Series: Paul Parrott Director: George Jeske Producer: Hal Roach Titles: Photography: Editor: Stars: James Parrott, Eddie Baker, Wallace Howe Company: Pathé Exchange Released: 08 April 1923 Length: 1 reel Production No.: C-83 Filming dates: January 12-17, 1923 Rating: -/10

The Smile Wins

The film begins with salesman Paul (JAMES PARROTT) being violently thrown through several doorways in an apartment building; but he simply gets up off the floor, smiles and moves on to the next door. He walks into an office for stocks and bonds but is ejected by the manager (EDDIE BAKER) and falls over the janitor (GEORGE ROWE), who is observing the mess of broken glass in the corridor left by Paul's ejections. Still smiling, and still determined, Paul puts on a false beard (because you always carry a spare one in your pocket, right?) and re-enters the office. This time the manager is more welcoming... until his beard is blown off by an electric fan and his is ejected again. Outside in the corridor a gentleman (WALLACE HOWE) dressed identically to Paul is dragged into the office and roughed up by the manager in a case of mistaken identity. Still determined, Paul pursues the beaten-up man and then accosts the janitor. A messenger (ROY BROOKS) delivers a notification to the bonds manager of a delivery, which comes in the form of a large chest (delivered by MARVIN LOBACK). Guess who is inside it?! The manager grabs an axe and starts detroying it, but fortunately Paul had the foresight to get out of it quickly enough before hand! The manager has had enough and sets the heavy Loback upon Paul. After a one-sided struggle, Paul is thrown from the second floor window, and lands in the back of the manager's car just as he is getting into it (come on, what were the odds?) He drives off with Paul still trying to make a sale until eventually the manager drives his car across the railroad tracks as an oncoming train heads towards them. [This is where my footage ends abruptly]

Favourite bit Paul never gives up trying. Even after falling down an elevator shaft, he opens the door, gets up and continues to pester an uninterested Wallace Howe, as if nothing has happened!

Trivia • Copyrighted March 30, 1923. • The office in which Paul causes all the trouble is "Empire stocks and bonds".

	James Parrott Paul
	Eddie Baker Stocks & bonds manager
	Wallace Howe Lookalike
	Marvin Loback Delivery man
	George Rowe Janitor
	Roy Brooks Messenger
	Sammy Brooks [?]
	Ena Gregory [?]

SHOT ON LOCATION (click any image to enlarge)

Acknowledgements: Dave Glass (review copy) This page was last updated on: 02 April 2024