James Finlayson

Experience Stan and Ollie in their funniest scenes: whether they build a house as construction workers or try to impress two young ladies as sailors. Watch as Stan fights a superior opponent in the boxing ring and as Ollie is taking an involuntary bath and see where a steadfast friendship between two men can get you...

Film historian Robert Youngson presents a feature-length anthology of rarely seen silent films by comedy legends Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Along with clips from many of the shorts that made the duo stars, it includes clips from a 1918 comedy starring Laurel on his own as well as scenes from three shorts Hardy made in 1917 and '18 with his original comedy partner, Billy West. To put the duo's work in context, the film briefly features other comedians who worked with producer Hal Roach.

7.6/10

Film clips highlight the funniest scenes and brightest comic stars in MGM's history.

5.4/10

Laurel is a Scottish reporter suspected of being a spy by police detective James Finlayson. Although trailed by the latter, Stan, who is reporting on the movie world, manages to be hired by Mack Sennett. He makes his debut in Nevada, in the middle of gold diggers. After managing to clear his name he becomes, with Oliver Hardy, a big comedy star.

4.1/10

Tom and Ellen are asked to perform as a dance team in England at the time of Princess Elizabeth's wedding. As brother and sister, each develops a British love interest, Ellen with Lord John Brindale and Tom with dancer Anne Ashmond.

6.7/10
9.2%

Sintown is just a deserted ghost town until Vanerpool starts looking for silver. Cookie and Roy's partners put $20,000 into the business only to find that the mine is worthless and Vanerpool is bankrupt. Carol comes out to look for silver to save the company, but does not know that their engineer, named Regan, is crooked and wants all the silver for himself. But only Old Ed knows where the mother lode is located.

6.1/10

Funloving Pearl White, working in a garment sweatshop, gets her big chance when she "opens" for a delayed Shakespeare play...with a comic vaudeville performance. Her brief stage career leads her into those "horrible" moving pictures, where she comes to love the chaotic world of silent movies, becoming queen of the serials. But the consequences of movie stardom may be more than her leading man can take

6.5/10

Abigail Chandler has written her stuffy Boston relatives that she's a successful opera singer in New York. In reality, she works at a burlesque house and is billed as High-C Susie. When her sister Martha comes for a visit, Abigail tries to hide the truth from her.

6.7/10

This short film takes a nostalgic look at the Mack Sennett comedies of the silent cinema era.

6.6/10

The boys get jobs as a butler and maid (Stan in drag) for a dinner party. When that ends in disaster, they resort to sweeping streets and accidentally capture a bank robber. The thankful bank president sends them to Oxford to get an education. Predictable results ensue.

7.4/10

Stan and Ollie work in a horn factory. Ollie starts having violent fits every time he hears a horn. His doctor prescribes a restful sea voyage. Mayhem ensues.

7.2/10

The European war was only beginning to erupt across national borders. Johnny Jones, an American crime reporter dispatched by his New York publisher to put a fresh spin on the drowsy dispatches emanating from overseas, has a nose for a good story—which promptly leads him to the crime of fascism and Nazi Germany's designs on European conquest. In attempting to learn more about a seemingly noble peace effort, Jones walks into the middle of an assassination, uncovers a spy ring and—not entirely coincidentally—falls in love.

7.5/10
9.5%

Man about town and First Class cricketer A.J. Raffles keeps himself solvent with daring robberies. Meeting Gwen from his schooldays and falling in love all over again, he spends the weekend with her parents, Lord and Lady Melrose. A necklace presents an irresistible temptation, but also in attendance is Scotland Yard's finest, finally on the trail.

6.4/10

In his last film assignment, portly Walter Connolly fills the title role (in more ways than one) in The Great Victor Herbert. Very little of Herbert's life story is incorporated in the screenplay (a closing title actually apologizes for the film's paucity of cold hard facts); instead, the writers allow the famed composer's works to speak for themselves. In the tradition of one of his own operettas, Herbert spends most of his time patching up the shaky marriage between tenor John Ramsey (Allan Jones) and Louise Hall (Mary Martin). Many of Herbert's most famous compositions are well in evidence, including "Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life", "March of the Toys" and "Kiss Me Again", the latter performed con brio by teenaged coloratura Susanna Foster. Evidently, the producers were able to secure the film rights for the Herbert songs, but not for the stage productions in which they appeared, which may explain such bizarre interpolations as having a song from Naughty Marietta.

