There’s a pretty good chance that you have never heard of Harry Leon Wilson. He specialized in light comedic fiction with eccentric characters overwhelmed by everyday life in the early twentieth century. In this case, those new-fangled movies.
Merton of the Movies was published in 1919. It was subsequently adapted into a play and then a film in 1924. The film is unfortunately lost. (Other Wilson books turned into silent movies include Ruggles of Red Gap and Oh, Doctor!)
My copy is a 1923 printing. You can find 1920s editions for fairly low prices. However, since it was published in 1919, it is in the public domain and may be downloaded for free. The version I found is illustrated with scenes from the play. It is also available as a free audio-book courtesy of Librivox.
What is it?: Merton Gill is a romantic young man who decides that the movies are the only place for him. Being a complete bumpkin, he stumbles around Hollywood and would probably have starved if he hadn’t run into Flips Montague, a comedienne and stuntwoman. Flips shows Merton the ropes and helps him secure a job in a film. Merton gives his all in a dramatic performance. What he doesn’t know is that his acting is so bad he is unintentionally making an uproarious comedy– and Flips is in on the conspiracy. Will his relationship with Flips survive once he finds out? And will he be able to get that dramatic acting gig that he dreams of? Read the book to see.
Favorite part: I loved the prissy hero who has no idea he is funny. How he views the heroine:
Merton Gill passed on. He confessed now to a reluctant admiration for the Montague girl. She could surely throw a knife. He must practise that himself sometime. He might have stayed to see more of this drama but he was afraid the girl would break out into more of her nonsense. He was aware that she swept him with her eyes as he turned away but he evaded her glance. She was not a person, he thought, that one ought to encourage.
And the marvelous slang that Flips (aka the Montague girl) employs. Here she is complaining about her role:
“Yes, one must suffer for one’s art. Here I got to be a baby-vamp when I’d rather be simple little Madelon, beloved by all in the village.”
But the best part of all is the fun that can be had by a silent film fan. The book is chock full of film references, naturally, and a knowledge of silent movies increases the reader’s enjoyment enormously. It is still a good book if you have never seen a silent movie but you will not get the full experience.
Least favorite part: Can’t think of one.
Merton of the Movies is fun, cheap and easy to get. What are you waiting for?
Oh, and it was adapted to the screen multiple times. I have covered the lost silent version, the excellent pre-Code version with Joan Blondell as Flips and the absolutely dreary Red Skelton version.
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Movies Silently 
This looks like great reading–I’ll definitely try to get it. Hope the silent film is found some day!…Thanks for this unique addition.
Check out his book “Bunker Bean”.