Tom Tyler and Producers Releasing Corporation: Frontier Marshal

Daily Variety, May 26, 1941

One of the more obscure parts of Tom Tyler’s career in film was how he almost wound up freelancing for Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC), the smallest film production company of the 1940’s in Hollywood. Producers Releasing Corporation was founded in 1939 by Ben Judell, with producer Sigmund Neufeld and director Sam Newfield, his brother. Film producer George R. Batcheller, Jr. and executive in charge of production Leon Fromkess also became part of PRC in producing low-budget films. It was a standard practice to keep each PRC film budget below $100,000.00, sometimes well below $50,000.00. PRC produced a total of 179 feature-length westerns, melodramas and horror films.

According to Daily Variety, May 26, 1941, Tom Tyler was originally signed on to star in the new "Frontier Marshal" series created by PRC with Lee Powell as co-star. A total of six westerns were scheduled for this new series. Motion Picture Herald, July 19, 1941 also announced that Tom Tyler would be appearing in this exciting new series. The vehicle for Tom's newest project was written by Johnston McCulley with the rights purchased by Neufeld. Yet this was not to be, for at some point in 1941, Tom was somehow able to get out of his contract with Producers Releasing Corporation for the "Frontier Marshal" western series and join Republic Pictures as one of the Three Mesquiteers, replacing Bob Livingston. As a result, Lee Powell eventually took over what would have been Tom's new role with Producers Releasing Corporation in "Frontier Marshal". Perhaps this career move was advised by Tom’s agent, if it was, it was certainly the better move for him financially as well as establish him in the role as Stony Brook with the famous western trio.

Producers Releasing Corporation continued with their plans to release the “Frontier Marshal” film series, adding Art Davis and Bill "Cowboy Rambler" Boyd - not to be confused with the Bill Boyd who played the beloved Hopalong Cassidy in westerns from the 1930's to 1950's – to the cast. "Raiders of the West" (1942) was the first “Frontier Marshal” western. Tom’s old friend Oliver Drake wrote the original story and screenplay. This was followed by: "Rolling Down the Great Divide", "Tumbleweed Trail", “Prairie Pals”, and "Along the Sundown Trail", all released in 1942. By September 1942, Producers Releasing Corporation released the news that its "Frontier Marshal" six-film series was going to be replaced with a new series, "The Texas Rangers". This new series would star Art Davis, Tex O'Brien, and Al "Fuzzy" St. John. Five of the six “Frontier Marshal” westerns were made before Producer Releasing Corporation switched over to their Texas Rangers series. At this time, Producer Releasing Corporation also created the "Billy the Kid" western film series with Buster Crabbe as the star, and the "Lone Rider" series, with George Houston as star.

Daily Variety, June 25, 1941

While it would have been fascinating to watch Tom appear in B-westerns produced by Producer Releasing Corporation in the “Frontier Marshal” series, he clearly got the better deal when he signed on to Republic Pictures to appear in thirteen Three Mesquiteers westerns, which is not a bad trade-off, considering that his first completed film with Republic was the now-famous "Adventures of Captain Marvel" (1941) serial. 

Reading silent films: “Trail of the Horse Thieves” 1929 starring Tom Tyler

“Trail of the Horse Thieves” is the fifth installment of the Tom Tyler lost silent film reconstruction series and now available for reading. This exciting story involves a remote valley of ranchers out west, a loan shark, and quicksand.

Please read the Terms of Use before reading the actual story.

Most importantly, enjoy my translation, and hopefully this will be an incentive to rediscover “Trail of the Horse Thieves”.

Click here to read my translation!

Review on “The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” at Classic Movie Hub

Kickstarter backer Laura Grieve has written an outstanding review of “The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” released on Undercrank Productions which has been published under the Western Roundup section at Classic Movie Hub. Laura attended the Lone Pine Film Festival in October 2024 when Tom Tyler’s niece Sandra Slepski was interviewed by fellow western fan Henry C. Parke. You can read the Blu-ray review here at Classic Movie Hub.

Be sure to check out Laura’s personal blog, "Laura's Miscellaneous Musings" which can be viewed here. 