6.4/10

Starting in 1913 movie director Connors discovers singer Molly Adair. As she becomes a star she marries an actor, so Connors fires them. She asks for him as director of her next film. Many silent stars shown making the transition to sound.

6.6/10

Mr. Jones overhears a doctor prescribe a diet he thinks is for him, but it's really for his dog.

6/10

Ollie is in love with a woman. When he discovers that she is already married, he tries to kill himself. Of course, the suicide is avoided and the boys join the Foreign Legion to get away from their troubles. Finally, they are arrested for trying to desert the Legion and to escape the firing squad by stealing a plane.

6.9/10
8.3%

It's 1938, but Stan doesn't know the war is over; he's still patrolling the trenches in France, and shoots down a French aviator. Oliver sees his old chum's picture in the paper and goes to visit Stan who has now been returned to the States and invites him back to his home.

7.6/10

Stan and Ollie try to deliver the deed to a valuable gold mine to the daughter of a dead prospector. Unfortunately, the daughter's evil guardian is determined to have the gold mine for himself and his saloon-singer wife.

7.6/10
10%

Two vaudevillian comedians try to stage a show in a theatre that has a reputation for being being haunted.

5.3/10

A Cinderella story of a young country girl who comes to Hollywood and achieves movie stardom with the help of a publicity man.

5.6/10

Stan and Ollie travel with a band of 18th-century Gypsies holding a nobleman's daughter.

6.7/10

Two sailors get caught in a mountain of mix-ups when they meet their long-lost twins. Laurel and Hardy play themselves and their twins.

7.4/10

When Charley can't pay his bill at a restaurant, he is forced to become a waiter.

Promo for MGM's upcoming 1935-36 releases hosted by Laurel & Hardy and Jimmy Finlayson. Brief clips are shown from Rose Marie, Anna Karenina, Broadway Melody, China Seas, The Great Ziegfield and others. Don't miss a few seconds from the 1935 version (now lost) of Tarzan Escapes showing Jane with a great ape; there were no great apes in the 1936 release.

5.8/10

Stan and Ollie stow away to Scotland expecting to inherit the MacLaurel estate. When things don't quite turn out that way, they unwittingly enlist in the Scottish army and are posted to India.

6.9/10

Oliver's in trouble with his wife after missing a payment on their furniture, having given the money to Stanley, who used it instead to pay Mrs. Hardy for his room and board. At Stan's suggestion Ollie then withdraws the couple's savings from the bank to pay for the furniture and inadvertently pays virtually the whole amount at an auction for a grandfather clock which is soon crushed under a passing truck. Mrs Hardy then unintentionally causes serious injuries to Ollie requiring him to be rushed to hospital for a blood transfusion. The doctor conscripts Stan to be the unwilling blood donor. Problems occur with the transfusion and when Stan and Ollie leave the hospital they appear to have morphed into each other.

7.5/10

Charley finds himself having strange spells during which everything around him seems to stop.

Bobby Clark and Paul McCullough star as a couple of wacky soda jerks. They do a high wire act while delivering a much needed pair of pants to their boss.

5.8/10

When Cap's back pension finally comes in, he treats the gang to a day at an amusement park.

7.7/10

On the morning of his wedding to oil baron Peter Cucumber's daughter, Ollie receives a jigsaw puzzle from Stan as a wedding gift. The boys soon become absorbed in the puzzle. A taxi driver, butler, policeman and messenger boy join in as well.

7.4/10

The adventures of the eighteenth century highwayman Dick Turpin and his legendary ride to York.

5.5/10

James Finlayson manages to con Charley into becoming his partner in a failing dry cleaning shop that has been targeted by gangsters running a protection racket.

6.6/10

The Devil’s Brother or Bogus Bandits or Fra Diavolo is a 1933 comedy film starring Laurel and Hardy. It is based on Daniel Auber’s operetta Fra Diavolo about the Italian bandit Fra Diavolo.

7.2/10

This short features two women who run around in their nighties. Paul McCullough spends most of the picture in a dress, which is pretty grisly. Bobby Clark does an extended riff on the word "Alright!" which Lou Costello later stole verbatim. There is a political frameup, a nearsighted hotel house detective, and the ever-popular upstairs motorcycle chase.

