Customer Reviews

Smile When the Raindrops Fall

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Smile When the Raindrops Fall" is a fascinating and affectionate look at the career of the vastly underrated motion picture comic Charley Chase (1893 - 1940). It's hard to imagine that Chase, whom time has mostly obscured, could be so vividly portrayed. However, through interviews with Chase's family, friends, and associates, the authors ressurect the comic in a biography that lovingly alternates between hilarity and heartbreak. Calling Chase one of the comic greats is no exageration: this brilliantly inventive and prolific figure contributed to over 300 films as writer, director, or actor (sometimes all three) before his untimely death at the age of 46. Chase worked with almost every major name in early film comedy, including Charlie Chaplin, Fatty Arbuckle, Harold Lloyd, Laurel & Hardy, and the Three Stooges. The reader is taken on a nostalgic tour of silent and early sound comedy, its evolution paralleling the career of one of its pioneers. Excellent photo's and a detailed biography are included. An important piece of Hollywood history has finally been documented, and done justice, in this fine biography.

Until this book appeared, there wasn't much information available on Charley except in Leonard Maltin's book on sound shorts. This great book will illustrates the life of both Charley (Parrott) Chase and his brother James Parrott. Their lives were intertwined, and when one of them had problems it certainly affected the other. While Chase always had a jolly face on, this book illustrates both his triumphs and his failures. Chase worked with many great comics like Charlie Chaplin, Roscoe Arbuckle, Laurel & Hardy, Thelma Todd and the Three Stooges. Chase also directed and/or supervised many good comedies where he did not appear on-screen. There is a very detailed filmography (and musicography) in the back that includes the lyrics to many of the songs that Charley wrote, his many directing credits, and other film appearances. Sure this book is expensive, but if you love silent comedy or early sound shorts you will not be able to stop reading it.

I have read the manuscript for this book, and must tell you it's a fantastic work. In an effort to update Amazon's Summary, I just want to tell all comedy fans that the publication date is definitely December 15 (Scarecrow guarantees delivery for Christmas); price is $49.95; it's 283 pages and contains over 80 photographs, many loaned from the Chase family's albums. Here's the Scarecrow Press Release: At the age of ten, Charley Chase was singing and dancing on the street corners of Baltimore. After a brief (but memorable) stint in New York, Chase finally landed in Los Angeles in 1912. His timely arrival coincided with the birth of the film industry, and Charley Chase became a major force in the shaping of motion picture comedy. A human dynamo, Charley's talent and creativity seemed inexhaustible. As a writer/director/actor, Charley started out at Mack Sennett's Keystone Studios. Working with Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle and Charlie Chaplin, Chase quickly became one of Sennett's top directors. Later at other studios, he directed and then starred in his ownseries of funny and inventive two-reelers. Behind the scenes, Charley Chase was instrumental in shaping the careers of both Laurel & Hardy and The Three Stooges. Chase's personal life paralleled his film work. At first he was energetic and optimistic -- as was the infant film industry itself. As the movie business grew up, Charley got older, too. Chase's career, marred by family problems and alcoholism, mirrored the decline of the short film. The book includes over 80 marvelous photographs, many never before published, and a detailed filmography. BRIAN ANTHONY is an independent filmmaker and served as writer/producer/director of the award-winning feature film, "Victor's Big Score." He is a veteran motion picture historian and film preservationist. ANDY EDMONDS has worked as a writer, producer, and investigative reporter in the Los Angeles area for the past eighteen years. She has authored five books, including FRAME UP! THE UNTOLD STORY OF "FATTY" ARBUCKLE. "Charley Chase is America's great unsung comedy talent. It's about time someone devoted an entire book to him!" --Leonard Maltin

I just finished re-reading "Smile When the Raindrops Fall" (third time, I think) and I second the opinions of the other reviewers. Very few authors have ever discussed the films of Charley Chase in print, and nobody has ever delved into the prolific comedian's personal life in so much detail. Brian Anthony and Andy Edmonds have done Mr. Chase proud, amply demonstrating how he created many clever and amusing movies, and how his private life sometimes colored his work. There are many rare and charming photos, including a memorable candid shot from his final days: his camera crew has just presented the new grandfather with "Gramp's Chair." If you've only been casually acquainted with Charley Chase, here's your chance to get to know him. Great reading for movie buffs, and well worth the publisher's price tag.

