''On the Front Page'' is a 1926 American

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 Stan Laurel.

Plot

After being beaten to a scandalous story involving Countess Polasky (Rich), newspaper editor James W. Hornby (Davis) assigns his son (Brooke) 24 hours to find an even more scandalous story about the countess. The countess lounges with her two male beauty experts, both fawning over her. Her secretary (Montana) pulls them off. Hornby Jr drives fast through the outskirts of Los Angeles and is pursued by a motorcycle cop. Hornby Jr throws various items of female clothing from the car, each hitting the cop in the face as he tries to catch up. The butler (Laurel) is sleeping when a small rock is thrown through the window by Hornby Jr. He asks if his father is up. Hornby Sr is in the bathroom. He throws a stool out of the window almost hitting his son. Jr gets the butler to throw down some fresh clothes. He starts to change next to his car but bumps it making it roll off. It gets faster and faster. Just after Jr manages to get in it rear ends the motorcycle cop launching him upwards. The cop lands in the back seat. Hornby Sr asks if assistant if there is any progress on the story. Jr has returned to his father's mansion. The butler asks if he would like his "evening weed". Jr jumps up with an idea: the butler should put the countess in a compromising situation, and then they will be photographed and the photo published. The butler says that women scare him. Jr forces him to wear his father's dinner suit. Father returns. They avoid being seen and Jr puts the butler in the back seat of his father's car and chauffeurs him off. They arrive at the hotel where the countess is staying. Jr has a camera and tripod. They plot to get the countess to open her door to receive a box of flowers but she hears them. She tells her secretary that she is tired of reporters and wants to teach them a lesson. The maid opens the door and the butler falls in. She takes the flowers and tells the countess he is there. He sits on a

chaise longue A chaise longue (; , "long chair") is an upholstered sofa in the shape of a chair that is long enough to support the legs of the sitter. In modern French the term ''chaise longue'' can refer to any long reclining chair such as a deckchair. ...

, The countess reveals herself from behind a spiders web curtain and his hat pops off in surprise. She sits with him and starts to caress him, much to his distress. Meanwhile Jr is trying to set up the camera outside on the balcony. The butler says "you're wasting your time - my mother has told me everything". He tries to leave and she tackles him and they end on the floor. Jr signals that he is ready to take the photo. The butler complains that she is not his type: he likes them "wide and plumpy". But he puts his arms around her. He squeezes slightly too much. She tells him to leave. Jr phones the police and says the countess is having a wild party. The butler chases the countess around the room but her secretary intervenes just as the police arrive. He gets thrown out of the window and slides down the fire escape. Jr and the butler run off and get chased by the motorcycle cop. The police break down the countess's door pursued by several press men. They find the dinner jacket with Hornby Sr's name in it. The next morning a newspaper boy is shouting the headlines: a scandal about the countess. Hornby Sr gets a headline but he is in it! He gets a golf club ready to hit his son. Jr and the butler arrive with the cop so Hornby Sr has to delay. As soon as the cop leaves he chases both up the road.

Cast

Lillian Rich Lillian Rose Rich Woodland, more commonly known as Lillian Rich (1 January 1900 – 5 January 1954) was an English-born actress of the silent era. She appeared in more than 60 films between 1919 and 1940. Biography Rich was born in Herne ...

as Countess Polasky *

Tyler Brooke Tyler Brooke (born Victor Hugo de Bierre, June 6, 1886 – March 2, 1943) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 90 films between 1915 and 1943. He was born in New York, New York and died in Los Angeles, California by committi ...

as Young Hornby * Stan Laurel as Dangerfield the butler *

Bull Montana Lewis Montagna (born Luigi Montagna; May 16, 1887 – January 24, 1950), better known as Bull Montana, was an Italian-American professional wrestler, boxer and actor. Biography Born in Voghera, Italy, into a poor country family — and at a ti ...

as the Countess's Private secretary * Edwards Davis as James W. Hornby *

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 ...

as Beauty expert *

William Courtright William Courtright (February 10, 1848 – March 6, 1933) was an American film actor. Early years He was born Theodore Courtright in New Milford, Illinois, and was educated in the public schools of Ione, California. When he was 16, he r ...

as Hornby Senior's assistant *

Edgar Dearing Edgar Dearing (May 4, 1893 – August 17, 1974) was an American actor who became heavily type cast as a motorcycle cop in Hollywood films. Biography Born in 1893, Dearing started in silent comedy shorts for Hal Roach, including several with La ...

as Motorcycle cop *

Rolfe Sedan Rolfe Sedan (born Edward Sedan; January 20, 1896 – September 15, 1982) was an American character actor, best known for appearing in bit parts, often uncredited, usually portraying clerks, train conductors, postmen, cooks, waiters, etc. Ea ...

as Beauty expert

References

External links

*
''On the Front Page'' at SilentEra
{{James Parrott 1926 films American silent short films American black-and-white films 1926 short films Films directed by James Parrott Silent American comedy films American comedy short films 1926 comedy films 1920s American films

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links