Large Association of Movie Blogs
Large Association of Movie Blogs

Saturday, March 07, 2015

Tomorrow Afternoon At Niles: Comedy Matinee



Every month, archivist and classic comedy expert Paul Mular curates a "Sons Of The Desert" matinee for the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum. While all the shows are great, this correspondent particularly likes tomorrow's program.



The lineup includes The Boys in the devastatingly funny County Hospital, the very first "talking picture" incarnation of Our Gang from 1929 and The Nickel Nurser, starring two of our all-time favorites at Way Too Damn Lazy To Write A Blog, director-writer-comic Charley Parrott Chase and Thelma Todd.



In our estimation, Ms. Todd, sadly known for her untimely death in 1935, was a top flight comedienne when given the opportunity to do something besides just be eye candy.



Ms. Todd and Mr. Chase were frequently the equivalent of a comedy team in the Hal Roach Studio productions of 1929-1931, before Thelma was spun off into her own series (first teamed with Zasu Pitts, then with Patsy Kelly).

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