Larry Semon
Encyclopedia
Lawrence "Larry" Semon was an American
actor, director
, producer
, and screenwriter
during the silent film
era. In his day, Semon was considered a major movie comedian, but he is now remembered mainly for working with both Stan Laurel
and Oliver Hardy
before they started working together.
He is also sometimes noted for directing (as well as appearing in) the 1925 silent film
Wizard of Oz
, which had a slight influence on the better-known 1939 talkie
The Wizard of Oz
released by MGM. The compliment was repaid in the 2005 three-disc DVD
version of the 1939 film, on which the 1925 version appears along with other silent "Oz" movies.
, Mississippi
, Semon was the son of a vaudeville
magician, Zera the Great, while his mother worked as his assistant. Along with his older sister, Semon joined his parents' act until his father's death. After completing his education in Savannah
, Georgia
, Semon moved to New York City
, where he worked for The New York Sun and later The New York Morning Telegraph as a cartoonist
and graphic artist
. While working as an artist, Semon appeared in monologues in vaudeville, where he attracted the attention of Vitagraph Studios
. In 1915, he was offered a contract with the company.
's films. He occasionally cast himself in bit parts in the films he worked on. When Mack left Vitagraph, Semon began playing the lead roles. He usually played a white-faced goof in derby hat
and overalls who would enter any given setting (a bakery
, a restaurant
, a construction site
, a prison camp
, etc.) and cause chaos, with people being covered with debris and property being destroyed. His short slapstick
comedies were made and released quickly and prolifically, making Semon very familiar to moviegoers.
As his fame grew, his films expanded from one reel (about 12 minutes) to two reels, and Semon was given a free hand in making them. This became a dangerous policy because Semon became notorious for being expensive and extravagant: his two-reel comedies could easily cost more than an average five-reel feature film. As a former cartoon
ist, Semon staged similarly cartoony sight gags, using elaborate special effect
s. No gag was too big for Semon. He loved chase sequences involving airplanes (sometimes using three in a film), exploding barn
s, falling water towers, auto wrecks and/or explosions, and liberal use of substances in which to douse people. A typical Semon comedy might involve barrels of flour, sacks of soot, gallons of ink, gobs of jam, or pits filled with mud. For example, in Semon's The Bell Hop
, a man sleeping under the spray of a malfunctioning fountain imagines he is swimming in the ocean, and in his sleep he dives off the bed, through the floor, and into a vat of paint in the lobby below. Oliver Hardy recalled in an interview that Semon, when staging his comedy short The Sawmill
in a lumber camp, would not use traditional, painted stage sets. Instead, Semon insisted on building permanent log cabins complete with modern conveniences. The production budget soared, and his bosses at Vitagraph finally demanded that Semon become his own producer
and underwrite his productions personally.
Semon tried to reverse his financial problems by entering the more lucrative field of feature film
s. He produced and starred in a few features in the mid '20s, but by 1927 he was back in short subjects released through Educational Pictures
. After filing for bankruptcy
in 1928, Semon returned to vaudeville. While traveling on the vaudeville circuit, he suffered a nervous breakdown
and went back to Los Angeles.
, Semon was sent to a sanatorium
in Victorville, California
, where, on October 8, 1928, at the age of 39, he died of pneumonia
and tuberculosis
.
releases and Tomasín ("Tommy") in the 1940 rereleases by Manuel Rotellar.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor, director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
during the silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
era. In his day, Semon was considered a major movie comedian, but he is now remembered mainly for working with both Stan Laurel
Stan Laurel
Arthur Stanley "Stan" Jefferson , better known as Stan Laurel, was an English comic actor, writer and film director, famous as the first half of the comedy team Laurel and Hardy. His film acting career stretched between 1917 and 1951 and included a starring role in the Academy Award winning film...
and Oliver Hardy
Oliver Hardy
Oliver Hardy was an American comic actor famous as one half of Laurel and Hardy, the classic double act that began in the era of silent films and lasted nearly 30 years, from 1927 to 1955.-Early life:...
before they started working together.
He is also sometimes noted for directing (as well as appearing in) the 1925 silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
Wizard of Oz
Wizard of Oz (1925 film)
Wizard of Oz is a 1925 silent film directed by Larry Semon, who also appears in a lead role. The first major film adaptation of L. Frank Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, this film features a young Oliver Hardy as the "Tin Woodsman."-Plot:...
, which had a slight influence on the better-known 1939 talkie
Sound film
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades would pass before sound motion pictures were made commercially...
The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
released by MGM. The compliment was repaid in the 2005 three-disc DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
version of the 1939 film, on which the 1925 version appears along with other silent "Oz" movies.