5.8/10

Walter can't stand the singing of Phil Harris - unfortunately, he can't seem to escape it, even on the golf course. His golf partner sympathizes, but when Walter discovers that the fellow is Harris himself, he quickly realizes that Harris' appeal with female fans might be turned to his advantage - but only if Harris will play along.

6.1/10

Stan and Ollie play bumbling circus performers who inadvertently drive the circus into bankruptcy. The circus can't pay them their wages so they are given a gorilla and a flea circus as payment. Bedlam ensues.

7/10

Two street cleaners, fired by the commissioner for playing with fire-crackers on the job, are taken to his home to recuperate from a car accident by his wife.

6.4/10

The story begins in 1917 with Stan and Ollie being drafted into the U.S. Army to fight in World War I. While in the Army, the pair befriend a man named Eddie Smith, who is killed by the enemy during a battle. After the war is over, Stan and Ollie venture to New York City, where they begin a quest to reunite Eddie's little daughter with her rightful family. The task proves both monumental and problematic as the boys discover just how many people in New York have the last name Smith.

7.3/10

Tallulah Bankhead's first Hollywood movie was this romantic-drama, in which she plays Susan, the unhappy wife of oil rigger Walt (Charles Bickford), who labors in a Central American oil field. The bored Susan falls in love with Walt's good friend Ken (Paul Lukas) but keeps her husband in the dark about her feelings... until he's plunged into darkness for real when he loses his eyesight. Susan finds her attentions then wandering yet another man, Davis (Ralph Forbes), and Ken urges her to return to Walt.

6.1/10

It's in three distinct segments. The first and probably best involves Charley, his girlfriend, and her father foolish her mother and the suitor she prefers into getting Charley into the house for dinner. In the later two segments, in which Charley must get married within minutes to get a job, and then tries to go on a picnic with his new family, are both also packed with laughs and timed with an almost musical brilliance.

7.3/10

In the first RKO Short featuring the comedy team of Clark & McCullough, Clark (Bobby Clark)and Grustark (Paul McCullough)seek refuge in the boarding house owned by Finlayson (James Finlayson)after wrecking the car owned by Morgan (Kewpie Morgan). Finlayson, never without rules, warns them there is no cooking allowed in the rooms and his new roomers proceed to pop corn over the gas heater. A young girl (Josephine Whittell)mistakes their room for the bathroom, which leads to some pre-code complications. The slapstick ending finds Clark and Grustark driving out of the boarding house in Morgan's car with a bed attached to the car.

7.4/10

Ollie is running for mayor when an old flame (Mae Busch) tries to blackmail him with a old photo.

7.5/10

Ollie is running for mayor and an old flame threatens to blackmail him. Only a Spanish language version was shot simultaneously with the English language version. Laurel and Hardy learned their parts phonetically, so they are actually speaking Spanish. The leading ladies) in the English version were usually replaced with native Spanish-speaking actresses--in this film they are Rina Liguoro, Linda Loredo and Carmen Granada. - En Espanol: Hardy, un exitoso hombre de negocios, recien cassado, se postula para alcalde. Inesperadamente lo visita una ex-novia quien amenaza con chantajearlo. Laurel, su amigo y socio se ofrece a ayudarlo para mantener a la jujer lejos de Hardy. De todas modos ella irrumpe en el hogar de Hardy y es aqui cuando comienzan las complicaciones en esta clasica comedia de Laurel y Hardy. - This is the Spanish language only version.

6.7/10

Charley, representing a manufacturer of musical instruments, is sent to investigate why certain mail orders have not been settled. Charley, carrying multiple bulky instruments, boards a train and gives the conductor, the porter, and the passengers a terrible night as he tries to settle into his upper berth. Arriving at his rural destination of Beaver Dam, Charley masquerades as a hillbilly to track down the missing instruments. At the barn dance, he sings "Handsome Jim."

6.8/10

Oliver is making plans to marry his sweetheart Dulcy with Stan as his best man, but the plans are thwarted when Dulcy's father sees a picture of Ollie and forbids the marriage. The couple plan to elope, and run away to a Justice of the Peace. After typical Laurel and Hardy blundering, they manage to sneak the girl away from her father's house.

