''The Dancin' Fool'' is a surviving 1920 American silent

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...

film produced by

Famous Players–Lasky Famous Players-Lasky Corporation was an American motion picture and distribution company formed on June 28, 1916, from the merger of Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Film Company—originally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Plays—and t ...

and distributed 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 ...

. Sam Wood directed this one of his earliest efforts. Wallace Reid and Bebe Daniels star, at the time Paramount was making them a popular team in replacement of Reid's previous female lead

Ann Little Ann Little (born Mary Hankins Brooks; February 7, 1891 – May 21, 1984), also known as Anna Little, was an American film actress whose career was most prolific during the silent film era of the early 1910s through the early 1920s. Today, mos ...

.Progressive Silent Film List: ''The Dancin' Fool''
at silentera.com A copy of this film survives in the collection of the

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of ...

, New York.

Plot

As described in a film publication, Sylvester Tibble (Reid), a country yokel, comes to New York City to work at his uncle Enoch Jones's (Hatton) jug business for $6 per week and earns extra money dancing at a jazz cabaret. He becomes the dance partner of Junie Budd (Daniels). They soon find romance while performing

Apache dance Apache, or La Danse Apache, Bowery Waltz, Apache Turn, Apache Dance and Tough Dance is a highly dramatic dance associated in popular culture with Parisian street culture at the beginning of the 20th century. In fin de siècle Paris young members ...

routines. Sylvester also makes a success of his uncle's business by introducing modern business methods.

Cast

Wallace Reid William Wallace Halleck Reid (April 15, 1891 – January 18, 1923) was an American actor in silent film, referred to as "the screen's most perfect lover". He also had a brief career as a racing driver. Early life Reid was born in St. Louis, M ...

as Sylvester Tibble *

Bebe Daniels Phyllis Virginia "Bebe" Daniels (January 14, 1901 – March 16, 1971) was an American actress, singer, dancer, writer, and producer. She began her career in Hollywood during the silent film era as a child actress, became a star in musicals such ...

as Junie Budd *

Raymond Hatton Raymond William Hatton (July 7, 1887 – October 21, 1971) was an American film actor who appeared in almost 500 motion pictures. Biography Hatton was born in Red Oak, Iowa. His physician father steered him toward a career in medicine. Howev ...

as Enoch Jones *

Willis Marks Willis Marks (August 20, 1865, Rochester, Minnesota, United States – December 6, 1952, Los Angeles, California) was an American silent film actor. Biography In 1888, Marks debuted on stage professionally. He acted in Oliver Morosco's stock c ...

as Tim Meeks *George B. Williams as McGammon *

Lillian Leighton Lillianne Brown Leighton (May 17, 1874 – March 19, 1956), known professionally as Lillian Leighton, was an American silent film actress. Leighton started her career in Chicago. Leighton was born in Auroraville, Wisconsin, on May 17, 187 ...

as Ma Budd *Carlos San Martin as Elkus *William H. Brown as Gabby Gaines *

Tully Marshall Tully Marshall (born William Phillips; April 10, 1864 – March 10, 1943) was an American character actor. He had nearly a quarter century of theatrical experience before his debut film appearance in 1914 which led to a film career spanning alm ...

as Charle Harkins *Ruth Ashby as Dorothy Harkins *

Ernest Joy Ernest C. Joy (January 20, 1878 – February 12, 1924) was an American stage and film actor of the silent era. He appeared in 76 films between 1911 and 1920. Selected filmography * '' Article 47, L (1913) * '' Salomy Jane'' (1914) * '' ...

as Tom Reed

References

External links

* * 1920 films American silent feature films Films directed by Sam Wood Paramount Pictures films 1920 romantic comedy films American black-and-white films 1920s American films English-language romantic comedy films Silent American romantic comedy films 1920s English-language films {{1920s-silent-comedy-film-stub

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links