Educational Pictures, also known as Educational Film Exchanges, Inc. or Educational Films Corporation of America, was an American film production and

film distribution Film distribution, also called film exhibition or film distribution and exhibition, is the process of making a film available for viewing to an audience. This is normally the task of a professional film distributor, who would determine the marketin ...

company founded in 1916 by Earle (E. W.) Hammons (1882–1962). Educational primarily distributed

short subject A short film is a film with a low running time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of not more than 40 minutes including all credits". Other film or ...

s; it is best known for its series of comedies starring

Buster Keaton Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent films during the 1920s, in which he performed physical comedy and inventive stunts. He frequently ...

and the earliest screen appearances of

Shirley Temple Shirley Temple Black (born Shirley Jane Temple; April 23, 1928 – February 10, 2014) was an American actress, singer, dancer, and diplomat, who was Hollywood's number-one box-office draw as a child actress from 1934 to 1938. Later, she was na ...

(1932–34). The company ceased production in 1938, and finally closed in 1940 when its film library was sold at auction.

Success with silents

Hammons established the company to make instructional films for schools, but making comedies for theatrical release proved more lucrative. Educational did issue many educational, travelogue, and novelty shorts, but its main enterprise became comedy. Educational's heyday was the 1920s, when the popular silent comedies of Al St. John,

Lupino Lane Henry William George Lupino (16 June 1892 – 10 November 1959) professionally Lupino Lane, was an English actor and theatre manager, and a member of the famous theatrical Lupino family, which eventually included his cousin, the screenwriter/di ...

Lige Conley Lige Conley (born Elijah Crommie; December 5, 1897 – December 11, 1937) was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 140 films between 1915 and 1938. Biography As Lige Crommie, the curly-haired young comedian joined the stock ...

Lloyd Hamilton Lloyd Vernon Hamilton (August 19, 1891 – January 19, 1935) was an American film comedian, best remembered for his work in the silent era. Career Having begun his career as an extra in theatre-productions, Hamilton first appeared on film in ...

, and

Monty Collins Monte Collins (also credited as Monty Collins; December 3, 1898 – June 1, 1951) was an American film actor and screenwriter. He appeared in more than 160 films between 1920 and 1948. He also wrote for 32 films between 1930 and 1951. Caree ...

complemented many a moviehouse bill as "the spice of the program." During the 1920s, most of the comedies were produced by

Jack White John Anthony White (; born July 9, 1975) is an American musician who achieved international fame as the guitarist and lead singer of the rock duo the White Stripes. As the White Stripes disbanded, he sought success with his solo career, subse ...

. In 1924 Educational quietly hired two leading figures in the comedy community who had been disgraced in a scandal: comedian

Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle Roscoe Conkling "Fatty" Arbuckle (; March 24, 1887 – June 29, 1933) was an American silent film actor, director, and screenwriter. He started at the Selig Polyscope Company and eventually moved to Keystone Studios, where he worked with Mabel ...

(who became a director at Educational under the pseudonym William Goodrich) and director

Fred Fishback Fred C. Fishback (born Moscu Fischback; January 18, 1894January 6, 1925) was a film director, actor, screenwriter, and producer of the silent era. Following the 1921 scandal surrounding Roscoe Arbuckle, in which he was involved, Fishback worked ...

(under the pseudonym Fred Hibbard). Educational also released silent cartoons, including the

Felix the Cat Felix the Cat is a cartoon character created in 1919 by Otto Messmer and Pat Sullivan (film producer), Pat Sullivan during the silent film era. An anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic young black cat with white eyes, a black body, and a giant grin, ...

series. In 1930, cartoonist Paul Terry signed with Educational to distribute his

Terrytoons Terrytoons, Inc. was an American animation studio headquartered in New Rochelle, New York, which was active from 1929 until its closure in December 1972 (and briefly returned between 1987 and 1996 for television in-name only). Founded by Paul Te ...

animated cartoons in America and British countries.

Sound films

Educational made a smooth transition to sound movies by handling the early talking comedies of pioneer producer

Mack Sennett Mack Sennett (born Michael Sinnott; January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was a Canadian-American producer, director, actor, and studio head who was known as the "King of Comedy" during his career. Born in Danville, Quebec, he started acting i ...