7.4/10

Down and out Stan and Ollie beg for food from a friendly old lady who provides them with sandwiches. While eating, they overhear the lady's landlord tell her he's going to throw her out because she can't pay her mortgage. They don't realize that the old lady is really rehearsing for a play. Stan and Ollie decide to help the old lady by selling their car. During the auction a drunk puts a wallet in Stan's pocket. Ollie accuses Stan of robbing the old lady, but when the truth is revealed Stan takes revenge on Ollie.

7.3/10

Knockabout comedy in which woman marries widower each having a child of their own which the other knows nothing about.

5.3/10

It's Prohibition, and the boys wind up behind bars after Stan sells some of their home-brew beer to a policeman.

7/10

Beach Pajamas is a 1931 Comedy short

Two homeless vagabonds hide out in a vacant mansion and pose as the residents when prospective lessees arrive and try to rent it.

7.4/10

William Foster, a slick attorney who stays within the law, but specializes in representing crooks and shady characters. He's adept at keeping them out of jail, winning acquittals, and having decisions reversed, thus springing criminals out of prison. He is romantically involved with dancer Irene Manners, who is two-timing him, although she wants to marry him. She kills a man driving while out with her other man, Jack Defoe, who takes the blame. Unfortunately, a ring Foster had just given Irene is found at the crime scene. Foster ends up defending Jack, but when the ring is found, he thinks he is protecting Irene, so pleads guilty to jury tampering.

6.5/10

Lieut. Robert Banks, an American aviator on leave in Paris, meets Mary Gordon, a young American who lives abroad, but their romance is cut short by his return to the front. In an air battle, Robert brings down and captures the Grey Eagle, Baden, and takes him to American Intelligence in Paris. Mary, ostensibly a spy for the Germans, drugs Robert, who awakens to find that his uniform has been stolen by Baden. Later, in an exciting air conflict, Baden is wounded but shoots down Robert's plane. The German rescues him, however, and takes him to an Allied hospital, assuring him of Mary's love; his faith in her is restored when he learns that she is actually a spy for U. S. Intelligence.

6.1/10

Johnny Hines flies in from Chicago early to surprise wife Doris Phillips and their infant. Meanwhile, Miss Phillips is preparing to take the baby with her to see Hines in Chicago. When he arrives home, there's a note that she's left, so Hines takes the baby to a hotel, setting off the usual series of misunderstanding.

World War I ace Dick Courtney derides the leadership of his superior officer, but he soon promoted to squadron commander and learns harsh lessons about sending subordinates to their deaths.

7.2/10

Chercheuses d'or is a American comedy short with all speaking French

Charley and Thelma are millionaires, each trying to elude suitors who are trying to marry them for their money. Charlie gets word that a rich uncle has died, leaving him millions. Attorneys advise him to repair to a resort and avoid gold diggers. Once there, word spreads among the single women, and several try to ensnare him. At first he's gullible, then he cottons on, so when Thelma, a wealthy young woman, mistakes him for a fortune hunter, he dismisses her as well. A manager's error puts Charlie and Thelma in the same suite, and both think the other is prospecting. A dressing gown, radio, bare feet, pistol, keyhole, fountain pen, bedcovers, and a suspicious hotel detective join the mix-up. But wait, was the inheritance a mistake?

6.5/10

Policeman Edgar Kennedy is told by his chief he better stop a string of burglaries that have been happening on his watch or else he will get the sack. He persuades vagrants Stan and Ollie to rob the chief's house so he can regain his reputation by catching them. The policeman promises to later get the boys off. Things do not go as planned.

7.6/10

Alternate-language Spanish version of Night Owls (1930)

6.5/10

El príncipe del dólar is an American comedy short with all speaking Spanish

Stan and Ollie play door-to-door Christmas tree salesmen in California. They end up getting into an escalating feud with grumpy would-be customer James Finlayson, with his home and their car being destroyed in the melee.

7.7/10

Sailors Stan and Ollie offer to buy sodas for two women they meet in a park, even though they are short on cash. Luckily Stan wins the jackpot on a slot machine and the boys have enough money to rent a boat to cruise on a lake. They soon tangle with other boaters and everyone ends up in the water.

