Big Stars in a Small Town
Filming the "Ice Flood" in 1926 Klamath Falls
In early 1926...
...Universal Film Manufacturing Company (later called Universal Studios) filmed a silent movie called Crashing Timbers - later released as The Ice Flood - on location in the small town of Klamath Falls, Oregon. The movie starred two well-established actors of the silent cinema - Viola Dana and Kenneth Harlan. Both actors had over one hundred movies each credited to them. They were popular in the industry and with moviegoers, and for a short time in January and February of 1926 they became temporary members of the small town community that they were working in.
Silent Film's Beginning...
Then silent film industry began in the mid- to late-1890s in New York, where Thomas Edison constructed the first film studio in West Orange, New York, as seen in this photo. Soon afterward, studios sprung up in surrounding areas and in New Jersey. The industry found its footing in the mid-1910s by relocating to Hollywood and Los Angeles, California. [1]
Why Silent Film?...
The silent film industry and era were short-lived in American history, and the majority of the moving images recorded on nitrate films have long since perished for a variety of reasons. Silent films were shot on sites of constructed sets, as seen in this photo, and also on location in a variety of settings. Small towns and communities, wilderness areas, farmlands and prairies, and large cities and urban areas hosted backdrops for filmmakers. Silent movies recorded life in real-time as documentaries, it entertained audiences as theatrical screenplay stories, and it recorded life and culture from the late 1800s to 1929 - when the "talkies" took over. [2]
What makes The Ice Flood historically significant?...
Reports of The Ice Flood movie over the years do not indicate its significance for the community in and around Klamath Falls, the economic impacts experienced by the area with the production of the film, nor the interactions of the cast and crew with citizens of the town. A lone scholarly article notes missing information in the reconstruction of the historical narrative. The significance of The Ice Flood links to studies on survival and loss of silent feature-length films produced between 1912 and 1930, where about eighty percent of them have perished. Yet, this film survives. [3]
Filming of "The Brute Breaker"...
The Ice Flood originated from the story of a 1919 Universal film titled The Brute Breaker that was filmed on location in the Mt. Shasta/McCloud, California, area - just south of Klamath Falls - between June and July 1919. The original story for the movie was written by author Johnston McCulley, who was the creator of the acclaimed hero Zorro. The Brute Breaker starred Kathryn Adams and Frank Mayo. To date, The Brute Breaker is listed on the 2021 National Film Preservation Board's list of lost silent feature films. [4]
Re-make of The Brute Breaker Announced...
Universal Studios announced plans in December 1925 to send about thirty people to Klamath Falls, Oregon to film a re-release of The Brute Breaker. Director James Spearing, cast, and crew expected to be in town for six weeks. This new location for the remake was located only 80 miles from the first filming in Mt. Shasta/McCloud, California. [5]
In January and February 1926,
Universal Studios descended on the town of Klamath Falls, Oregon, to film the movie The Ice Flood. Founded in 1892 and originally named Linkville, Klamath Falls had attracted folks in the silent film industry before for its charm and proximity to rivers, lakes, and forests. Perhaps the most significant thing about this filming on location is the number of times the cast and crew of the movie attended community events in Klamath, supporting various causes and making themselves part of the community - even if just for a few short weeks in 1926.
Lead Actress, Stars & Crew Arrive...
On January 23, 1926, twenty-five to thirty Universal film crew members, and actress Viola Dana, arrived at the Klamath Falls Train Station. Newspaper reports called Dana "vivacious, attractive and charming." The movie they will film is now called Crashing Timbers. During filming of the movie, Dana's brother-in-law was killed in a car crash in Hollywood, but she remained on location. By the time Dana came to Klamath Falls for filming, she had starred in over ninety-five films - making her very well-known to moviegoers. Dana is shown in this photo in 1926, just a few months after filming in Klamath Falls. [6]
Lodging at the White Pelican Hotel...
The White Pelican Hotel opened its doors on the corner of Esplanade and Main Streets in Klamath Falls in 1911. News articles called it “the first building to herald the growth of Klamath Falls” and the “most famous hostelry of southern Oregon.” The Universal crew that came to film in January and February 1926 stayed at the White Pelican Hotel. Just months after the crew returned to Hollywood from filming, the hotel burned to the ground in October 1926. The White Pelican Hotel is shown here in 1915. [7]
Leading Man Arrives...
Kenneth Harlan arrived four days after the rest of the crew, and immediately began work as the rugged main character in Crashing Timbers opposite Viola Dana. Harlan's wife, actress Marie Prevost, accompanied him. Harlan and Dana had starred in a few other films before. Harlan had starred in over sixty-five films - making him as equally well-known to moviegoers as Dana. Harlan is shown here in 1925, just before the filming of Crashing Timbers/The Ice Flood. [8]
Indoor Scenes: Altamont Dance Pavilion...
