''Cupid's Rival'' is a 1917 American
silent comedy film
A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...
featuring
Oliver Hardy.
Plot
As described in a
film magazine
Film periodicals combine discussion of individual films, genres and directors with in-depth considerations of the medium and the conditions of its production and reception. Their articles contrast with film reviewing in newspapers and magazines whi ...
review, Billy works as the janitor of a studio apartment, and has been ordered by Hyfligher, a rich artist, to bring his breakfast to him. Residing in an adjacent studio is Daub, a poor artist, who has painted a picture of Dough for the landlord in lieu of rent. Doub sees his sweetheart Ethel entering the studio of Hyfligher. He is enraged, and bursts into the room to find Ethel stroking the head of the rich artist. Daub seizes a painting of Ethel and smashes Hyfligher on the head with it. Hyfligher is distracted as the day for the exhibition is coming near. Meanwhile, Mike the elevator operator is chasing a mouse through the building, and the chase leads into Doub's studio where the mouse climbs up the side of the painting of Dough. Mike swings a club at the mouse and misses, tearing the portrait. Mike is horrified, and Doub is heart broken when he returns. Mike comes up with the idea of dressing up as the landlord and sitting in the frame. At the exhibition the people are delighted with the paintings and think they are real. Billy finds out about the ruse and when he sees his enemy Mike sitting in a frame, he arms himself with a club and the chase begins. The guests finally catch up with Billy and mete out a just punishment.
Cast
*
Billy West
William Richard Werstine (born April 16, 1952), known professionally as Billy West, is an American voice actor. His voice roles include Bugs Bunny in the 1996 film ''Space Jam'' and several subsequent projects, the title characters of ''Doug'' ...
as Billy
*
Oliver Hardy as (as Babe Hardy)
*
Ethel Marie Burton
Ethel Marie Burton Palmer (October 23, 1897 - May 1985) was an American comedic film actress.
Biography
Burton was born in New York City and began working in films in 1915. She worked for Vitagraph, World Comedy Stars Film Company and Vim Com ...
(as Ethel Burton)
*
Leo White
Leo White (November 10, 1882 – September 20, 1948), Leo Weiss, was a German-born British-American film and stage actor who appeared as a character actor in many Charlie Chaplin films.
Biography
Born in Germany, White grew up in England where ...
*
Bud Ross
* Joe Cohen
* Ethelyn Gibson as A Model (as Ethlyn Gibson)
* Florence McLaughlin
Preservation status
Copies of the film exist in several private collections, and it has been released on DVD as part of a collection of comedy short films.
[''American Slapstick (1914-1929)'' (collection of comedy short films).]
See also
*
List of American films of 1917
This list of American films of 1917 is a compilation of American films released in 1917.
A–B
C–D
E–F
G–H
I–J
K–L
M–N
O–P
Q–R
S
T
U–V
W–Z
Short films
See also
* 1917 in the United St ...
*
Oliver Hardy filmography
__NOTOC__
These are the films of Oliver Hardy as an actor. For the filmography of Laurel and Hardy as a team, see: Laurel and Hardy films
:''This list contains only the films that Laurel and Hardy made together. For their solo films see Stan Laur ...
References
External links
*{{IMDb title, id=0008848, title=Cupid's Rival
''Cupid's Rival'' Lord Heath website with stills
1917 films
1917 comedy films
1917 short films
American silent short films
American black-and-white films
Silent American comedy films
Articles containing video clips
1910s American films