''The Count'' is

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consider ...

's fifth film for

Mutual Film Corporation Mutual Film Corporation was an early American film conglomerate that produced some of Charlie Chaplin's greatest comedies. Founded in 1912, it was absorbed by Film Booking Offices of America, which evolved into RKO Pictures. Founding Mutual's ...

in 1916. Released on September 4, it co-starred Eric Campbell and

Edna Purviance Olga Edna Purviance (; October 21, 1895 – January 13, 1958) was an American actress of the silent film era. She was the leading lady in many of Charlie Chaplin's early films and in a span of eight years, she appeared in over 30 films with hi ...

Synopsis

The tailor's handyman (played by Chaplin) burns a count's trousers while ironing them and is fired. His superior (Campbell) discovers a note explaining the count can't attend a party, and dresses up like one to take his place. Chaplin also goes to the residence hosting the party, but runs into the tailor. They both then struggle to win the fair maiden, Miss Moneybags (Purviance). Soon, Charlie is distracted by a gypsy girl and the tailor must fend off other suitors. The real Count finally arrives, learns of the imposters and calls the police. Chaplin makes a mad dash through the party and scampers away to safety.

Review

''The Count'' received this positive review from the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

'': "It has story, speed, and spontaneity. The fun is not forced--it just bubbles out. A good deal of the originality prevails and utter respectability. Some squeamish folks may take exception to Mr. Chaplin holding his nose while eating strong cheese, scratching his head with a fork, and washing his ears with watermelon juice at the table. But these vulgarities pass quickly and can be forgotten in the stress of the high comedy of the soup and the dance. Mr. Chaplin has his capacity for serious playing, but he is foremost as a clown and here he clowns superbly."

Cast

Charles Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consider ...

- Tailor's apprentice *

- Miss Moneybags * Eric Campbell - Tailor *

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 ...

- Count Broko *

Charlotte Mineau Charlotte Mineau (March 24, 1886 – October 12, 1979) was a tall and thin American film actress of the silent era appearing in 65 to 80 films. Biography Mineau appeared in 65 films between 1913 and 1931. She supported Charlie Chaplin on ...

- Mrs. Moneybags *

Albert Austin Albert Austin (13 December 1882 – 17 August 1953) was an English actor, film star, director, and script writer, remembered for his work in Charlie Chaplin films. Biography Austin was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, and was a mus ...

- Tall Guest * John Rand - Guest * Leota Bryan - Young Girl *

Frank J. Coleman Frank John Coleman (26 April 1888 – 29 November 1948) was an American silent film actor. He was born on 26 April 1888 in Newburgh, New York. He acted with Charlie Chaplin at Essanay Studios in Los Angeles, and continued with him at Mutual in Ju ...

- Policeman *

James T. Kelley James or Jim Kelley may refer to: People *James Kelley (Pennsylvania state senator) (James Reeves Kelley, born c. 1933), Pennsylvania judge and politician * James R. Kelley (Pennsylvania state representative) (1839–1871), speaker of the Pennsylva ...

- Butler *

Eva Thatcher Eva Thatcher (March 14, 1862 – September 28, 1942) was an American film actress and vaudeville performer. She appeared in more than one hundred films between 1912 and 1930. She was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and died in Los Angeles, Californ ...

- Cook *

Tiny Sandford Stanley J. "Tiny" Sandford (February 26, 1894October 29, 1961) was an American actor who is best remembered for his roles in Laurel and Hardy and Charlie Chaplin films. His tall, burly physique usually led him to be cast as a comic heavy, and o ...

- Guest *

Loyal Underwood Loyal Underwood (August 6, 1893 - September 30, 1966) was an American stock actor for Charlie Chaplin's film studio. Biography Born in 1893 in Rockford, Illinois, Underwood's movie debut was in '' The Count'', a 1916 Chaplin short film created ...

- Small Guest *

May White May is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and is the third of seven months to have a length of 31 days. May is a month of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, May ...

- Large Lady

Sound version

In 1932, Amedee Van Beuren of Van Beuren Studios, purchased Chaplin's Mutual comedies for $10,000 each, added music by

Gene Rodemich Eugene Frederick Rodemich (April 13, 1890 in St Louis, Missouri – February 27, 1934 in New York) was a pianist and orchestra leader, who composed the music for numerous films in the late 1920s and early 1930s, mostly cartoons and live-action sho ...

and

Winston Sharples Winston Singleton Sharples (March 1, 1909 – April 3, 1978) was an American composer known for his work with animated short subjects, especially those created by the animation department at Paramount Pictures. In his 35-year career, Sharples s ...

and sound effects, and re-released them through

RKO Radio Pictures RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orphe ...

. Chaplin had no legal recourse to stop the RKO release.SilentComedians entry

References

External links