Wonderland Burlesque

Thursday, January 08, 2026

Wonderland Burlesque's Let's Go To The Movies: Where That Girl From? - Part XIII

Wonderland Burlesque's

Let's Go To The Movies:

Where That Girl From?

Part XIII

Everybody's from somewhere. In theory. Even in the abstract.

Today's cinema excursion dares to ask the poignant question: Where That Girl From?

And who has the answer?

Hollywood, of course. For Tinseltown has the 411 on anything or anyone who has ever graced the silver screen.

So, off we go... seeking answers, which these vintage films offer up in spades.

Yes, never fear. When it comes to the movies?

You are never truly lost.

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The Girl From Tim's Place

(1915)

The story centers around a young girl named Chip McGuire, who struggles to escape a life of servitude and brutality in a remote wilderness community run by harsh individuals, including her outlaw father.

Based on the book by Charles Clark Munn, this silent film stars Maude Fealy.

Maude Fealy

This is considered a lost film.

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The Girl From Nowhere

(1919)

A girl, suffering from amnesia, shows up in a logging-camp in the northwest. There are those who know more about who she is than she does, including why she is there, and the helpless girl is soon at the mercy of the lawlessness in this far-flung frontier. Is there no gentleman to come to her aid?

This American silent action-adventure/drama was directed and written by Wilfred Lucas and Bess Meredyth and stars Cleo Madison and Frank Brownlee.

This is considered a lost film.

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The Girl From Outside

1919

Alone in Nome, Alaska in 1900 after her father dies en route from Seattle, June Campbell is befriended by the Curly Kid and his four friends "The Wags." They help her open a hotel through dishonest means, but she is unaware they are crooks. The owner of the hotel property, Harry Hope, the manager of a trading company, falls in love with her, as do the Wags, who steal furnishings and a cow for her. Gambler Jim Denton, the owner of the leading saloon, in his pursuit of June, forges a codicil to an option on Harry's profitable gold mine. The Curly Kid, realizing his love for June is hopeless since she loves Harry, destroys the option but is then killed by Denton. To settle the score, the Curly Kid's Chinese cook, Chow, coolly knifes Denton before the Wags arrive to take their revenge. Through June's influence, the Wags reform, and Harry and June are happily united once more.

Written by Rex Beach, this American silent melodrama was directed by Reginald Barker and stars Clara Horton, Cullen Landis, Sidney Ainsworth, Hallam Cooley and Wilton Taylor.

This is a considered a lost film.

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The Girl From Woolworths

(1929)

Daisy, a clerk at Woolworth's, loves to sing. She meets Bill, a guard on the subway, at a party and they're both attracted to each other, but each tells the other that they have a different job than they actually do. Bill later finds her handbag on the subway, returns it to her and invites her to dinner. They dine at the swanky Mayfield Club, where owner Lawrence Mayfield is also attracted to Daisy and offers her a job there as a singer. Bill is not happy, but Daisy is ecstatic. Needless to say, complications ensue.

This American pre-Code musical romance was directed by William Beaudine and starring Alice White, Gladden James and Bert Moorhouse. It was released both as a sound film and in a slightly shorter silent version.

Karen Plunkett-Powell wrote in her book, Remembering Woolworth's: A Nostalgic History of the World's Most Famous Five-and-Dime: "First National Pictures produced this 60-minute musical as a showcase for up-and-coming actress Alice White."

The film featured four songs with music by George W. Meyer and lyrics by Al Bryan: Someone, Oh! Oh! Oh! What I Know About Love, You Baby Me, I'll Baby You, and Crying for Love.

Sadly, this is now considered a lost film. Though seven sound discs exist in the UCLA Film and Television Archives.

In September 1928, Warner Bros. Pictures purchased a majority interest in First National Pictures and from that point on, all First National productions were actually made under Warner Bros. control, even though the two companies continued to retain separate identities until the mid-1930's, after which time the combined banner A Warner Bros.-First National Picture was often used.

Alice White

During the age of silent films, Alice White was hot competition for Clara Bow. With the introduction of sound, White came into her own, singing and dancing. However, White left films in 1931 to "improve her acting abilities", returning in 1933 - only to have her career hurt by a scandal which erupted over her involvement with former-boyfriend British actor Jack Warburton and future-husband Sy Bartlett. In 1933, White and Bartlett, were accused of arranging the beating of Warburton. White and Warburton had reportedly had a love affair that ended when he beat her so badly she required cosmetic surgery - the real reason she left films in 1931. No charges were filed, but the the damage was done. Although she later married Bartlett, her reputation was so tarnished that from that point on she appeared only in supporting roles and then, only bit parts.

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A Girl From Paris

(1954)

AKA: Ein Mädchen aus Paris

Louis Schubarth emigrated from Germany to France and settles in Paris where he developes an import-export business for tropical produce. He has but two loves: Asian art and to his daughter Madeleine. Across the Rhine lives Mathias Wilbers, a wind instrument maker in Hückeswagen, Westphalia. One day, the two men go to the same art auction in Munich to bid on a group of Asian objects. A bidding war between the two erupts and only later do they realize that they were once, long before the war, school friends. This reunion is celebrated and Louis meets Robert, Wilbers' adult son. Louis suggests putting his Madeleine, a law student, in touch with Mathias' Robert, who has also taken law courses. The two fathers come up with a plan: Madeleine should come to Munich and spend a few semesters abroad. Robert promises to keep an eye on her, so that her attention is fully devoted to her studies and not to other temptations. Madeleine arrives and, after a period of adjustment, begins to find her way in the strange city. Robert is delighted by the charming and friendly Frenchwoman and decides to introduce her to his personal Munich. To the sound of music and dancing, the two grow closer and begin to fall in love. However, an old boyfriend of Madeleine's follows her to Paris. And once he's in the picture, misunderstandings and complications arise.

This West German comedy was directed by Franz Seitz, Jr. and stars Etchika Choureau, Erich Schellow, and Hans Leibelt.

Location shooting took place in Munich and Paris.

The film's sets were designed by the art director Arne Flekstad.

Etchika Choureau

Etchika Choureau was a French film actress, active from 1953 to 1966, who appeared in 17 feature films, and one TV movie. She remained in the spotlight long after she retired from films due to her on-going friendship with her former lover, King Hassan II of Morocco. When Hassan succeeded his father as king, Hassan's culture and his royal responsibilities required him to breakup with Choureau, who was Christian and divorced, and marry a Muslim Moroccan woman. Choureau and Hassan remained close lifelong friends, and the friendship continued even after she remarried in 1968.

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And that's all for now, folks.

Tune in next time...

Same place, same channel.