Early life
Born in West PointWest Point, Mississippi
West Point is a city in Clay County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,145 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clay County and the principal city of the West Point Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Columbus-West Point Combined Statistical...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, Semon was the son of a vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
magician, Zera the Great, while his mother worked as his assistant. Along with his older sister, Semon joined his parents' act until his father's death. After completing his education in Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, Semon moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he worked for The New York Sun and later The New York Morning Telegraph as a cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
and graphic artist
Graphic designer
A graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images, typography or motion graphics to create a piece of design. A graphic designer creates the graphics primarily for published, printed or electronic media, such as brochures and...
. While working as an artist, Semon appeared in monologues in vaudeville, where he attracted the attention of Vitagraph Studios
Vitagraph Studios
American Vitagraph was a United States movie studio, founded by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith in 1897 in Brooklyn, New York. By 1907 it was the most prolific American film production company, producing many famous silent films. It was bought by Warner Bros...
. In 1915, he was offered a contract with the company.
Career
After signing with Vitagraph, Semon worked behind the scenes as a scenario writer, director, and film producer for actor Hughie MackHughie Mack
Hughie Mack was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 195 films between 1910 and 1928.He was born in Brooklyn, New York and died in Santa Monica, California.-Selected filmography:...
's films. He occasionally cast himself in bit parts in the films he worked on. When Mack left Vitagraph, Semon began playing the lead roles. He usually played a white-faced goof in derby hat
Bowler hat
The bowler hat, also known as a coke hat, derby , billycock or bombin, is a hard felt hat with a rounded crown originally created in 1849 for the English soldier and politician Edward Coke, the younger brother of the 2nd Earl of Leicester...
and overalls who would enter any given setting (a bakery
Bakery
A bakery is an establishment which produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies. Some retail bakeries are also cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wish to consume the baked goods on the premises.-See also:*Baker*Cake...
, a restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
, a construction site
Construction Site
Construction Site is a television series created by The Jim Henson Company in 1999, and consists of 7 construction vehicles. The show was broadcast on ABC Kids for a while, and had a range of videos. It was originally produced for and shown on CITV starting in 1999. In 2000 it was nominated for a...
, a prison camp
Internment
Internment is the imprisonment or confinement of people, commonly in large groups, without trial. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the meaning as: "The action of 'interning'; confinement within the limits of a country or place." Most modern usage is about individuals, and there is a distinction...
, etc.) and cause chaos, with people being covered with debris and property being destroyed. His short slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
comedies were made and released quickly and prolifically, making Semon very familiar to moviegoers.
As his fame grew, his films expanded from one reel (about 12 minutes) to two reels, and Semon was given a free hand in making them. This became a dangerous policy because Semon became notorious for being expensive and extravagant: his two-reel comedies could easily cost more than an average five-reel feature film. As a former cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
ist, Semon staged similarly cartoony sight gags, using elaborate special effect
Special effect
The illusions used in the film, television, theatre, or entertainment industries to simulate the imagined events in a story are traditionally called special effects ....
s. No gag was too big for Semon. He loved chase sequences involving airplanes (sometimes using three in a film), exploding barn
Barn
A barn is an agricultural building used for storage and as a covered workplace. It may sometimes be used to house livestock or to store farming vehicles and equipment...
s, falling water towers, auto wrecks and/or explosions, and liberal use of substances in which to douse people. A typical Semon comedy might involve barrels of flour, sacks of soot, gallons of ink, gobs of jam, or pits filled with mud. For example, in Semon's The Bell Hop
The Bell Hop
The Bell Hop is a 1921 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - The bellhop* Oliver Hardy - Hotel manager * Frank Alexander - A government official* Al Thompson* Pete Gordon* Norma Nichols - A maid...
, a man sleeping under the spray of a malfunctioning fountain imagines he is swimming in the ocean, and in his sleep he dives off the bed, through the floor, and into a vat of paint in the lobby below. Oliver Hardy recalled in an interview that Semon, when staging his comedy short The Sawmill
The Sawmill
The Sawmill is a 1922 film directed by Larry Semon and featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - The dumb-bell* Oliver Hardy - The foreman * Frank Alexander - Mill owner* Kathleen O'Connor - The boss's daughter...
in a lumber camp, would not use traditional, painted stage sets. Instead, Semon insisted on building permanent log cabins complete with modern conveniences. The production budget soared, and his bosses at Vitagraph finally demanded that Semon become his own producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
and underwrite his productions personally.
