A Night in the Show (1915 Restored Charlie Chaplin Comedy film)

3 months ago
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A Night in the Show was Charlie Chaplin's 12th film for Essanay. It was made at Majestic Studio in Los Angeles in the fall of 1915. Chaplin played two roles: one as Mr. Pest and one as Mr. Rowdy. The film was created from Chaplin's stage work from a play called Mumming Birds (a.k.a. A Night at an English Music Hall in the United States) with the Karno Company from London. Chaplin performed this play during his U.S. tours with Fred Karno company and decided to bring some of this play to his film work. Edna Purviance played a minor role as a lady in the audience.

Plot
Mr. Pest tries several theatre seats before winding up in front in a fight with the conductor and, eventually, the entire cast of an evening variety show.

The film concludes when a fire eater takes the stage and Chaplin "heroically" drenches the performer and the audience with a fire hose.

The difference between "Mr. Pest" and "Mr. Rowdy" appears to be that one is pleasantly drunk, and the other is obnoxious and sober.

Cast
Charles Chaplin - Mr. Pest and Mr. Rowdy
Edna Purviance - Lady in the Stalls with Beads
Charlotte Mineau - Lady in the Stalls
Dee Lampton - Fat Boy
Leo White - Frenchman/Negro in Balcony
Wesley Ruggles - Second Man in Balcony Front Row
John Rand - Orchestra Conductor
James T. Kelley - Trombone Player and Singer
Paddy McGuire - Feather Duster/Clarinet Player
May White - Fat Lady and Dancer
Phyllis Allen - Lady in Audience
Fred Goodwins - Gentleman in Audience
Charles Inslee - Tuba Player

Circus Waltz - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100291
Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Iron Horse - Silent Film Dark by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100735
Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Merry Go - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100731
Artist: http://incompetech.com/

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