The Altamont Dance Pavilion was leased to produce interior scenes. Out of a special request from Universal Pictures, the California-Oregon Power Company (COPCO) installed a temporary electrical substation to deliver 300kw power so that the film crew could use its 110 volt equipment. This made it possible for camera men to record indoor scenes in a well-lit venue. The transformer of the substation can be seen in this photo just outside the pavilion. [9]
Outdoor Scenes: McCollum's Lumber Mill
The same day as the Universal crew disembarked from the train, they set to work filming scenery shots for Crashing Timbers. Outdoor filming took place at McCollum's Lumbermill on the Klamath River just six miles west of Keno, Oregon, on Highway 66. The mill has long since been demolished, but the location is still accessible. The mill sat on the banks of the Klamath River and at the edge of heavily forested land, making it an ideal backdrop for the movie. The photo shows an aerial view of the location. [10]
Cast Members Perform at Civic Events...
In addition to their work on set, the cast members of Crashing Timbers found time to participate in a number of Klamath Falls civic events. Newspaper accounts told of Viola Dana's attendance at the chamber of commerce luncheon to speak about the movie on January 25. Other actors in the film participated in performances for a show put on by local vets, where proceeds went to their organization on January 26. Universal actors Viola Dana, Kitty Barlow, Les Bates, and Morgan Brown performed a second night to help this same veteran organization at the Pine Tree Theater on January 27. This photo of the theater was taken on opening night in 1922. [11]
Movie Stars Serve as Celebrity Dance Judges...
As filming continued, Viola Dana and Kenneth Harlan agreed to serve as guests, and also as dance judges, at the Elks Club Radio Dancing Party on January 30. The duo judged the Charleston contest, demonstrated in this photo, and awarded prizes to a local winning couple. The event lasted until 1:30 a.m., and the movie stars' participation showed once again their willingness to support the community that they had come to work in. [12]
Universal Folks as Guests at More Klamath Functions: Rotary Club Banquet...
Even more Klamath community events were attended by the movie folks. They were guests of the Rotary Club banquet where they performed acts for 125 people on February 5. This newspaper headline announces their attendance to the community. [13]
Movie Premier...
On February 10, actors appeared at the premier of Winds of Chance, starring Viola Dana, at the Pine Tree Theater. Dana's attendance led to both matinees hosting packed houses. Above is one movie poster from the 1925 movie. [14]
Masquerade Ball...
Then on February 12, a Valentine's masquerade ball was put on by the White Pelican Hotel. The Universal folks donned costumes and joined other community members for an evening of fun, drawing a crowd of 300 for the night. This ad in the Klamath News announced the event to the community. [15]
Child Star Part of Cast, Civic Events...
Child actor Billy Kent Schaefer had a main role in Crashing Timbers. He began acting in 1925 and was credited with semi-major child roles between 1925 and 1928, with his last film appearance in 1937. During his work in Klamath Falls, Schaefer made an appearance - much like his adult co-stars had done - at the debut of his recent movie, The Home Maker on February 2. At the event, Schaefer greeted and thanked moviegoers, and newspaper accounts stated that "Little Billy Kent Schaefer has won all hearts." Billy Kent Schaefer is shown at the far right in this lobby card reproduction. [16]
Tragedy for Leading Man...
On February 5, Kenneth Harlan received word of his mother-in-law's death in a car wreck just outside of Lordsburg, New Mexico. He and wife, well-known actress Marie Prevost, immediately left for Los Angeles. His departure caused a one-week filming delay, and Harlan and Prevost returned to Klamath on February 14, along with Prevost's sister, Peggy. The death of her mother was something Prevost never recovered from. Harlan and Prevost are shown here in the movie The Married Flapper from 1922, a lost silent feature movie. [17]
New Director for Movie...
Universal Studios decided to replace director James Spearing with veteran director George Seitz three weeks into filming, announcing the change on February 13. Apparently Spearing had a previous directing assignment in Hollywood that overlapped with the Crashing Timbers production. News reporting said that outdoor scenes would be re-filmed on location, while all indoor scenes would be re-filmed back on the Universal Studios lot in Hollywood after filming in Klamath Falls was done. George Seitz is shown here in 1920. [18]
Filming wrapped up...
...on February 18, and a few days later the cast and crew of Crashing Timbers finished shooting the last scenes of the movie. All but one of the Universal filming folks departed on the train on February 22, with technical director William Crinley remaining behind to pay bills accrued from filming of the movie. Good weather enabled the production to finish quickly. Viola Dana and other cast and crew made many friends in Klamath Falls during their stay, and newspaper reports told of Billy Kent Schaefer as being the "one who will be missed the most. " Schaefer, Dana, and Harlan are seen here on the outdoor set to the far right. [19]
"WARNING AN ICE FLOOD IS DUE HERE SOON"...