Semon tried to reverse his financial problems by entering the more lucrative field of feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
s. He produced and starred in a few features in the mid '20s, but by 1927 he was back in short subjects released through Educational Pictures
Educational Pictures
Educational Pictures was a film distribution company founded in 1919 by Earle Hammons . Educational primarily distributed short subjects, and today is probably best known for its series of 1930s comedies starring Buster Keaton, as well as for a series of one-reel comedies featuring Shirley...
. After filing for bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
in 1928, Semon returned to vaudeville. While traveling on the vaudeville circuit, he suffered a nervous breakdown
Mental breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
and went back to Los Angeles.
Death
After returning to Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Semon was sent to a sanatorium
Sanatorium
A sanatorium is a medical facility for long-term illness, most typically associated with treatment of tuberculosis before antibiotics...
in Victorville, California
Victorville, California
Victorville is a city located in the Victor Valley of southwestern San Bernardino County, California. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 census, the city had a population of 115,903, up from 64,030 at the 2000 census.-Geography and climate:...
, where, on October 8, 1928, at the age of 39, he died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
and tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
.
Nicknames
French audiences knew him as Zigoto, Italian ones as Ridolini, and Spanish ones as Jaimito ("Jimmy") in pre-warSpanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
releases and Tomasín ("Tommy") in the 1940 rereleases by Manuel Rotellar.
Filmography
- Bringing Up Father (1915)
- Tubby Turns the Tables (1916)
- Terry's Tea Party (1916)
- Out Ag'in, in Ag'in (1916)
- More Money Than Manners (1916)
- The BattlerThe Battler"The Battler" is a short story written by Ernest Hemingway. It was included in the collection In Our Time .In the story, Nick Adams is thrown from a train and finds temporary shelter at a campfire. There, he meets an ex-boxer named Ad Francis. Francis takes an immediate liking to Adams, who he...
(1916) - Losing Weight (1916)
- The Man from Egypt (1916)
- A Jealous Guy (1916)
- Romance and Roughhouse (1916)
- There and Back (1916)
- A Villainous Villain (1916)
- Love and Loot (1916)
- Sand, Scamps and Strategy (1916)
- She Who Last Laughs (1916)
- Walls and Wallops (1916)
- Jumps and Jealousy (1916)
- His Conscious Conscience (1916)
- Hash and Havoc (1916)
- Captain Jinks' Evolution (1916)
- Rah! Rah! Rah! (1916)
- Help! Help! Help! (1916)
- Shanks and Chivalry (1916)
- Speed and Spunk (1917)
- Captain Jinks' Widow (1917)
- Captain Jinks' Nephew's Wife (1917)
- Captain Jinks' Dilemma (1917)
- Bullies and Bullets (1917)
- Jolts and Jewelry (1917)
- Big Bluffs and Bowling Balls (1917)
- Somewhere in Any Place (1917)
- Rips and Rushes (1917)
- He Never Touched Me (1917)
- Cops and Cussedness (1917)
- Masks and Mishaps (1917)
- Guff and Gunplay (1917)
- Pests and Promises (1917)
- Footlights and Fakers (1917)
- Bombs and Blunders (1917)
- Turks and Troubles (1917)
- Flatheads and Flivvers (1917)
- Dubs and Drygoods (1917)
- Hazards and Home Runs (1917)
- Gall and Gasoline (1917)
- Boasts and Boldness (1917)
- Worries and Wobbles (1917)
- Shells and Shivers (1917)
- Chumps and Chances (1917)
- Gall and Golf (1917)
- Slips and Slackers (1917)
- Risks and Roughnecks (1917)
- Plans and Pajamas (1917)
- Plagues and Puppy Love (1917)
- Sports and Splashes (1917)
- Tough Luck and Tin Lizzies (1917)
- Rough Toughs and Roof Tops (1917)
- Spooks and Spasms (1917)
- Noisy Naggers and Nosey Neighbors (1917)
- Guns and Greasers (1918)
- Babes and Boobs (1918)
- Rooms and Rumors (1918)
- Meddlers and Moonshiners (1918)
- Stripes and Stumbles (1918)
- Rummies and Razors (1918)
- Whistles and Windows (1918)
- Spies and Spills (1918)
- Romans and Rascals (1918)
- Skids and Scalawags (1918)
- Boodle and Bandits (1918)
- Hindoos and Hazards (1918)
- Bathing Beauties and Big Boobs (1918)
- Dunces and DangersDunces and Dangers-Cast:*Larry Semon as Larry*Madge Kirby as Larry's Wife*William Hauber*Owen Evans*Pietro Aramondo*Frank Alexander...
