Great Gags 3: Episode 17
Short Socks (1927) (featuring Bobby Vernon with Frances Lee). Bobby goes to elementary school, posing as a little boy to get attention from the pretty teacher.
ON YOUTUBE
Buster Keaton is walking by and peers through a barred window while captured murderer "Dead Shot Dan" is having his picture taken. Seeing that the photographer is looking away, Dan moves his head to the side and snaps a picture of Buster without anybody noticing. Thus, when Dan escapes, the wanted posters all show Buster with his hands on the bars. Buster is chased by various policemen, including a persistent Police Chief. Despite his desperate predicament, Buster notices a pretty young woman and wrangles an invitation to dinner, only to discover her father is the Police Chief.
This short contains one of Keaton's more memorable images: A distant, speeding train approaches the camera, and stops with a close-up of Keaton who has been sitting on the front of the train.-Wikipedia
A Horse On Barney (1929) Based on the comic strip Barney Google
by Billy DeBeck (Featuring Slim Summerville? Barney Hellum, Philip Davis, and Lige Conley) The Slaphappy listing says Slim is in the film although IMDB does not list him as one of the actors.
It's A Gift (featuring Snub Pollard) ALSO IN Slaphappy Movie and Slapstick Encyclopedia 7
Edited into When Comedy was King
wow--it's a real shame this man is just about completely forgotten
Author: planktonrules from Bradenton, Florida
27 April 2006
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
This is an exceptionally hard film to find, as is true all the Snub Pollard films. And that's a real shame, as it's better than almost any silent short film out there--full of great inventiveness and energy.
Snub is an inventor who lives in a Rube Goldberg-style house. It's great to see all the kooky inventions he's rigged up to make life a little easier--just pull a rope and watch the house make breakfast or slide on his pants, etc. ! It's highly reminiscent of the Buster Keaton short THE SCARECROW, but it goes far beyond Keaton's film in weirdness and inventiveness.
An oil company sends him a letter asking him to come and demonstrate his latest invention--a pill that turns water into gas! Well, out of this wacky home goes Snub and he gets into the oddest car imaginable--a bullet-shaped cart without an engine! Well, he gets inside and uses an enormous magnet to grab onto passing cars--thus saving the cost of gas! Along the way to the oil company, he gets in a variety of predicaments--all sure to please.
When he arrives, he puts in just a single drop of his fuel and the cars run at about 10 times normal speed! Ultimately, the cars all crash and explore--thus ending Snub's dreams of riches. Soon afterward, he's chased by the police and makes the oddest getaway I've ever seen!
For shear cleverness of gags and non-stop fun, this is a great film not to be missed--it's just brilliant. Plus, I think Pollard with his walrus-like mustache is cute and very likable--though he generally played "second bananas" in film--rarely being the star. Please note though, that he's almost the spitting-image of Chester Conklin--and it's easy to mix the two up when watching old comedies.
NOTE--despite having the exact same title, this movie should not be confused with W. C. Fields' film. BUT, both are deserving of a 10, so see either or even both if possible!
Snub is an inventor who lives in a Rube Goldberg-style house. It's great to see all the kooky inventions he's rigged up to make life a little easier--just pull a rope and watch the house make breakfast or slide on his pants, etc. ! It's highly reminiscent of the Buster Keaton short THE SCARECROW, but it goes far beyond Keaton's film in weirdness and inventiveness.
An oil company sends him a letter asking him to come and demonstrate his latest invention--a pill that turns water into gas! Well, out of this wacky home goes Snub and he gets into the oddest car imaginable--a bullet-shaped cart without an engine! Well, he gets inside and uses an enormous magnet to grab onto passing cars--thus saving the cost of gas! Along the way to the oil company, he gets in a variety of predicaments--all sure to please.
When he arrives, he puts in just a single drop of his fuel and the cars run at about 10 times normal speed! Ultimately, the cars all crash and explore--thus ending Snub's dreams of riches. Soon afterward, he's chased by the police and makes the oddest getaway I've ever seen!
For shear cleverness of gags and non-stop fun, this is a great film not to be missed--it's just brilliant. Plus, I think Pollard with his walrus-like mustache is cute and very likable--though he generally played "second bananas" in film--rarely being the star. Please note though, that he's almost the spitting-image of Chester Conklin--and it's easy to mix the two up when watching old comedies.
NOTE--despite having the exact same title, this movie should not be confused with W. C. Fields' film. BUT, both are deserving of a 10, so see either or even both if possible!
Help Wanted (featuring Poodles Hanneford) Also Found in Episode 16
See Description for Episode 16
Accidental Accidents (1924) (featuring Charley Chase) ON YOUTUBE
A two minute fragment of this Jimmy Jump film, that is missing 7 minutes of footage, can be found as a bonus feature on the ‘Becoming Charley Chase’ DVD Collection , This clip can also be found on Youtube. Jimmy buys a umbrella to keep from getting wet, despite the fact he does’t realize his car doesn’t have a roof. After buying one he attempts to cross the street by putting a plank across what seems a devious section of walkway. He offers a stranger to cross before him but alas he refuses and Charley attempts to walk across it and in true Slaphappy fashion promptly sinks up to his head in a huge hole. What comic genus inspired gags followed is lost to history but probably exists in other Slaphappy films of the era.
A Wireless Lizzie (1926) (Featuring Walter Hiers, Duane Thompson, Jack Duffy) Found in Lost Comedy Classics of The Silent Screen
Walter has invented an automatic remote-control for his jalopy. When a potential buyer comes to look it over, Walter proudly shows how he cam the car stop and go, turn corners and steer correctly. His spiteful rival, Bill, switches the plug and the car runs out of control. Walter and his sweetheart, Mary, plan to elope but they discuss their plans in front of an open microphone at the broadcast station, and Mary's father hears it and sets out to stop their elopement. Written by Les Adams <longhorn1939@suddenlink.net>
Hot Lightning (featuring Clem Beauchamp)
Strange and surreal gags come fast and furious through the Antics with a house detective and a reformer and his daughter.
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