Series: James Parrott Director: George Jeske Producer: Hal Roach Titles: Photography: Editor: Stars: James Parrott, Jobyna Ralston, Eddie Baker, George Rowe Company: Pathé Exchange Released: 21 January 1923 Length: 1 reel Production No.: C-74 Filming dates: November 3-9, 1922 Rating: 3/10

Mr. Hyppo

Professor Egg (Parrott) is a hypnotist who is on stage with his female assistant (Ralston). After a disasterous entrance, having been hauled up with the curtain by the clumsy stage hand (Rowe), the professor calls for a member of the packed audience to join him on stage. The fat man falls onto the professor when he is supposedly hypnotised, squashing him underneath his bulk. After the man is discharged back to the audience, another man from the crown, a negro, is called up on stage and the routine is repeated, only this time the hypnosis doesn't appear to work. But the stage hand hits the man over the head with a mallet, causing his head to expand and for him to act crazy and run merrily out of the building. A rival hypnotist (Baker) sitting in the audience seems to be doing the real work, however. The show continues with a third volunteer, who is manhandled on stage when the rival interferes. The man is placed on two chairs with a rock on his chest which the professor attempts to break, but the rival, who must be trained in the art of the Jedi, uses the Force to make the rock fall, thus causing the professor to hit the man instead. The young man returns to the audience and is replaced by Helen Gilmore (his mother?) on stage, with another man from the crowd (Evans). They are invited to sit at a table facing each other and eat a meal as the professor weaves his spell and takes his applause from the audience. The rival in the crowd then inflicts his mind powers upon the two volunteers and causes them to suddenly start smashing the place up. All hell breaks loose and the audience start to make for the exit. The cops show up and the professor makes his getaway with his assistant, being hoisted up on the back of the curtain by the stage hand. The rival is arrested on stage as being the cause of the trouble.

Favourite bit The young man (Al Forbes) who comes on stage and is abused, manhandled and re-arranged by the hypnotist!

Trivia • Copyrighted February 16, 1923. • At least one source suggests Mark Jones is one of the volunteers from the audience. It is my educated guess that he is confused with Owen Evans. • When the commotion kicks off in the theatre at the end, the cops are called. It's amazing that seven officers arrive within five seconds. I mean, what were they all doing, just standing around together in a group waiting for a crime to happen or something? My opinion • I bet the audience in the theatre watching the show during the film weren't half as bored as the audience sitting watching and reviewing this film at home!

	James Parrott Professor Egg
	Jobyna Ralston Professor's assistant
	Eddie Baker Rival hypnotist
	George Rowe Stagehand
	Helen Gilmore Woman in front row (left side)
	Owen Evans Man in front row (right side)
	Al Forbes Volunteer

UNIDENTIFIED CAST

Acknowledgements: Dave Glass (print) Jesse Brisson (identification of Al Forbes) This page was last updated on: 27 January 2020