(1918) - Mutts and Motors (1918)
- Huns and HyphensHuns and HyphensHuns and Hyphens is a 1918 silent comedy film featuring Stan Laurel.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry* Madge Kirby - Vera Bright* Stan Laurel - Gang member* Mae Laurel - Woman* William McCall - Customer...
(1918) - Bears and Bad MenBears and Bad MenBears and Bad Men is a 1918 silent comedy film directed by Larry Semon and featuring Stan Laurel.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry Cutshaw* Madge Kirby - The Slawson Daughter* Stan Laurel - Pete* William McCall - Stranded actor...
(1918) - Frauds and FrenziesFrauds and FrenziesFrauds and Frenzies is a 1918 silent comedy film featuring Stan Laurel.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry, First Prisoner* Stan Laurel - Simp, Second Prisoner* Madge Kirby - Dolly Dare* William McCall - Warden...
(1918) - Humbugs and Husbands (1918)
- Pluck and Plotters (1918)
- Traps and Tangles (1919)
- Scamps and Scandals (1919)
- Well, I'll Be (1919)
- Passing the Buck (1919)
- The Star BoarderThe Star Boarder (1919 film)The Star Boarder is a 1919 short film starring Larry Semon and Lucille Carlisle.Norma Shearer made her film debut in this 2-reel film, uncredited, as a beauty pageant contestant.- External links :*...
(1919) - His Home Sweet Home (1919)
- The Simple Life (1919)
- Between the Acts (1919)
- Dull CareDull CareDull Care is a 1919 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry, a Detective* William Hauber - Chief Crook * Frank Alexander - Chief of Police* Lucille Carlisle - Chief of Police's Wife...
(1919) - Dew Drop Inn (1919)
- The Head WaiterThe Head WaiterThe Head Waiter is a 1919 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - The Head Waiter* Oliver Hardy - A Cop * Lucille Carlisle - Cashier...
(1919) - The Grocery Clerk (1919)
- The Fly Cop (1920)
- School Days (1920)
- Solid Concrete (1920)
- The Stage HandThe Stage HandThe Stage Hand is a 1920 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - The Stage Hand* Lucille Carlisle - The Leading Lady* Frank Alexander - The Stage Manager* Thelma Percy - The Animal Trainer* Al Thompson - The Show Manager...
(1920) - The SuitorThe SuitorThe Suitor is a 1962 French comedy film directed by and starring Pierre Étaix. It was entered into the 13th Berlin International Film Festival.-Cast:* Pierre Étaix - Pierre, the Suitor* Laurence Lignères - Laurence* Claude Massot - Father...
(1920) - The Sportsman (1921)
- The Hick (1921)
- The BakeryThe BakeryThe Bakery is a 1921 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry, a Bakery Clerk* Oliver Hardy - Foreman * Frank Alexander - Bakery Owner* Norma Nichols - Bakery Owner's Daughter...
(1921) - The Rent CollectorThe Rent CollectorThe Rent Collector is a 1921 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry, the Rent Collector* Norma Nichols - Leader of the Society Girl Settlement Workers* Oliver Hardy - The Big Boss * Eva Thatcher - Landlady...
(1921) - The Fall GuyThe Fall Guy (film)The Fall Guy is a 1921 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry, the Fall Guy* Norma Nichols - Prima Donna* Oliver Hardy - Gentleman Joe, alias Black Bart * Frank Alexander - Sheriff* William Hauber...
(1921) - The Bell HopThe Bell HopThe Bell Hop is a 1921 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - The bellhop* Oliver Hardy - Hotel manager * Frank Alexander - A government official* Al Thompson* Pete Gordon* Norma Nichols - A maid...
(1921) - The SawmillThe SawmillThe Sawmill is a 1922 film directed by Larry Semon and featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - The dumb-bell* Oliver Hardy - The foreman * Frank Alexander - Mill owner* Kathleen O'Connor - The boss's daughter...
(1922) - The ShowThe Show (1922 film)-Cast:* Larry Semon - The Prop Man/Gentle Onlooker* Oliver Hardy - Stage manager/Audience Member * Frank Alexander - Ballet dancer/Wife of Man with Family* Lucille Carlisle - Leading lady* Betty Young - Dancer* Alice Davenport - Audience member...
(1922) - A Pair of KingsA Pair of Kings (film)A Pair of Kings is a 1922 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - King August/Stranger* Lucille Carlisle - Princess Lucille* Oliver Hardy - General Alarm * William Hauber - Bit Role...