If you decide to purchase a copy of the “Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” on Blu-ray or DVD, please leave a rating and review for it at Amazon. Tom and I are looking forward to hearing what you have to say about this top-notch silent film restoration.

Tom Tyler films available on Blu-ray

Blu-ray releases of Tom Tyler’s starring roles are somewhat limited, although in the last few years more have become available, primarily through The Serial Squadron and Undercrank Productions. Below is a list of what is available for those who believe in purchasing and collecting physical media and just want to add a little something special to their Tom Tyler film viewing:

“The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” – The Man from Nevada, Law of the Plains – Undercrank Productions 

“Phantom of the Air” – VCI Entertainment 

“Fast Bullets” – The Serial Squadron 

“Adventures of Captain Marvel” – Kino Lorber 

Supporting roles Tom has in movies available on Blu-ray:

“Stagecoach” – Criterion Collection 

“Gone with the Wind” – Warner Home Video 

“The Grapes of Wrath” – 20th Century Studios 

“The Mummy’s Hand” (on “The Mummy: Complete Legacy Collection” – Universal Pictures Home Entertainment 

“Buck Privates” – Universal Pictures Home Entertainment 

“The Talk of the Town” – Sony 

“They Were Expendable” – Warner Archive Collection 

“San Antonio” (Available on December 16, 2025) – Warner Archive Collection 

“Red River” – Criterion Collection 

“Blood on the Moon” – Warner Archive Collection 

“She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” – Warner Archive Collection 

“Samson and Delilah” – Paramount 

New book on Tom Tyler now available for purchase

Longtime Tom Tyler fan G. Michael Dobbs has written and published his book on Tom in September of 2025! It is titled “The Films and Life of Tom Tyler: Cowboy, Monster, Hero”. The book is 354 pages long and packed with updated information regarding Tom’s career, including a mention on the two silent films recently restored for the “Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” available on the Undercrank Productions label, "The Man from Nevada" and "Law of the Plains", both from 1929. Michael has many years of experience as a journalist and editor, which means that this new book on Tom Tyler is sure to be an engaging read.

You can purchase a copy of “The Films and Life of Tom Tyler: Cowboy, Monster, Hero” at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. 

Hugh Loudon’s “My Hollywood” and Tom Tyler

Tom Tyler’s silent films made for FBO certainly made an impression upon fans around the world early on. Spain dedicated many forms of kiosk literature in the form of pulp fiction and film booklets on these silent films. Tom, along with Frankie Darro, their horses, and dog named Napoleon, were heavily marketed around the world along with many other silent films produced by FBO. In the United Kingdom, Tom Tyler had plenty of fans of that side of the Atlantic, enough to inspire at least one of them by the name of Hugh Loudon to include his silent films in the book “My Hollywood”. Written and published in 1991 by The Self Publishing Association Ltd. in Upton-upon-Servern in Worcestershire, Hugh cites Tom Tyler’s silent films as being an early influence upon his interest in American films.

One of Hugh's favorite cinemas where he attended the matinee was the Cecil located in Treforest, a village in Pontypridd, southern Wales. According to his memoir, one thing that genuinely fascinated him about Tom Tyler was the way the star mounted his horse, often while the horse started galloping. This is commonly known as the “flying mount”, which requires the rider to have a firm grasp on the horn of the saddle while aiming to land in the saddle without falling off onto the other side. Hugh continues to describe watching Tom’s silent films in the first chapter of his memoir, which took place between 1929 and 1931, a year or two after the film’s initial release in the United States, which was not unusual in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in the world at the time. The fact that Hugh was able to fondly remember Tom Tyler’s silent films in 1991 is impressive, a precious memory now faded with a generation no longer with us on earth.

Finally, Hugh devotes chapter eight of his memoir to westerns, where he mentions Tom again in the critically acclaimed “Stagecoach” from 1939. The words which describe Tom as one of the Plummer Boys aching to take on the Ringo Kid, played by John Wayne, are written with relish. Hugh even concludes the scene with how Tom walks into the saloon, his long, drawn-out walk, before collapsing dead beside the bar.

Engagingly written, it is easy to see how "My Hollywood" was written by a teacher who eventually went on to become the Director of Education in the historically rich county of Gwent in southeast Wales. Now out of print, the book can be read through Internet Archive.

