Series: Fite w/Earl Mohan

Director: Ralph Cedar
Producer: Hal Roach
Titles:
Photography:
Editor:

Stars: Earl Mohan, Billy Engle
Company: Pathé Exchange
Released: 20 April 1924
Length: 1 reel
Production No.: M-1
Filming dates: December 15-21, 1923
Rating: 1/10


One At A Time

Available on DVD:
 

From the limited footage available for review:

A boxing match advertising "Thunder Fist Hogan" (Earl Mohan) offers anyone who can last two rounds with him a payment of $100. Three men (including Dick Gilbert) step up and take an interest in the event. We then see the fearsome boxer (who looks just ridiculous) attempting to hit a punching ball on the stage in front of an audience of spectators and would-be opponents. His stooge (Billy Engle) invites the members of the audience to accept the challenge of a fight and just about all the men show their interest, scaring the boxer and his stooge off the stage. They quickly return after being threatened by a heavily-armed man (Gus Leonard) backstage.
The crowd of men storm the stage and the first to step up is Dick Gilbert, who knocks Hogan down with one punch. The crowd get into it, with a woman smacking the guy sitting next to her in an over-zealous moment of enthusiasm. On stage, Gilbert continues to do a number on the boxer but the stooge waits behind the screen with a mallet and whacks the opponent over the head with precision. Another man steps up and starts throwing punches, only to receive the same fate as the previous man. The stooge comes back onto the stage and walks off with Thunder Fist Hogan. The end.

Favourite bit
Dick Gilbert knocking out the supposedly tough boxer Earl Mohan with his first punch. Simplicity.

Trivia
Copyrighted May 12, 1924.
Rob Stone's list does not include this film, but it does include production M-1, which is described as being part of the "Prize Fight" series, and was shot Dec. 15 to 21, 1923. The letter 'M' makes sense, since it corresponds to Mohan's name, and the fact that production number D-50 is also missing from the list suggests that perhaps this film was redesignated with this latter number as Mohan's series was integrated into the catch-all 'D' series.
Trivia
This was the first film in the "Fite" series.
Only 2 minutes and 30 seconds of footage appears on the LTL DVD (listed above).
The board advertising the fight reads, "Today "Thunder Fist Hogan"... will meet all styles, all comers, nothing barred. One hundred dollars for anyone staying with "Thunder-fist Hogan" 2 rounds - local champions take notice".

Earl Mohan
Thunder Fist Hogan
Billy Engle
Boxing promoter
Dick Gilbert
First opponent
Gus Leonard
Man backstage with guns

Acknowledgements:
Tommie Hicks (help)

This page was last updated on: 20 April 2023