A Minute with the Midgets - Filmed at Blackpool

Series

Series Name
Eve And Everybody’s Film Review

Issue

Issue No.
339
Date Released
20 Oct 1927
Stories in this Issue:

Story

Summary
NoS Summary - "midget" performers getting ready for a show.
British Pathe synopsis: Five women walk on to a stage set wearing their underwear and dance shoes. They are getting ready for a performance and sit around in front of a mirror doing their make up and primping their hair. "Even midgets of three-feet-nothing have to face powder before they face the footlights." reads an intertitle. C/U of one of the women putting on make-up at a small table. Three women stand behind in their undies. The woman making up does her lipstick, dabs her face with powder, licks her fingers and wets her eyebrows. She then sprays herself with perfume and stands up. We then see her dancing on stage with the other women standing further back. A man in a bell boy outfit also stands on the stage. The "undies" are actually their stage costumes - but they look like underwear. The small woman dances a Charleston centre stage. Another one of the women dances on points - her ballet dance incorporates pointing her feet and pirouettes. An intertitle reads: "Hanky - panky - !" One of the women takes a handkerchief from the bell boy, puts it on the ground then bends over backwards and picks it up in her teeth. "From 18 to 28 - all light-footed and light-hearted" (said Mr. Lister)." The women do a high kick routine.
Keywords
Curiosities; Performing arts
Written sources
Pathe Inventory File   Tin No.102
British Pathe Database 1997   Reference No.EP102 Used for synopsis
National Film Archive Catalogue
Credits:
Production Co.
British Pathe Ltd.

This series is held by:

Film Archive

Name
British Film Institute (BFI)
Email
For BFI National Archive enquiries:
nonfictioncurators@bfi.org.uk
For commercial/footage reuse enquiries:
footage.films@bfi.org.uk
Web
http://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web
Phone
020 7255 1444
Fax
020 7580 7503
Address
21 Stephen Street
London W1T 1LN
Notes
The BFI National Archive also preserves the original nitrate film copies of British Movietone News, British Paramount News, Empire News Bulletin, Gaumont British News, Gaumont Graphic, Gaumont Sound News and Universal News (the World War II years are covered by the Imperial War Museum).
Series held
View all series held by British Film Institute (BFI)
Name
British Pathe Ltd
Email
info@britishpathe.com
Web
https://www.britishpathe.com/
Phone
0207 665 8340
Address
3.29 Canterbury Court
1-3 Brixton Road
London
SW9 6DE
Notes
Pathe now also handles the Reuters Historical Collection, which includes the British Paramount, Empire British, Gaumont Graphic and Gaumont British newsreels.
Series held
View all series held by British Pathe Ltd

How to cite this record

'A Minute with the Midgets - Filmed at Blackpool', Eve And Everybody’s Film Review Issue No. 339, 20 Oct 1927. https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/newsonscreen/search/index.php/story/331747 (Accessed 31 Jan 2025)