Well, it took me awhile to track this one down through my local library but it was worth it!! Charley Chase practically invented the situation comedy!

This wonderfully concise and well-written bio traces the life of Charles Parrott/Chase from his early days as a entertainer on the East Coast to his move to California and his two-reel comedy career. The book also focuses on many aspects of Charley's personal life, from his protective/co-dependent relationship with his brother, comedy director James Parrott to his own bouts with alcohol. The book is also full of wonderful photos and stills from his films. My favorite parts of the book are the chapters that pertain to his career at his final comedy home, Columbia Studios, where he not only churned out some excellent comedies (THE HECKLER, THE BIG SQUIRT, THE WRONG MISS WRIGHT), but directed other two-reel comedy players of the day, most notably The Three Stooges.

Charley left us all too soon at the age of 47 in 1940, but his legacy of great comedy is out there for all to enjoy!

I was introduced to the comedy of Charley Chase by a film collector friend of mine back in college and have always appreciated his unique style. Brian Anthony's and Andy Edmond's book does justice to this far underrated and nearly forgotten talent in a way that is readable and as entertaining as Charley himself. In fact, the wealth of material here is so great, one wonders why no one has mined it for a film. In any event, if you're into early film history, or even if you are just curious about a man who was a powerhouse both in front of and behind the camera, you owe it to yourself to check this book out.

Unfortunately, I came to discover Charley Chase somewhat late. I'm an avid fan of TCM and adore the comedy shorts they often use as fillers between feature films.
To say that Charley is a comedic genius is an understatement. His brand of slapstick is totally enjoyable and the physicality he employees in his shorts is spot on.
I tracked this book down a few months ago and have read it a couple of times now. I often find myself whipping it out after watching one of his shorts from his recently released DVD collection. The authors provide detailed descriptions and details pertaining to his films.
While this book provides a copious amount of information relating to Chase's career as a writer, director, and performer and will satisfy any fan, I really appreciated the attention to detail that the authors provided in regard to Charles Parrott's personal life. From the hardscrabble days in Baltimore after his father's death, early days performing on the stage, his arrival in Hollywood, alcholism, and his often disrupted family life, this book covers a lot of territory given that Charley died before he celebrated his 47th birthday. Additionally, this book contains a lot of personal photographs and recollections of friends and family. Fortunately, this book was written while these resources were still available to the authors.
This is a fantastic book about an unfortunately underrated comedian. Here's hoping that more of his work will be released on dvd and Charley will be rediscovered by a new generation.

The 1920's and 1930's are generally thought of as the Golden Age of Comedy. Laurel and Hardy, The Marx Brothers, Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, The Three Stooges were just some of the amazing and energetics comics who brought laughter to the masses during this amazing juncture in history. The forgotten man in this mix was Charley Chase.

His is admittedly a difficult biography to write. Much of the film stock he acted in from this tiome period has been destroyed. Furthermore, there is always a generation gap in comedy, where the contemporary audience is spoken to. Chaplin and Keaton seem to have found a way to speak to fresh generations as clearly as their own. their work has a timelessness. Did Chase's work, as well? Hard to say from this biography.

Nevertheless, Chase was a brilliant voice from this era, and an important cog in the evolution of early comedy. He understood humor, pace and had a unique bizarre vantage point that he brought to this medium.

The author, admittedly is as much fan as professional biographer. He puts his best effort into this biography, and gives us as much background as possible for each of the films Chase directed and acted in. Chase lived a fast-paced, full and exciting life, and this book tries to impart as much as it can in this respect. He worked with and shared the screen with the icons of his day, and brought out the best of all of them.

This is not a complete bio, but it has whetted my appetite to learn more of the man, and his art.

Charly Chase was a very popular comedian in the 1920's and 30's. He has been mostly forgotten but happilly Brian Anthony and Andy Edmmonds have brought him back to life in this fasinating bio. The authors make the story interesting by revealing behind the scenes activities with true life turmoil. I had heard of Charly Chase for years and seen his name on numerous credit's but didn't relise how talented he was. I'm glad the authors took the time to give Charly his due...