Directory of Artists Under Exclusive Management of The Edward Small Co.

Hollywood/New York: The Edward Small Company. Fair. [1926]. First Edition. Flexible boards. (flexible leatherette-overed boards; no dust jacket, as issued) [extensive white paint staining at edges of front cover, with some impact on the interior; it appears that somebody once used this book to support something that was being painted white; why do people do such things?]. (B&W portrait photographs) A directory (like the title says) of actors, actresses, directors, and writers who were under the management of Edward Small (1891-1977), who up until this time (1926) was primarily an agent; he had established his agency in New York in the mid-1910s, and in 1917 set up shop in Hollywood. (The title page of this directory indicates that he also had offices in London, Paris, and Berlin.) It was in 1926, though, that he began to shift his focus to the production of motion pictures, and over the next 45 years or so was one of the most successful and prolific of Hollywood-based independent producers. Judging from this volume, he had a pretty extensive roster of talent -- there are full-page portraits here of over 100 performers, each with their three most recent credits -- although most were character actors rather than top-line talent. (Some of the more notable names are John Gilbert, Nita Naldi, Baby Peggy, Lionel Barrymore, and Francis X. Bushman -- although those who are steeped in the history of the American silent film will recognize many more. Two more who caught my eye the sisters Eva and Jane Novak, who appear on facing pages; this volume was acquired from a relative of Jane Novak, so it can reasonably be assumed that it belonged to her.) Only a relative handful of directors and writers are included, notably Joseph Henabery (whose name is misspelled) and John M. Stahl. The firm's motto (at the bottom of the front cover and title page) was apparently "Service Plus Integrity." There's also a quote from Edward Small inside that pretty much sums up the agent mentality: "Personality is a Commodity." .