Upcoming special project for “Trail of the Horse Thieves” (1929)

Coming up in 2026, our fifth installment of the lost Tom Tyler silent film reconstruction series, "Trail of the Horse Thieves" from 1929 with Bee Amann has been selected. As usual, the basis for this reconstruction will be the film's derivative published by Biblioteca Films. Existing copies of stills, promotional materials, and movie cards will be included in this project.

Once "Trail of the Horse Thieves" is translated, it will be posted here on the Aventuras de Tom Tyler Blog plus social media pages.

Fan reviews of The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection

Tom Tyler fan and owner of the western blog Rough Edges James Reasoner has written two glowing reviews on the newly released silent films “Law of the Plains” and “The Man from Nevada” which are on the Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection, released on the Undercrank Productions label in 2025.

You can read the reviews here:

Rough Edges – Law of the Plains

Rough Edges – The Man from Nevada

Finally, if you own a blog or silent film or western themed site and are interested in reviewing the Blu-ray/DVD release of the Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection, please let us know, we are happy to send you a copy of the Blu-ray or DVD as desired. If you do not own a site and still want to write a review, the Amazon product page is always a great place to publish your review.

Enjoy reading these reviews!

The reviews for “The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” keep coming in

I am happy to report that enthusiastic reviews for “The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” DVD/Blu-Ray from Undercrank Productions keep coming, in many cases combined with reviews of Ben Model’s latest book “The Silent Film Universe” which has just hit the streets. This book is a must read for anyone interested in silent film, and since it coincides with the release of the Tom Tyler DVD/Blu-Ray, is sure to help the viewer of the newly restored “The Man from Nevada” and “Law of the Plains”, both originally released in 1929, to understand and appreciate these silent films even more. “The Silent Film Universe” can be purchased here from Amazon.

And now, for the reviews! Our most recent ones are as follows:

“Ben Model, Keeping Silent Movies Alive and Well”, by Jeremy Carr at Film International.

“A ‘Missionary’ for Movie History Explores ‘The Silent Film Universe’ in an Essential New Book” by Jim Hemphill at IndieWire.

“Physical Media Rules: The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection (2025)” by Scott Marks at San Diego Reader.

Please remember to leave a review of “The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” at Amazon here to encourage more people interested in Tom Tyler, his westerns, westerns in general, or just to help support spread the news of the newly restored “The Man from Nevada” and “Law of the Plains”, both from 1929.

More reviews of “The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection”

Screenshot from "Law of the Plains"

The reviews for “The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” from Undercrank Productions keep coming in! Lea Stans of the website Silent-ology sings the praises of Tom Tyler as being “Hero of the Bs” – that is, hero of the B-westerns, which he was during the first two decades of his acting career, with a dose of supporting roles in other films and of course the two superheros, Captain Marvel AKA Shazam and The Phantom. Her review can be read here.

A more recent review by Phil Hall at the website Cinema Crazed provides the following: “Considering that neither “The Law of the Plains” nor “The Man from Nevada” have been seen in over 90 years, their return is one of the most welcome happenings in this year’s home entertainment releases.” Phil’s review can be read here.

Finally, if you are a Kickstarter backer of the Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection, or purchased a DVD or Blu-ray copy online recently, please leave a review at Amazon here to encourage more people interested in Tom Tyler, his westerns, westerns in general, or just to help support spread the news of the newly restored “The Man from Nevada” and “Law of the Plains”, both from 1929.

After all, it was not that long ago when “The Man from Nevada” was considered to be a lost silent film.

Review of the “Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” at PopMatters

Probably one of the best reviews of the “Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” released by Undercrank Productions appears on the website PopMatters. Written by Michael Barrett, this is the type of review that briefly explores Tom’s ethnic background which I previously wrote about here back in 2017, in addition to information about Tom’s later career spanning from the late 1930’s until his death in 1953. Michael Barrett certainly did his homework while commenting on the plots of “Law of the Plains” and “The Man from Nevada”, citing historical context within recent memory of revolutions taking place in the former silent film, and Tom’s basic cowboy character in what otherwise seems to be routine westerns in the latter silent film.

