''Special Delivery'' is a 1927 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 ...
directed by
Roscoe Arbuckle
Roscoe Conkling "Fatty" Arbuckle (; March 24, 1887 – June 29, 1933) was an American silent film actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter. He started at the Selig Polyscope Company and eventually moved to Keystone Studios, where he worked ...
, starring
Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor (born Isidore Itzkowitz; January 31, 1892 – October 10, 1964) was an American comedian, actor, dancer, singer, songwriter, film producer, screenwriter and author. Familiar to Broadway, radio, movie, and early television audiences, ...
,
Jobyna Ralston
Jobyna Ralston (born Jobyna Lancaster Raulston, November 21, 1899 – January 22, 1967) was an American stage and film actress. She had a featured role in ''Wings'' in 1927, but is perhaps best remembered today for her on-screen chemistry with H ...
and
William Powell
William Horatio Powell (July 29, 1892 – March 5, 1984) was an American actor. A major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the ''The Thin Man (film), Thin Man'' series based on the Nick and Nora Cha ...
. It was written by Cantor,
John F. Goodrich and
George Marion Jr.
George Marion Jr. (August 30, 1899 – February 25, 1968) was an American screenwriter. He wrote for 106 films between 1920 and 1940. He also wrote lyrics for at least one Broadway musical revue: 1943's "Early To Bed" with music by Thomas "F ...
(with
Larry Semon
Lawrence Semon (February 9, 1889 – October 8, 1928) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter during the silent film era. In his day, Semon was considered a major movie comedian, but he is now remembered mainly for working ...
, uncredited). It was released by
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
. The film's copyright was renewed, so it entered the
public domain
The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work
A creative work is a manifestation of creative effort including fine artwork (sculpture, paintings, drawing, sketching, performance art), dance, writing (literature), filmmaking, ...
on January 1, 2023.
Plot
Eddie, a
mailman, is in love with
waitress
Waiting staff (British English), waitstaff (North American English), waiters (male) / waitresses (female), or servers (North American English), are those who work at a restaurant, a diner, or a bar and sometimes in private homes, attending ...
Madge but finds amongst his rivals for her affections the dishonest promoter Harold Jones. Eddie, who can't dance, impresses Madge at the postal
ball
A ball is a round object (usually spherical, but can sometimes be ovoid) with several uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used f ...
by his energetic performance of the
Black Bottom after a piece of
ice
Ice is water frozen into a solid state, typically forming at or below temperatures of 0 degrees Celsius or Depending on the presence of impurities such as particles of soil or bubbles of air, it can appear transparent or a more or less opaq ...
falls down his shirt and wins a cup. He eventually unmasks Harold as a crooked swindler.
Cast
*
Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor (born Isidore Itzkowitz; January 31, 1892 – October 10, 1964) was an American comedian, actor, dancer, singer, songwriter, film producer, screenwriter and author. Familiar to Broadway, radio, movie, and early television audiences, ...
as Eddie, The Mail Carrier
*
Jobyna Ralston
Jobyna Ralston (born Jobyna Lancaster Raulston, November 21, 1899 – January 22, 1967) was an American stage and film actress. She had a featured role in ''Wings'' in 1927, but is perhaps best remembered today for her on-screen chemistry with H ...
as Madge, The Girl
*
William Powell
William Horatio Powell (July 29, 1892 – March 5, 1984) was an American actor. A major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the ''The Thin Man (film), Thin Man'' series based on the Nick and Nora Cha ...
as Harold Jones
*
Donald Keith as Harrigan, The Fireman
* Jack Dougherty as Flannigan, a cop
*
Victor Potel
Victor Potel (October 12, 1889 – March 8, 1947) was an American film character actor who began in the silent era and appeared in more than 430 films in his 38-year career.
Career
Victor Potel was born in Lafayette, Indiana in 1889, and his ...
- Nip, a detective
*
Paul Kelly as Tuck, another detective
*
Mary Carr
Mary Carr (née Kenevan; March 14, 1874 – June 24, 1973), was an American film actress and was married to the actor William Carr. She appeared in more than 140 films between 1915 and 1956. She was given some of filmdoms plum mother roles in ...
as The Mother
* Marilyn Cantor Baker as Extra (uncredited) (as Marilyn Cantor)
* Marjorie Cantor as Extra (uncredited)
*
Tiny Doll as Baby on Eddie's Route (uncredited)
*
Robert Livingston as Extra at Postal Ball (uncredited)
* Natalie Cantor Metzger as Extra (uncredited) (as Natalie Cantor)
*
Spec O'Donnell
Walter "Spec" O'Donnell (April 9, 1911 – October 14, 1986) was an American film actor.
Biography
Born in Fresno, California, in 1911, O'Donnell appeared in more than 190 films between 1923 and 1978. He worked frequently for producer Hal R ...
as Office Boy (uncredited)
See also
*
Fatty Arbuckle filmography
__NOTOC__
These are the films of the American silent film actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter Roscoe Arbuckle. Films marked with a diamond (♦) were directed by and featured Arbuckle. He used the name William Goodrich on the films he di ...
References
External links
*
1927 films
1927 comedy films
Silent American comedy films
American silent feature films
American black-and-white films
Films produced by B. P. Schulberg
Films directed by Roscoe Arbuckle
Paramount Pictures films
1920s American films
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