''Ask Father'' is a
short, 13-minute, slapstick-style
comedy
Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium.
Origins
Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...
made by
Harold Lloyd
Harold Clayton Lloyd Sr. (April 20, 1893 – March 8, 1971) was an American actor, comedian, and stunt performer who appeared in many Silent film, silent comedy films.Obituary ''Variety'', March 10, 1971, page 55.
One of the most influent ...
in 1919 before his entry into full-length feature films. Aside from Lloyd, it features
Snub Pollard
Harold Fraser (9 November 1889 – 19 January 1962), known professionally as Snub Pollard, was an Australian-born vaudevillian who became a silent film comedian in Hollywood, popular in the 1920s.
Career
Born in Melbourne, Australia, on 9 No ...
and leading lady
Bebe Daniels
Phyllis Virginia "Bebe" () Daniels (January 14, 1901 – March 16, 1971) was an American actress, singer, dancer, writer, and producer.
She began her career in Hollywood during the silent film era as a child actress, became a star in musicals s ...
.
Plot
Lloyd is a serious young middle-class guy on the make, who wants to marry the boss’ daughter. The problem is getting in to see the boss so that he can ask for her hand in marriage; the office is guarded by a bunch of comic, clumsy flunkies who throw everyone out who tries to get in. When Lloyd gets into the boss’ office, the latter uses trap doors and conveyor belts to expel him; Lloyd then goes to the costume company next door, tries to get in wearing drag (no success), and then in medieval armor – that works, since he bangs everyone over the head with his club. When he learns that the daughter has eloped with another suitor, Lloyd decides to be sensible and he settles for the cute switchboard operator (Daniels) instead. The film includes a brief wall climbing sequence.
Cast
*
Harold Lloyd
Harold Clayton Lloyd Sr. (April 20, 1893 – March 8, 1971) was an American actor, comedian, and stunt performer who appeared in many Silent film, silent comedy films.Obituary ''Variety'', March 10, 1971, page 55.
One of the most influent ...
- The Boy
*
Bebe Daniels
Phyllis Virginia "Bebe" () Daniels (January 14, 1901 – March 16, 1971) was an American actress, singer, dancer, writer, and producer.
She began her career in Hollywood during the silent film era as a child actress, became a star in musicals s ...
- Switchboard operator
*
Snub Pollard
Harold Fraser (9 November 1889 – 19 January 1962), known professionally as Snub Pollard, was an Australian-born vaudevillian who became a silent film comedian in Hollywood, popular in the 1920s.
Career
Born in Melbourne, Australia, on 9 No ...
- The Corn-Fed Secretary
*
Wallace Howe
Wallace Howe (March 4, 1878, in Fitchburg, Massachusetts – November 23, 1957, in Los Angeles, California), born Orlando Wallace Howe, was an American film actor. He appeared in 104 films between 1918 and 1936, including many films with Harold L ...
- The Boss
*
Bud Jamison
William Edward "Bud" Jamison (February 15, 1894 – September 30, 1944)Okuda, Ted, and Edward Watz. 1999. The Columbia Comedy Shorts: Two-reel Hollywood Film Comedies 1933–1958'. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. . was an American film actor. ...
- Guardian at the door
*
Noah Young
Noah Young, Jr. (February 2, 1887 – April 18, 1958) was a champion weightlifter and actor.
Biography
Young was born in Cañon City, Colorado. His father, Noah Young, was a foreman of the Glenrock coal mine who later became a coal mine i ...
- Large office worker
*
Sammy Brooks
Sammy Brooks (July 10, 1891 – May 16, 1951) was an American film actor. He appeared in 218 films between 1916 and 1938. He was born in New York City and died in Los Angeles, California.
Selected filmography
* '' Luke, the Candy Cut-Up'' ...
- Short office worker
*
Marie Mosquini
Marie Mosquini (born Marie de Esy; December 3, 1899 – February 21, 1983) was an American film actress.
Biography
Born in 1899, Mosquini appeared in more than 200 silent films between 1917 and 1929. After leaving high school she became the res ...
- The Boy's First Love
*
James Parrott
James Parrott (August 2, 1897 – May 10, 1939) was an American actor and film director; and the younger brother of film comedian Charley Chase.
Biography Early years
James Gibbons Parrott was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to Charles a ...
- Willie, The Boy’s Rival
* Harry Burns
*
William Gillespie - Office worker
*
Lew Harvey
Lew Harvey (October 6, 1887 – December 19, 1953) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 140 films between 1918 and 1950. He was born in Wisconsin, educated in Portland, Oregon, and died in Los Angeles, California.
Selected f ...
*
Margaret Joslin
Margaret Joslin (August 6, 1883 – October 14, 1956), born Margaret Lucy Gosling, was an American film actress. She appeared in more than 160 films between 1910 and 1923. She was born Cleveland, Ohio and died in Glendale, California. She wa ...
*
Dorothea Wolbert
Dorothea Wolbert (April 12, 1874 – September 15, 1958) was an American film actress. She appeared in more than 140 films between 1916 and 1957. She appeared on the television series ''I Love Lucy'' (with her character named Dorothea Wolbe ...
*
Charles Stevenson - The Cop
Music
In 2013, the
Dallas Chamber Symphony
The Dallas Chamber Symphony (DCS) is a professional, American chamber orchestra that performs in the Moody Performance Hall in the Arts District, Dallas. Founded in 2011, and led by artistic director, Richard McKay; the DCS presented its first ...
commissioned an original film score for ''Ask Father'' from composer
Alain Mayrand
Alain Mayrand is a Canadian composer, orchestrator, and conductor known for his contributions to film music. He served as the lead composer for the animated feature film '' Mosley'' and has contributed to the scores of major motion pictures such as ...
. The score premiered during a concert screening on November 19, 2013 at
Moody Performance Hall
The Moody Performance Hall (formerly Dallas City Performance Hall) is a performing arts venue located in the Arts District of Downtown Dallas, Texas, USA. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) in collaboration with the Architect of ...
with
Richard McKay
Richard McKay (born 1982) is an American conductor, currently serving as music director of the Dallas Chamber Symphony.
Education
McKay holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in orchestral conducting from the Peabody Institute, where he studied ...
conducting.
See also
*
List of American films of 1919
This list of American films of 1919 is a compilation of American films that were released in the year 1919.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P–Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
Y–Z
Short films
See also
* 1919 ...
*
Harold Lloyd filmography
These are the known films of Harold Lloyd (1893–1971), an American actor and filmmaker most famous for his hugely successful and influential silent film comedies.
Most of these films are known to survive in Lloyd's personal archive collection ...
References
External links
*
*
*
1919 films
1919 comedy films
1919 short films
1910s American films
1910s English-language films
American black-and-white films
English-language comedy short films
Films directed by Hal Roach
Films with screenplays by H. M. Walker
Silent American comedy short films
Surviving American silent films
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