Enjoy reading this silent film review of the “Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” at PopMatters.

More reviews on The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection

Scene from "Law of the Plains" 1929

The reviews for the “Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” released by Undercrank Productions and now available on DVD and Blu-ray keep coming in! Comments overall are encouraging so far, especially with the silent film restoration quality of the picture, in addition to silent films made during the end of their era when synchronized sound films were being made, and the larger movie houses were being outfitted to play these new sound films. Small town neighborhood cinemas, however, were still many when it came to playing silent films, and Tom Tyler was a favorite when his silent westerns “The Man from Nevada” and “Law of the Plains”, both from 1929, disappeared from the silver screen.

Jeffrey Kauffman wrote a review at Blu-ray.com with a number of screencaps from “The Man from Nevada” and “Law of the Plains”. Nicholas Sheffo at Fulvue Drive-In website also wrote a review, minus screenshots but worth reading.

Finally, there is a five-star rating and review by M. J. Jensen on the Amazon product page for the “Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” that is worth reading and sharing.

If you decide to purchase a copy of the “Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection”, please leave a rating and review for it at Amazon. Tom and I are looking forward to hearing what you have to say about this top-notch silent film restoration.

Silent Film Review: The Man from Nevada 1929

The reviews keep coming in for the Tom Tyler Silent Film Collections from Undercrank Productions which has an official release date of May 6, 2025! This glowing review is for the Tom Tyler silent film “The Man from Nevada” (1929) which is in this collection, written by film historian and author J. B. Kaufman, an authority on Disney animated films and American silent films. This entry is on Kaufman’s website as “Movie of the Month” which is in many ways an ideal selection for Tom, considering it was published on the 71st anniversary of his passing, May 1, 1954. You can read the silent film review here:

Movie of the Month: The Man from Nevada

Finally, if you would like to review the Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection and be published on the Aventuras de Tom Tyler blog, please drop me a line at aventurasdetomtyler at triggertom.com – we would love to hear your thoughts on this brand-new restoration of two long-forgotten Tom Tyler silent westerns!

Film review on The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection at Silent Era

I am happy to report that the first silent film reviews of Tom Tyler’s newly restored “Law of the Plains” and “The Man from Nevada”, both from 1929 in The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection  (Undercrank Productions 2025), have been written by Carl Bennett and posted on his comprehensive Silent Era website! The reviews are located here:

"Law of the Plains" (1929) film review 

"The Man from Nevada" (1929) film review 

Please share these reviews across your social media pages and film forums across the Internet as this will help Tom Tyler get the exposure he deserves!

The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection ready for pre-ordering

The day has finally come! The Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection containing two newly 2K restorations of “The Man from Nevada” and “Law of the Plains”, both released in 1929, are finally available for pre-ordering! The Kickstarter for this Tom Tyler project was hugely successful for Tom Tyler fans across the genres of silent film, western, and serial fans, with a good dose of the Universal horror fans who recognize Tom as the frightening, glowing-eyed mummy from “The Mummy’s Hand” (1940). Silent film restoration to the final product of DVD and Blu-ray are a lot of work, but as with everything else that comes with Tom Tyler, he is definitely worth it.

You can pre-order your DVD or Blu-ray copy from any of the links below:

Undercrank Productions

Deep Discount

Amazon

Movies Unlimited

Critic's Choice Video

Wow HD

A huge, huge thank you to everyone who supported this silent film project, to all Tom Tyler fans everywhere, to Ben Model, Crystal Kui, and the rest of the players who made this DVD/Blu-ray possible. And many thanks to future generations of Tom Tyler fans who will appreciate his contributions to the film industry.

Hitching a ride on horseback with Tom Tyler at the circus

When he performed with the Wallace Brothers Circus back in 1937, Tom Tyler enjoyed many special moments when it came to meeting fans. One particular performance made a lasting impression upon Tyler fan Doran Peck, who was lucky enough to see his hero in person at the circus.