. Sennett also introduced singing star

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...

to movie audiences. But Sennett soon became plagued by financial problems, and he left Educational in 1932. Most of Educational's silent stars made only a few talkies for the studio: Lupino Lane left the company in December 1929, followed by Lloyd Hamilton and Al St. John in 1931. (Earle Hammons invited Lane to return to the studio in 1936, for a new series of two-reel comedies, but Lane declined.) Most of the earliest Educational talkies feature silent-comedy veterans with stage experience:

Vernon Dent Vernon Bruce Dent (February 16, 1895 – November 5, 1963) was an American comic actor, who appeared in over 400 films. He co-starred in many short films for Columbia Pictures, frequently as the foil, main antagonist, and an ally to The Three ...

Harry Gribbon Harry Peter Gribbon (June 9, 1885 – July 28, 1961) was an American film actor, comedian and director known for ''The Cameraman (1928 film), The Cameraman'' (1928), ''Show People'' (1928) and ''Art Trouble'' (1934). He appeared in more th ...

Raymond McKee Eldon Raymond McKee (December 7, 1892 – October 3, 1984), also credited as Roy McKee, was an American stage and screen actor. His film debut was in the 1912 production ''The Lovers' Signal''. Over the next 23 years, he performed in no less ...

Edward Everett Horton Edward Everett Horton, Jr. (March 18, 1886 – September 29, 1970) was an American character actor and comedian. He had a long career in film, theater, radio, television, and voice work for animated cartoons. Early life Horton was born March 18 ...

Daphne Pollard Daphne Pollard (born Daphne Trott; October 19, 1891 – February 22, 1978) was an Australian-born vaudeville performer and dancer, active on stage and later in American films, mostly short comedies. Between 1928 and 1935 she had almost 60 scree ...

, and

Ford Sterling Ford Sterling (born George Stitch; November 3, 1883 – October 13, 1939) was an American comedian and actor best known for his work with Keystone Studios. One of the 'Big 4', he was the original chief of the Keystone Cops. Early years Sterli ...

. Educational's most prolific comedian in the 1930s was the Sennett star

Andy Clyde Andrew Allan Clyde (March 25, 1892 – May 18, 1967), was a Scottish-born American film and television actor whose career spanned some 45 years. In 1921 he broke into silent films as a Mack Sennett comic, debuting in ''On a Summer Day''. H ...

, who made 54 comedies. Educational replaced the Sennett films with star-name comedians. Andy Clyde and

Harry Langdon Henry Philmore "Harry" Langdon (June 15, 1884 – December 22, 1944) was an American actor and comedian who appeared in vaudeville, silent films (where he had his greatest fame), and talkies.Obituary ''Variety Obituaries, Variety'', December 27 ...

led Educational's release schedule for a few years, and then

headlined a series that yielded 16 popular two-reel comedies.

Production and releasing arrangements

Educational's short comedies sometimes show their low budgets, with noticeably limited sets and facilities. This is because Educational didn't have its own physical plant. Earle Hammons, rather than purchasing, equipping, and maintaining a studio, found it cheaper and easier to send his crews to suburban locations where scenes could be photographed outdoors, or to rental studios that offered both space and equipment to independent producers. Outdoor shooting continued until the very last Educational comedy, released in 1939. For a time Educational filmed its comedies on both coasts. The Hollywood productions, in addition to those of Clyde, Langdon, and Keaton, hosted comedy stars

Moran and Mack The Two Black Crows (also called The Black Crows and Moran and Mack) was a blackface comedy act popular in the 1920s and 1930s. The duo appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, on radio, comedy records, and in film features and shorts. History The ...

Edgar Kennedy Edgar Livingston Kennedy (April 26, 1890 – November 9, 1948) was an American comedic character actor who appeared in at least 500 films during the silent and sound eras. Professionally, he was known as "Slow Burn", owing to his ability to por ...

Billy Gilbert William Gilbert Barron (September 12, 1894 – September 23, 1971), known professionally as Billy Gilbert, was an American actor and comedian. He was known for his comic sneeze routines. He appeared in over 200 feature films, short subjects a ...

and

Vince Barnett Vince Barnett (July 4, 1902 – August 10, 1977) was an American film actor. He appeared on stage originally before appearing in more than 230 films between 1930 and 1975. Early years Barnett was born July 4, 1902, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylva ...

