Stephen Roberts

A doctor is driven into an investigation of sinister goings-on at a horse race track by his mystery writer ex-wife.

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Civilized wife doesn't protest when husband runs off with uncivilized professional golfer pretending to be civilized.

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A Russian prince goes to Monte Carlo just after World War I with money supplied to him by Parisian Russians. He wins but the casino operators want him to honor the tradition of returning to the tables.

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When a dancer disappears from a theater, Clay Dalzell is asked to investigate, leading him on a trail of murder and deception.

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Karel Novak is an incredibly naive Czech immigrant who is taken under the wing of streetwise New York chorus girl Sylvia. With the help of lovable cop-on-the-beat Murphy, Sylvia hides Karel from the immigration authorities and ultimately falls in love with him. In addition to Karel's illegal-alien status, the plot is complicated by a crooked lawyer and a group of well-meaning welfare workers who endeavor to place Sylvia's kid brother Frank in a foster home.

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In Mexico, a former bandit settles down and picks out a beautiful young dancer to be his wife. His younger brother also comes home after having spent years in the U.S., and falls in love with his brother's intended fiancé. Rather than cause problems, the younger brother goes to Mexico City to become a matador. While there, he gets word that the police, who have been hunting his brother, have finally captured him.

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Middle-aged dentist Biff Grimes reminisces about his unrequited love for beautiful Virginia Brush and her husband Hugo, his ex-friend, who betrayed him.

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The coquettish granddaughter of a respected small-town judge is stranded at a bootleggers’ hide-out, subjected to an act of nightmarish sexual violence, and plunged into a criminal underworld that threatens to swallow her up completely.

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An elderly business tycoon, believed to be dying, decides to give a million dollars each to eight strangers chosen at random from the phone directory.

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Elna Curry, once a concert pianist, develops an unfounded jealousy of neighbor, Trudie Morrow. Elna who suffers from neurasthenia, believes that Trudie is having an affair with her husband, John, and vows revenge on Trudie. John explains to Trudie Elna's condition and plan. Trudie, being good-hearted tells John that she'll move. One evening, John returns late from work to discover Elna dead. John burns Elna's suicide note to protect Trudie. This results in John being charged for murder and put on trial.

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Stag Bailey, a slow-witted prizefighter, and his girlfriend, speakeasy hostess Puff Rogers, take over the upbringing of Ted Streaver after his father, Stag's manager, is killed.

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Barnstorming pilots Speed Condon, Bill Adams, and Eddie Smith travel the country with their manager, Alec Dugan, performing at fairs and air shows and hawking rides for the locals. But when Speed's rambunctious flying results in tragedy, he gives up flying in despair and guilt. Alec tracks him down and hopes to get him back on his feet and back in the air.

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This Educational Mermaid Talking Comedy features a wrestling/trombone-playing Pert Kelton.

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The setting is a posh party at some mansion. Mr. Saunders wants time with his girlfriend so he can propose to her, but her bratty younger sister is always getting in the way. When a bond salesman arrives, Saunders convinces him to woo the sister. If he agrees and keeps her away, Saunders promises to buy a fortune in bonds.

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1930 Comedy short

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1930 Comedy short

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Western Slapstick. A good chance to see Al St. John moving into the western comedy sidekick that would be his bread and butter role for the next twenty years. Also, it's a rare screen opportunity for Addie McPhail, Roscoe Arbuckle's wife and therefore Al's aunt.

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Taylor Holmes son is in love, and Holmes is to meet the girl and the dragon of an aunt. She's one of those dowagers whose accomplishments consist of her ancestors having come over on the Mayflower. Back then, of course, immigration laws were less strict.

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At a small hotel, Judith Barrett and Norman Peck are eloping; John Litel and Addie MacPhail are quarreling because of his constant jealousy; and Eva Thacher and Al Thompson are tracking down their eloping daughter. It's a constant barrage of slamming doors and such trapping of the stage farce.

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A Educational short where Robert Graves plays Thelma Todd's jealous husband.

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HONEYMOONIACS was the last silent "Mermaid" comedy from legendary producer Jack White (according to David N. Bruskin's book on the White Brothers--Jack, Jules, and Sam). It features the great rubber-faced comedian and writer Monte Collins as a man with his bride on a train during their honeymoon.

