''So's Your Old Man'' is a 1926 American silent

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Gregory La Cava Gregory La Cava (March 10, 1892 – March 1, 1952) was an American film director of Italian descent best known for his films of the 1930s, including ''My Man Godfrey'' and ''Stage Door'', which earned him nominations for Academy Award for Best ...

and starring W. C. Fields and Alice Joyce. It was written by J. Clarkson Miller based on the story "Mr. Bisbee's Princess" by Julian Leonard Street as adapted by Howard Emmett Rogers. It was filmed at Astoria Studios in

Queens, New York City Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...

. The film was remade as a

talkie 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 passed befo ...

in 1934, with W. C. Fields again starring, under the title '' You're Telling Me!'' In 2008, ''So's Your Old Man'' was added to the United States

National Film Registry The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) collection of films selected for preservation (library and archival science), preservation, each selected for its cultural, historical, and aestheti ...

Plot

Sam Bisbee is a small-town

glazier A glazier is a tradesperson responsible for cutting, installing, and removing glass (and materials used as substitutes for glass, such as some plastics).Elizabeth H. Oakes, ''Ferguson Career Resource Guide to Apprenticeship Programs'' ( Infoba ...

who's always trying to get rich quick, and his schemes are driving his wife crazy. When he invents an unbreakable glass windshield, his attempt to demonstrate it at a convention of automobile manufacturers is ruined when his car gets switched with another, and instead of bouncing off, the brick he throws at it smashes the windshield to pieces. On the train ride home, Bisbee considers suicide, but instead rescues a young woman who he believes is trying to kill herself. It turns out the woman is really Princess Lescaboura, and their friendship brings social success to the Bisbees.TC
Full synopsis
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Cast

* W. C. Fields as Samuel Bisbee * Alice Joyce as Princess Lescaboura * Charles "Buddy" Rogers as Kenneth Murchison * Kittens Reichert as Alice Bisbee (credited as Catherine Reichert) *

Marcia Harris Marcia Harris (born February 14, 1868 – June 18, 1947) was an American actress. She appeared in 48 films between 1915 and 1932. As an amateur, Harris acted primarily in male lead roles with the Chelsea Club theatrical organization in Bos ...

as Mrs. Bisbee, wife of Sam *Julia Ralph as Mrs. A. Brandewyne Murchison * Frank Montgomery as Jeff, a fellow scientist *Jerry Sinclair as Al * Frederick Burton as Senator (uncredited) *

Charles Byer Charles Byer (February 28, 1893 – November 28, 1953) was an American film actor of the silent era.Babington & Barr p. 133 He appeared in films for a variety of companies including Fox Film, Fox, Paramount Pictures, Paramount, Tiffany Pictures, T ...

as Prince Lescaboura (uncredited) * Walter Walker as Mayor of Waukeagus (uncredited)

Notes

External links

''So's Your Old Man'' essay
by Steve Massa on

''So's Your Old Man'' essay
in ''America's Film Legacy: The Authoritative Guide to the Landmark Movies in the National Film Registry'', A&C Black, 2010 , pages 121–122. * * 1926 films Silent American comedy films American black-and-white films American silent feature films United States National Film Registry films Films directed by Gregory La Cava Films shot at Astoria Studios Surviving American silent films 1926 comedy films 1920s American films 1920s English-language films English-language comedy films {{1920s-silent-comedy-film-stub