, and

Ernest Truex Ernest Truex (September 19, 1889 – June 26, 1973) was an American actor of stage, film, and television. Career Truex was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He learned acting at an early age after his father, a doctor, treated actor Edwin Melvin, w ...

. Educational's east coast productions were filmed at Eastern Service Studios, now known as the

Astoria Studios The Kaufman Astoria Studios is a film studio located in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens in New York City. The studio was constructed for Famous Players–Lasky in 1920, since it was close to Manhattan's Theater District. The property was ta ...

, and starred New York-based talent from Broadway, vaudeville, and radio:

Charlotte Greenwood Frances Charlotte Greenwood (June 25, 1890 – December 28, 1977) was an American actress, comedian and dancer. Born in Philadelphia, Greenwood started in vaudeville, and starred on Broadway, movies and radio. Standing almost six feet tall ...

, Joe Cook,

Willie Howard Willie L. Howard is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Stanford Cardinal. Howard was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the second rou ...

Lillian Roth Lillian Roth (December 13, 1910 – May 12, 1980) was an American singer and actress. Her life story was told in the 1955 film ''I'll Cry Tomorrow'', in which she was portrayed by Susan Hayward, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best ...

Will Mahoney William James Fitzpatrick Mahoney (February 5, 1894February 9, 1967) was an American vaudevillian performer, stage actor and theatre manager who later had a successful stage career in Australia. Early life He was born in Helena, Montana, to ra ...

, Tim and

Irene Ryan Irene Ryan (born Irene Noblitt, Noblett, or Noblette; October 17, 1902 – April 26, 1973) was an American actress and comedienne who found success in vaudeville, radio, film, television, and Broadway. She is most widely known for her po ...

, actor-singers Sylvia Froos and

Warren Hull John Warren Hull (January 17, 1903 – September 14, 1974), known professionally as Warren Hull, was an American actor, singer and television personality active from the 1930s through the 1960s. He was one of the most popular serial actors in t ...

, Tom Howard and George Shelton, the Sisters of the Skillet (

Ralph Dumke Ralph Ernest Dumke (July 25, 1899 – January 4, 1964) was an American comedian and actor who had an active career from the early 1920s up until his death in 1964. He rose to fame as part of a comedy duo with Ed East, performing nationally ...

and Ed East), and

Stoopnagle and Budd Stoopnagle and Budd were a popular radio comedy team of the 1930s, who are sometimes cited as forerunners of the Bob and Ray style of radio comedy. Along with Raymond Knight (radio), Raymond Knight (''The Cuckoo Hour''), they were radio's first s ...

. Educational had been releasing its own product until 1933, when

Fox Film The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American independent company that produced motion pictures and was formed in 1914 by the theater "chain" pioneer William Fox. It was the corporate successor to his earlier Greater Ne ...

took over distribution. Fox's successor

Twentieth Century-Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film production and distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Com ...

continued the arrangement. This resulted in Educational becoming Fox's "

farm team In sports, a farm team (also referred to as farm system, developmental system, feeder team, or nursery club) is generally a Team sport, team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any s ...

", introducing new talent that Fox would take over for feature films. Shirley Temple,

The Ritz Brothers The Ritz Brothers were an American family comedy act consisting of brothers Al (1901–1965), Jimmy (1904–1985), and Harry Ritz (1907–1986) who performed extensively on stage, in nightclubs and in films from 1925 to the late 1970s. A fourth ...

Joan Davis Josephine "Joan" Davis (June 29, 1912 – May 23, 1961) was an American comedic actress whose career spanned vaudeville, film, radio, and television. Remembered best for the 1950s television comedy '' I Married Joan'', Davis had a successful ea ...

, and Leah Ray all won Fox contracts after starring for Educational. Many stars made debuts in Educational shorts:

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...

Milton Berle Milton Berle (born Mendel Berlinger; ; July 12, 1908 – March 27, 2002) was an American actor and comedian. His career as an entertainer spanned over eight decades, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and ...

, Warren Hull,

June Allyson June Allyson (born Eleanor Geisman; October 7, 1917 – July 8, 2006) was an American stage, film, and television actress. Allyson began her career in 1937 as a dancer in short subject films and on Broadway in 1938. She signed with MGM in 1943 ...

Imogene Coca Imogene Coca (born Emogeane Coca; November 18, 1908 – June 2, 2001) was an American comic actress best known for her role opposite Sid Caesar on ''Your Show of Shows''. Starting out in vaudeville as a child acrobat, she studied ballet and pursu ...

