The Perils of Pauline was an enormous box-office success, and made Pearl White a major celebrity; she was soon earning in those times the astronomical sum of $3,000 a week.
Released in 1914, The Perils of Pauline
consisted of twenty episodes that used the heroine-in-jeopardy story line to great success. It is considered by some to be the most famous suspense serial in cinema history.
In
the serials, week after week, Pauline evaded attempts on her life. She
fought pirates, Indians, gypsies, rats, sharks, and her dastardly
guardian.
The unresolved, heroine-in-danger endings left audiences wondering what would happen in the next chapter, and kept them coming back for more. In the series, White performed many of her own stunts, and became known as the “stunt queen” of the silent film era
She
was a daring, athletic, and active star, often placed in risky
situations — sent aloft in a runaway balloon, trapped in a burning
house, or left hanging from the side of a cliff - thus she was credited
with generating the new phrase “cliffhanger.”)
At the same time, a little family living on a modest farm in Morganfield Kentucky, watched The Perils of Pauline, at the Nickelodeon and had no idea how Hollywood film Stars, like Pearl White, would one day impact their lives.
Mabel
Williams, on the top left, with her mother Anna, seated, her sister Eva
Kaye, on the ground, and two elderly aunts, pose for a picture in 1914,
on the old
Homestead in Kentucky.
For the rest of her life, Mabel, couldn't help but cry every time she listened to "My Old Kentucky Home."
While The Peril's of Pauline, remained a box office smash in 1914, and My Old Kentucky Home,
continued
to bring tears, to Southern men and women's eyes - a young
boy, named Tom Lyle Williams moved into a boarding house in Chicago with
his brother Noel James, and worked for $8.50 a week at Montgomery
Ward. On the side, he sold joke gifts and risque postcards through the
classifieds and dreamed of someday having his own mail order business.
His
sister Mabel arrived in Chicago, in 1915, to help with the little catalog business and while there, concocted a mixture of coal dust and
Vaseline, to enhance the color of her lashes and brows and help make
them grow. Soon, Lash-Brow-Ine, was born and a year later, it was renamed Maybelline in Mabel Williams honor.
It was our own Bob of Los Ranchos who introduced us to the name of Sharrie Williams. I do not remember the context in which Bob referred to her, but his comments piqued my interest and I have since discovered much more about this beautiful and talented lady.
The Beach Boys, Rolling Stones and James Brown were appearing in Santa Monica for the TAMI concert.
the lagoon and Toes beach. I used to walk there in 10 minutes.
Now ( 2015 ) , I get to wonder ……. was that really Sharrie who I remember ?
In 2010, Sharrie authored her book ; ” The Maybelline Story “.
~ Well done Sharrie Williams ! ~
between him and Mr. Disney. It is like their DNA is identical.
If anyone was to write a book about Woody’s Smorgas Burger, Sharrie would be the ultimate co author to have as a partner.
facebook.com/maybellinebook
I think the context of the original reference about Sharrie was when I ran across, by happenstance, her reference to enjoying CC’s Woody’s! I think you then “admitted” you thought you tried to get her phone number per being the self admitted lecher you were as evidenced by giving her a Sign-up card for a comped Birthday Woody, but alas she filled it out and returned it to another Dude!!!!
In any event, very nice review!