''How Rastus Gets His Turkey'' is a 1910 slapstick comedy

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 ...

directed by

Theodore Wharton Theodore Wharton (1875–1931) was an American film director, producer and writer. He directed 48 films in the 1910s and 1920s, including the 1915 '' The New Adventures of J. Rufus Wallingford'' featuring Oliver Hardy. Biography Wharton was bor ...

. The film stars

Billy Quirk Billy Quirk (born William Andrew Quirk; March 27, 1873April 20, 1926) was an American stage and silent-film actor. He performed in more than 180 films between 1909 and 1924. Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, he died in Los Angeles, California. G ...

(in

blackface Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used predominantly by non-Black people to portray a caricature of a Black person. In the United States, the practice became common during the 19th century and contributed to the spread of racial stereo ...

), Edward José and Octavia Handworth. The movie was written by José and produced and released by Pathé Frères. The film was part of a series of comedies that featured the title character named "

Rastus Rastus is a pejorative term traditionally associated with African Americans in the United States. It is considered offensive. History "Rastus" has been used as a stereotypical, often derogatory, name for black men at least since 1880, when Joel C ...

Plot

It is the day before Thanksgiving, and Rastus who is without a cent to his name, has promised himself that, come what may, his wife Eliza and his daughter shall eat of a plump turkey the following day. Prowling round the local butchers he watches the stock of birds gradually dwindle without having the opportunity to take one unobserved. At last he becomes desperate, and when old George Green purchases the last bird he sees that his only chance is to take it from him by hook or by crook. Arriving home, Green takes the turkey out in the yard to kill it. While he turns away for a few minutes to sharpen his knife, Rastus puts his hand through a hole in the wooden fence and seizes the bird. The hole is not large enough to pull the bird through, but Rastus tries to do so, with the result that he pulls three of the planks of the fence out, and with his hand through these and still holding on to the turkey like grim death, he bolts for home. Green starts in pursuit, but Rastus soon gets away from him, although he has many a laughable difficulty to overcome, for his stony brain could not see that he could take the turkey in the other hand and drop the three boards. When Thanksgiving Day arrives the following morn, Rastus and his family have a great time over the dinner. :''The Moving Picture World'' (1910)

Cast

– Rastus * Edward José – George Green * Octavia Handworth – Rastus' wife

References

External links

New York Times Overview
* 1910 films American silent short films Stereotypes of African Americans History of racism in the cinema of the United States Silent American comedy films 1910 comedy films 1910 short films American black-and-white films Blackface minstrel shows and films Thanksgiving in films American comedy short films 1910s American films {{1910s-short-comedy-film-stub

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links