Danny Kaye Danny Kaye (born David Daniel Kaminsky; ; January 18, 1911 – March 3, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, singer, and dancer. His performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes, and rapid-fire novelty songs. Kaye starred ...

, Barry Sullivan, and

Robert Shayne Robert Shayne (born Robert Shaen Dawe, October 4, 1900 – November 29, 1992) was an American actor whose career lasted for over 60 years. He was best known for portraying Inspector Bill Henderson in the American television series '' Adven ...

in New York; and

Roy Rogers Roy Rogers (born Leonard Franklin Slye; November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998), nicknamed the King of the Cowboys, was an American singer, actor, television host, and Rodeo, rodeo performer. Following early work under his given name, first as a c ...

and the

Sons of the Pioneers The Sons of the Pioneers are one of the United States' earliest Western singing groups. Known for their vocal performances, their musicianship, and their songwriting, they produced innovative recordings that have inspired many Western music per ...

in Hollywood. Educational was associated with Jack H. Skirball, who produced films under the Skibo label, which Educational acquired. Skibo films included '' Bosom Friends'' and '' Wings Over Everest''.

Series

Like other short-subject producers, Educational Pictures marketed its assorted offerings in individual series. Among these were

obert Obert may refer to the following people: Given name *Obert Bika (born 1993), Papua New Guinean football midfielder *Obert Logan (1941–2003), American football safety *Obert Mpofu, Zimbabwean politician *Obert A. Olson (1882–1938), American p ...

Bruce Scenics (travelogues, 1918–1920), Lyman Howe's Hodge Podge (miscellaneous human-interest shorts; the series outlived its creator); Treasure Chest (miscellaneous subjects); Coronet Comedies (one-reel subjects, 1929–1931 and 1934–1936); Lloyd Hamilton Talking Comedies (two-reel, 1929–1931); Cameo Comedies (one-reel, 1931–1932); Tuxedo Comedies (two-reel, 1924–1931 and 1935–1936); Ideal Comedies (1930–1932); Vanity Comedies (1931–1932); Baby Burlesks (Shirley Temple; one-reel, 1932–1933), Frolics of Youth ( Frank Coghlan, Jr. and Shirley Temple, two-reel, 1932–1934), Star Personality Comedies (Buster Keaton, Joe Cook, Willie Howard; two-reel, 1934–1938); Young Romance Comedies (two-reel: Sylvia Froos and Warren Hull, 1934–1935; Marlyn Stuart and Ackland Powell, 1936); Song and Comedy Hits (one-reel musical comedies, 1935–1938); and Col. Stoopnagle's Cavalcade of Stuff (Educational's last and briefest series – only two one-reel comedies issued just before the studio closed its doors, 1939). Perhaps the most controversial series was the Marriage Wows (1934–35), comprising only three two-reel shorts starring husband-and-wife comics: ''Dumb Luck'' with the

Easy Aces ''Easy Aces'' is an American serial radio comedy (1930–1945). It was trademarked by the low-keyed drollery of creator and writer Goodman Ace and his wife, Jane, as an urbane, put-upon realtor and his malaprop-prone wife. A 15-minute program ...

, and ''Domestic Bliss-ters'' and ''How Am I Doing'' with Chick York and Rose King. ''How Am I Doing'' featured a faithful transcription of York & King's successful vaudeville sketch "The Sleigh Ride", but the team's racy dialogue ran into trouble in small towns. A Maine exhibitor reported, "I didn't dare use it utI showed it to some of my friends and the staff and they laughed until they cried. It's a corker, but don't show it in Sunday school." The series was dropped without fanfare.

Buster Keaton

Buster Keaton, despite a successful feature-film career, had experienced personal problems and was fired from

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

in 1933. He accepted offers to make two films in Europe, in 1934. That same year, he made a screen comeback with Educational in a series of two-reel comedies. Most of these are simple visual comedies, with many of the gags supplied by Keaton himself, often recycling ideas from his family vaudeville act and his earlier films. The high point in this series is ''Grand Slam Opera'' (1936), featuring Buster in his own screenplay as an amateur-hour contestant.

