[Unidentified Comedy Short]
Identifier
F.2006-10-0096
Date Of Production
circa 1923
Abstract
An incomplete print of an unidentified short silent comedy, starring Vernon Dent, Duane Thompson (credited as Violet Joy), and George Burton. Other roles are played by unidentified actors. The comedy largely consists of slapstick and cartoonish gags. Some scenes appear to have been shot outside of the studio in Los Angeles neighborhoods and parks.
Description
The film has an opening title card, but it does not appear to match the film that follows. (The card reads: Hallroom Boys Photoplays Inc. Presents Percy and Ferdie in "Hams and Yeggs.")
The title card is followed by a shot of a young woman sitting in an outdoor gazebo reading a letter. An intertitle introduces her as "Letty, the heroine. — Violet Joy." A man appears behind her, and is introduced by an intertitle as "Luke, the villain. — George Burton." He snatches the letter from Letty's hand. She is startled and runs away. Luke reads the letter with a jealous look. On the porch of a house, he shows the letter to an older man, who reads the letter and looks shocked. He is introduced as "Letty's father, 'the old Duffer.'"
A large man in a plaid shirt and false beard appears in the bushes. An intertitle introduces him as "Babe, the hero. — Vernon Dent." He grins and lights a cigarette, then performs a cartoonish gag: the cigarette smoke comes out of his ears.
An intertitle appears: "With her retinue of servants, the Cook takes her departure." The Cook is shown departing the house, stopping to scold Letty's father on the porch. Babe wiggles his ears as he listens in.
Babe dresses in the Cook's old clothes and approaches Letty's father to apply for her old job. Babe's identity is discovered quickly, and he runs away into the street, chased by Letty's father and Luke. There is a police officer in the street, to whom Babe appeals for help. The intertitle reads: "Oh, handsome Officer, protect a helpless female." The officer chases off Luke and Letty's father. A passing car blows off Babe's disguise, revealing him to be a man. The officer grabs his arm and walks him away. A street sign for Hollywood Blvd is visible in the background.
More chasing and tussling ends with Babe wearing the officer's uniform. He reconvenes with Letty, saying "We'll hide in the old deserted house." Letty and Babe are shown outside of a large boarded up house.
There is a cut to a basement full of junk and barrels, where two men with mustaches are introduced as "The Moonshiners." They see Letty and Babe's feet through the basement window and begin to pull on white garments. Babe and Letty enter the house, looking scared. The two Moonshiners, now dressed like ghosts, scare them. Babe's hair stands on end. Outside, the police officer accidentally walks into a sheet hung out to dry. Babe sees him covered in the sheet and is scared. Babe and Letty prepare to dress themselves up as ghosts.
The scene changes. A sheet-swathed 'ghost' as tall as two people is approaching two Black men, who are sitting at a table playing cards. One of them looks at the 'ghost' in shock, and his eyes cartoonishly pop out of their sockets. His companion, who can't see the ghost because it's behind him, carries on the game. Suddenly, he turns around and sees the ghost. Both men quickly run away to hide.
The reel ends abruptly, before the film's finish, as the characters described run around in the old house hiding from one another and accidentally scaring each other.
The title card is followed by a shot of a young woman sitting in an outdoor gazebo reading a letter. An intertitle introduces her as "Letty, the heroine. — Violet Joy." A man appears behind her, and is introduced by an intertitle as "Luke, the villain. — George Burton." He snatches the letter from Letty's hand. She is startled and runs away. Luke reads the letter with a jealous look. On the porch of a house, he shows the letter to an older man, who reads the letter and looks shocked. He is introduced as "Letty's father, 'the old Duffer.'"
A large man in a plaid shirt and false beard appears in the bushes. An intertitle introduces him as "Babe, the hero. — Vernon Dent." He grins and lights a cigarette, then performs a cartoonish gag: the cigarette smoke comes out of his ears.
An intertitle appears: "With her retinue of servants, the Cook takes her departure." The Cook is shown departing the house, stopping to scold Letty's father on the porch. Babe wiggles his ears as he listens in.
Babe dresses in the Cook's old clothes and approaches Letty's father to apply for her old job. Babe's identity is discovered quickly, and he runs away into the street, chased by Letty's father and Luke. There is a police officer in the street, to whom Babe appeals for help. The intertitle reads: "Oh, handsome Officer, protect a helpless female." The officer chases off Luke and Letty's father. A passing car blows off Babe's disguise, revealing him to be a man. The officer grabs his arm and walks him away. A street sign for Hollywood Blvd is visible in the background.
More chasing and tussling ends with Babe wearing the officer's uniform. He reconvenes with Letty, saying "We'll hide in the old deserted house." Letty and Babe are shown outside of a large boarded up house.
There is a cut to a basement full of junk and barrels, where two men with mustaches are introduced as "The Moonshiners." They see Letty and Babe's feet through the basement window and begin to pull on white garments. Babe and Letty enter the house, looking scared. The two Moonshiners, now dressed like ghosts, scare them. Babe's hair stands on end. Outside, the police officer accidentally walks into a sheet hung out to dry. Babe sees him covered in the sheet and is scared. Babe and Letty prepare to dress themselves up as ghosts.
The scene changes. A sheet-swathed 'ghost' as tall as two people is approaching two Black men, who are sitting at a table playing cards. One of them looks at the 'ghost' in shock, and his eyes cartoonishly pop out of their sockets. His companion, who can't see the ghost because it's behind him, carries on the game. Suddenly, he turns around and sees the ghost. Both men quickly run away to hide.
The reel ends abruptly, before the film's finish, as the characters described run around in the old house hiding from one another and accidentally scaring each other.
Format
35mm
Extent
900 feet
Color
B&W
Sound
Silent
Reel/Tape Number
1/2
Has Been Digitized?
Yes
Language Of Materials
English
Element
Distribution Print
Genre
Form
Related Collections
Related Places
Participants And Performers
Dent, Vernon (is actor)
Thompson, Duane (is actor)
Burton, George (is actor)
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