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 37
... Chaplin series . Actor Leo White , who appeared prominently in the Chaplin Essanay series , was added to the ensemble . His familiar , birdlike features contributed to the illusion that one was watching a gen- uine Chaplin comedy . The ...
... Chaplin series . Actor Leo White , who appeared prominently in the Chaplin Essanay series , was added to the ensemble . His familiar , birdlike features contributed to the illusion that one was watching a gen- uine Chaplin comedy . The ...
Page 38
... Chaplin's artistry or creativity . Billy West looked like Chaplin and did a pass- ably good imitation , but the resemblance was superficial . In substance and style , the West comedies are closer to the uninspired product be- ing ...
... Chaplin's artistry or creativity . Billy West looked like Chaplin and did a pass- ably good imitation , but the resemblance was superficial . In substance and style , the West comedies are closer to the uninspired product be- ing ...
Page 40
... Chaplin imitator , with predictable results . Mann looked like Chaplin but otherwise displayed absolutely no comedic ability . Parrott's direction was professional but uninspired . He surely realized that it was time to move on . In ...
... Chaplin imitator , with predictable results . Mann looked like Chaplin but otherwise displayed absolutely no comedic ability . Parrott's direction was professional but uninspired . He surely realized that it was time to move on . In ...
Page 43
... Lonesome Luke char- acter was just another imitation of Chaplin . Despite Luke's success , Lloyd didn't want to be an imitation of anybody . Roach was satisfied with the success of the Luke films and saw no 43 Chapter Six: Hal Roach.
... Lonesome Luke char- acter was just another imitation of Chaplin . Despite Luke's success , Lloyd didn't want to be an imitation of anybody . Roach was satisfied with the success of the Luke films and saw no 43 Chapter Six: Hal Roach.
Page 54
... Chaplin , to appear in five one - reelers . The films were quickly made and Laurel returned to vaudeville once they were completed . In his book , On the Trail of Charlie Hall , Ray Andrew reprinted an article written by Hall , a gifted ...
... Chaplin , to appear in five one - reelers . The films were quickly made and Laurel returned to vaudeville once they were completed . In his book , On the Trail of Charlie Hall , Ray Andrew reprinted an article written by Hall , a gifted ...
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