- published: 27 Sep 2013
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Charley Chase (October 20, 1893 - June 20, 1940) was an American comedian, actor, screenwriter and film director, best known for his work in Hal Roach short film comedies. He was the older brother of comedian/director James Parrott.
Born Charles Joseph Parrott in Baltimore, Maryland, Chase began performing in vaudeville as a teenager and started his career in films by working at the Christie Film Company in 1912. He then moved to Keystone Studios, where he began appearing in bit parts in the Mack Sennett films, including those of Charlie Chaplin. By 1915 he was playing juvenile leads in the Keystones, and directing some of the films as Charles Parrott. His Keystone credentials were good enough to get him steady work as a comedy director with other companies; he directed many of Chaplin imitator Billy West's comedies, which featured a young Oliver Hardy as villain.
He worked at L-KO Kompany during its final months of existence. Then in 1920, Chase began working as a film director for Hal Roach Studios. Among his notable early works for Roach was supervising the first entries in the Our Gang series, as well as directing several films starring Lloyd Hamilton; like many other silent comedians, Chase is reported to have regarded Hamilton's work as a major influence on that of his own. Chase became director-general of the Hal Roach studio in late 1921, supervising the production of all the Roach series except the Harold Lloyd comedies. Following Lloyd's departure from the studio in 1923, Chase moved back in front of the camera with his own series of shorts, adopting the screen name Charley Chase.
Actors: William H. Ziegler (editor), Harry Bernard (actor), Charley Chase (actor), Edward Earle (actor), James Finlayson (actor), Gus Leonard (actor), Lee Phelps (actor), Jack Raymond (actor), Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer (actor), Joyce Compton (actress), Charley Chase (director), Brooks Benedict (actor), Hal Roach (producer), Andrea Leeds (actress), Harold Law (director),
Plot: Charley barges into the office of a psychiatrist whose avocation is competitive lying. Charley's tale, told with flashbacks and urgency, is odd: sometimes his world just stops in mid-motion. During those freezes, he has brief conversations with someone nearby who doesn't remember the exchange once things move again. A young woman invites him to her house; he arrives, she denies inviting him, and, worse, she's with her fiancé. Charley persists, the fiancé gets mad, and Charley gets the girl on the rebound. A few months later, they run into her ex at an amusement park; several freezes later, Charley is on the outs. Can the doctor do anything?
Keywords: amusement-park, argument, award, broken-engagement, candy, doctor, doctor's-office, ex-fiancee, ex-fiancé-ex-fiancée-relationship, fianceActors: William H. Terhune (editor), Charley Chase (actor), Dorothy Appleby (actress), Charley Chase (director), Richard Alexander (actor), Dorothy Granger (actress), Hattie McDaniel (actress), Hal Roach (producer), Margaret Nearing (actress), Baby Tonia Brady (actress),
Genres: Comedy, Short,Actors: Eddie Dunn (director), Eddie Baker (actor), Harry Bowen (actor), Charley Chase (actor), Baldwin Cooke (actor), Carlton Griffin (actor), Charlie Hall (actor), James C. Morton (actor), Stanley Price (actor), Oscar Apfel (actor), Betty Mack (actress), May Wallace (actress), Marion Byron (actress),
Genres: Comedy, Short,Actors: Richard C. Currier (editor), Charley Chase (actor), Eddie Dunn (actor), Billy Gilbert (actor), Charlie Hall (actor), Pat Harmon (actor), James C. Morton (actor), Muriel Evans (actress), Harry Bernard (actor), Hal Roach (producer), Leroy Shield (composer), Gus Meins (director), Dorothy Layton (actress),
Plot: At the San Francisco office, Charley is competent and hard-working, but drives Mr. Morton, the boss, nuts because he takes everything literally - from "shake a leg" to "take the air." When an employee absconds with funds from the L.A. office, Morton seizes the chance to get a respite: he tells Charley to "take a hike to L.A. and run the office." The next morning, Charley sets off to hike to L.A. When Morton finds that out, he gives his daughter Muriel a description of Charley and tells her to find him and give him a train ticket south. She gives the ticket to the wrong guy, who steals her car. Can Charley get things back on track?
