Image from Robert Spence. Ralph was known for being remarkably funny, but all of his images are like this - severe and serious. The image below calls him a demon. There is a lot going on in this image, and it is one of many that Spence shot at his desk with his typewriter and Moviola (a device used to edit film). I could not glean much from the items on the desk (the ink well and scattered papers), but it is a little amusing that he seems to have a somewhat risqué figurine on the top shelf.
Image provided by Robert Spence. Every other image of Spence is formal and stoic, but this is a uniquely candid shot, where he is lacking his typical formal attire. Many images of Spence, like this one, show Spence engaged in a learned activity (reading or writing), even though Spence was only educated through the 6th grade.
In this terrific image provided by Robert Spence, Ralph is shown opening the door for Ruth Roland, an early star in silent movies. You can catch a few of her highlights below. The other man, I believe, is Don Meany, Spence's general manager. |
AuthorGregory Robinson is the Chair of the Humanities Department at Nevada State College. He is also the author of All Movies Love the Moon, a collection of prose poems on silent movies. Archives
September 2014
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