Sunshine Comedies is a

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 ...

era line of comedic short films. The two-reel film series was produced by

Fox Film The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American Independent film production studio formed by William Fox (1879–1952) in 1915, by combining his earlier Greater New York Film Rental Company and Box Office Attractions Film C ...

beginning in 1916. Actors featured in the series include

Slim Summerville Slim Summerville (born George Joseph Somerville; July 10, 1892 – January 5, 1946), was an American film actor and director best known for his work in comedies. Early life Summerville was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where his mother d ...

Billie Ritchie William Hill, known professionally as Billie Ritchie (5 September 1874 – 6 July 1921), was a Scottish comedian who first gained transatlantic fame as a performer for British music hall producer Fred Karno — thus, a full decade before Stan ...

Ethel Teare Ethel Teare (January 11, 1894 – March 4, 1959) was an American silent film actress from Phoenix, Arizona. Screen comedian Her first film appearances came in 1914. She performed in ''The Widow's Might'', ''Fatty and the Shyster Lawyer'', ''T ...

, and Eli Nadel (as a child). Many of the comedies are lost but some survive. They were produced from 1917 until 1925. Comedian

Al St. John Al St. John (also credited as Al Saint John and "Fuzzy" St. John; September 10, 1892 – January 21, 1963) was an early American motion-picture comedian. He was a nephew of silent film star Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, with whom he often performed on ...

appeared in and directed many of them during his three years with Fox after which he departed to work on

Tuxedo Comedies Tuxedo Comedies were a brand of short comedy films in the United States. Comedian Al St. John appeared in and directed many of them after his three years with Fox Film doing Sunshine Comedies (see Al St. John filmography for details). They were pr ...

(see

Al St. John filmography Al St. John (1893–1963) was an American comic actor who appeared in 394 films between 1913 and 1952. Starting at Mack Sennett's Keystone Film Company, St. John rose through the ranks to become one of the major comedy stars of the 1920s, though ...

for details).

Alice Davenport Alice Davenport (née Shepphard; February 29, 1864 – June 24, 1936) was an American film actress. She appeared in 140 films between 1911 and 1930. She was born Alice Shepphard in New York City, and died in Los Angeles, California. She mad ...

Bobby Dunn Robert P. Dunn (August 28, 1890 – March 24, 1937) was a comic actor who was one of the original Keystone Kops in '' Hoffmeyer's Legacy''. Early years Dunn was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Richard P. and Melissa Dunn, and attended S ...

, and Charles Lakin were among the many supporting cast members. Beginning in 1918,

Winifred Westover Winifred Westover, birth name Winifred Heide, (November 9, 1899 – March 19, 1978) was an actress of the 1910s and 1920s. Her career included films made in Hollywood, Sweden and New York.Bill Hart Is Married Here, ''The Los Angeles Times'' ...

had leading roles in some of the Sunshine Comedies opposite

Hugh Fay Hugh Fay (June 9, 1882 – December 4, 1925) was an American comedic actor and director. He appeared in vaudeville and silent films. He was the son of Irish vaudevillian Henry "Hugh" Fay and comedic actress Elfie Fay was his sister. Filmograph ...

and

Jimmie Adams James B. Adams (October 4, 1888 – December 19, 1933) was an American silent-screen comedian and actor. Career In 1921, Adams starred in two-reel comedies for Educational Pictures and Al Christie. The slightly built, pencil-mustached Adams ...

Partial filmography

*''The Son of a Gun'' (1918) *''Are Married Policemen Safe?'' (1918) *''Her Husband's Wife'' (1918) *

Her First Kiss Her is the objective and possessive form of the English-language feminine pronoun she. Her, HER or H.E.R. may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Music * H.E.R. (born 1997), American singer ** ''H.E.R.'' (album), 2017 * HIM (Finnish ...

'' (1919) *'' His Musical Sneeze'' (1919) *''She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not'' (1920) *Mary's Little Lobster'' (1920) *''Pretty Lady'' (1920) *''

The Hayseed ''The Hayseed'' is a 1919 American two-reel silent comedy film directed by and starring Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle and featuring Buster Keaton. Plot Buster is the manager of a post office and general store in a provincial town where Fatty works as ...

'' (1921) *'' Fool Days'' (1921) *''The Slicker'' (1921) *''The Simp'' (1921) *''The Big Secret'' (1921) *''Ain't Love Grand?'' (1921) *''Small Town Stuff'' (1921) *''The Book Agent'' (1921) *''Fast and Furious'' (1921) *''The Happy Pest'' (1921) *''Three Good Pals'' (1921) *''Straight from the Farm'' (1922) *''A Studio Rube'' (1922) *''Special Delivery'' (1922) *''The Village Sheik'' (1922) *''All Wet'' (1922) *''The City Chap'' (1922) *''Out of Place'' (1922) *''The Alarm'' (1922) *''Young and Dumb'' (1923) *''The Salesman'' (1923) *''The Author'' (1923) *''A Tropical Romeo'' (1923) *''The Tailor'' (1923) with Victoria Louise Kerner *''Full Speed Ahead'' (1923) *''Slow and Sure'' (1923) *''Spring Fever'' (1923) *''Highly Recommended'' (1924) *''Be Yourself'' (1924) *''His Bitter Half'' (1924) *''Dumb and Daffy'' (1925)

References

{{Reflist Silent comedy films

Partial filmography

See also

References