What percentage of silent comedies survive?

[David B Pearson]

I've been wondering a lot about this lately.

With survival of Chaplin, Keaton, L&H, Chase, Kangdon, "Glasses" Lloyd, Our Gang and others being fairly high, the overall total would seem higher than the 17% that's mentioned for silent films in general. Even Arbuckle and Semon are doing a lot better than thought a couple of decades ago. With massive, wholesale losses with the second tier and rank-and-file comedians, the overall total still ought to be a bit better than 17%.

DBP

[Richard M Roberts]

I've been wondering a lot about this lately.

With survival of Chaplin, Keaton, L&H, Chase, Kangdon, "Glasses" Lloyd, Our Gang and others being fairly high, the overall total would seem higher than the 17% that's mentioned for silent films in general. Even Arbuckle and Semon are doing a lot better than thought a couple of decades ago. With massive, wholesale losses with the second tier and rank-and-file comedians, the overall total still ought to be a bit better than 17%.

DBP

Well, go to the Karel Caslavsky listing of short comedies that GRIFFITHIANA published eons ago, and just start counting what appears to not be available or missing there, then realize that that list is very incomplete. Considering whole major studio comedy product like Universal and Fox's are missing in the majority, much less large amounts of Vitagraph and Educational Pictures product, then tally in all the independent material that's not around, then 17%percent starts to look pretty reasonable. It's is still unfathomable to many just how many silent short comedies were produced from 1905-30, we're talking hundreds of comedians and thousands upon thousands of comedies.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

[David B Pearson]

I've been wondering a lot about this lately.

With survival of Chaplin, Keaton, L&H, Chase, Langdon, "Glasses" Lloyd, Our Gang and others being fairly high, the overall total would seem higher than the 17% that's mentioned for silent films in general. Even Arbuckle and Semon are doing a lot better than thought a couple of decades ago. With massive, wholesale losses with the second tier and rank-and-file comedians, the overall total still ought to be a bit better than 17%.

DBP

Well, go to the Karel Caslavsky listing of short comedies that GRIFFITHIANA published eons ago, and just start counting what appears to not be available or missing there, then realize that that list is very incomplete. Considering whole major studio comedy product like Universal and Fox's are missing in the majority, much less large amounts of Vitagraph and Educational Pictures product, then tally in all the independent material that's not around, then 17%percent starts to look pretty reasonable. It's is still unfathomable to many just how many silent short comedies were produced from 1905-30, we're talking hundreds of comedians and thousands upon thousands of comedies.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

Well Richard, if I had access, I would be doing exactly that -- meaning counting those thousands upon thousands of comedies, if for no other reason, than to know. It's the Aspergers in me.

Damn, 17% is a horror.

And it does leave another sobering thought. There seems little doubt we love much of what has survived, and what we loved most seems to survived best. But would we love it in the same way if we'd access to that other 83%? I don't know if it would really change anything major -- like change whatever dubious pecking order there might be down the list somewhere -- but things would be different, and I am sure people could be more certain on a lot of issues besides the "big guys."

(sigh.)

DBP

[Richard M Roberts]

Well Richard, if I had access, I would be doing exactly that -- meaning counting those thousands upon thousands of comedies, if for no other reason, than to know. It's the Aspergers in me.

Damn, 17% is a horror.

And it does leave another sobering thought. There seems little doubt we love much of what has survived, and what we loved most seems to survived best. But would we love it in the same way if we'd access to that other 83%? I don't know if it would really change anything major -- like change whatever dubious pecking order there might be down the list somewhere -- but things would be different, and I am sure people could be more certain on a lot of issues besides the "big guys."

(sigh.)

DBP

Well, speaking from person al experience, the more I have seen over the years, the more my opinion has changed and expanded. The "big guys" are still great, but their relationships to the whole Comedy Film Industry has changes and deepened my opinions on them and also allowed me to appreciate the incredible diversity of humor there was out there. It also has , most importantly, given me a lot of laughs.


Hey, there still plenty out there to see, enough to spend a lifetime watching. So see everything you can, and enjoy!


RICHARD M ROBERTS