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A slightly longer clip from a 1932 Paramount Screen Souvenirs entry, of an untitled Essanay Sweedie comedy, with Frenchman Leo White wooing the "charming" Sweedie, Wallace Beery:

https://filmlibrary.shermangrinberg.com/?s=file=421885

This is not, in fact, a "Sweedie" comedy, this is AT THE OLD MAID'S CALL, a split-reeler released by Essanay on December 24, 1913, in which Wally is playing Miss Muchmoney a rich old maid who is advertising for a beau in what may be his first female impersonation for the company.

Thanks for scouring the old Sherman Grinberg Library Ed, there should be a lot of interesting goodies in there.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Is the narrator for this series the same one who did a similar series around the same time for Vitaphone?

Richard M Roberts wrote:This is not, in fact, a "Sweedie" comedy, this is AT THE OLD MAID'S CALL, a split-reeler released by Essanay on December 24, 1913, in which Wally is playing Miss Muchmoney a rich old maid who is advertising for a beau in what may be his first female impersonation for the company.

Thanks for scouring the old Sherman Grinberg Library Ed, there should be a lot of interesting goodies in there.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Many thanks for the correction Richard, if the rest of the film kept up this tempo and high-energy level, it looks to have been a first-rate comedy. Beery is hysterical and it's nice to see Leo White cut loose with some wild high-kickin'.

William Ferry wrote:Is the narrator for this series the same one who did a similar series around the same time for Vitaphone?

Hi William, here's half of the answer - Leo Donnelly is the credited narrator on the Paramount shorts:

William, I just returned from running some errands and checked Leo Donnelly's credits - he was a stage and vaudeville comedian turned Broadway confidante, and in the sound era did narration for shorts produced by Paramount, Vitaphone, Educational, and United, perhaps others as well. He died in 1935 after appearing in the Broadway version of "The Milky Way" (as the fight manager). He was injured in rehearsals when a staged knockout punch accidentally proved authentic. He insisted on opening with the show but was forced to withdraw soon afterwards.

Thanks, Ed! I really enjoyed his Vitaphone Movie Memories shorts, which are available as part of a Warner Archives set, Vitaphone Cavalcade Of Musical Comedy Shorts. Snarky, yes, but always good to see rare clips.