Production in New York

By 1936, for economic reasons, Educational had been concentrating its production in New York. Earle Hammons invited Buster Keaton to make comedies there, perhaps in a bid for Keaton to relocate. Keaton agreed to three New York productions, but returned to California where he finished out his Educational series. Buster Keaton was Educational's most expensive talent and Hammons, forced to economize, could no longer afford the comedian's services. Hammons discontinued west coast operations after the last Keaton short was completed in 1937. During its last year of production (1937-1938), Educational confined filming to New York. The technical staff was a small, close-knit crew: producer-director

Al Christie Charles Herbert Christie (April 13, 1882 – October 1, 1955) and Alfred Ernest Christie (November 23, 1886 – April 14, 1951) were Canadian motion picture entrepreneurs. Early life Charles Herbert Christie was born between April 13, ...

; writer-director William Watson; assistant directors Robert Hall (promoted to director in 1936), Chris Beute, and Johnny Graham; writers Parke Levy, Arthur Jarrett, Marcy Klauber, and Billy K. Wells; script clerk Doris Barber, and the New York studio's staff cameraman George Webber. Webber was such a fixture at Astoria that the trade press noted it in print: "with George Webber, naturally, at the camera." Earle Hammons replaced Buster Keaton with Broadway comic Willie Howard, who appeared as the Hebrew Frenchman "Pierre Ginsbairge." Hammons also signed

Bert Lahr Irving Lahrheim (August 13, 1895 – December 4, 1967), known professionally as Bert Lahr, was an American stage and screen actor and comedian. He was best known for his role as the Cowardly Lion, as well as his counterpart Kansas farmworker "Z ...

for two-reelers, and continued the studio's musical-comedy series with dancers

Buster West James "Buster" West (31 March 1901 – 19 March 1966) was an American dancer and actor who was a featured performer in vaudeville, the Broadway stage, motion pictures and television. West was known as being one of those performers who was "born i ...

and

Tom Patricola Tomasso Patricola (January 22, 1891 – January 1, 1950) was an American actor, comic and dancer who starred in vaudeville and motion pictures. Born in New Orleans, Patricola established his fame as a hoofer, becoming a leading interpreter of th ...

. Illustrator Jefferson Machamer starred in a series inspired by his "Gags 'n' Gals" newspaper cartoons. Character comedian George Shelton was now working solo; he and partner Tom Howard reunited on radio's ''

It Pays to Be Ignorant ''It Pays to Be Ignorant'' is a 1942–51 radio comedy show which maintained its popularity during a nine-year run on three networks for such sponsors as Altria Group, Philip Morris, Chrysler, and DeSoto (automobile), DeSoto. The series was a sp ...

''. Most of the later Educational series focused on youth; besides being less expensive talent, the young actors lent a high level of energy to their performances. Educational's freshman class included the comedy/dance team of Herman Timberg, Jr. and Pat Rooney, Jr., singers Niela Goodelle and Lee Sullivan, mild-mannered comic

Charles Kemper Charles Kemper (September 6, 1900 – May 12, 1950) was an American character actor born in Oklahoma. The heavy-set actor was for decades a successful stage actor. Movie career Like many actors in New York, Kemper worked in short comedies fil ...

(reminiscent of Educational's bygone star Lloyd Hamilton), wisecracking comedian Harriet Hutchins, ingenues June Allyson and Sally Starr, juvenile singing group The Cabin Kids, rubber-faced clown Imogene Coca, and up-and-coming dialect comedian Danny Kaye, who began as a supporting player and soon received starring roles.

Ambition and failure

Twentieth Century-Fox had been distributing Educational product to theaters. It has long been thought that Fox dropped its line of short comedies in 1938 and withdrew its financial support from Educational, but in fact it was the other way around: it was Earle Hammons who discontinued Educational's short-subject production, allowed his agreement with Fox to expire, and declined to renew it. Other studios approached Hammons with similar distribution deals for short subjects, but

Hal Roach Harold Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr. Skretvedt, Randy (2016), ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies'', Bonaventure Press. p.608. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director and screenwriter, ...

Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. **Paramount Picture ...

, and

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company that is a subsidiary of Comcast ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of N ...

had already discontinued two-reel-comedy production with the advance of double features, and Hammons was anxious to follow Roach's example and enter the feature-film market. Hammons joined forces with the financially troubled

Grand National Pictures Grand National Films, Inc (or Grand National Pictures, Grand National Productions and Grand National Film Distributing Co.) was an American independent motion picture production-distribution company in operation from 1936 to 1939. The company ha ...

