The Charley Chase Collection, Vol. 1 (Slapstick Symposium) - Region 1 DVD

In a series of one and two reelers at the Hal Roach Studios, Chase elevated the style of situation comedy to an art form with his unique combination of madcap adventures, beautiful women and wild misunderstandings. After a decade of working in front of and behind the cameras (he was Director General at the Roach Studios), Charley Chase was persuaded to start a new series of one reel comedies in 1923. From the first release, Chase became a hit with the public--"America's New Joy Boy" was filling theater houses with laughter from coast to coast.

Chase discovered that by starting with a simple predicament that any average person could get into, the public could identify with him. Then, gradually, by building a once plausible situation into a fiascfiasco, he could take them to a riotous conclusion that is unbelievable, yet, somehow conceivable. Carefree, frivolous, wild and woolly, Charley Chase was the "Good Time Charlie" that we all wished we could be. Fortunately, due to film preservation, we still have him.