THE SMOOTH GUY (1929) Frank Davis, Evelyn Knapp, Si Willis

[Richard M Roberts]

Here's another one of those early talkie comedies that helped kill live action comedy shorts in the early sound era. A Pathe' comedy featuring Frank Davis and Evelyn Knapp. Davis is one of those folk the New Yorkers must have thought funny but the rest of the world didn't.:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58oqgRBw7Sc&t=521s

The more of these and early Mack Sennett, Educational and Pathe' comedies you see, you begin to understand why animated cartoons took over in popularity after sound came in, the were lively, paced well and moved. You also begin to really appreciate Hal Roach comedies, they may have been the studio that really conquered sound the quickest. Gad, when the Jules White Columbia comedy unit started producing in 1934, they must have also felt like peppy breaths of fresh air as well, pacing was never a problem there.

RICHARD M ROBERTS