Robert Youngson

Film clips highlight the funniest scenes and brightest comic stars in MGM's history.

An appreciative, uncritical look at silent film comedies and thrillers from early in the century through the 1920s.

Film historian Robert Youngson presents a feature-length anthology of rarely seen silent films by comedy legends Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Along with clips from many of the shorts that made the duo stars, it includes clips from a 1918 comedy starring Laurel on his own as well as scenes from three shorts Hardy made in 1917 and '18 with his original comedy partner, Billy West. To put the duo's work in context, the film briefly features other comedians who worked with producer Hal Roach.

A compilation of primarly Laurel and Hardy shorts---From Soup to Nuts, Wrong Again, Putting the Pants on Philip, The Finishing Touch, Sugar Daddies and short clips from others---plus Max Davidson's Call of the Cuckoo and Dumb Daddies, with some cross-over Charley Chase footage, which, along with Robert Youngson's previous "The Golden Age of Comedy", "When Comedy Was King", "Days of Thrills and Laughter", led to a renewed interest in and a revival of television showings of Laurel and Hardy shorts. The cast was billed in order of their appearance: Oliver Hardy, Stan Laurel, Vivien Oakland (with a Vivian typo), Glen Tyron, Edna Murphy, Anita Garvin, Tiny Sanford, Jimmy Finlayson, Charlie Chase, Viola Richard, Max Davidson, Del Henderson, Josephine Crowell, Anders Randolf (as Anders Randolph), Edgar Kennedy, Dorothy Coburn, Lillian Elliott and "Spec" O'Donnell.

A compilation featuring comedic stars of the silent era including Will Rogers, Laurel and Hardy, and the Keystone Cops.

Three decades of fun packed into one convenient package with this compilation of classic black-and-white comedy clips featuring Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Laurel and Hardy.

Robert Youngson once again compiles scenes from the golden age of comedy's silent film era. Laurel and Hardy are shown battling a gum machine, and Hardy is a debaucherous Romeo whose amorous plans are thwarted by Rex, the Wonder Horse. Charley Chase is hampered by hiccups and a female professor, and he fleeces a drunken Oliver Hardy with a mannequin in a nightclub. The third part finds bachelor Buster Keaton desperately trying to get married by 7:00 PM in order to collect a $7-million-dollar inheritance. Keaton is pursued by money-hungry prospects in one of the best chase scenes ever filmed. Narration is provided by Jay Jackson.

This Mechanical Age is a 1954 American short documentary film about the early days of aviation, produced by Robert Youngson. In 1955, it won an Oscar for Best Short Subject [One-Reel] at the 27th Academy Awards

A documentary about the major events of the first fifty years of the Twentieth Century.

This Warner Bros. short reviews in an often humorous way the impact of the automobile on the United States. By 1900, the horseless carriage was beginning to have an impact. Early adopters were often the object of attention by large curious crowds. There were many car manufacturers and the quality of their product varied considerably. Traffic jams, pollution and automobile racing were only a few of the outcomes.

A compilation featuring comedic stars of the silent era including Fatty Arbuckle, Charles Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Charley Chase, and Laurel and Hardy.

Spills and Chills is a 1949 English language documentary written and directed by Robert Youngson, starring Dan Donaldson. The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Short Subject, One-Reel.

A look at the women of 1900 to 1950. Ladies accomplishments through the years, shown with rare footage of different eras. Fashions, famous women, styles, accomplishments, jobs, and the evolution of the bathing suit creates an entertaining, interesting, and fast paced film. Lady lumberjacks, steeplejacks, railroad maintenance during WW1, nurses, suffrage, different dances, aerial daredevils, women police, styles of clothing, hair styles, WW2, and bikinis are just some of the news footage shown.

A documentary about firemen and some of the spectacular blazes they fight.

Warner Brothers looks back to the early days of talking pictures. Dwight Weist narrates film clips from five movies: "Sinner's Holiday," introducing James Cagney with a glimpse of Joan Blondell, "20,000 Years in Sing Sing," with a young Spencer Tracy and a younger Bette Davis, "Five Star Final," with Edward G. Robinson and a cameo from Boris Karloff, "Night Nurse," starring Barbara Stanwyck with a small role for Clark Gable, and "Svengali," with John Barrymore and Marian Marsh. Each movie is summarized and each star celebrated for work early in the history of sound cinema.

"Classic Of The Screen" (Vitaphone #2341-A) features shots of famous boxers John L. Sullivan, Jim Corbett, Bob Fitzimmons, Jack Johnson, Jes Willard, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Tommy Gibbons, Max Schmeling, Jack Sharkey, Primo Carnera, Max Baer, Joe Louis, Ezzard Charles, Jersey Joe Walcott, and Rocky Marciano.

This Warner Bros. vignette features short snippets about well known people. It includes presidential candidate Warren Harding and his front porch campaign in his home town of Marion, Ohio where Al Jolson sang to the crowd; his successor, Calvin Coolidge; William Jennings Bryan at the 1920 Democratic convention where FDR was selected as the Vice Presidential candidate; the visit of the Prince of Wales; the so-called monkey trial that pitted Clarence Darrow against Bryan; Richard Bird as he trained for his flight over the North Pole; and finally George Bernard Shaw on a visit to America.

Part of the Look at Life Rank series reels about ballon riding.

A Warner Brothers Vitaphone Variety narrated short film highlighting the 1928 biblical tale of "Noah's Ark."

World of Kids is a 1951 American short documentary film directed by Robert Youngson. In 1952, it won an Oscar for Best Short Subject at the 24th Academy Awards.