''A Night in the Show'' was Charlie Chaplin's 12th film for Essanay. It was made at Majestic Studio in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

in the fall of

1915 Events Below, the events of World War I have the "WWI" prefix. January * January – British physicist Sir Joseph Larmor publishes his observations on "The Influence of Local Atmospheric Cooling on Astronomical Refraction". * January ...

. Chaplin played two roles: one as Mr. Pest and one as Mr. Rowdy. The film was created from Chaplin's stage work from a play called ''Mumming Birds'' (a.k.a. ''A Night at an English Music Hall'' in the United States) with the Karno Company from London. Chaplin performed this play during his U.S. tours with Fred Karno company and decided to bring some of this play to his film work.

Edna Purviance Olga Edna Purviance (; October 21, 1895 – January 13, 1958) was an American actress of the silent film era. She was the leading lady in many of Charlie Chaplin's early films and in a span of eight years, she appeared in over 30 films with hi ...

played a minor role as a lady in the audience.

Plot

Mr. Pest tries several theatre seats before winding up in front in a fight with the conductor and, eventually, the entire cast of an evening variety show. The film concludes when a fire eater takes the stage and Chaplin "heroically" drenches the performer and the audience with a fire hose. The difference between "Mr. Pest" and "Mr. Rowdy" appears to be that one is pleasantly drunk and the other is obnoxious and sober.

Cast

Charles Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consid ...

- Mr. Pest and Mr. Rowdy *

- Lady in the Stalls with Beads * Charlotte Mineau - Lady in the Stalls *

Dee Lampton Dee Lampton (October 6, 1898 – September 2, 1919) was an American film actor of the silent era. Lampton was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and died of appendicitis in Los Angeles on September 2, 1919. He appeared in 52 films between 1915 and ...

- Fat Boy *

Leo White Leo White (November 10, 1882 – September 20, 1948), Leo Weiss, was a German-born British-American film and stage actor who appeared as a character actor in many Charlie Chaplin films. Biography Born in Germany, White grew up in England where ...

- Frenchman/Negro in Balcony *

Wesley Ruggles Wesley Ruggles (June 11, 1889 – January 8, 1972) was an American film director. Life and work He was born in Los Angeles, California, younger brother of actor Charlie Ruggles. He began his career in 1915 as an actor, appearing in a do ...

- Second Man in Balcony Front Row * John Rand - Orchestra Conductor * James T. Kelley - Trombone Player and Singer * Paddy McGuire - Feather Duster/Clarinet Player *

May White May is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and is the third of seven months to have a length of 31 days. May is a month of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, May ...

- Fat Lady and Dancer *

Phyllis Allen Phyllis Allen (November 25, 1861 – March 26, 1938) was an American vaudeville and silent screen comedian. She worked with Charles Chaplin, Mabel Normand, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, and Mack Sennett during a film career spanning 74 movies in the ...

- Lady in Audience *

Fred Goodwins Fred Goodwins (26 February 1891 – April 1923) was an English actor, film director and screenwriter of the silent era. He appeared in 24 films between 1915 and 1921.He most notably worked with Charlie Chaplin during Chaplin's mutual per ...

- Gentleman in Audience *

Charles Inslee Charles E. Inslee (1870 – September 1922) was an American actor. He appeared in 127 films between 1908 and 1921. Biography Born in New York City, Inslee was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Inslee of Jamaica Plain Jamaica Plain is ...

- Tuba Player

External links

* * 1915 films Short films directed by Charlie Chaplin American silent short films American black-and-white films 1915 comedy films Silent American comedy films Essanay Studios films 1915 short films Articles containing video clips American comedy short films 1910s American films {{1910s-short-comedy-film-stub