Cast
Harold Lloyd
Crew
Directed by
(various)
NEW LOW PRICE
ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR
SCREEN COMEDIANS OF ALL TIME
SEVEN HILARIOUS SHORTS AND A FEATURE
A standout contributor to the art of silent film comedy, Harold Lloyd
(1893-1971) offers new generations a body of film work that is as fresh and
entertaining as in its day. His roots were simple, born in rural Nebraska,
product of a broken home, and initially destined for the legitimate stage,
yet by the 1920s, Lloyd was, both at the box office and in the polls, the
most popular comic actor in the world.
His appeal was simple, yet legendary: through his Glass Character, which
formed the basis of roles from 1917-1947, Lloyd struck gold with a screen
persona that forged new ground. The Boy, as he was most often called, had
one trademark--lens-less horn-rimmed glasses--yet was able to reach
audiences as no contemporary could. He is regarded as the man who most
greatly influenced eyeglass-wearing in America, and this single facet of
Lloyd inspired youth worldwide. His screen normalcy in look and demeanor
allowed moviegoers to relate to the Glass Character no matter what his
label. Rich or poor, cowardly or flip, from film to film, Lloyd was a
different Boy, and was able to create a cinematic legacy that remains both
diverse and uniformly thrilling.
Harold Lloyd might just be the funniest actor you’ve never seen--a
silent screen comedian so often placed in the shadow of Chaplin and Keaton
-- but he continues to shine in some of the most enduring short- and
feature-length comedies ever offered to audiences. Included in this Kino
collection are:
- Are Crooks Dishonest?
1918 14 Min.
Trickery abounds in this one-reel romp, involving jewel thievery and
soothsaying. Harold and Snub deal in gems, while Bebe assists her seer
father in crystal. When the three hook up, it’s the equation for mayhem!
- Just Neighbors
1919 14 Min.
Domesticity turns to squabble-city, as the tranquil friendship of neighbors
Lloyd and Pollard turns sour when Snub’s chickens get loose in Bebe’s
garden. The barbs are fast and furious, Bumping Into Broadway
1919 23 Min.
Harold Lloyd’s first Glass Character two-reeler, Bumping Into Broadway stars
Lloyd and Daniels as theatrical hopefuls--he as a playwright, she as a
chorus girl. The action is fierce, as Harold attempts to save Bebe from a
wicked society chap, and gets into lots of trouble in the process. Look for
Our Gang favorite Gus Leonard in a most unique cameo: as a love-starved
woman!
- An Eastern Westerner
1920 23 Min.
Rural comedy abounds in this romp, as young upstart Harold is shipped to his
uncle’s ranch out West. There, he meets Mildred, assists her in staving off
the unwanted affections of rogue Young, and after a wild altercation with a
gang of bandits, single-handedly saves the town from the Masked Angels.
- Number, Please?
1920 25 Min.
Arguably one of Lloyd’s best two-reel comedies, Number, Please? takes place
at a Los Angeles amusement park. It’s an unusual day: Mildred is with
another man, Harold is desperate to find her lost dog, and Harold and Roy
vie to take Mildred for a balloon ride. In the midst of the hilarity are two
classic sequences, one involving a phone call gone awry, the other a little
boy named Sunshine Sammy and a large coat!
- His Royal Slyness
1920 25 Min.
A special opportunity to see the Lloyd brothers Harold and Gaylord work
together. Harold, a book agent, bears an uncanny resemblance to the Prince
of Razzamatazz (Gaylord). The two switch persons, and Harold travels to
Thermosa, where he falls in love with a princess (Davis) and manages to lead
the peasants’ revolution to victory. His Royal Slyness marks Pollard’s final
film with Lloyd.
- I DO
1921 22 Min.
Originally in three reels, Lloyd cut a whole reel after previews went
poorly. The two-reel result is classic domestic comedy, with Harold as a
henpecked hubby babysitting his two young nephews. See a jug of bootleg
liquor masquerade as a baby in a carriage; watch Harold try to walk into his
slippers which have been hammered to the floor; witness a little boy buying
fireworks in a corner store!
- Grandma’s Boy
1922 61 Min.
One of Lloyd’s personal favorites of his films, Grandma’s Boy is a beautiful
tale of self-discovery, with a bounty of comic overtones. Sonny is a
self-professed coward who balks at the sight of the town tramp (Sutherland).
Armed with a lucky charm given to him by his grandmother (Townsend), he
defeats the tramp and the town bully (Stevenson), learning a very valuable
lesson about himself in the process.
Educational Reviews
"Manna for silent film buffs, and a revelation for anyone else who thinks that Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton were the be all and end all of silent comed." **** Highly Recommended Video Librarian