Box Tops: A Century of Cinematic #1 Hits

FOLKS! Celebrate the triumphant return of BOX TOPS with the films that topped the box office in the first four months of 1923. On this episode, we discuss the tragic death of early screen idol Wallace Reid, go through the life of Denver native Douglas Fairbanks on his way to his greatest triumph, "Robin Hood", discuss two separate projects involving women in their 30s playing teenagers, stage legend Laurette Taylor in "Peg o' My Heart" and an opportunity to finally get to talk about Hollywood juggernaut Mary Pickford, contrasting two separate versions of "Tess of the Storm Country". PLUS we check in with Charlie Chaplin as he is finally, FINALLY released from his First National contract upon the release of "The Pilgrim", AND as always we get into the lost chart-toppers, some of which star Pola Negri and others which sound insane.

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The box office in the summer (April-August) of 1922 had more films hit #1 than any four-month season span in the last hundred years, a whopping SEVENTEEN, but the only two new-release dramatic films released both had one thing in common: they were star vehicles for RUDOLPH VALENTINO, "Beyond the Rocks" and "Blood & Sand", two very interesting and compelling films with notable leading ladies.

We also get into the backstory on "Nanook of the North", a rare documentary #1, and we delve into its earnest depictions, its falsehoods, what it meant to be a documentary in 1922 and what this film still holds for us today.

We ALSO check back in with Charlie Chaplin, who has completed his eight films for First National Pictures but somehow still has not been released from their grip, thanks to a release dispute for his final film, and peoples' hunger for more of his work that a re-release of his war comedy "Shoulder Arms" hit back up to #1.

On the very first episode of Box Tops, a journey through the last 100 years of box office #1 hits, we begin in Spring 1922 by discussing the outrageous Hollywood scandals leading up to the release of Erich Von Stroheim's "Foolish Wives", as well as the wild highs and lows of the career of Charlie Chaplin embodied by his final two-reeler "Pay Day", and delve into the career of Norma Talmadge as we discuss her biggest hit, the forgotten sentimental favorite "Smilin' Through".