Three Charles And One Phoney

1603. THREE CHARLIES AND ONE PHONEY! (1914-1918-USA). Here are a trio of classic comedy shorts featuring (he world’s most famous film personality, CHARLIE CHAPLIN, plus a sampling of the world’s most famous Chaplin imitator, BILLY WEST.
1. RECREATION (Fun is Fun) (Spring Fever) (August 13, 1914-USA). With CHARLIE CHAPLIN, NORMA NICHOLS. Directed and scripted fay CHARLIE CHAPLIN. Produced by MACK SENNETT. A girl’s sailor boyfriend has literally fallen asleep on her. She wanders away, Charlie attempts to engage her in conversationÂal- all hell breaks loose when the tar wakes up to find his girl by Charlie’s side. Supposedly, upon Sennett’s directive, (his was improvised by Chaplin and filmed in one day, in a Los Angeles park.
2. HIS MUSICAL CAREER (The Piano Movers) (Musical Tramps) (November 7, 1914-USA). With Charlie Chaplin, Mack Swain, Charles Parrott (Charley Chase). Directed and scripted by Charlie Chaplin. Produced by Mack Sennett. One of Chaplin’s final keystone comedies, this rarely seen short features Charlie and big Mack Swain as workmen ordered to deliver a new piano to Mr. Rich at 666 Prospect Street, and remove an old one from Mr. Poor a1999 Prospect Street. Of course, the boys confuse the addresses … (the same script was later used as “The Music Box” by Laurel & Hardy to win an Academy Award).
3. HIS DAY OUT (1917-USA). With BILLY WEST and OLIVER HARDY. Upon the massive worldwide popularity of Chaplin, a number of comedians attempted to cash in on his success by developing screen characters modeled after Charlie’s Little Tramp. Vaudeville veteran Billy West (born Roy B. Weissberg in Russia) was perhaps the most successful of the Chaplin copiers: upon first glance, you won’t be able to tell the difference between the two, In this amusing slapstick, Billy is chased by a pair of bumbling cops, and then comes between a pert but manipulative barber’s daughter and her rich, overgrown beau. Billy takes over her father’s chair, and proceeds to set back the profession of barbering by centuries. (Keep your eye on the wall calendar),
THE BOND (Charlie Chaplin In A Liberty Bond Appeal) (1918-USA). With Charlie Chaplin, Edna Purviance, Sydney Chaplin, Albert Austin. Written and directed by Charlie Chaplin. This is a fascinating curio, made by Chaplin to help spur the sale of Liberty Bonds during World War 1 and distributed to theaters without charge. Chaplin and his performers act out the “different kinds of bonds”: first friendship, then love, then marriage, and finally and most importantly the necessity for purchasing Liberty Bonds, Charlie’s brother Sydney appears as the Kaiser, in the make-up and costume he was wearing for his part in “Shoulder Amis,’ which Chaplin was then filming. “Silent” films with original organ score, correct projection speed. 69 minutes total. Chaplin