And so I am a comedienne, though I, too, once wanted to do heroic and tragic things. Today my objection to playing comedy is that it is so often misunderstood by the audiences, both in the theater and in the picture houses. It is so often thought to be a lesser art and something which comes to one naturally, a haphazard talent like the amateur clowning of some cut-up who is so often thought to be ‘the life of the party’. In the eyes of so many persons comedy is not only the absence of studied effect and acting, but it is not considered an art.--Dorothy Gish
Georges Monca (director)
Paul Ferrier (writer)
Charles Prince (lead)
Mistinguett (lead)
Pâquerette (lead)
Pathé (production)
After his numerous amorous attempts during office hours are rebuffed by the lady doctor, her husband 'seeks amusement elsewhere' - leading to the inevitable submission of the wife, the end of her professional career, and better business for other doctors.
Max Linder (director/lead/writer)
René Leprince (director)
Stacia Napierkowska (lead)
Jane Renouardt (lead)
Pathé (production)
When Max's shoes are ruined, he goes to his wedding in workboots.
Max Linder (director/lead/writer)
Pathé (production)
Max flips the bird to his chick, but then flips his wig over a chicken. A darker remake of the 1908 "Troubles of a Grasswidower" - in both lighting and humor - yet even more zany. But here Linder plays against character: although Max is normally a loveable upper class twit, here he is a complete cad from the first scene to the last.
Max Linder (director/lead/writer)
René Leprince (director)
Jane Renouardt (lead)
Henri Bosc (lead)
Pathé (production)
Max, unsure about his wife's fidelity, gives his dog Dick the job of keeping an eye on her. No furry toys, but a definite hint of zoophilia.
Alice Guy-Blaché (director/producer)
Harry Schenck (director)
Edward Warren (director)
Billy Quirk (lead)
Solax (production)
After the broad comedy of "Go West, young sissy", this switches midway into a tale of male bonding (or something like that). In less than a week Algie returns East to claim his bride (who loved him as an effeminate man, so probably will be disgusted with him as a Rough Rider), bringing along his newly bonded male (or something like that) who presumably will play an unspecified role in Algie`s marriage. Seems there is no consensus on who actually directed this - an ambiguity befitting this quirky work.
Mack Sennett (director)
Mabel Normand (lead)
Fred Mace (lead)
Dell Henderson (lead)
Edward Dillon (lead)
Biograph (production)
Parody of the (unintentionally) much funnier rescue thriller, "The Lonely Villa" (that Sennett wrote and performed in), and steppingstone to the (intentionally) funnier debut (or semi-debut according to some) film of The Keystone Cops released a year later, "The Bangville Police".
Max Linder (director/lead/writer)
Joé Dawson (lead)
Pathé (production)
Max is fooled into believing he is stalked by a jealous donkey. Note that here Max is chased down a wall by the donkey, and in "Max Takes A Bath" he is chased up a similar wall by cops.
Max Linder (director/lead/writer)
Suzy Depsy (lead)
Pathé (production)
To wed a maid, Max must get consent from her lustful jealous guardian.
Mack Sennett (director/lead/producer)
Mabel Normand (lead)
Edward Dillon (lead)
Fred Mace (lead)
Dell Henderson (lead)
Biograph (production)
No laughs, just young Mabel - for completists only.
Mack Sennett (director)
Percy Higginson (cinematographer)
Dell Henderson (writer)
Mabel Normand (lead)
Fred Mace (lead)
Charles Avery (lead)
Biograph (production)
To escape the drudgery of her job in a laundry, Mabel attends 'The Alert Detective School' to become a sleuth, and soon happens on a bombing conspiracy. OK - so not much laughs, but watching Mabel's early comic moves and cross-dressing may be of historic interest for her fans.
Max Linder (director/lead/writer)
Suzy Depsy (lead)
Pathé (production)
Max courts the farmer's daughter - but has the hots for the maid (who is the younger daughter in disguise). More like a light romance than a comedy but, despite the alluring title, zoophiles will be disappointed.
Max Linder (director/lead/writer)
Stacia Napierkowska (lead)
Georges Gorby (lead)
Pathé (production)
Max is spurned by the father of his love, but still he persists. Note that Max briefly revisits his 1907 debut film, "The Unskillful Skater".
Mack Sennett (director/lead/producer)
Mabel Normand (lead)
Edward Dillon (lead)
Ford Sterling (lead)
Elmer Booth (lead)
Biograph (production)
Maybe “Helen's Marriage” was a smash hit, because just three months later Mabel and Edward Dillon were at it again. Though this one is helped a bit by Ford Sterling hamming it up as usual, it's still mainly for collectors.
Max Linder (lead)
Pathé (production)
Max, who fears dogs, is chased by them.
Max Linder (director/lead/writer)
Jane Renouardt (lead)
Harry Fragson (lead)
Pathé (production)
Max and his good friend, who came to visit him in Paris, both fall in love with his new maid.
Mack Sennett (director/lead/producer)
Mabel Normand (lead)
Ford Sterling (lead)
Keystone (production)
Seems like some footage may be missing because in the first scene Sennett gives Mabel a ring and a kiss, in the next scene he's crying with suitcase in hand, surrounded by his parents - but the reason is never revealed. In the next scene he tells Mabel to vamp the father - again, no reason given. Seems possible that this is a story of forbidden love, with the vamp used as blackmail. But this is never even hinted at - and Keystone did not build its comedic reputation on subtlety. So this ends up as mainly a showcase for Mabel's diving stunts, with help from Ford Sterling's tits-up-butt-out shtick.
Wladyslaw Starewicz (animator/cinematographer/director/writer)
Not on the Disney Channel! Is there a performance in any Griffith film as engaging and entertaining as given here by dead bugs?
head city
has waived all rights to all work here that's not stolen from somewhere else.