Alkali Ike is a series of short comedy films released during the

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...

era by

Essanay Studios The Essanay Film Manufacturing Company was an early American motion picture studio. The studio was founded in 1907 in Chicago, and later developed an additional film lot in Niles Canyon, California. Its various stars included Francis X. Bushman, ...

and later by

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

Gilbert M. Anderson Gilbert M. "Broncho Billy" Anderson (born Maxwell Henry Aronson; March 21, 1880 – January 20, 1971) was an American actor, writer, film director, and film producer, who was the first star of the Western (genre), Western film genre. He was a ...

was involved with producing them and directed several.

Augustus Carney Augustus Carney (1870–1920) was an American actor during the early 20th century. Born in Ireland in 1870, he got his start in vaudeville before entering the film industry. In his short seven-year career he appeared in over 130 films, mostly sho ...

portrayed Alkali Ike, and

Harry Todd Harry Todd (December 13, 1863 – February 15, 1935) was an American actor. He appeared in nearly 400 films between 1909 and 1935. On Broadway, Todd was a member of the ensemble in '' The American Way'' (1939). Todd died in Glendale, Cal ...

co-starred in the film series as the character Mustang Pete.

Margaret Joslin Margaret Joslin (August 6, 1883 – October 14, 1956), born Margaret Lucy Gosling, was an American film actress. She appeared in more than 160 films between 1910 and 1923. She was born Cleveland, Ohio and died in Glendale, California. She ...

and

Lily Branscombe Lily Branscombe (born Lillian Rodman, February 28, 1876 – September 26, 1970) was a stage and film actress from New Zealand. Biography Branscombe was born as Lillian Rodman in Carterton, in the North Island of New Zealand, and educated in N ...

also appeared in many installments of the series. The Library of Philadelphia has an advertisement for the '' "Alkali" Ike's Auto'' episode.

At Universal

Universal poached Carney and used the character renamed Universal Ike for a series of comedic films. It was part of its Joker Comedies series.

Other uses and adaptations of the name "Alkali Ike"

*There is a song titled "Alkali Ike Rag". *Baseball player

Grover Cleveland Alexander Grover Cleveland Alexander (February 26, 1887 – November 4, 1950), nicknamed "Old Pete", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He played from 1911 through 1930 for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and St. Louis Cardinals. He ...

was nicknamed "Alkali Pete" by combining part of the names of the two lead characters in the film series: ''Alkali'' Ike and Mustang ''Pete''. *Marvel Comics' Earth-616 has a character named Alkali Ike.

Filmography

*''

Alkali Ike's Auto ''Alkali Ike's Auto'' is a 1911 American silent short comedy film directed by Gilbert M. 'Broncho Billy' Anderson. The film is the first in the " Alkali Ike" series. Cast * Augustus Carney as Alkali Ike * Harry Todd as Mustang Pete * Margaret ...

'' (1911) *''Alkali Ike's Motorcycle'' (1912) *''Alkali Ike Plays the Devil'' (1912) *''Alkali Ike's Boarding House'' (1912) *''Alkali Bests Broncho Billy'' (1912) *''Alkali Ike's Pants'' (1912) *''Alkali Ike's Misfortune'' (1913) *''Alkali Ike's Gal'' (1913) *''Alkali Ike and the Wildman'' (1913) *'' Universal Ike Gets a Goat''

References

{{authority control American silent short films

At Universal

Other uses and adaptations of the name "Alkali Ike"

Filmography

See also

References