Mabel Normand

Charlie plays an actor who bungles several scenes and is kicked out. He returns convincingly dressed as a lady and charms the director, but Charlie never makes it into the film.

Before the G, PG and R ratings system there was the Production Code, and before that there was, well, nothing. This eye-opening documentary examines the rampant sexuality of early Hollywood through movie clips and reminiscences by stars of the era. Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford, Marlene Dietrich and others relate tales of the artistic freedom that led to the draconian Production Code, which governed content from 1934 to 1968. Diane Lane narrates.

A frustrated, protective father tries to stop his secretaries from falling in love with his charming daughter, Betty. He hires two secretaries— only for them to be in on the practical jokes Betty plays on her father.

A Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle & Mabel Normand comedy short. The film is considered lost.

The whole world knows him. Burlesque comedy genius, popular actor, author, director, producer, composer, choreographer, Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977) used his talent to serve an ideal of justice and freedom. But his best scenario was his own destiny, a story written into the political and artistic history of the 20th century.

Although Mabel’s parents disapprove of Roscoe and Mabel’s relationship, the two still secretly court. When a rivaling suitor named Reddy appears, the men fight for Mabel’s hand. Although successful, Roscoe witnesses Reddy fall into a well and instantly calls for help. As the police fish Reddy out of the well, the young lovers see their chance at freedom and run off to elope.

The manager of a small town hotel installs a cabaret in an attempt to achieve the standard set by restaurants in the large cities. His effort is ludicrous because of the fact that his talent is all recruited from the help in the hotel. Roscoe, the cook, is forced to appear in a dress suit and when Al St. John appears from the bar there is a lively rivalry between the two for the applause of the crowd. Mabel, the waitress, vies with a professional dancer from the city. Into this setting comes William Jefferson, a polished sharper, who takes the innocent Mabel by storm.

A constable and his sergeant are rivals for a girl, and to impress her they both attempt to apprehend an escaped convict. Probably the first Keystone film with comedic cops; Keystone trade ads upon its release heralded as, "An uproarious 'Cop' picture."

Donald Gray, living with his mother in Scotland, through the friendship of the family physician, is offered an opportunity to go to America to study medicine. He leaves with his mother's blessings. Five years later, Donald is a physician with a successful practice in New York City. One of his patients has grown very fond of him; at the same time the young physician has grown fond of this gentleman's daughter, and is engaged to be married to her. His mother resolves to pay him an unexpected visit.

A womanizing city man meets Tillie in the country. When he sees that her father has a very large bankroll for his workers, he persuades her to elope with him.

One way or another, the Hollywood police have been kept busy with murders on their ground. There are numerous theories about the killings of Thelma Todd, Jack Healy (Three Stooges), Elizabeth Short, alias The Black Dahlia, Bugsy Siegal and Johnny Stompano. The files of William Desmond Taylor, Raymond Navarro and Sal Mineo are also re-opened. Femmes fatales are often deadly for the man's wallet or reputation -- these ladies killed for real. From Calamity Jane, gang boss Ma Baker and New York madame Polly Adler to axe-murderess Winnie Ruth Judd and others, we look at the Black Widow Spider syndrome. Rare archival footage and many hitherto unseen interviews, film, video clip tapes, and photographs are included in this hour-long program.

The first talkie was directed by Alice Guy, the first color film was produced by Lois Weber, who directed more than 300 films over 10 years. Frances Marion wrote screenplays for the Hollywood Star Mary Pickford and won two Oscars, Dorothy Arzner was the most powerful film director in Hollywood. And what do all of them have in common? They are all women and they have all been forgotten. Incredibly, it also took until 2010 for the first woman, Kathryn Bigelow, to win the Oscar for Best Director. Even if underrepresented women have always played a big part in Hollywood and it is this part of the film history left untold that this documentary sets out to uncover.

Hello, Mabel (also known as On a Busy Wire) is a 1914 American short silent comedy film directed by Mack Sennett.

The edition of Screen Snapshots celebrates 25 years of production. It looks at the content of edition #1, then a tribute to movie people who have died in those 25 years. Finally there are tributes to the Screen Snapshots series by Cecil De Mille, Walt Disney, Louella Parsons and Rosalind Russell.

Famous Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies

A short silent comedy starring Mabel Normand and Ford Sterling.

Sis is an eccentric young girl in a small rural village. While most around Sis view her as a joke, she is loved by Ridy Scarboro, the clerk at the general store. One day Sis's dog knocks an oil can into the Hopkins well and when wealthy old Vibert tastes the water, he believes the Hopkins have an oil strike.....

Bashful Mack has his friend Fred take flowers and presents to his girl Mabel by proxy, but the "friend" takes advantage and lures her to the altar in Mack's place.

Mabel seems to be working ironing dresses in a dress shop when something catches her attention in a newspaper. Apparently, it is an ad on becoming a detective. Mabel goes rushing off to a Detective school run by Fred Ward.

Charlie and his wife are in the park when he encounters Ambrose and his wife. Each man is attracted to and shows unwanted attention to the other man's wife. A policeman becomes involved.