Keywords: axel, bathing-suit, boss, car-thief, changing-clothes, convertible, expression-taken-literally, father-daughter-relationship, hitch-hiker, hitchhikeActors: William H. Terhune (editor), Harry Bernard (actor), Chet Brandenburg (actor), Charley Chase (actor), James Finlayson (actor), Charlie Hall (actor), James C. Morton (actor), Jack Raymond (actor), Eddie Baker (actor), Leo Willis (actor), Muriel Evans (actress), Anita Garvin (actress), Hal Roach (producer), Leroy Shield (composer), Harry Schultz (actor),
Plot: When James Finlayson is threatened if his cleaning business doesn't cough up protection money for mobsters, he looks for a partner to take the heat for him. Charley Chase takes the job and finds himself with gangsters and a mail bomb on his hands.
Keywords: gangsterActors: Hal Roach (miscellaneous crew), William H. Terhune (editor), Jimmie Adams (actor), Harry Bernard (actor), Charley Chase (actor), Baldwin Cooke (actor), Billy Franey (actor), Billy Gilbert (actor), Charlie Hall (actor), Sam Harris (actor), Marvin Hatley (actor), Rolfe Sedan (actor), Gale Henry (actress), Betty Mack (actress), Hal Roach (producer),
Genres: Comedy, Short,Actors: Harry Bernard (actor), Charley Chase (actor), Eddie Dunn (actor), Billy Gilbert (actor), Dell Henderson (actor), Gertrude Astor (actress), Julie Bishop (actress), Hal Roach (producer), H.M. Walker (writer), Leroy Shield (composer), Warren Doane (director),
Genres: Comedy, Short,Actors: Charley Chase (actor), James Finlayson (actor), Ted Stroback (actor), Dorothy Granger (actress), Thelma Todd (actress), Hal Roach (producer), H.M. Walker (writer), James W. Horne (director), Richard C. Currier (editor), Charlie Hall (actor), Edgar Kennedy (actor), Lorena Carr (actress), Dorothy Dix (actress), Beverly Crane (actress), Betty Mae Crane (actress),
Plot: 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?
Keywords: apology, attorney, barefoot, bellhop, broken-leg, calling-for-help, canoe, cat, cloche-hat, confrontationActors: Charley Chase (actor), Edward Dillon (actor), Charlie Hall (actor), Edgar Kennedy (actor), Tiny Sandford (actor), Ruth Hiatt (actress), Richard C. Currier (editor), Hal Roach (producer), Robert F. McGowan (writer), James W. Horne (director), Edgar Kennedy (director), Christine Maple (actress),
Plot: Charley's in his dressing gown reading a book while his wife visits her ill mother. A stranger knocks, saying he and his estranged wife lived in the flat and could he take a last look around. The visitor weeps for his lost love, moves furniture, and disturbs Charley's reading. While the man is upstairs putting Charley's wife's lingerie in a better place, the wife of the visitor intrudes. She also wants her own last look (her divorce attorney is in the building). Jealousies, a misunderstanding with Charley's wife, gunshots, a confused policeman, and worried neighbors add to the chaos. Will suspicion end Charley's own marriage?
Keywords: apartment, apartment-building, attorney, axe, baby-grand-piano, bed, bedroom, billy-club, book, broken-furnitureActors: Ernie Adams (actor), Harry Bernard (actor), Maurice Black (actor), Maurice Black (actor), Charley Chase (actor), Jack Chefe (actor), Jay Eaton (actor), Jack Hill (actor), Rolfe Sedan (actor), Symona Boniface (actress), Kay Deslys (actress), Isabelle Keith (actress), Isabelle Keith (actress), Hal Roach (producer), Leo McCarey (writer),
Genres: Comedy, Short,