7.3/10

While changing clothes in a getaway car, escaped convicts Stan and Ollie mistakenly put on each other's pants. They spend the rest of the film trying to exchange pants in various unlikely settings.

7.6/10

Stan and Ollie arrive as new inmates at a prison after apparently taking part in a hold-up raid, a raid they tell a prison officer they were only watching. The usual mayhem ensues.

7.2/10

Fast Freight is a 1929 Our Gang short silent comedy film. It was the 85th Our Gang short that was released. The gang takes a tramp's train ride and end up taking shelter in a haunter house.

7/10

Frances, a salesgirl, is planning a summer vacation at the beach with a girlfriend, who also works at her store. Just as she is getting ready to leave home, Dave, a handsome young plumber, arrives to repair a leaky faucet. Her vacation turns into a bust when it rains at the beach, but a hunky lifeguard shows up to brighten her day. Then, of all people, Dave the plumber shows up, too. Complications ensue.

Two engaged vaudeville magicians quarrel and go their separate ways.

Cavemen Stan and Ollie vie for the affections of a stone-age beauty. The title refers to three animated pachyderms provided by Walter Lantz that fly past in one scene.

6.1/10

This western comedy is about rancher Finlayson's beautiful daughter, Martha Sleeper, who refuses to marry the bad guy and how Jimmy and dimwitted cowhand Stan bumble their way into a successful defense of her and the ranch.

6.3/10

An escaped convict is out to kill the judge who sentenced him. Two inept detectives are hired to guard the judge.

6.9/10

Max and his son Asher are invited to a party, where Max meets a rich widow, but Asher keeps annoying all of the guests, so Max refuses to speak to him. 10 days later he has married the widow, but hasn't told her about Asher. Asher doesn't like the situation either, and enters the home disguised as the new maid, that leeds to a growing suspicion of his step mother, who has her own little secret.

6.9/10

After a night of carousing, a rich oil tycoon awakes to find that he was married the night before. He calls in his lawyer (Laurel) to straighten things out.

6.3/10

ANYTHING ONCE! is a Cinderella story. Mabel works in a tailor shop, pressing clothes and dreaming of a better life. We're told that she's taken a lot of bumps in life and doesn't know where the next bump is coming from, which sounds uncomfortably close to the leading lady's real-life situation. Her boss is Jimmy Finlayson, but instead of playing the expected sourpuss Finn is quite benign here, and doesn't even punish Mabel when she accidentally sets his toupee on fire.

6.2/10

Mishaps befall a new home owner located next door to an insane asylum.

6.1/10

A newly-married woman disguises herself as a doughboy in order to stay close to her husband.

7.4/10

Laurel and Hardy are convicts making an escape from prison.

6.9/10

Dimwitted Cuthbert Hope is enlisted in the army, and gets himself and his sergeant in constant trouble.

6.3/10

In this Our Gang film, James Finlayson plays the gang's schoolteacher who takes the kids to Europe after winning a local contest. He takes them on a tour of Naples, Pompeii, Rome, the Vatican, Venice, London, and finally Paris, where problems arise on top of the Eiffel Tower.

6.4/10

A wild stallion (Rex the Wonder Horse) becomes the protector of a prospector and his foster daughter as two thugs plot to steal their claim.

6.5/10

Titus Tillsbury is a successful businessman who is visited by a blackmailing old flame. He enlists a friend (Stan) to keep her away from his home and wife. This film was later remade almost scene for scene as the three-reel talkie Chickens Come Home (1931).

6.5/10

The kids from Our Gang have to attend a wedding, and they bring along their flea collection--which gets loose.

5.8/10

Short comedy which posits that in a hundred years men's styles will revert to Regency garb, and that there will be a complete gender role reversal, with husband Clyde Cook staying home alone while wife Katherine Grant goes tomcatting around town.

5.9/10

Rose, who works for a penny-pinching junk dealer, dreams of romance with wealthy bachelor Ted Tudor.

6.9/10

When the story begins, Johnnie comes to the lawyer's house (James Finlayson) in order to woo the man's daughter. However, a love-crazy woman has been chasing Johnnie and the lawyer tries to help out....and gets nothing but trouble in return. The lady now wants the lawyer...who's a married man. Soon all sorts of problems develop...and the lawyer is sure his wife is going to kill him!

