For years, Chase's masterpieces were relegated to the shadows, available only in scratchy, public-domain prints. (a commonly used term referring to comprehensive box sets like the Sprocket Vault's "Becoming Charley Chase" and Kino Lorber’s The Charley Chase Collection , which often include over 5 hours of restored content, such as The Uneasy Three and Mighty Like A Moose ) has finally brought his genius back to the forefront.
A bizarre cameo-stuffed short where Chase plays a detective looking for Norma Shearer’s missing pearls. The version includes a restored scene featuring Buster Keaton and Laurel & Hardy that was cut from most TV prints.
Chase transitioned to sound better than Chaplin did. The pack includes his early talkies, like The Hardship of Miles Standish , where his background as a vaudeville singer shines. You get to hear Charley’s actual voice—a charming, slightly raspy tenor—for the first time. Charley Chase MegaPack
While other comics relied on exaggerated slapstick, Chase developed a character who was a recognizably human being—a handsome, well-dressed, put-upon everyman who often found himself in embarrassing situations because of his own good intentions. One archivist notes that at Hal Roach, "the comedians were recognisable human beings rather than clowns, and where plot, sophistication and sight-gags were carefully balanced and constructed". This approach made him wildly popular with audiences of the 1920s, who saw a bit of themselves in his charming mishaps.
Compare Chase's style to or Laurel and Hardy For years, Chase's masterpieces were relegated to the
Selected scripts from his most famous shorts.
Instead of clearing up the confusion, Charley’s attempts to fix the problem make it exponentially worse. The version includes a restored scene featuring Buster
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Born Charles Parrott in 1893, Charley Chase began his career in vaudeville before entering the film industry in 1912. Unlike many of his contemporaries who relied on garish makeup, oversized shoes, or grotesque physical distortions, Chase carved out a unique niche. He portrayed the "everyman"—a dapper, well-dressed, ordinary gentleman who frequently found himself trapped in extraordinary, embarrassing, or absurd dilemmas.