Series: Charley Chase
Director: James Parrott
Producer: Hal Roach
Titles: H.M. Walker
Photography: Len Powers
Editor: Richard Currier
Stars: Charley Chase, Eugenia Gilbert, Gale Henry
Company: Pathé Exchange
Released: 06 March 1927
Length: 2 reels
Production No.: B-17
Filming dates: November 26 - December 29, 1926
Rating: 5/10
A One-Mama Man
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Available on BLU-RAY & DVD:
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Count Tosky (CHARLEY CHASE) is on board the SS Leviathan Charley, singing to a group of young ladies on deck when a man begins taunting him. Charley casually gets up and knocks the guy silly as a steward brings him a telegram and Charley tells him he is spoilt for choice over which invitation he should choose. Miss Glutz (GALE HENRY) begins to engage in conversation with a fellow on deck when a steward comes by ringing the dinner bell, causing her to freeze on account of a previous car accident where she is shocked into a trance by the sound of a bell. Determined to take the Count's photograph, she gets into position to take his picture when the sound of the bell causes her to freeze again as Charley patiently waits. Her mother (I am assuming it's her mother?) informs Charley of the situation and eventually Miss Glutz takes his photo. We are introduced to "The Girl" (EUGENIA GILBERT) who is at home, bored and being 'entertained' by her suitor (VERNON DENT) playing the piano. Her well-to-do parents are delighted to note that Count Tosky (CHASE) has consented to be their guest. Her excited mother orders the less-than-excited father to go to the docks to greet the Count upon his arrival. But instead, the father hires three tough guys to beat the Count up. When the Count arrives he is accosted by the thugs but he makes easy work with dispatching each one of them. Two of the thugs report back to the father and lie about taking care of the Count, little realizing that the Count has just walked in moments earlier. The father sees the man who just walked in, not knowing who he is and proposes an offer to have him come back to his house and pretend to be Count Tosky. Naturally, the Count accepts the offer. |
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Back at the house, the father reminds the Count that nobody must suspect that he is not the real Count. The daughter overhears the conversation and disappears into a room. Downstairs, the guests are entertaining the Count by telling jokes but the Count doesn't find them amusing at all. The Count is then blindfolded and told that he can have the girl he catches. Everybody runs away and the Count starts searching for a woman - and finds a naked statue which he sexually abuses before throwing himself out of a window. The suitor/practical joker (VERNON DENT) then demonstrates a magic trick to the Count and the daughter involving a pocket watch. Amazed, the Count then tries to repeat the trick on the father but the father warns him that if anything goes wrong he will hold the Count responsible. The joker takes over and performs the trick and the inevitable happens. Miss Glutz then shows up at the house and tells the father she has some photographs she took of the Count on board the ship and wants to show them to the Count. She hands them over to the father, who puts the pictures in his pocket. The Count tries desperately to recover the photos as all the guests begin dancing. Miss Glutz recognizes the Count but before she can tell anybody, he is able to use her weakness of bells against her. The suitor lures the Count outside where they get into a fist-fight on the lawn. The guests come out to watch the fight and the father sees the photos in his pocket are that of the real Count - the man on his lawn. Miss Glutz finally comes round from being hypnotized by the bells and confirms the Count's real identity. The father congratulates the Count, the Count claims his daughter and everybody (apart from the suitor) is happy. |
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Favourite bit Charley Chase doing his own stunt, throwing himself down the stairs. |
| Trivia • Copyright February 14, 1927. • Upon hearing the bell a second time Gale Henry goes cross-eyed. It must have been a trait of hers because she does the same thing in another Chase short, Skip The Maloo! (1931). • When Charley is beating up the three men on the dock, it seems odd that Al Hallett, who is just around the corner reading a newspaper seemingly didn't hear a thing? • Ham Kinsey appears early in the film bringing Charley the telegram on the ship. Later, we see Kinsey leave the ship down the walkway. I think he also pops up towards the middle of the film as one of the patrons in the bar. My opinion • A very disjointed twenty minutes but Gale Henry is on superb form. Other than that, there is nothing really outstanding about it. |
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Charley Chase Count Tosky |
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Eugenia Gilbert The girl |
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Gale Henry Miss Glutz |
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Vernon Dent Suitor |
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Burr McIntosh Father |
