Gayety Comedies are a comedy film series released made in the United States during the silent film era. They debuted in 1919 and were distributed to various film exchanges [1] Al Christie produced them. The studio that made them was owned by E. H. Emmick and J. L. Friedman and was on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street.[2]

George Ovey and Lillian Biron featured in several. Biron had previously acted in Vogue Comedies.[3] Billy Bletcher and Vera Reynolds were added to keep up with production demand.[4]

Gayety Studios advertised itself as producing a one-reel comedy once a week. The content was promoted as "polite slapstick."[5]

The New England territorial sales were handled by the American Feature Film Company. In western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, they were overseen by The Quality Film Company. The Electric Theatre Supply Company handled the film rights in the majority of Mid-Atlantic states, and the Southeastern United States were managed by the E and H Film Distributing Company.[6]

The production company was active in 1919 and 1920.[7]

Fiomography

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  • Dropped into Scandal
  • Are Flirts Foolish?[1]
  • Dark and Cloudy (1919)[8]
  • Lovesick at Sea (1919)[8]
  • Fireman, Save My Gal!, extant[9]
  • Dry and Thirsty
  • Ladies Must Dance (1920)[10]
  • Say Uncle[11]
  • Afraid of His Wife[12]
  • Oh, Brother
  • Wild and Willie
  • Assault and Flattery
  • Standing Pat[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Motion Picture News". Motion Picture News. October 4, 1919 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ Miller, Blair (October 4, 1995). American Silent Film Comedies: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Persons, Studios, and Terminology. McFarland & Company. ISBN 9780899509297 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ Walker, Brent E. (January 13, 2010). Mack Sennett's Fun Factory: A History and Filmography of His Studio and His Keystone and Mack Sennett Comedies, with Biographies of Players and Personnel. McFarland. ISBN 9780786457076 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ Lahue, Kalton C.; Gill, Samuel (October 4, 1970). Clown Princes and Court Jesters. A. S. Barnes. ISBN 9780498069499 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ "First Gayety Comics Announced". Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1919). Vol. 20, no. 20. New York City. 9 Nov 1919. p. 3487. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  6. ^ "List of Territorial Sales Made Already on Gayety Comodies". Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1919). Vol. 20, no. 24. New York City. 6 Dec 1919. p. 4105. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  7. ^ Slide, Anthony (February 25, 2014). The New Historical Dictionary of the American Film Industry. Routledge. ISBN 9781135925611 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ a b "Gayety Comedies". Motion picture news (Nov-Dec 1919). Vol. 20, no. 26. New York City. 20 Dec 1919. p. 4424. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  9. ^ Roots, James (May 11, 2017). 100 Essential Silent Film Comedies. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781442278257 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ "Ladies Must Dance (Gayety Film, 1920). Title Lobby Card and Lobby | Lot #54232". Heritage Auctions.
  11. ^ a b "Motion Picture Daily: Formerly Exhibitors Daily Review and Motion Pictures Today". Exhibitors Trade Review, Incorporated. October 4, 1921 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ "Hollywood". October 4, 1922 – via Google Books.