The Last Silent Years of Charley Chase

I write this post in English only for international purpose, hoping to offer some useful notes for many readers.

Recently, in the United States Sprocket Vault has released an amazing DVD set with Charley Chase early starring talkie shorts (1930-31). Well, I really do like his sound films, entertaining and funny as usual, but I think he did his best with the silents. I always thought so.

Two years ago, I stopped writing a book on him when I saw I could learn (and see) more about his lost films. I also understood that this work should be done with the help of other historians, those who are more experienced than me. It really doesn't matter "who", what counts is that someone make it happen. Today very little of his late silent output is available for the general public, so I would like to make an appeal to the collectors. Why don't give back these rare films to the people? Nothing is permanent, not even us, and if nothing lasts forever closed- mindedness doesn't pay off. Most of these shorts are still under copyright protection, who owns the films doesn't have the copyright and who owns the copyright doesn't have the physical print. However, copyright is bound to expire within a few years. Have courage and faith and don't be selfish.

As many of you will be aware, many Charley Chase late silents were once handled by MGM. In the 1930s, these films were never printed in 16mm and never licensed for non-theatrical distribution. They were perceived as having no commercial value at the end of the silent days, so were junked, improperly stored or stripped for the silver they held. Apart from certain exceptions, even today they don't exist on 16mm, not officially. Nevertheless, some of them have resurfaced with collectors. I've taken the liberty of putting together a list, which included all the Charley Chase's late silents, from 1927 onward. Some were still under Pathé distribution (that's a whole other thing, beautiful Kodascope prints) and they are mentioned here only for completeness:

MANY SCRAPPY RETURNS – Many prints of this film all around. Very nice screenings at festivals in the US.

ARE BRUNETTES SAFE? - This wonderful comedy was shown in a complete form by Serge Bromberg at "Mostly Lost 3", in the US.

A ONE MAMA MAN – Terrific comedy. It does exist in many formats, but it was never released on DVD.

FORGOTTEN SWEETIES – It was issued on DVD ("American Slapstick", Volume 1).

BIGGER AND BETTER BLONDES – A print of this film survive in a public archive, others with collectors.

FLUTTERING HEARTS – It was released in many DVD collections.

WHAT WOMEN DID FOR ME – It was included in an old DVD (by "Looser Than Loose" publishing), now out of print edition.

THE STING OF STINGS – It does exist in private collections. Never released on DVD.

THE LIGHTER THAT FAILED – A very bad one, it does survive only in private hands.

NOW I'LL TELL ONE – The 2nd reel of the film was located at the National Film Archive in London in 1990. Never issued on DVD.

THE WAY OF ALL PANTS – The 2nd reel of the short was included in "The Lost Films of Laurel & Hardy" DVD collection and in Robert Youngson's "The Further Perils of Laurel and Hardy" (which contains the very final end of the film). However, in 2016 silent film historian Richard M. Roberts presented the full two-reel version at Cinevent, in the US.

US – A complete 35mm print of the film exists at Library of Congress. It's been screened at Slapsticon, Capitolfest and other venues in the US. Excepts are also included in Robert Youngson's "Four Clowns".

ASSISTANT WIVES - A print of this short exists at UCLA. The film was screened at various festivals but, obviously, it was never released on home video.

NEVER THE DAMES SHALL MEET – A brief except of the 1st reel appears in Robert Youngson's "Laurel&Hardy Laughing 20s". Sadly, the rest of the film is believed to be lost. Too bad, because it would be counted as a classic of its own. Here's a review from MOTION PICTURE NEWS: "Charley Chase scores again! This time with a two-reeler consistent with the style which he has developed over a long period of excellent work as a star comedian. In Never The Dames Shall Meet, Charley is a husband who goes to the pier to meet his wife's sister, whom he has never seen, and escort her to his home, where she is to visit. Told to look for a woman wearing a white fur neck- piece, he picks a very attractive girl thus arrayed. There are some very embarrassing moments for Charley when he finds that the young woman he has brought home is not the sister-in-law, but the winner of a beauty contest arriving in Los Angeles to make a career in the pictures. She has been shown to the guest room, and is taking a shower when the discovery is made, and so it's up to Charley to get her out of the house. This feat he accomplished most ingeniously, by smuggling her out in a clothes hamper. Chase has the support of Edna Marion in the role of the wife, and Viola Richard and Anita Garvin as the other Dames. It is a decidedly hilarious comedy, suitable for the most carefully planned program, and strikes a note of cleverness and freshness which is all too seldom encountered in the short subject world. James Parrott directed the piece".

The film is currently missing but stills and cutting continuity survive nowadays. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy borrowed very much from this short in their "Unaccustomed As We Are" ('29) and "Blockheads" ('38).

ALL FOR NOTHING – The film is believed to be lost.

THE FAMILY GROUP – A condensation of the 2nd reel was included in Robert Youngson's "Four Clowns". The first reel is entirely missing today.

ACHING YOUTH – It does survive in film archives (EYE, Amsterdam) and also in private hands.

LIMOUSINE LOVE – This magnificent short was released on DVD in Europe, by Kinowelt.

THE FIGHT PEST – The film does not survive.

IMAGINE MY EMBARRASSMENT – A brief fragment of the film survives in Germany.

IS EVERYBODY HAPPY? - The film is believed to be lost.

ALL PARTS – It does exist in Europe. A 16mm print of this film was screened at the Pordenone Silent Film Festival, in Italy (1993). The source was The Narodni Filmovy Archiv of Prague, with Czech titles.

THE BOOSTER – The short does not survive.

CHASING HUSBANDS – Unlike what is believed, this comedy still exists in private hands. It's the then-classic man-in-drag comedy. Some scenes of the short even predate Billy Wilder's "Someone Like It Hot" ('59).

RUBY LIPS – This film is currently missing. Chase remade the short in its entirety at Columbia in "Man Bites Lovebug" ('37).

OFF TO BUFFALO – Unlike what is believed by many, today this film is extant in a private collection. It's the only Charley Chase's true metacinematographical effort and his last silent masterpiece.

LOUD SOUP – The film does not survive.

THIN TWINS – Another missing short.

MOVIE NIGHT – The film was issued on DVD in Europe, by Kinowelt.

Well, this work has been drawn up for information only. Absolutely, I have no personal copies of the rarest films and I can't really get into all the details of them. I'm only a researcher and a fan of Charley Chase, sometimes an eyewitness. Nothing more. If you have further additions to make do not hesitate to contact me: my e-mail address is earlycomedy85@gmail.com

Thank you.