Smile when the Raindrops Fall: The Story of Charley ChaseAt the age of 10, Charley Chase was singing and dancing on the street corners of Baltimore. The coins that tenement dwellers tossed his way helped the young boy support his impoverished family. Charley eventually became a local vaudeville attraction, but Baltimore could not contain the ambitious young man. After a brief but memorable stint in New York, Chase landed in Los Angeles in 1912. His timely arrival coincided with the birth of the film industry, and Charley Chase became a major force in shaping the evolution of motion picture comedy. A human dynamo, Charley's talent and creativity seemed inexhaustible. As a writer-director-actor, Charley started out at Mack Sennett's Keystone Studios. Working with Fatty Arbuckle and Charlie Chaplin, Chase quickly became one of Sennett's top directors. Later, at other studios, he directed, then starred in, his own series of funny and inventive two-reelers. Behind the scenes, Charley Chase was instrumental in shaping the careers of both Laurel & Hardy and The Three Stooges. Writer, producer, director, and comedian, Charley Chase may have been the most versatile performer in the history of motion pictures. Smile When the Raindrops Fall examines the life and career of one of Hollywood's great comedy innovators. |
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Page 14
... actors as well as seasoned pros , all hoping to land a spot on the Broadway stage . Very few made it . Most were forced to take menial jobs just to survive , and Charley was among them . Unfortunately , informa- tion on where he ...
... actors as well as seasoned pros , all hoping to land a spot on the Broadway stage . Very few made it . Most were forced to take menial jobs just to survive , and Charley was among them . Unfortunately , informa- tion on where he ...
Page 45
... actors on the lot if a sudden call came in for extras . In this way a production never would be held up for lack of ... actor or direc- tor . He returned to Fox early in 1918 and landed a featured role in Big Town , a five - reel drama ...
... actors on the lot if a sudden call came in for extras . In this way a production never would be held up for lack of ... actor or direc- tor . He returned to Fox early in 1918 and landed a featured role in Big Town , a five - reel drama ...
Page 87
... actors do scenes that seemed fun- nier to me than to them : rain sequences , diving off piers , run- ning down the ... actor's . " Roy Seawright recalled Chase's temperament behind the scenes : Charley was very restless . Like anybody ...
... actors do scenes that seemed fun- nier to me than to them : rain sequences , diving off piers , run- ning down the ... actor's . " Roy Seawright recalled Chase's temperament behind the scenes : Charley was very restless . Like anybody ...
Contents
On the Streets 723 | 17 |
Two Boys from Nutsville | 35 |
Do a Lighthouse | 49 |
Copyright | |
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Smile When the Raindrops Fall: The Story of Charley Chase Brian Anthony,Andy Edmonds Limited preview - 1997 |
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actors Angeles appeared asked BeBe became become believed Billy brother called Chaplin character Charles Parrott Charley Chase Charley's Columbia comedy considered continued dance directed director early Eddie Edgar Edited by Richard father Filmed gags Gertrude Astor girls going H. M. Walker Hal Roach Hardy Harry Harry Bernard Hollywood James Jimmy John June Kennedy later Laurel Leo McCarey Lloyd looked Love Mack months movie Music never NOTE Oliver once performed Photographed picture play Polly produced recalled Recording Engineer reels released returned Richard Currier Robert scene seemed Sennett sequence shooting short shot silent Snub Pollard Song sound stage Stan star Story studio success Supervised theater Thelma things Titles took turned two-reelers unit vaudeville wanted West White York Young