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 40
... gag , but so deftly shot and cut that the illusion is completely believable . The film's best sequence involves West bedding down in an attic loft . A major storm blows out his window . The rain and wind tear the room apart as Billy at ...
... gag , but so deftly shot and cut that the illusion is completely believable . The film's best sequence involves West bedding down in an attic loft . A major storm blows out his window . The rain and wind tear the room apart as Billy at ...
Page 41
... gag has Charley and his men staking out Ham's house , trying to determine how he is getting the moonshine past them . All they see is the house , with Ham's mother serenely rocking back and forth on a swing . Cutting to the reverse ...
... gag has Charley and his men staking out Ham's house , trying to determine how he is getting the moonshine past them . All they see is the house , with Ham's mother serenely rocking back and forth on a swing . Cutting to the reverse ...
Page 45
... gag writer on the Harold Lloyd series in October 1917 , and worked as a guaranteed extra . A guaranteed extra was paid five dollars a day based on a five - day week , regardless of how many days actually were worked . The small core of ...
... gag writer on the Harold Lloyd series in October 1917 , and worked as a guaranteed extra . A guaranteed extra was paid five dollars a day based on a five - day week , regardless of how many days actually were worked . The small core of ...
Page 46
... gag sequences . The new Paul Parrott unit began production in the fall of 1920 , and several regulars were assigned to the series . These included Ethel Broadhurst ( Jimmy's leading lady ) , cross - eyed George Rowe , and Eddie Baker as ...
... gag sequences . The new Paul Parrott unit began production in the fall of 1920 , and several regulars were assigned to the series . These included Ethel Broadhurst ( Jimmy's leading lady ) , cross - eyed George Rowe , and Eddie Baker as ...
Page 47
... gags derived from this one situation is quite amazing . The problem is that none of them were motivated - we don't know the reason for Jimmy's obsessive behavior . The Paul Parrott comedies based on parody fared better . The lack of ...
... gags derived from this one situation is quite amazing . The problem is that none of them were motivated - we don't know the reason for Jimmy's obsessive behavior . The Paul Parrott comedies based on parody fared better . The lack of ...
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