Saturday, August 09, 2025

Today -100: August 9, 1925: Of marching kluxers and huge gorillas, but I repeat myself


35-40,000 Klansman from all over... well, from the North-East, mostly, march through Washington D.C. (the parade had a permit, it’s not a March on Rome thing) from the Capitol to the Washington Monument. They do not wear masks, in compliance with a D.C. ordinance. Many do hold their arms out in evident imitation of the Italian Fascist “Roman salute.” It rains at the end, so no giant-cross burning.




Some British Pathé footage of the parade.

By the way, after William Jennings Bryan’s death, some Klan chapters celebrated him, under the impression he was a member.


British Air Secretary Sir Samuel Hoare will fly over the North Sea in one of the secret flying boats being developed.

The NYT likes the Tod Browning / Lon Chaney film “The Unholy Three”: “Think of having such a combination as a midget, a strong man and a ventriloquist! ... There is also a huge gorilla that figures in this picture, and even the way in which this animal is employed makes a wonderful cog in the story.” Rewatching it recently I was surprised how good Mae Busch was; I mostly remember her from her multiple roles as the one-note wife of Oliver Hardy, was. The “midget” who disguised himself as an infant was Harry Earles, 22 or 23, who was also in the sound remake, “Freaks,” and “the Wizard of Oz,” but mostly worked in circuses with his 3 diminutive siblings.



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