Smile When the Raindrops Fall: The Story of Charley ChaseAt the age of ten, Charley Chase was singing and dancing on the street corners of Baltimore. 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 finally 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 the shaping 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. Chase's personal life paralleled his film work. At first he was energetic and optimistic—as was the infant film industry itself. As the movie grew up, Charley got older too. Chase's career, marred by family problems and alcoholism, mirrored the decline of the short film. Includes photographs and a detailed filmography. |
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Page 8
... perform . These early vaudeville experiences gave Charley a quick education in show business , as low - rent theater owners threw the trio on stage without introduction or warm - up , often to the ire of rude and vulgar audiences . The ...
... perform . These early vaudeville experiences gave Charley a quick education in show business , as low - rent theater owners threw the trio on stage without introduction or warm - up , often to the ire of rude and vulgar audiences . The ...
Page 9
... , adding Irish and Jewish jokes . " Abie Cohen " was a parody of a popular song , " Ragtime Violin . " Written by Charley , it was performed in a Yiddish dialect : Abie Cohen , Abie Cohen , bought a violin He On the Streets ☆ 9.
... , adding Irish and Jewish jokes . " Abie Cohen " was a parody of a popular song , " Ragtime Violin . " Written by Charley , it was performed in a Yiddish dialect : Abie Cohen , Abie Cohen , bought a violin He On the Streets ☆ 9.
Page 10
... performing for the next three years . He began to develop a name for himself around Baltimore , always receiving a good response from the audiences . Sometimes he would even get a credit on the outside marquee , which announced the ...
... performing for the next three years . He began to develop a name for himself around Baltimore , always receiving a good response from the audiences . Sometimes he would even get a credit on the outside marquee , which announced the ...
Page 11
... performed . He changed his billing to " Charles J. Parrott , Irish Comedian . " With the addition of a comedy monologue and an emphasis on funny songs , the act caught on . He won his first part in a legitimate vaudeville show , quickly ...
... performed . He changed his billing to " Charles J. Parrott , Irish Comedian . " With the addition of a comedy monologue and an emphasis on funny songs , the act caught on . He won his first part in a legitimate vaudeville show , quickly ...
Page 12
... performed both Irish ballads and humorous songs . He gave the men his best jokes , but they didn't react . Charley finished and nodded a thank you , then left . He was sure the audition had been a fiasco , but much to his astonishment ...
... performed both Irish ballads and humorous songs . He gave the men his best jokes , but they didn't react . Charley finished and nodded a thank you , then left . He was sure the audition had been a fiasco , but much to his astonishment ...
Contents
Its a Lovely Day for Something | 135 |
Sons of the Desert | 143 |
On the Wrong Trek | 153 |
Have you ever seen anything so Beautiful | 159 |
Columbia | 163 |
A Firehouse Mouse | 169 |
On the Hill | 179 |
Epilogue | 185 |
57 | |
Fancy Pants and Droopy Drawers | 67 |
Jimmy Jump and Leo the Lawyer | 73 |
OneTake Charley | 81 |
An Occupational Hazard | 93 |
The Talkers and a Severe Cold | 105 |
Gangway Charley | 117 |
Rough Seas | 129 |
A Note about the Films | 187 |
Charley Chase Filmography | 191 |
Sony Credits | 239 |
Bibliography | 243 |
Index | 247 |
About the Authors | 255 |
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Common terms and phrases
actors Angeles Anita Garvin Art Lloyd Arthur Seid BeBe Billy Gilbert Billy West Bud Jamison Chaplin Charles Parrott Charley Chase Charley's Charlie Hall Chase and Hugh Chase comedies Chase series Chester Conklin Columbia comedian Del Lord Dialogue by H. M. director Edgar Kennedy Edited by Richard Edited by William Elmer Raguse Elwood Ullman feature Filmed circa funny gags girls H. M. Walker Hal Roach Harold Lloyd Harry Bernard Harry Bowen Henderson Hollywood Hugh McCollum James Finlayson James Parrott Jimmy Parrott Jimmy's Keystone Leo McCarey Leo Willis Love Marvin Hatley movie Music Nick Cogley Noah Young NOTE Oliver Hardy one-reelers Paul Parrott performed Photographed by Art play Polly produced ranch Recording Engineer reels Richard Currier Richard Jones Roach lot Roach Studios scene Snub Pollard Song Stan Laurel star Stooges Story and screenplay Supervised by F theater Thelma Todd Titles by H. M. two-reelers vaudeville William Terhune