all the silent comedians, I think Harold Lloyd suffers by far the worst film scores. Charlie Chaplin gets Charlie Chaplin and David Raksin. Buster Keaton gets Carl Davis. Lloyd gets anonymous jazzers adlibbing; you can’t even tell whether they saw the movie.
This is a Harold Lloyd film, so we know that despite numerous setbacks, he’s going to get the girl and that the film will conclude with a mad chase, involving cars, horses and, naturally, an out of control streetcar across Los Angeles to stop his beloved’s marriage to another man. Will he get there in time? Of course!
It appears that Lantern will be offline for another week, so I will once again have to randomly pick a film for the week of October 21.
Did The New York Times even review Girl Shy? It’s pretty early. Possibly the Mordaunt Hall era.
The unsigned review from the pioneer days of film criticism. Notice that it refers to the audience reaction, a rookie error. (April 21, 1924):
Those who went to the Strand yesterday to see Harold Lloyd in Girl Shy apparently forgot about the Easter showers in their merriment over this picture, which is filled with farcical sequences. Mr. Lloyd is a genius in obtaining and making the most of new ideas to bring happiness to audiences, and while we do not think that this particular effort is quite as subtle in its fun as Why Worry? there is no denying that row upon row of faces in the packed theater enjoyed it to their hearts’ content.
For Monday, we have a mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Hayes E. Robertson.
For Tuesday, we have an exotic mystery woman.
Update: This is Nola Luxford.
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have a mysterious lad.
Update: This is Joe Cobb.
Brain Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (mystery movie and both mystery guests).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have a mystery fellow.
Update: This is Carlton Griffin.
Brain Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (Wednesday’s mysterious lad), Mary Mallory (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery fellow and Wednesday’s mystery lad), Sylvia E. (Wednesday’s mystery lad), Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery lad) and Suznchaz (Wednesday’s mystery lad).
For Friday, we have a mysterious couple.
Update: This is Jobyna Ralson and Harold Lloyd.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mysterious fellow), Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mystery fellow), Sylvia E. (mystery movie and all mystery guests) and Sarah (Wednesday’s mysterious lad).
ladailymirror.com 
everwtt brown West of broadway.
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An interesting guess, but alas, I’m afraid not.
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Hayes E. Robertson and Nola Luxford in “Girl Shy.”
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Something about the eyes makes me think Myrna Loy.
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Joe Cobb!
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Joe Cobb today
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Wednesday’s kid looks like Joe Cobb, but not sure. No idea really on the film. Monday’s image seems to possibly involve a train though (the background elements and the guy looking upwards toward an OS person). Will await Thursday’s entry.
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GIRL SHY. Hayes E. Robertson Monday and Judy King Tuesday.
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Joe Cobb.
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Joe Cobb as the happy kid, but this must be a silent non-“Little Rascals” short.
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Jobyna Ralston on Tuesday and Carlton Griffin today.
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Carlton Griffin getting his ego bruised.
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Ah…so there is a train involved!
“Girl Shy” 1924
Mon – if our guy has a rundown car in the movie, apparently he’s Hayes E. Robertson. I found a site that tracked down several movies that Mr Robinson is in as an extra, but is misidentified as two other actors in several other film history sources. This “tracker” went through studio payroll docs to confirm Mr Robinson. Anyway, I’m not sure this is him. Couldn’t find photos that felt solid and this was not one of the films listed. He’s in the IMDb cast list though, so I’ll temp say it’s him for now. Hope you know for sure.
Tues – Our hero’s imaginary vamp is Nola Luxford
Weds – Joe Cobb
Thurs – Carlton Griffin is our “Rich Man”
Fri – will bring our leads, Harold Lloyd and Jobyna Ralston
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Charlie Chase
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Wednesday’s lad is Joe Cobb.
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Friday: Jobyna Ralston and Harold Lloyd in Girl Shy. Wednesday’s “chubby” kid is Joe Cobb.
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Fri – Jobyna Ralston and Harold Lloyd
After seeing the movie and more angles of his character, I’m sticking with Hayes E Robertson as per IMDb for Monday’s guy. Will await your Saturday breakdown.
Very cute romp of a film. Amazing stunts at the end.
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Carlton Griffin, Jobyna Ralston and Harold Lloyd in GIRL SHY.
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Jobyna Ralston and Harold Lloyd.
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nula luxford Tuesday.
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is the movie Girl Shy, from 1924 with Harold Lloyd ? If so then Wednesdays child actor is Joe Cobb from Our Gang.
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On Friday, the fellow on the right is clearly Harold Lloyd. The woman on the left is not Mabel Normand…I don’t know who she is.
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