''Dr. Jack'' is a 1922 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 ...

starring

Harold Lloyd Harold Clayton Lloyd, Sr. (April 20, 1893 – March 8, 1971) was an American actor, comedian, and stunt performer who appeared in many silent comedy films.Obituary ''Variety'', March 10, 1971, page 55. One of the most influential film co ...

. It was produced by

Hal Roach Harry Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr.Randy Skretvedt, Skretvedt, Randy (2016), ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies'', Bonaventure Press. p.608. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director, a ...

and directed by

Fred Newmeyer Fred C. Newmeyer (August 9, 1888 – April 24, 1967) was an American actor, film director and film producer. Biography A native of Central City, Colorado, Newmeyer is best known for directing a handful of films in the ''Our Gang'' series and fo ...

. The story was by

Jean Havez Jean Constant Havez (December 24, 1872 – February 11, 1925) was an American writer of novelty songs, vaudeville skits, and silent era comedy films. During his film career, Havez worked with comedians Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. Career ...

, Hal Roach, and Sam Taylor. The film was released on November 26, 1922. Grossing $1,275,423, ''Dr. Jack'' was one of the top-ten most profitable releases of 1922.

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 ...

, young Dr. Jackson (Lloyd), or Dr. Jack, has plenty of practice but scant fees. He believes in using sunshine methods and avoids medicine as far as possible. This is quite contrary to the methods employed by the renowned Dr. Ludwig von Saulsbourg (Mayne), who for four years has reaped a golden harvest out of the father (Prince) of the Sick-Little-Well-Girl (Davis), keeping the latter in dark rooms and feeding her drugs without end. The family lawyer Jamison (Hammond) introduces Dr. Jack as a consultant and things begin to happen. Dr. Jack has met the Girl once accidentally, and is overjoyed when he is called to prescribe for her, a proceeding that results in both falling in love. Caught kissing the Girl, Dr. Jack falls into disgrace and is told that he must leave the next morning. In the meantime, news that a dangerous lunatic has escaped and has been seen in the vicinity of the house reaches its occupants. Dr. Jack, who holds that a little excitement is all the patient needs to make her perfectly normal, arranges a night alarm for the occupants of the home. He dons a wig and hat and, thus disguised, makes unexpected appearances in various parts of the establishment, throwing everybody into spasms of momentary terror. In the long run he reveals himself to the Girl, her father realizes that she is cured, von Saulsbourg is required to make an undignified exit, and the two lovers are happy.

Background

''Dr. Jack'' is an upbeat gag-driven film, played solely for laughs. Released between the sensitive, complex character comedy of ''Grandma's Boy'' and the daredevil "thrill picture" ''

Safety Last! ''Safety Last!'' is a 1923 American silent romantic-comedy film starring Harold Lloyd. It includes one of the most famous images from the silent-film era: Lloyd clutching the hands of a large clock as he dangles from the outside of a skyscraper ...

,'' it was Lloyd's first intentional five-reeler, whereas his two previous features, ''

A Sailor-Made Man ''A Sailor-Made Man'' is a 1921 American silent comedy film directed by Fred Newmeyer and starring Harold Lloyd. Plot "The Boy" (Lloyd) is an idle playboy and heir to $20,000,000, relaxing at an exclusive resort. When he sees "The Girl" (Mildre ...

,'' and ''Grandma's Boy,'' both grew from two-reelers to five-reelers during the actual shooting.

Cast

as Dr. Jackson - "Jack" for short *

Mildred Davis Mildred Hillary Davis (February 22, 1901The reference book ''Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory'' gives Davis's birth date as January 1, 1900.August 18, 1969) was an American actress who appeared in fifteen of Harold Lloyd's cla ...

as The Sick-Little-Well-Girl * John T. Prince as Her Father *

Eric Mayne Eric Mayne (April 28, 1865 – February 10, 1947) was an American actor. Mayne was born in Dublin and was a star on stage in London in the early 20th century, at the London Lyceum and at Drury Lane. He appeared in the films ''The New York Peaco ...

as Dr. Ludwig von Saulsbourg *

Norman Hammond Norman Hammond (born 10 July 1944) is a British archaeologist, academic and Mesoamericanist scholar, noted for his publications and research on the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. Career Hammond was educated at Peterhouse, Cambridge. He held ...

as Jamison The Lawyer *

Charles Stevenson Charles Stevenson may refer to: *Charles Stevenson (philosopher) (1908-1979), American philosopher. *Charles Alexander Stevenson (1855–1950), Scottish lighthouse engineer * Charles A. Stevenson (1851–1929), Irish-born American stage and movie a ...

as The Asylum Guard

Preservation status

Prints of ''Dr. Jack'' exist in the collection of the

UCLA Film and Television Archive The UCLA Film & Television Archive is a visual arts organization focused on the preservation, study, and appreciation of film and television, based at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Also a nonprofit exhibition venue, the archiv ...

and the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

's National Film Archive.Progressive Silent Film List: ''Dr. Jack''
at silentera.com

References

External links