The head of a big movie studio is pulling his hair out because the company is bankrupt unless they can find a writer for a smash comedy. An aspiring writer is awaiting outside the office and the producer agrees to see him. He listens while the writer tells his story and acts the numerous parts. The story is rotten, but the producer lets him escape while vowing vengeance on any other author who would read his story aloud.

A female secret agent has gotten ahold of a new type of explosive gas. She has to avoid the efforts of two men who are trying to steal it. They succeed in doing so, but the gas turns out to be not quite what they expected.

6.1/10

The crotchety dean of Pinkham University blames the "bad behavior of the school's female students on a dress shop owned by Helene, and informs her he's shutting her shop down. Meanwhile, her boyfriend Napoleon has invented a plaster that restores youth. The dean accidentally sits on the plaster and reverts back to his younger days when he himself used to chase college girls. Complications ensue.

4.8/10

Julius loses his wife to Rudy because he's too busy going on hunting trips. But when she arranges to meet with a fortune teller, Julius hatches a plan to win her back.

Thundering Landlords is a 1925 short

Finlayson plays an intrepid army cameraman on the battlefield in the world war, and Rowe plays his hapless assistant. Cranking away in no man's land, they take foolish chances and must dodge flying shells, falling down and losing their film repeatedly.

A very good as a faithful husband, whose wife is looking for proof that more than his eyes have been roving. She hires a private detective to provide it.

6/10

Nanette sends a letter to her family telling of her new husband, Hillory. When Hillory arrives to meet the family, he gets insulted by each member, including the dog, and loses his wig. After having dinner with the family, Nanette's former lover returns, and Hillory must confront him

5.6/10

The two-reel silent film comedy The Caretaker's Daughter was distributed by Pathe in 1925. Produced by the prolific Hal Roach, the film stars the great Charley Chase in a case of multiple incarnations!

7.2/10

A young couple want to marry, but the girl's father doesn't like her beau. To separate them, the father arranges to send the girl on a sea voyage along with a female companion. But the beau, dressed as a woman, manages to fool the father into hiring him as the companion, and they all board the ship together.

"IN THE GREASE" (1925) stars James Finlayson who must raise his kid by himself and also take over the unruly class room at the local schoolhouse.

5.8/10

Two young lovers (Glenn Tryon and Blanche Mehaffey) are at home when a policeman (James Finlayson) comes to the door and begins telling them his life story.

Hard Boiled comedy short

Mother - The hand that rocks the family - and rocks it often! A family comedy.

Moonlight and Noses (1925) is a comedy short directed by Stan Laurel & F. Richard Jones.

5.1/10

Vermuda, a saleswoman in a department store, is very late for work. She relies on a ruse to fool the floorwalker, and when that doesn't work, she relies on her friendship with the store manager. But she is soon disillusioned as to where she really stands with the manager.

6.8/10

Despite his faithfulness, Melvin is always under suspicion by wife Mame. Complications erupt when a woman from a party across the hall passes out in Melvin's bedroom just before Mame returns.

6.8/10

As a way to make peace between two feuding Scottish clans, one invites the other over for supper, but things don't turn out quite as expected.

5.3/10

After being discharged from the 372nd infantry, on account of a bean shortage, smithy seeks employment. He finds employment at a construction site, where he helps to build a house, and soon causes havoc amoungst other workers. The constuction company owner leaves for a week, and tells his secretary to send a letter to Mr. Smith telling him to complete the construction of the house while he (the owner) is away. The letter is accidently sent to Smithy who manages to complete the house. When the owner returns the house is complete, and Smithy is commended until the last support beam is removed...

5.9/10

Wide Open Spaces is a 1924 Western silent film starring Stan Laurel.

5/10

Stan Laurel as a harness racing jockey who must win a big race.

5.7/10

This film is set in a small Irish town and mostly concerns James Finlayson's attempts to marry a young lady against her will. Nice guy, Stan Laurel, tries to help out but gets thrown in jail for his trouble. What happens next you'll just need to see for yourself.

5.6/10

A parody version of "Rupert of Hentzau" (a version of "The Prisoner of Zenda") with Stan Laurel in the lead.