... was the small rectangular announcement in the January 25, 1927 edition of the Klamath News. A year after its filming start, Crashing Timbers now re-named The Ice Flood made its screening debut in Klamath Falls on February 1, 1927, at the Orpheus Theater. The movie was described locally as "a lively, thrilling story." The film, one of only twenty percent of all silent films to survive, stands as a significant primary historical source for the glimpse it provides into American culture and society during the 1920s. [20]
The Ice Flood (1926)
The Ice Flood (1926), Variety Films.
In 2020, Variety Films made The Ice Flood available on YouTube. Two other versions are available on dvd - one from Alpha Video and another by Grapevine Video. Differences in camera angle and scene perspectives likely exist because each version was copied from originals that were filmed from different cameras simultaneously - a practice that was common in the silent film industry. [21]
Epilogue
Silent film, silent movies, and their content serve as an invaluable primary source. They provide a glimpse into the life and times of the people, places, and events during the era of monumental change during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries - captured in their frames. The historical significance of the silent movie discussed here, its impact on the small town that it was filmed in, and its availability for others to watch or use as a primary source of American culture in the 1920s cannot be emphasized enough. Reports on the movie over the years do not indicate its significance for the community in and around Klamath Falls, and a lone scholarly article by scholar Bill Alley (2005) is missing some information in the reconstruction of the historical narrative. That missing information has been provided here. [22]
This topic of silent film and silent movies is important as the silent film era provides a unique view for historians of the arts, entertainment, and culture that existed in the Progressive Era America. Also, the topic correlates to studies that estimate over eighty percent of silent feature-length films produced between 1912 and 1930 have been lost, yet this film survives. The Ice Flood was originally released under the title The Brute Breaker to audiences in 1919 and was filmed about 80 miles south of Klamath Falls in the Mt. Shasta, California area. However, that version is listed as a lost film - which makes The Ice Flood the only surviving version of the storyline on film. Finally, approximately thirty people descended on the small town of Klamath Falls for around two months and evidence of interactions and impacts on the community have been minimally mentioned in other reports.
The significance of silent film as a primary source cannot be overstated. Because only around twenty percent of all silent films made survive, they are a rare commodity - but they show life in real-time captured in historical context. There is a need for more historical research and studies into the variety of historical topics that are related to silent film. Historical events, people, and places in the Progressive Era were most certainly impacted or covered in silent film. When researchers study topics of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, they must consider silent film as a component of their historical inquiry.
Notes
[1] Donna Kornhaber, Silent Film: A Very Short Introduction, New York, NY: Oxford University Press (2020): 1-22.
[2] Donna Kornhaber (2020); 1-22.
[3] Karen Caverly-Molineaux, “What I’ve Been Up To Lately…A Quest to Update the Historical Narrative of Universal Studios’ 1926 Silent Film, ‘The Ice Flood,” History Bits – My PhD Journey (blog), June 25, 2024, https://karenshistorybits.blogspot.com/.
[4] Universal Pictures Corporation. “The Brute Breaker," Library of Congress: Motion Picture Copyright Descriptions Collection Class L, 1912-1977 (1919), https://www.loc.gov/item/s1229l14259/.
[5] “Film Folk Will Film ‘Shoot’ Timber Tale In Klamath,” Klamath News (Klamath Falls, Oregon), December 16, 1925; p. 1.
[6] “Dainty Viola Dana Arriving This Evening,” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon), January 23, 1926: p. 8.
[7] “Viola Dana And Other Stars To Arrive Tonight,” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon), January 23, 1926: p. 1.
[8] “Kenneth Harlan Starts Work on Picture Today,” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon), January 27, 1926: p. 5.
[9] California Oregon Power Company, “On Location in Klamath Falls,” The Volt 6, no. 8 (March 1926): 1-2, Oregon Historical Society, Portland, Oregon.
[10] California Oregon Power Company (1926); 1-2.
[11] “Viola Dana May Attend Chamber Feed Wednesday,” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon), January 25, 1926: p. 1; “Movie Actors To Help Bets At Pine Tree,” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon), January 26, 1926: p. 1; “Movie Stars Shine,” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon), January 2, 1926: p. 2.
[12] “Elks Radio Dancing Party Successful Affair,” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon), January 30, 1926: p. 8.
[13] “Rotarians Host To Movie Group In Big Banquet,” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon), February 6, 1926: p. 1.
[14] “The Pine Tree Theater: It is with pleasure we announce that Miss Viola Dana, Mr. Fred Kohler and Mr. Les Bates Will Appear in Person,” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon), February 9, 1926: p. 3.
[15] “Costume Ball Great Success,” Klamath News (Klamath Falls, Oregon), February 13, 1926: p. 1.
[16] “Child Actor To Be At Pine Tree,” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon), February 1, 1926: p. 1.
