Karl Dane - "Show People"
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Show People (1928)

In this classic King Vidor comedy with Marion Davies about the Hollywood scene, just about everyone at M-G-M makes a special appearance in the famed luncheon scene, including Karl and his comedy partner, George K. Arthur.

Karl and George had appeared together in another Vidor film, the lost costume piece Bardelys the Magnificent (1926). Harry Rapf, the MGM Producer, saw the "Mutt and Jeff" comic possibilities in teaming up the 6'3 ½" Karl with the 5'6" Arthur, and paired them in eight highly successful features for M-G-M. Dane & Arthur, as they were billed, also appeared in a series of comedy shorts for Paramount and R-K-O, and made nationwide vaudeville appearances.

Many celebrities appear as themselves in cameos in the M-G-M cafetaria. Karl is next to Aileen Pringle; to her right is Claire Windsor. Karl's left arm is in a sling, the result of a bad accident on the set of an earlier film that left Karl with a broken shoulder in April 1928.
And, of course, on Karl's other side is his endearing partner in many M-G-M features George K. Arthur, who has just been caught stealing cutlery in his shirt sleeves by Leatrice Joy.
These frames were grabbed from a version of the film that appeared on LaserDisc from M-G-M.
Web design by Dan Balogh
Content copyright © 2007 Laura Balogh
Last modified: February 4, 2007