Series: Charley Chase

Director: Charley Chase, Eddie Dunn
Producer: Hal Roach
Dialogue: H.M. Walker
Photography: Francis Corby
Editor: William Terhune
Sound: Warren B. Delaplain

Stars: Charley Chase, Netty Mack, Billy Gilbert, Harry Bowen, George McFarland
Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Released: 27 January 1934
Length: 2 reels
Production No.: C-20
Filming dates: 1933
Rating: -/10


The Cracked Ice Man

Available on DVD:
 

The ice man (Harry Bowen) arrives with his delivery whilst Charley is about to take a bath.  He begins rambling on about current affairs whilst emptying Charley's ice box. Charley, not wanting to engage in the conversation, abruptly instructs the man to leave. Charley then walks along the street to find a distressed woman who has lost her canary. Charley spots the bird up on a telegraph pole and calls it down successfully. But the distressed woman (Betty Mack) sees her mother approaching and tells Charley to conceal the bird quickly. Charley stuffs the canary in his trouser pocket and is introduced to the mother, who invites him inside.
All the while, Charley continues to chat with the mother (Florence Roberts) whilst the bird is flapping and chirping in his trousers. Unable to get the bird out, Charley decides to shove some bird seed down there to keep the canary quiet whilst the mother rambles on about her siblings in the Spanish-American war. Finally, Charley is able to deliver the bird back into its cage without the mother realising, and makes an excuse to leave. Charley arrives at his school and meets Professor (Billy) Gilbert, who tells him that he will be taking charge of the kindergarten class.

REVIEW IS INCOMPLETE; SCREENSHOTS TAKEN FROM INFERIOR NON-DVD PRINT AND WILL BE UPDATED SOON...

Trivia
Copyrighted December 13, 1933.
The canary is called Milson.
Cuba is mentioned on a number of occasions throughout the film; firstly in the conversation with the ice man recalling the news headlines, then later with the elderly mother talking about her brother, and then with Billy Gilbert in his office.
When Billy Gilbert is talking to Charley outside his office, he refers to him as "Mister Chase". If Chase was a professor, then surely he should be referred to as "Professor Chase"?

Charley Chase
Professor Charley Chase
Betty Mack
Betty
Billy Gilbert
Professor William Gilbert LLD.FSD.
Harry Bowen
The cracked ice man
George McFarland
Boy in classroom
Florence Roberts
Betty's mother
Harry Bernard
Ice man's partner
Gordon Douglas
Mr. Douglas
Tommy Bond
Boy in classroom
Matthew Beard
Boy in classroom
Tommy McFarland
Boy in classroom

CREDITS (click image to enlarge)

POSTER
(click any image to enlarge)

ALTERNATE TITLE CARD
(click any image to enlarge)

Acknowledgements:
Smile When The Raindrops Fall by Brian Anthony & Andy Edmons (book)
Jim Dallape (help and assistance)
Stan Taffel (poster)
Matthew Lydick (identification of Tommy McFarland)

This page was last updated on: 27 January 2023