(1922) - GolfGolf (film)Golf is a 1922 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - The son* Lucille Carlisle - The daughter, the Blonde Flapper* Al Thompson - The father* Oliver Hardy - The neighbor * Vernon Dent - The suitor...
(1922) - The AgentThe Agent (film)-Cast:* Larry Semon - Federal Agent* Lucille Carlisle - Federal Agent, Undercover* Oliver Hardy - Don Fusiloil * Al Thompson* Kittie Rinehart* William Hauber* Robert McKenzie* Harry DeRoy* Alfred Wertz* Dan Maines...
(1922) - The Counter JumperThe Counter JumperThe Counter Jumper is a 1922 film directed by Larry Semon and featuring Oliver Hardy. It is a remake of the 1919 film The Grocery Clerk, which was also directed by Semon...
(1922) - No Wedding BellsNo Wedding BellsNo Wedding Bells is a 1923 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry* Lucille Carlisle - The Girl* Oliver Hardy - The Girl's Father * Spencer Bell - The Butler* Glen Cavender - An Irate Husband...
(1923) - The BarnyardThe Barnyard (1923 film)-Cast:* Larry Semon - Lay Zee, Farm Hand* Kathleen Myers - The Farmer's Daughter* Oliver Hardy - Farm Hand * Frank Hayes - The Farmer's Wife* Spencer Bell - Helper* William Hauber* Al Thompson* Joe Rock...
(1923) - The Midnight CabaretThe Midnight CabaretThe Midnight Cabaret is a 1923 film directed by Larry Semon and featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry, a Waiter* Kathleen Myers - Kathleen, a Cabaret Performer* Oliver Hardy - Oliver, an Impetuous Suitor * Fred DeSilva...
(1923) - The Gown ShopThe Gown ShopThe Gown Shop is a 1923 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry, a salesman* Kathleen Myers - Head saleslady* Oliver Hardy - Store manager * Fred DeSilva - Dressmaker The Gown Shop is a 1923 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry, a...
(1923) - Lightning LoveLightning LoveLightning Love is a 1923 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry, a Suitor* Kathleen Myers - Rhea* Oliver Hardy - Oliver, the Other Suitor * Spencer Bell - Butler* Al Thompson - Father* William Hauber...
(1923) - HorseshoesHorseshoes (film)Horseshoes is a 1923 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry* Kathleen Myers - The Grocer's Daughter* Oliver Hardy - Dynamite Duffy * James Donnelly* Spencer Bell...
(1923) - Trouble BrewingTrouble Brewing (1924 film)Trouble Brewing is a 1924 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Government agent* Carmelita Geraghty - The Girl* Oliver Hardy - Bootlegger * William Hauber* Al Thompson* Pete Gordon...
(1924) - The Girl in the LimousineThe Girl in the LimousineThe Girl in the Limousine is a 1924 film featuring Oliver Hardy. It is considered to be lost.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Tony* Claire Adams - The Girl* Charles Murray - The Butler* Lucille Ward - Aunt Cicily* Larry Steers - Dr. Jimmy...
(1924) - Her Boy FriendHer Boy FriendHer Boy Friend is a 1924 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry, the Chief's son* Dorothy Dwan - Iva Method, the girl detective* Alma Bennett - The Vamp* Oliver Hardy - Killer Kid...
(1924) - Kid SpeedKid Speed-Cast:* Dorothy Dwan - Lou DuPoise* James J. Jeffries - Blacksmith/Tailor* Oliver Hardy - Dangerous Dan McGraw * Frank Alexander - Mr. Avery DuPoys* William Hauber - Sheriff Phil O'Delfa* Grover G. Ligon* Larry Semon - The Speed Kid...
(1924) - My Best Girl (1925)
- Wizard of OzWizard of Oz (1925 film)Wizard of Oz is a 1925 silent film directed by Larry Semon, who also appears in a lead role. The first major film adaptation of L. Frank Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, this film features a young Oliver Hardy as the "Tin Woodsman."-Plot:...
(1925) - The Dome Doctor (1925)
- The Cloudhopper (1925)
- Stop, Look and ListenStop, Look and Listen (film)Stop, Look and Listen is a 1926 American comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Luther Meek* Dorothy Dwan - Dorothy* Mary Carr - Mother* William Gillespie - Bill* Lionel Belmore - Sheriff* B.F...
(1926) - Pass the Dumplings (1927)
- The Plumber's Daughter (1927)
- A Dozen Socks (1927) (uncredited)
- The Stunt Man (1927)
- Oh, What a Man! (1927)
- Dummies (1928)
- A Simple Sap (1928)