Jim Tully was a popular author in the 1920s and 1930s. Four films were
made from his various books, including Beggars of Life (1928), Way For
a Sailor (1930), Laughter In Hell (1933), and The Raven (1935).
Beggars of Life is the only silent film among the four. This William
Wellman directed feature starred Wallace Beery, Richard Arlen and
Louise Brooks.
Way For a Sailor was John Gilbert's second talkie. It also featured
Wallace Beery, and Tully himself.
I've posted a piece about Tully on the Huffington Post. "A Jim Tully
Revival: Hobo Author Back in Print" can be found at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thomas-gladysz/a-jim-tully-revival-hobo...
A biography of Tully, featuring a forward by documentary filmmaker Ken
Burns, is due out next year.