CHARLES R. BOWERS FILMOGRAPHY: The Live Action Shorts
Filmography compiled by Robert Farr.
Plot synopses and commentary ©2008 Robert Farr.
KEY
:
day-month=release date
PRODUCTION CO./RELEASING CO.
YEAR:
Month-date:
FILM
TITLE (aka=ALSO KNOW AS/ALTERNATIVE RELEASE TITLES; wt= WORKING TITLE; for=
FOREIGN RELEASE TITLES; # of reels; p.=producer; sup.=supervisor; d.=director;
w.=writer; sp.= screenplay; sc=scenario writer; st.=story; au.=author;
ad.=adaptation; ph.=photographed by; ed.=editor; mus.=music; snd.=sound; dia.dir.=dialogue
director; t.=titles; asst. dir.=assistant director; c.=cast; ? = unconfirmed or
spurious information) ©=copyright date; LP # or LU #=Library of Congress
copyright number.
Where possible, a plot synopsis has been included.
The exception is for films that have not survived, were not copyrighted,
and were not reviewed.
ANIMATED SHORTS:
From 1916 through 1926, Charles Bowers wrote, directed
and/or animated about 300 silent cartoons. Virtually
all of them were part of the "Mutt and Jeff" series produced by Bud
Fisher, creator of the newspaper comic strip of the same name.
They were released during their peak years by Fox.
While the animated work is outside the scope of this filmography, these
films are essential to an understanding of Bowers' later work.
A comprehensive listing of Bowers' cartoons can be found in Denis
Gifford's "American Animated Films: The Silent Era, 1897-1929"
(McFarland & Co., Inc. Jefferson, NC, 1990).
LIVE ACTION SHORTS:
The term "live action" usually connotes a film
that relies on straight photographic techniques and editing to tell a story.
Bowers' comedies were liberally laced with animation, pixillation, and an
array of unusual special effects. Though
his starring career in a comedy series lasted but two years, the surviving films
are testimonial to Bowers' inventiveness, creativity and mastery of the young
medium. All films are silent two-reelers
unless otherwise indicated.
1926:
WHIRLWIND COMEDIES/R-C PICTURES CORP./F.B.O.:
THE NON-SKID BANANA
THE UNSQUIRTABLE PICKLE
9-6 EGGED
ON (d./w.
CRB
, Harold L. Muller, Ted Sears; c.
CRB
, Winifred Leighton, Fred Conklin, Dorothy Lewis)
Inventor Charley builds a machine that will render eggs unbreakable.
(c)5-30-26 LP23037 (QUE, MUN)
10-4 HE
DONE HIS BEST (w./d.
CRB
, H.L. Muller, Ted Sears) Charley is
an inventor who puts tests his devices in a restaurant.
(c)10-4-16 LP23252
11-1 A
WILD ROOMER (d.
CRB
, H.L. Muller; st.
CRB
, H.L. Muller, Ted Sears; c.
CRB
, Myrtle Lind, Ed. Roseman, Mabel Cloak, Mae dean, Agnes Nielson, Bertha Willsea,
George Williams, Harry Emerson, Helen Grey, Peter Barbier, George Humert)
Charley invents a mechanical housemaid that goes berserk.
(c)10-20-26 LP23229 (QUE, MOMA)
11-29 FATAL FOOTSTEPS (d./w. H. L. Muller,
CRB
, Ted Sears; c.
CRB
, Walter Lewis, Eddie Dunn, Marge Evans, Mrs. Allen Walker, John Carlisle, J.E.
Pool, Logan Paul, George Williams, F.W. Cole, William Cameron, Eddie Scanlon,
Harry Emerson) Charley learns to
dance through a correspondence dance school. (c)11-1-26
LP23331 (NTH)
12-27
NOW
YOU TELL
ONE
(w.t. YOU TELL
ONE
; d.
CRB
, H.L. Muller; st.
CRB
, H. L. Muller, Ted Sears; c.
CRB
, James ??vold. Joe Mack, Harry Lee, Thomas Goodwin, Harry Wise, George McSunday,
George Humbert, Roy Applegate, George Williams, Peter Raymond, Corrine Powers,
Walter Lewis, Colin Kelly) Charley
wins the Liar's Club award for his tale of how he rid a farmhouse of mice.
(c)12-14-26 LP23438 (QUE) rv.
2052
1927:
F.B.O./R-C PICTURES CORP.:
1-24 MANY
A SLIP (d.
CRB
, H.L. Muller; st.
CRB
, H.L. Muller, Ted Sears;
CRB
, Corine Powers, Ricca Allen, Eddie Dunn, Kolig Kelly, Con MacSunday)
Charley tries to build an invention that will render banana peals
harmless. (c)1-24-27 LP23621 rv.235
mw. 6-22
2-21 ENOUGH
IS PLENTY (c.
CRB
) No(c)
3-21 SOOSH!
3-21 WHY
SQUIRRELS LEAVE HOME (c.
CRB
) No(c)
4-18 GONE
AGAIN
4-18 HE
COULDN'T HELP IT (p./d.
CRB
, H.L. Muller; c.
CRB
, Pinkus (a dog), Corinne Powers, Mae Dean, George Williams, Roy Applegate, Jack
Burdette, Dan Duffy) Ex-Vaudevillian
Charley is arrested as a pickpocket. (c)2-17-27
LP 23683 rv.803, mw3-5
5-16 THE
VANISHING VILLAIN (wt. BOWERS #10; p.
CRB
; d.
CRB
, H.J. Muller; w.
