Previously, Balladeer’s Blog examined star vehicles and genre films from the age of Silent Movies. This time around I’m taking a very brief look at Alfred Hitchcock’s pre-sound films.
NUMBER THIRTEEN (1922) – This film marked the first time that Hitchcock worked as a director on a movie, but was the thirteenth film project he had worked on in some capacity, hence the title. The production went unfinished from lack of funds and the original title may have been Mrs. Peabody but even that is uncertain.
The movie was intended as a comedic (?) look at the Peabody Trust, an organization founded by American philanthropist George Foster Peabody to provide affordable housing to needy Londoners. Hey, I’m laughing already! (I’m kidding!) Only two reels of footage were completed and Alfred Hitchcock himself dismissed the aborted film project as insignificant. Clare Greet and Ernest Thesiger starred.
ALWAYS TELL YOUR WIFE (1923) – Hitchcock started out as a co-director of this 20-minute comedy short but had to step into the top spot when the original director quit over creative differences with the studio. Though Alfred’s previous directing effort had gone unfinished, this comedy short was completed but he was not credited since he had not directed the entire film.
The storyline involved Ricardo and Mertz-style wackiness between two families, but with the more adult theme of infidelity.
THE PLEASURE GARDEN (1925) – The third time was almost the charm as this 75-minute movie was not only completed, but Hitchcock was credited as the director!
His bad luck lingered, however, and after one public showing, the movie was shelved and not released again until after Alfred’s film The Lodger became a hit a few years later.
The title establishment was a music hall, where chorus girl Patsy Brand gets the struggling Jill Cheyne a job as a dancer (Showgirls 1925!) and fixes her up with her fiancé’s friend. Continue reading
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes was a 1971-1973 British television series about London by Gaslight detectives from both the Victorian and Edwardian Ages. 
Episode: FIVE HUNDRED CARATS (February 5th, 1973) 
For the first time in this series we have a story set outside Great Britain, which I found to be a welcome change of pace. Leo Lipinzki (Barry Keegan) works as a Detective Inspector for the Cape Police, but technically the already wealthy and powerful De Beers Diamond Corporation is who he really answers to. 
“THAT WAS NUMBER FIIIIIVE!” – In NCAA Division Three, the ENDICOTT COLLEGE GULLS welcomed the number 5 team in the nation – the HARDIN-SIMMONS UNIVERSITY COWBOYS. For once Endicott didn’t choke in the spotlight, leading the Cowboys 3-0, 17-3 and 37-3 in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Quarters respectively. In the 4th, a garbage time TD from HSU made the final score 37-10.
NUMBER SEVEN TAKES A FALL – Up in the NAIA, the number 15 MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS faced the visiting 7th ranked COLLEGE OF IDAHO COYOTES. The Orediggers parlayed a 17-7 opening Quarter lead into a 34-21 Halftime advantage. The 3rd Quarter ended with the Coyotes making it a 37-35 game before Montana Tech added a 4th Quarter TD to win out 44-35. 
USCAA GAME OF THE WEEK – This USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association) affair pitted the WILLIAMSON COLLEGE OF THE TRADES MECHANICS against the CAPP ACADEMY CRUSADERS. In a driving rain, the Mechanics led the Crusaders 7-0 in the 1st and 10-0 at the Half. A scoreless 3rd Quarter was followed by a CAPP rally attempt in the 4th as Williamson won the game 25-14. 
GIANT-SIZE SUPERVILLAIN TEAM-UP Vol 1 #1 (March 1975) 
AN AUTOMATIC ENIGMA (1878) – By Julian Hawthorne, son of Nathaniel Hawthorne. In the past Balladeer’s Blog has reviewed some of 
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) – 1. MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS ### 2. NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS ### 3. GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS (should be Zebras) ### 4. SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE MOUNDBUILDERS ### 5. DORDT UNIVERSITY DEFENDERS ### 
NCAA DIVISION TWO – 1. PITTSBURG (KS) STATE GORILLAS ### 2. FERRIS STATE BULLDOGS ### 3. DELTA STATE STATESMEN ### 4. COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES OREDIGGERS ### 5. GRAND VALLEY STATE LAKERS ### 
SURF NAZIS MUST DIE (1987) – The ideal companion piece to the original Point Break! Rest assured, the Surf Nazis are depicted as the scummy villains they are and that they do get their just desserts in this 83-minute bundle from So Bad It’s Good movie Heaven. Though distributed by the venerable Troma Team, Surf Nazis Must Die was actually produced by the Institute. The film was directed by Peter George and written by George with Jon Ayre. 
Surf Nazis Must Die is refreshingly played mostly straight – but still howlingly bad – and the 
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