Born in 1927, Doran was 10 years old when he had that exciting encounter with Tom Tyler under the Big Top. The son of Lucille Peck, Doran lived in La Harpe, Illinois with his parents but was visiting relatives in Keokuk, Iowa when he had the opportunity to attend the Wallace Brothers Circus. Doran was lucky to have the privilege of sitting in the front row which must have made him feel even more close to the western film star. Perhaps it was the sheer amount of cheering on from the boys and girls that day which made Tom Tyler survey his fans as he rode on horseback around the ring and decide to give Doran the ultimate thrill of his life: a ride on the back of Tom’s circus horse!

The event was reported in The Hancock County Quill, the newspaper for La Harpe dated August 4, 1937, Doran climbed onto the horse and sat behind Tom as the two trotted along the ring, no doubt being the envy of the other young men who watched them in action. As all truly exciting events in life worth talking about for days after and even passing down to the younger generations, Doran shared the news with friends and family.

One may ask, why did Tom Tyler specifically select young Doran Peck for a ride upon his horse? One possible theory is that Doran reminded Tom of his silent film co-star, the child actor Frankie Darro. Were one to view a photo of Doran at the age of 10, he might pass for a young Frankie. By the time Doran reached his 20’s, however, the evidence is even more clear: he really did resemble Frankie Darro!

Like Frankie, and Tom Tyler, young Doran had that ambitious drive so prevalent among young American boys of the late 1930’s through early 1940’s. He settled on becoming an accountant, and as soon as he graduated from high school, entered college. When Doran graduated from the University of Denver in 1949 with a degree in accounting, his first job was with a steel firm in Provo, Utah. He studied hard to become a certified public accountant (CPA), passing a rigorous exam at the age of 22, according to The Hancock County Quill, dated August 17, 1949. Eventually, he opened his own office with a partner in Denver. The office was located in Majestic Building, located at the corner of 16th Street and Broadway in Denver.

Now that he was cemented in a successful career, Doran married in 1952, meeting his wife while residing in Denver. Eventually the couple had two sons together, which gave Doran Peck the opportunity to share that historical moment of his life, when he rode on the back of Tom Tyler’s circus horse with his hero.

Filmed on location at Buttercup Dunes: “Let’s Go Gallagher” (1925)

2025 marks the 100th anniversary of Tom Tyler’s debut starring role in “Let’s Go Gallagher” for FBO. Filmed at Buttercup Dunes in Imperial County, California, it must have been very exciting for Tom to learn he was going to be filming on location for his first major role in silent film. It’s just one of the perks in having an acting career, to be able to travel and film on location, even in a big state like California. No doubt Tom Tyler found the California desert to be exotic and enchanting at the same time, having been brought up in the Adirondacks of upstate New York and then Hamtramck, Michigan. As with any crew and cast which films on location for the first time, they plan well in advance, taking into consideration the climate and land prior to filming. What is even more exciting is that “Let’s Go Gallagher” was the first of many silent westerns pairing Tom Tyler with famed child actor Frankie Darro. For his leading lady, Tom had Barbara Starr, with Alfred Hewston, Olin Francis, and Sam Peterson in the cast. It is worth noting that Barbara Starr was married to Gaylord Lloyd, brother of famous silent film comedian Harold Lloyd, at the time she filmed “Let’s Go Gallagher” with Tom Tyler.

Located in the southeast part of California right on the Mexican border, Imperial County has a strong agriculture, Mexican cultural influence, and desert which makes the region perfect for films which require western or exotic locations. Imperial County is also home to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Imperial National Wildlife Refuge. “The Big Trail” (1930) directed by Raoul Walsh, “Beau Geste” (1939) directed by William A. Wellman, and “The Son of the Sheik” (1926) directed by George Fitzmaurice and starring Rudolph Valentino, are just a few movies filmed at Buttercup Dunes. 

Situated on the southern edge of the Imperial Dunes also known as the Algodones Dunes, Buttercup Dunes is home to a number of fascinating historical locations, such as the Obregon Historical Market in the ghost town of Ogilby, Valley of the Names in Winterhaven, Glamis Dunes, and Sunset Hill. The dunes at Buttercup Dunes stretch for five miles in length and rise at a height of 300 feet. Of course, the winds are always shifting these sands which can cause varying heights among the dunes, which is normal across any sand dunes in California.