CRB
, Henry Muller; st.
CRB
, H.L. Muller, Ted Sears; c.
CRB
, Billie Rainsford, Con MacSunday, Harry Wise, Alfred Ilma, Walter Lewis,
Cathryn Wood, Mike Flannigan, Tommy Madden, George Lannin, Harry West)
Charley is a tailor's assistant in love with the daughter of an inventor
who has perfected an invisibility formula. (c)LP24148
6-28-27
6-13 PICKLED
ROMANCE
6-13 STEAMED
UP (d.
CRB
, Harold L.Muller; c.
CRB
, Corinne Powers, Walter Lewis, Arthur Dewey, Con MacSunday, J. Moy Bennett,
Mike Flannigan, Alred Ilma, Magie Willis, Eddie O'Conner, Charles Hartley)
Charley tries earn enough cigarette coupons to buy his girl an engagement
ring. (c)6-13-27 LP24091
7-11 NOTHING
DOING (p./d. Harold L. Muller,
CRB
; c.
CRB
, Lee Beggs, Haxel Goodwin, Mae Dean, Walter Lewis, Alfred Ilma, Eddie James,
George Williams, Earl Mayne, Phil Sanford, Roy Applegate, Eddie Dunn, Al Reeves,
H. Carey, Jim Assof, H. Haddad, Stanley King, Jack Sharkey)
Charley becomes a cop in order to marry the Chief's daughter.
(c)7-11-27 LP24187 (CZH)
mw-7-16
1928:
BOWERS COMEDY CORP./EDUCATIONAL
FILM
EXCHANGES, INC.:
1-1 THERE
IT IS (d./ph. Harold L. Muller; c.
CRB
, Buster Brodie, Melbourne McDowell, Kathryn McGuire, Edgar Blue, Mark Davis?)
Scotland Yard detective Charley and his assistant fly are hired to capture an
mischievous ghost named "IT". (c)1-23-28
L24504 (GEH) rv.76
2-19 SAY
AH-H (d. Harold L. Muller; c.
CRB
, J. Gordon Russell, Jean Douglas, Eddie Dunn, Buster Brody, Kewpie Morgan, Ray
Turner) Ostrich farmer Charley must
supply eggs to an old man who thinks they will cure his grouchiness.
(c)2-19-28 LP25010 rv.574
4-1 WHOOZIT
(d. Harold L. Muller; c.
CRB
, Emily Gardes, Ted Lorch, Anne Brodie) The
tenants of an apartment building drive janitor Charley crazy with their demands.
(c)4-1-28 LP25116 rv.896
5-20 YOU'LL
BE SORRY (d. Harold L. Muller; c.
CRB
, Betty Cauldwell, Jack Lipson) Rejected
by the local police department, Charley sets up shop as an independent cop.
(c)5-7-28 LP25213 rv.1706
7-1 HOP
OFF (d. Harold L. Muller; c.
CRB
, Yvonne Howell, Dan Mason, Robert Graves) Flea
trainer Charley meets a scientist who discovers a chemical that turns everything
back to its original state. (c)6-16-28 LP25377 rv.2119
8-12 GOOFY
BIRDS (d. Harold L. Muller; c.
CRB
, Buster Brody) Charley and Buster
go to Africa in search of the Umbrella Bird.
(c)8-12-28 LP25546 rv.290
1934:
BOWERS COMPANY/J.H. HOFFBERG:
IT'S A BIRD ("A Lowell Thomas Tall
Story"; sound; p. J.H. Hoffberg; d./ph Harold L. Muller; s. Clarence Wall;
w./c.
CRB
; c. Lowell Thomas) Charley tells
newsman Lowell Thomas about a metal-eating bird he found while working in a
junkyard. No(c)
(QUE)
1939:
PETROLEUM INDUSTRIES EXHIBITION INC.:
PETE ROLEUM
AND
HIS COUSINS (sound; Technicolor; 3-D; p./d./w. Joseph Losey; ph. Harold
Muller; an.
CRB
; puppets. Howard Bay; ed. Helen Van Dongen; mus. Hanns Eisler, Oscar Levant;
nar. Hiram Sherman) A promotional
film for the oil industry that was shown at the 1939-40 World's Fair.
No(c) (QUE)
1940:
MAX
FLEISCHER STUDIOS/PARAMOUNT PICTURES:
WILD OYSTERS ("Pop and Mom"
series; sound; p./d./c.
CRB
; ph. Harold Muller; mus. Jack Austin; scored & conducted by King Ross and
Landt Trio & White) Animated oysters create havoc.
No(c)
UNKNOWN:
WINTER FROLICS (1/2 reel; silent, c.
CRB
.) (UC)
NON, TU EXAGERES (possibly
NOW
YOU TELL
ONE
)
UN ORIGINAL LOCATAIRE (possibly A WILD
ROOMER)
UN INVENTEUR ACHARNE (HE DONE HIS BEST)
POUR EPATER LES POULES (possibly EGGED ON)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
AND
SOURCES:
Library of Congress. Motion Pictures
1912-1939: Catalogue of Copyright Entries. Washington,
DC, Library of Congress, 1951.
Magliozzi, Ronald S., comp. & ed. Treasures
from the Film Archives: A catalogue of short, silent fiction films held by FIAF
archives. Metuchen, NJ & London,
Scarecrow Press, 1988.
Motion Picture News Booking Guide. 1922-1927.
Moving Picture World. 1922-1927.
Slide, Anthony. The
American Film Industry: A Historical Dictionary.
NY, Limelight Editions, 1990.
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