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Bob Gray Obnoxious passenger |
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Al Flores Ship passenger |
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Charles Meakin Ship passenger |
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Eddie Voight Ship passenger |
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Robert Moore Ship passenger |
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Ham Kinsey Steward |
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Chet Brandenburg Steward with triangle |
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Edgar Dearing Henchman |
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Harry Tenbrook Henchman |
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Hugh Crumplin Ship passenger |
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Clara Guiol Dancing passenger on deck |
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Hope Harper Passenger on deck |
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Virginia Roye Passenger on deck |
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Peggy Taylor Passenger on deck |
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Jean Huntley Passenger on deck |
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Marie Wood Passenger on deck |
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Sarah Scott Passenger on deck |
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Al Hallett Man in barrel |
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Joe Bordeaux Smoking man in bar |
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F.F. Guenste Butler |
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Madge Hunt Miss Glutz's companion |
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Sam Lufkin Barman |
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Evelyn Burns Party guest |
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Lyle Tayo Party guest |
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Ellinor Vanderveer Party guest |
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Jeanne Beeks Party guest |
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Leon Rey Party guest |
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Roland Ray Party guest |
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Marion Mills Party guest |
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Jane Shipman Party guest |
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Bill Dillon Party guest |
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Rupert Franklin Party guest |
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Hamilton Morse Party guest |
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Edgar Sherrod Party guest |
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Hal Thompson Party guest |
Fronzie Gunn Party guest (?) |
Lolita Lauri Party guest (?) |
Jeanne Hart Party guest (?) |
Lucile Gordon Party guest (?) |
Marie Stapleton Party guest (?) |
Dorothy Cleveland Party guest (?) |
Bertha Roberts Party guest (?) |
Lou Salter Party guest (?) |
Peggy Blackwood Party guest (?) |
Ernest Brinkman Party guest (?) |
Walter Deming Party guest (?) |
Jerry Egerton Party guest (?) |
Floyd Goodman Party guest (?) |
J.E. Harrison Party guest (?) |
Ray Thompson Party guest (?) |
Norman_Harvey Party guest (?) |
Hans Von Bredow Party guest (?) |
E.E. Kelley Party guest (?) |
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UNIDENTIFIED The girl's mother |
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UNIDENTIFIED Henchman |
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UNIDENTIFIED Party guest #1 |
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UNIDENTIFIED Party guest #2 |
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UNIDENTIFIED Party guest #3 |
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UNIDENTIFIED Party guest #4 |
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UNIDENTIFIED Bat patron (possibly Charles Lloyd?) |
| DVD CREDITS (click image to enlarge) | INTERTITLES (click image to enlarge) |
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| LOBBY CARDS (click any image to enlarge) 
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| STILLS (click any image to enlarge) 
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| SHOT ON LOCATION (click any image to enlarge) 
 
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| INTERIOR SHOTS (click any image to enlarge) 
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| Acknowledgements: Smile When The Raindrops Fall by Brian Anthony & Andy Edmonds (book) Brian Anthony (initial review print) Robert Demoss (information relating to additional cast members) Jesse Brisson (identification of Al Flores, Clara Guiol, Hope Harper, Virginia Roye, Peggy Taylor, Jean Huntley, Leon Rey, Marie Wood, Sarah Scott, Bob Gray, Charles Meakin, Hugh Crumplin, Madge Hunt, Al Hallett, Eddie Voight, Robert Moore, Jeanne Beeks, Marion Mills, Jane Shipman, Bill Dillon, Rupert Franklin, Hamilton Morse, Edgar Sherrod, Hal Thompson, Roland Ray) Lord Heath (identification of Ham Kinsey, FF Guenste, Joe Bordeaux, Sam Lufkin, Evelyn Burns, Ellinor Vanderveer, Lyle Tayo) This page was last updated on: 31 August 2025 |