Figure 1.--This film clip shows Michael Ande in one of his many film roles, a chorister in "Der schoenste Tag in meinem Leben" (1957). Michael is wearing the uniform of a Vienna Choir boy. |
|
Information about child actors also provodes a great deal of fashion information. Both clothes these children wore as well as the costumes they wore in their films and shows provide much valuable information. These childrens often dressed very fashionably so information about them provides insights into contemprary fashions. The costumes they wore in films also provides useful information--although it must be treated more cautiously.HBC is preparing an alphabetical listing of child actors in movies, plays, and television.
Personable little boy who played Rusty on The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (1954-59). He later reported he had panic attacks causing difficulties remember his lines. As a result he did not pursue his acting career.
Ben Alexander was a child actor in many silent movies. He was born in Goldfield, Nevada (911). He went to school in Los Angeles and also studied under private tutors. He was discovered in Los Angeles before he began school. He was playing the part of 'Penrod' in a stage play. He has been described as Hollywood's first child star. He was billed as Bennie Alexander. Starting out as a child actor at the age of 4 years (1915). All his child films were silents. He began with bit parts in the films of Hollywood's first great directors, including Cecil B. DeMille and D.W. Griffith. It was Griffith who who choese him for a small part in 'Hearts of the World' (1915). He made an impression in 'Turn to the right'.
He then got child leads and important supporting parts in sound films as a teenager. A film publication when he was about 13 years old described him, "He is a clean-cut youth, take a regular boy's delight in all things tht interest anhd dekight boys, anbd his a popular favorite among his 'gang,' not so much because of his position in the screen workd, but becaise he is listed as a 'regulr fellow'. He is 4 feet 8 inces tall, weighs 80 lns, ad has blond hair nd blue eues." [Famous].
His most notable film was probably 'All Quiet on the Western Front' (1930). After that his acting career declined, but he continued in show business as radio announcer. He was largely retired from Hollywood when Jack Webb selected him for the part of his detective partner in the hit TV series "Dragnet" (1951). He played Friday's partner. This was one of iconic series in early American television. After this he opened a car deaklershio. A decade later he played another TV detective on Howard Duff's "Felony Squad" (1966).
Tad Alexander was a popular child star during the early days of the talkies. He was born in Lexington, Nebraska (1922).
His father was Thomas J. Alexander and his mother was Ellinore (aka Nora) Swinburne. His mother was descended from the important British poet Algernon Charles Swinburne. Tad was also related to Sir James Blake and Sir Percy Blake. We do not know much about Tad, but we do know he appeared in quite a number of films during the early-1930s. The films included:
'Ambassador Bill' playing the young King Paul (1931), 'Strange Interlude' playing Girdon (1932), 'Rasputin and the Emperess'/'Rasputin the Mad Monk' playing Alexi (1932), 'Tomorrow and Tomorrow' playing Christian Redman (1932),
'The Stranger's Return' playing Widdie (1933), 'Ring Up the Curtain' playing cousin David (uncredited), 'Bureau Of Missing Persons' playing Caesar Paul (1933), 'You Can't Buy Everything' playing Donny Bell as a Boy (1934), 'Little Men' playing Jack (1934), 'I Give My Love' playing Paul, Jr. at Age 12 (1934), and 'You Can't Buy Everything' Donny Bell as a boy (1934). His career seems to have ended when he became a teenager.
Michael Ande was a well-known German film child star during the 1950s. A German reader reports, "He played in those films with nice people, love and mountains, etc (sentimental film in an idealized setting). Some ould consider these rather smaltz tear-jeakers. They were, however very popular films in Germany." He played a variety of roles in these films, including choir boys. There is an image of him, for example, on the HBC choir-film pages. Michael also played in "Die Trapp-Familie". The film was made some years before the U.S. musical version "The Sound of Music" was made.
John Albasiny wore a school uniform in the film "P’tang Yang Kipperbang" (199?).
The Goonies (1985), The B.R.A.T. Patrol (1986), White Water Summer (1987).
Fanous Film Folks (1925).
Navigate the Boys' Theatrical Pages:
[Return to the Main theatrical page]
[Return to the Main movie page]
[Return to the Main play page]
[Return to the Main television page]
[]
[Child actors B]
[Child actors C]
[Child actors D]
[Child actors E]
[Child actors F]
[Child actors G]
[Child actors H]
Navigate the Historical Boys' Clothing Website
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Theatricals]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[Essays]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]