6.3/10

When Charley's wife buys a bulldog for his birthday present and has a special key made for the room in which she keeps it, trouble begins. He finds the key, and his suspicions are aroused. He storms about and makes trouble for all concerned until he learns that a dog, not a man, is behind the closed door.

Pitfalls of a Big City is a 1923 short comedy

A feckless young man who wishes to switch from one streetcar to another is told to follow a pretty young lady-- so he follows her all over town.

5.8/10

The misadventures of two intrepid explorers in the Egyptian desert.

5/10

Two bungling adventures go on a big game hunt in Africa.

5.7/10

Pursued by the law, a street cleaner finds refuge by impersonating a dentist.

5.6/10

In the trembling Russian village of Popoffski, a young woman (Katherine Grant) is wooed by a hopeful lover, the son of a humble pool shark (Stan) right under the very nose of her father. When the man proposes marriage to her the father is happy to let her go, seeing as he has nine other children to worry about. As the couple celebrate their love for one another they are approached by a military officer who threatens to take the woman away to use as a court dancer.

6.2/10

A prosecutor instructs the audience of a courtroom to observe the tearful and slightly hysterical wife (Helen Gilmore) who is sitting in the witness box, and claims she is this way due to her husband, who shows up very infrequently. For the defence (James Finlayson), he never did anything to be proud of - and was proud of it. He sits there smirking and sipping a glass of water before being momentarily distracted. He goes to take another sip of his drink but instead picks up a different glass containing something very different.

5.5/10

'Snub' Pollard is an local actor getting a big break in the movie industry, coming home to show off his fame.

6.9/10

Jack Frost is a silent comedy short

The story of the first Thanksgiving is re-imagined as a father tells it to his son.

6.1/10

A Hal Roach comedy starring 'Snub' Pollard and James Finlayson.

This Hal Roach comedy short I found on the "American Slapstick" DVD collection of rare silent comedies starts bizarre and has an anything goes-quality one rarely sees in Mr. Roach's output. It stars Snub Pollard who is initially introduced as a baby left on a doorstep before we see him fully grown about 20 or so years later still in that basket! From there, he gets bumped car to car crossing the street prior to getting literally thrown through a window as an auction is taking place! Also appearing is James Finlayson as a man who's items accidentally get sold.

7.4/10

After their house is blown away by a twister, a farmer and his wife decide to move to California. Once over the border they're greeted by rain, hail, snow and an Indian uprising.

6.8/10

After getting into a scuffle with his boss and some co-workers, an orange packer tries to help another co-worker, only to wind up in a conflict with him as well. Trying to elude his boss, he heads inside the packing house, and visits with the women who are packing fruit into cases. Then he heads to a storage area, and tries to use the machinery to escape his pursuers

5.8/10

Silent film comedy from 1923. Parody of "Nanook of the North."

7.4/10

Where's My Wandering Boy This Evening? is a comedy short released in 1923

A young man from the country travels to the city to find his fortune. Although he has a letter of introduction from his wealthy uncle, the best job he can find is that of a street cleaner. He catches the eye of his landlady, who somehow manages to get the man to propose to her, but he then falls in love with a pretty young socialite, and when his rich uncle dies finds himself being sued by a gold-digging vamp who wants to her her hands on his inheritance.

Newly Rich is a silent comedy short

Sam, a young man in a small town, is accused of being a thief. Unable to prove his innocence--and not knowing that he's being framed by a local villain to keep him away from pretty young Mary, the town beauty whom the villain wants for himself--he leaves town and goes to Hollywood to become an actor. He eventually returns home to town as a star, but once again finds himself the victim of the town villain, who this time abducts sweet young Mary. Sam must use all his acting skills to track down the villain and save Mary.

5.3/10

A dancing instructor gets involved with a newly rich family.

5.6/10

The day starts off as any normal day on Roach's farm, where Teddy, the farmhouse dog, is doing more productive work than everyone else combined. But the day changes when Roach's farmhand sees an opportunity to be the knight in shining armor to Louise, Roach's daughter, who he wants to marry.

6.4/10

Behind enemy lines, Captain Bob White disguises himself as a woman in order to fool members of the German High Command, including the Kaiser himself.

5.5/10

Charles Murray gets caught by his wife flirting with a dancer.

Comedy short starring Alice Howell

The funniest moments from Laurel and Hardy's most hilarious films

6.6/10