Uncredited: Jack Mulhall and the decline of stardom

Jack Mulhall (1887-1979) rose to become a popular romantic lead in both Hollywood dramas and light comedy during the 1920s, but with the transition to sound films his career began to decline, and he became a star of "Poverty Row" potboilers and an uncredited bit player. This essay argues that Mulhall's decline is attributable to changing cinematic fashions, as dashing, carefree character types lost popularity and Mulhall's presence on screen became emblematic of outmoded fashions. Two films that in different ways invoke the past of silent cinema "Hollywood Boulevard" (1936) and "The Amazing Exploits of the Clutching Hand" (1936) clearly show Mulhall's stardom waning. (Quotes from original text)