Since the 1960’s, dune buggies have become a popular pastime at the Imperial Dunes. Today, the Buttercup Sand Dunes is home to a ranger station and campground, located right off Route 8 in southernmost California.

Recapping 2024: Aventuras de Tom Tyler

It goes without saying that 2024 was a very exciting year for Aventuras de Tom Tyler. Not only is this year the ten-year anniversary of the website, but the “Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection” Kickstarter was successful, Tyler fan G. Michael Dobbs is writing a book on Tom’s career, and the hunt continues for Tom’s lost silent films and lost Monogram Pictures films. The lost Monogram titles are: "Partners of the Trail" (1931), "The Man from Death Valley" (1931), "Galloping Thru" (1931), and "Vanishing Men" (1932). To find out which of Tom’s silent films are still lost, please check each individual silent film entry for the 1920’s on the following Aventuras de Tom Tyler page here. 

An angel donor is still being sought to have “The Man from New Mexico” (1932) at the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York restored. If you know of anyone willing to be an angel donor, please contact me by email aventurasdetomtyler_@_triggertom.com (remove the underscores).

Since 2025 marks the 100th year since Tom Tyler made his silent film starring role debut in “Let’s Go Gallagher” (1925), there is much hope this one will resurface in the new year. 

Finally, may all readers of this blog have a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year, let’s make 2025 the best year yet for Tom Tyler!

Tom Tyler tour with Greg Parker: Lone Pine Film Festival October 2024

Tom Tyler tour slots are still available at this year’s Lone Pine Film Festival held on October 10-13 this year if you want to experience the privilege of walking upon the same land where Tom filmed the following two exciting B-westerns: “The Phantom of the Range” (1936) and “Rip Roarin’ Buckaroo” (1936):

lonepinefilmfestival.org/tour-listing-2024/

This is a must-see for Tom Tyler fans now that our favorite cowboy is celebrating 100 years since he started appearing in bit roles in Hollywood. Happy 100^th Anniversary, Tom.

Comedy behind the scenes while filming “Trail of the Horse Thieves”

One of the basic ingredients of a Tom Tyler silent film made during the FBO years is comedy. Intended to hold the youthful audience’s attention, this can be seen in “The Texas Tornado” (1928), which to date is the only silent film made for FBO that remains available on DVD from Sinister Cinema. Onscreen antics between Tom, his pal Frankie Darro, and often the family he finds himself defending against bandits, the comedy ranges from physical humor to a title card  intended to make the audience laugh, or even a caustic expression between Tom and his leading lady. It can be difficult to evaluate what amount of levity took place during the filming of one of these silent films, particularly the ones which have not survived. After all, Tom Tyler’s silent film westerns were meant to be fun to watch, with natural banter taking place among his pals.  However, an article from Evening Courier, Camden, NJ, November 16, 1929 for one lost silent film, “Trail of the Horse Thieves” (1929), provides some insight on what kind of fun took place while Tom and the rest of the cast engaged in between camera shots.

Supporting actor and villain in “Trail of the Horse Thieves” Bill Nestell (often billed as Bill Nestel during his silent film years) had a natural love for music and singing. This resulted in one entertaining scene taking place while cameraman Nick Musuraca made some adjustments with his equipment to prepare for a closeup between Tom and Bill as the rest of the crew prepared for the next camera take. Bill started to sing an old-time song, possibly dating back to the very early 1900’s, which Tom joined in on. Soon the two men found themselves with enough time to complete two more songs while the studio musician played the accordion. It may seem peculiar that a silent film production would have studio music, but such music is often used in film scenes where a musical scene is taking place – as it apparently did in “Trail of the Horse Thieves”. 

Once the singalong stopped, director Robert DeLacy called for the actors to take their positions. Almost as if the diversion never took place, Tom assumed his physical stance, arms held above his head, while Bill Nestell stood directly in front of him, his gun pointed at Tom, ready to take action. No doubt the director and the rest of the crew were amused at the friendly exchange between the two actors off-camera then suddenly falling into line as the script demands. Such incidents on the silent film set with Tom Tyler show that while he was a serious actor, he never took himself too seriously while waiting in between those camera takes.