, in the hope of producing both full-length films and short subjects for that studio. The merger called for Hammons to become the president of the company, with Grand National president

Edward L. Alperson Edward Lee Alperson (November 13, 1895 – July 3, 1969) was an American film producer who started Grand National Films Inc. and later released his productions through 20th Century Fox. He was the father of Edward L. Alperson Jr. (April 3, ...

becoming "vice-chairman of the new board and general manager of distribution." Hammons then bought the assets of Grand National outright, for $550,000. Earle Hammons had stockpiled enough shorts to keep Educational going through June 1938; these films were distributed by Fox. The last two Educational shorts appeared in January 1939, released through Grand National; these were produced not by Hammons but by independent distributor Robert M. Savini. ''Col. Stoopnagle's Cavalcade of Stuff'' ("No. 1" and "No. 2") were one-reel newsreel satires written by and starring radio and screen comic F. Chase Taylor. Hammons spent most of 1938 and 1939 in negotiations to secure financing and reimburse creditors. He remained optimistic, announcing a new slate of 26 one-reel films and 18 two-reel comedies for 1939-40 under the Educational banner, but the drain on his finances forced both Grand National and Educational into bankruptcy.

Aftermath

The film library was sold at auction in 1940. Most of the Educational sound shorts were obtained by Bob Savini of

Astor Pictures Astor Pictures was a film distribution, motion picture distribution company in the United States from 1930 to 1963. It was founded by Robert M. Savini (29 August 1886 – 29 April 1956). Astor specialized in film re-releases. It later release ...

, who shrewdly timed his re-releases to cash in on certain performers' popularity. Savini compiled four feature-length comedies showcasing, in turn, Shirley Temple (''Our Girl Shirley'', 1942), Danny Kaye (''The Birth of a Star'', 1945), Bing Crosby ('' The Road to Hollywood'', 1947), and Bob Hope and Milton Berle (''It Pays to Be Funny'', 1948). Earle Hammons retained the title to Educational's corporate name, Educational Films Corporation of America. Ten years after the demise of Educational Pictures, Hammons tried to gain a foothold in the new field of commercial television, using the Educational brand name and "The Spice of the Program" slogan: "This corporation employs men who have the experience, integrity, and the know-how of producing films and live shows for the television industry." In 1952 Hammons and Astor's Bob Savini partnered to form Lion Television Corporation. Hammons remained president of Lion until his death in 1962.

Legacy

Much of Educational's

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

library was lost in a 1937 fire at the 20th Century-Fox film storage facility, but the sound comedies survive today. On October 21, 2017 CineMuseum LLC, a consortium of film archivists, secured exclusive rights to the Educational sound comedies,Announcement on Facebook by Paul Gierucki of CineMuseum, 2017. with plans to restore and re-release them to media outlets.

Logo

Educational Pictures's

logo A logo (abbreviation of logotype; ) is a graphic mark, emblem, or symbol used to aid and promote public identification and recognition. It may be of an abstract or figurative design or include the text of the name that it represents, as in ...

consists of a genie's lamp, above which the words "Educational Pictures" appear formed by the smoke from the lamp. Below the lamp, enclosed in quotation marks are the words ''The Spice of the Program''. The use of the logo in film credits was unique to Educational. The shorts would begin with the opening title card, usually having "E. W. Hammons presents" at the top, followed by the title of the short. The Educational logo would then appear full screen. Normally, studios would have their logos appear before the opening titles, while Educational placed its logo after the opening credits. At the end, there would be a standard end title card with the mini-logo for Educational Pictures appearing somewhere in the end title.

Selected filmography

* ''Air Pockets'' (1924, with

) * ''The Iron Mule'' (1925, with Al St. John, directed by

Roscoe Arbuckle Roscoe Conkling "Fatty" Arbuckle (; March 24, 1887 – June 29, 1933) was an American silent film actor, director, and screenwriter. He started at the Selig Polyscope Company and eventually moved to Keystone Studios, where he worked with Mabel ...

) * ''

The Movies A movie or a film is a work of visual art. Movie, Movies, The Movie, or The Movies may also refer to: Films * Feature film * Film adaptation * '' A Movie'' (1958), an experimental film * Movies@, a cinema chain in the Republic of Ireland * '' ...