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Al St. John starring in "Hot or Cold (1928)", a Mermaid Comedies.

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THE LOST LAUGH - starring Wallace Lupino, with Lucille Hutton and Monte Collins. After a rough start with their rise and shine, a couple's breakfast is interrupted by a washing machine salesman's visit. Purchased and installed, the washer proves troublesome and after several attempts at laundering, the salesman returns only to be ejected...along with his appliance.

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Life is just one thing after another for AI, the hard-working clerk in the grocery store. He waits on customers, settles disputes and "pinch-hits" as barber in the store's shop. He is busy waiting on customers when an inebriated gentleman comes in and demands attention. He asks whether Al has any dry herring, and when Al admits having some, he tells Al to give them a drink. Then he walks out, leaving Al amazed. In a few minutes the same customer enters again and wants to see some canned peaches. Al hands him a can but he insists upon seeing the can that forms the keystone of a big and wonderful looking pile of cans. Al takes this can out of the pile which falls in a wreck on the floor-and the customer then decides that it is the wrong brand. The village smart aleck enters and tries to mooch a few cookies out of a barrel. But Al has had experience with grocery store loungers before and fixes up a mousetrap which discourages the cookie-mooching habit.

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Two reel comedy starring Al St. John

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Life and activity at a hotel. Slapstick-style.

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Only the first reel is known to survive. Bill and Jennie marry over his aunt's objections. As the couple leaves on their honeymoon, his aunt shows up to chaperon. A luggage mix-up causes jealousy and suspicion.

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The worthless son of a rich man spends most of his time in jail. His father throws a pen at a map telling him wherever the pen sticks he must go and make his fortune. The pen lands on the kingdom of Guatamazela. He arrives and is attracted by a pretty girl, who turns out to be the Princess. A revolution breaks out and Al takes refuge in the room of the Princess. When he hears men coming he dons her clothes. But the revolutionists succeed and come to hang the Princess. His identity is discovered when the Palace Guards see him, and thinking he is the Princess, rescue him. The captain recognizes him and wants to shoot him. He finally eludes them all, rescues the Princess and all is well.

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A homeowner takes delivery of his new radio. The crate is so big that the front door needs to be widened by about a yard. No problem when you've got a saw! In spite of the size of the crate, the radio turns out to be regular tabletop size. Further installation requires punching a big hole in the roof. That's when the downpour starts, filling the bungalow with water. Finally, the radio is working in spite of the torrent falling from the ceiling. The weather broadcast announces clear skies today. Let the fisticuffs commence!

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Lige Conley is a newspaper reporter covering a demonstration of a new invention to some money-men. The inventors boss wants to get the credit for the device and crosses the wires so that it doesn't work right. Lige's sweetheart is the daughter of the inventor, and Lige sets out to help out.

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Comedy starring one of the most prolific but underrated comedians of the silent era, Al St John.

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Nominally about attempts to steal a gold mine, the movie starts out with the air of a realistic comedy, then immediately descends into a series of perfectly timed gags which made me goggle at their improbability -- not the sort of thing you normally think of in a slapstick comedy. Very quickly the unerring ability of ropes to loop themselves around tree roots, stopping Al from plummeting to his death or an explosion to drop him on a bull came to make me goggle again.

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The plot of this film really isn't that important. Instead, the sight gags and chase scenes are paramount--with some of the most impressive chase footage you'll ever see. All the near-misses with the speeding train were amazing and the scene where the car gets smashed by the truck are absolutely priceless.

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CHEER UP - starring Cliff Bowes, with Virginia Vance, Eddie Boland, and Frank Alexander. Cliff vies for Virginia's affections with Eddie, but ultimately she chooses Cliff to be her groom. The newlyweds move in to their new home, but the spurned rival makes a shambles out of the house in retaliation.

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A mechanical brain is programmed to sabotage the government's secret lab while working on the first space station.

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Warren Quimby manages a drugstore while trying to keep his volatile wife, Claire, happy. However, when Claire leaves him for a liquor store salesman, Warren can no longer bear it. He decides to assume a new identity in order to murder his wife's lover without leaving a trace. Along the way, his plans are complicated by an attractive neighbor, as well as a shocking discovery that opens up a new world of doubts and accusations.

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Short silent comedy.

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