Vitagraph Comedies (Blu-ray)

The history of screen comedy did not begin with Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton. Prior to their appearances on the American screen, an entire generation of comedians was already establishing (and breaking) the boundaries of this rapidly evolving genre. While working at the Vitagraph Studios, music hall artists such as John Bunny, Frank Daniels, and Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew retooled their brands of comedy into something uniquely cinematic, advancing the art form and setting the stage for the slapstick explosion. This three-disc collection, presented by the Library of Congress, showcases the bold innovation of these overlooked pioneers, including the ingenious trick film The Disintegrated Convict, the gender-bending irrereverence of Edith Storey, and the epic scale of Larry Semon’s The Sawmill. Vitagraph Comedies also provides precious glimpses of comedians (e.g. Flora Finch or the comedy duo Montgomery and Rock) who are virtually forgotten today, because so little of their work has survived.

VITAGRAPH COMEDIES

Curated by Rob Stone

Special thanks Rob Farr, Lynanne Schweighofer, George Willeman.

Music supervisor: Dana Reason

Produced for video by Bret Wood

DISC ONE

Vitagraph Comedies, Part One (2024, 13 min.) Video introduction featuring interviews with Rob Farr, Lynanne Schweighofer, Rob Stone, and George Willeman.

The Disintegrated Convict (1907, 6 min.) Music by Andrew Earle Simpson.

The Boy, the Bust, and the Bath (1907, 6 min.) Featuring Florence Lawrence. Music by Qingye Wu.

Get Me a Step-Ladder (1908, 3 min.) Music by Dana Reason.

The New Stenographer (1911, 12 min.) Featuring Maurice Costello, Florence Lawrence. Music by Ben Model.

The Lovesick Maidens of Cuddleton (1912, 12 min.) Featuring Earle Williams, Edith Storey, John Bunny. Music by Andrew Earle Simpson.

A Regiment of Two (1913, 28 min.) Featuring Sidney Drew. Music by Chris Rorrer and Daniel Mandrychenko.

Jane’s Bashful Hero (1916, 15 min.) Featuring Edith Storey. Music by Teil Buck.

The Egyptian Mummy (1913, 15 min.) Featuring Lee Beggs, Constance Talmadge, Billy Quirk. Music by Andrew Earle Simpson.

Sweeney’s Christmas Bird (1914, 14 min.) Featuring Hughie Mack, Flora Finch. Music by Liz Magnes.

A Case of Eugenics (1915, 11 min.) Featuring Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew. Music by Esin Aydingoz.

Auntie’s Portrait (1915, 13 min.) Featuring Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew. Music by Chris Lock.

Jane Was Worth It (1915, 28 min.) Featuring Edith Storey. Music by Ben Model.

Mr. Jack Trifles (1916, 14 min.) Featuring Frank Daniels. Music by Don Ross.

Captain Jinks’ Baby (1917, 12 min.) Featuring Frank Daniels. Music by Ivanna Cuesta Gonzalez.

Captain Jinks’ Cure (1917, 12 min.) Featuring Frank Daniels. Music by Annette Johnson.

Damsels and Dandies (1919, 15 min.) Featuring Earl Montgomery and Joe Rock. Music by Ben Model.

DISC TWO

Vitagraph Comedies, Part Two (2024, 7 min.) Video introduction featuring Rob Farr, Lynanne Schweighofer, Rob Stone, and George Willeman.The Flat Dwellers: Or, The House of Too Much Trouble (1907, 6 min.) Music by Shane Prediville.

The Haunted Rocker (1912, 8 min.) Featuring George Ober, Clara Kimball Young. Music by Peter Valsamis.

Kitty and the Cowboys (1911, 11 min.) Featuring John Bunny. Music by Ben Model.

In the Clutches of a Vapor Bath (1911, 7 min.) Featuring John Bunny. Music by Andrew Earle Simpson.

The Deceivers (1915, 13 min.) Featuring Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew. Music by Liz Magnes.

His Wife Knew About It (1916, 14 min.) Featuring Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew. Music by Linda Chase.

A Horseshoe for Luck (1914, 13 min.) Featuring Sidney Drew. Music by Don Ross.

The Professional Scapegoat (1914, 14 min.) Featuring Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew. Music by Violin Noir.

Beautiful Thoughts (1915, 11 min.) Featuring Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew. Music by Dana Reason.

Boobley’s Baby (1915, 14 min.) Featuring Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew. Music by Renée T. Coulombe.

A Safe Investment (1915, 14 min.) Featuring Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew. Music by Ben Model.

A Telegraphic Tangle (1916, 13 min.) Featuring Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew. Music by Violin Noir.

Bullies and Bullets (1917, 13 min.) Featuring Hughie Mack, Patsy De Forest. Music by Dana Reason.

Captain Jinks’ Evolution (1916, 12 min.) Featuring Frank Daniels. Music by Caterina Maddalena Barbieri.

Captain Jinks, the Cobbler (1916, 12 min.) Featuring Frank Daniels. Music by Dylan Talisien.

A Little Ouija Work (1918, 13 min.) Featuring Edward Earle, Agnes Ayres. Music by Ben Model.

Mr. Jack Ducks the Alimony (1916, 13 min.) Featuring Frank Daniels. Music by Violin Noir.

Mr. Jack, the Hash Magnate (1916, 12 min.) Featuring Frank Daniels. Music by Chris Rorrer and Daniel Mandrychenko.

DISC THREE

Vitagraph Comedies, Part Three (2024, 4 min.) Video introduction featuring Rob Farr, Lynanne Schweighofer, Rob Stone, and George Willeman.Hindoos and Hazards (1918, 10 min.) Featuring Larry Semon. Music by Camila Cortina Bello.

The Grocery Clerk (1919, 27 min.) Featuring Larry Semon. Music by José María Serralde Ruiz.

The Head Waiter (1919, 19 min.) Featuring Larry Semon. Musi by Gonca Feride Varol.

School Days (1920, 25 min.) Featuring Larry Semon. Music by Violin Noir.

The Bell Hop (1921, 29 min.) Featuring Larry Semon. Music by Peter Valsamis.

The Sawmill (1922, 26 min.) Featuring Larry Semon. Music by Karen Majewicz.