[17] “Crash Kills Mother-In-Late of Kenneth Harlan; 2 More Occupants Of Car Injured,” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon), February 6, 1926: p. 1; Turner Classic Movies, Biography: Marie Prevost. TCM website (2024), https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/155278%7C106305/Marie-Prevost#biography; National Film Preservation Board, U.S. Silent Feature Film Lost List for 2021, https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-film-preservation-board/documents/SFF-LostFilmsList020421.pdf.
[18] “Crashing Timber To Be Refilmed,” Klamath News (Klamath Falls, Oregon), February 13, 1926: p. 1.
[19] “Film Cast To Leave Sunday,” Klamath News (Klamath Falls, Oregon), February 19, 1926: p. 1.
[20] “Warning An Ice Flood Is Due Here Soon Prepare,” Klamath News (Klamath Falls, Oregon), January 25, 1927: p. 8.
[21] George B. Seitz, director. The Ice Flood, Universal Jewel Pictures, 1926. 1 hr., 11 min., 13 sec. https://youtu.be/vp4RMloPHlk?si=eyB-jgR4k26izqe8.
[22] Bill Alley, “Crashing Timbers, Ice Floods, and Movie Stars: Universal Studios Comes to Klamath Falls,” The Pacific Northwest Quarterly 96, no. 4 (Fall 2005), https://www.jstor.org/stable/40491874.
Bibliography
Alley, Bill. “Crashing Timbers, Ice Floods, and Movie Stars: Universal Studios Comes to Klamath Falls.” The Pacific Northwest Quarterly 96, no. 4 (Fall 2005): 181-186. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40491874.
California Oregon Power Company, “On Location in Klamath Falls.” The Volt 6, no. 8 (March 1926): 1-2. Oregon Historical Society, Portland, Oregon.
Caverly-Molineaux, Karen. “What I’ve Been Up To Lately…A Quest to Update the Historical Narrative of Universal Studios’ 1926 Silent Film, ‘The Ice Flood.” History Bits – My PhD Journey (blog). June 25, 2024, https://karenshistorybits.blogspot.com/.
“Child Actor To Be At Pine Tree.” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon). February 1, 1926: p. 1.
“Costume Ball Great Success.” Klamath News (Klamath Falls, Oregon). February 13, 1926: p. 1.
“Crash Kills Mother-In-Lae of Kenneth Harlan; 2 More Occupants Of Car Injured.” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon). February 6, 1926: p. 1.
“Crashing Timber To Be Refilmed.” Klamath News (Klamath Falls, Oregon). February 13, 1926: p. 1.
“Dainty Viola Dana Arriving This Evening.” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon). January 23, 1926: p. 8.
“Elks Radio Dancing Party Successful Affair.” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon). January 30, 1926: p. 8.
“Film Cast To Leave Sunday.” Klamath News (Klamath Falls, Oregon). February 19, 1926: p. 1.
“Film Folk Will Film ‘Shoot’ Timber Tale In Klamath,” Klamath News (Klamath Falls, Oregon). December 16, 1925; p. 1.
“Kenneth Harlan Starts Work on Picture Today.” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon). January 27, 1926: p. 5.
Kornhaber, Donna. Silent Film: A Very Short Introduction. New York, NY: Oxford University Press (2020): 1-22.
“Movie Actors To Help Bets At Pine Tree.” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon). January 26, 1926: p. 1.
“Movie Stars Shine.” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon). January 2, 1926: p. 2.
National Film Preservation Board. U.S. Silent Feature Film Lost List for 2021. https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-film-preservation-board/documents/SFF-LostFilmsList020421.pdf.
“The Pine Tree Theater: It is with pleasure we announce that Miss Viola Dana, Mr. Fred Kohler and Mr. Les Bates Will Appear in Person.” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon). February 9, 1926: p. 3.
“Rotarians Host To Movie Group In Big Banquet.” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon). February 6, 1926: p. 1.
Seitz, George B., director. The Ice Flood. Universal Jewel Pictures, 1926. 1 hr., 11 min., 13 sec. https://youtu.be/vp4RMloPHlk?si=eyB-jgR4k26izqe8.
Turner Classic Movies. Biography: Marie Prevost. TCM website (2024). https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/155278%7C106305/Marie-Prevost#biography.
Universal Pictures Corporation. “The Brute Breaker." Library of Congress: Motion Picture Copyright Descriptions Collection Class L, 1912-1977 (1919), https://www.loc.gov/item/s1229l14259/.
“Viola Dana And Other Stars To Arrive Tonight.” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon). January 23, 1926: p. 1.
“Viola Dana May Attend Chamber Feed Wednesday.” Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, Oregon). January 25, 1926: p. 1.
“Warning An Ice Flood Is Due Here Soon Prepare.” Klamath News (Klamath Falls, Oregon). January 25, 1927: p. 8.