'' (1925, with

, directed by Roscoe Arbuckle) * ''Drama Deluxe'' (1927, with

, directed by Roscoe Arbuckle) * ''Honeymooniacs'' (1929, with

, directed by

Jules White Jules White (born Julius Weiss; 17 September 1900 – 30 April 1985) was an American film director and producer best known for his short-subject comedies starring The Three Stooges. Early years White began working in motion pictures in the ...

) * ''The Right Bed'' (1929, with

) * ''Honeymoon Trio'' (1931, with Al St. John,

Walter Catlett Walter Leland Catlett (February 4, 1889 – November 14, 1960) was an American actor and comedian. He made a career of playing excitable, meddlesome, temperamental, and officious blowhards. Career Catlett was born on February 4, 1889, in S ...

, and

Dorothy Granger Dorothy Karolyn Granger (November 21, 1911 – January 4, 1995) was an American actress best known for her roles in short subject comedy, comedies in Cinema of the United States, Hollywood. Career Granger, with her parents, two brothers, ...

, directed by Roscoe Arbuckle) * '' Windy Riley Goes Hollywood'' (1931, with Jack Shutta and

Louise Brooks Mary Louise Brooks (November 14, 1906 – August 8, 1985) was an American film actress during the 1920s and 1930s. She is regarded today as an cultural icon, icon of the flapper culture, in part due to the bob cut, bob hairstyle that she helped ...

, directed by Roscoe Arbuckle) * ''The Hitch Hiker'' (1932, with

and

) * ''I Surrender Dear'' (1932, with

) * ''

Krakatoa Krakatoa (), also transcribed (), is a caldera in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra in the Indonesian province of Lampung. The caldera is part of a volcanic island group (Krakatoa archipelago) comprising four islands. Tw ...

'' (1933, narrated by Graham McNamee, produced by

Joe Rock Joe Rock (born Joseph Simberg, December 25, 1893 – December 5, 1984) was an American film producer, director, actor,Obituary '' Variety'', December 12, 1984, page 63. and screenwriter. He produced a series of 12 two reel short subject comedies ...

) * ''Million Dollar Melody'' (1933, with

) * ''

Two Black Crows The Two Black Crows (also called The Black Crows and Moran and Mack) was a blackface comedy act popular in the 1920s and 1930s. The duo appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, on radio, comedy records, and in film features and shorts. History The ...

in Africa'' (1933, with

) * '' Dora's Dunking Doughnuts'' (1934, with

and

) * '' Going Spanish'' (1934, with

) * ''Hotel Anchovy'' (1934, with

, directed by

) * ''Three Cheers for Love'' (1934, with Sylvia Froos and

) * ''Dumb Luck'' (1935, with the

) * ''Grooms in Gloom'' (1935, with Tom Howard and George Shelton) * ''Hail, Brother'' (1935, with

) * ''Mr. Widget'' (1935, with Joe Cook) * ''Way Up Thar'' (1935, with

, directed by

) * '' Blue Blazes'' (1936, with

) * ''Gags and Gals'' (1936, with Jefferson Machamer) * '' Grand Slam Opera'' (1936, with Buster Keaton) * ''The Bashful Ballerina'' (1937, with

) * ''Dates and Nuts'' (1937, with Herman Timberg, Jr. and Pat Rooney, Jr., and

) * ''

Love Nest on Wheels ''Love Nest on Wheels'' is a 1937 Educational Pictures short subject directed by Buster Keaton and Charles Lamont. The film borrows heavily from Keaton's 1918 film '' The Bell Boy''. The film is notable because it is one of the rare times tha ...

'' (1937 with Buster Keaton; his final Educational comedy) * ''Montague the Magnificent'' (1937, with

) * ''Playboy Number One'' (1937, with

) * ''All's Fair'' (1938, with The Cabin Kids) * ''Money on Your Life'' (1938, with

and

) * ''Col. Stoopnagle's Cavalcade of Stuff #2'' with F. Chase Taylor (1939, the final Educational comedy)

References

External links

{{Commons category, Educational Pictures
List of Educational Pictures films at IMDB
American companies established in 1916 Mass media companies established in 1916 Mass media companies disestablished in 1939 Film distributors of the United States Defunct American film studios Film production companies of the United States Articles containing video clips