Topic: Charley Chase: The Hal Roach Talkies Volume One 1930-31

[falsealarms]

Sprocket Vault is slated to release Charley Chase: The Hal Roach Talkies Volume One 1930-31 at a to be determined date.

The two-disc DVD set is slated to consist of 18 shorts. It's said that the set will use restorations from the best possible elements.

More information: http://www.silentcomedymafia.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1980" target="_blank

[metaldams]

Fantastic!  Will be buying.  Thanks for sharing.

[Umbrella Sam]

I saw some of Chase's Roach shorts earlier this year on TCM and enjoyed them. Glad to see they're getting a DVD release.

[metaldams]

I saw some of Chase's Roach shorts earlier this year on TCM and enjoyed them. Glad to see they're getting a DVD release.

I have a few collections of his silent films and all of his Columbia shorts, the latter of which I'm watching this weekend.  Ironically, the stuff I want to see the most are his later silents, which seem to be in limbo, and his Roach talkies, which I've only seen a few, so I'm really looking forward to this collection.  Now if only the Columbia and Roach Harry Langdon shorts would be released.

[metaldams]

Just pre-ordered mine.  Word going around is later volumes are not a guarantee unless this first volume sells, so if you like Charley Chase and have extra moolah, I hope others do the same.  Really looking forward to this collection.

[GreenCanaries]

Thought I'd post this post from Richard M. Roberts here, to clear up some stuff about the release of this set (including that the Amazon page is not official):

http://silentcomedymafia.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1982

[metaldams]

Any further word on this set?  The Amazon page did indeed turn to be bogus and I've yet to hear anything else?  Anybody find any word on this set I'm failing to find?

[falsealarms]

The last thing I knew was that the set is definitely in the works but it's not ready yet. The Amazon pre-order page never should have been up when it was.

[metaldams]

The last thing I knew was that the set is definitely in the works but it's not ready yet. The Amazon pre-order page never should have been up when it was.

Thanks!

[Mark The Shark]

Someone could try and ask Mr. Roberts, if you dare. From things he has posted, it looks like the answer is basically, "it'll come out when it comes out. Now sit down and shut up."

[falsealarms]

This set is officially official, and ready to order for real now.

https://www.amazon.com/Charley-Chase-Roach-Talkies-1930-31/dp/B078Z398G6/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1516146666&sr=1-1&keywords=charley+chase+at+roach+the+talkies

For Immediate Release

A NEW COLLECTION OF CHARLEY CHASE SHORTS IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON DVD

Volume One Contains 18 Rare Talking Comedy Shorts From The Golden Age of Hollywood

(Phoenix, AZ) The Sprocket Vault announces its latest DVD release: CHARLEY CHASE AT HAL ROACH: THE TALKIES VOLUME ONE: 1930-31, the first in a series and available exclusively on Amazon. These 18 comedy shorts on a 2-DVD set showcases this great but somewhat neglected comedian during some of his prime film days.

From 1924-1936, Charley Chase made hilarious short comedies for the Hal Roach Studios. He was one of their most popular comedy stars in both the silent and sound eras. His talkie shorts for Hal Roach have never been collected into a comprehensive collection before, and now THE SPROCKET VAULT brings them to the public in a planned multi-volume collection designed to reacquaint comedy fans to his wonderful short films.

Charley Chase was considered the leading man of comedians, a handsome, talented performer with strong comedy credentials on both sides of the camera. He became Hal Roach's number two star in terms of box office, second only to Laurel and Hardy during his stay at Roach. Chase utilized a style that incorporated classic visual comedy blended with more situational and screwball elements, his sound comedies also highlight his musical abilities. Chase was an accomplished singer and dancer as well.

The films in this 1930-31 collection are also complimented by the presence of Charley Chase's then-frequent leading lady, the lovely and vivacious Thelma Todd. She was a beautiful and statuesque blonde with great timing and comedy talent, whose work with Charley Chase and other comedians propelled her to stardom in her own Hal Roach comedy series. Her career as a lead comedienne was tragically cut short by her early death in 1935 at the age of 29.

The Sprocket Vault's new Charley Chase collection utilizes original Hal Roach Studio print materials for its digital masters, and each short on this collection is accompanied by a commentary track from noted film historian and Hal Roach authority Richard M. Roberts, who shines new light on the "Lot of Fun" and the people involved in making these classic comedies in an informative, clever, and entertaining manner.

CHARLEY CHASE AT HAL ROACH: THE TALKIES VOLUME ONE: 1930-31 contains -The Shorts - 1930: The Real McCoy, Whispering Whoopee, All Teed Up, Fifty Million Husbands, Fast Work, Girl Shock, Dollar Dizzy, Looser Than Loose, High C's

The Shorts - 1931: Thundering Tenors, The Pip from Pittsburg, Rough Seas, One of the Smiths, The Panic Is On, Skip the Maloo! What a Bozo! The Hasty Marriage

Extra: La Senorita De Chicago (1931) (Spanish-language version of THE PIP FROM PITTSBURG)

DVD BASICS

Retail: $34.99

Amazon Price: $24.93

Language: English

Running Time: 413 minutes

Color: Black & White

Year: 1930 & 31

Rating: Not Rated

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 - 4X3


Available Now!

The Sprocket Vault DVDs are sold exclusively through Amazon.


www.sprocketvault.com

Social Media links:

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/Film_Buff/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sprocketvault/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sprocketvault/

[metaldams]

This set is officially official, and ready to order for real now.

https://www.amazon.com/Charley-Chase-Roach-Talkies-1930-31/dp/B078Z398G6/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1516146666&sr=1-1&keywords=charley+chase+at+roach+the+talkies

For Immediate Release

A NEW COLLECTION OF CHARLEY CHASE SHORTS IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON DVD

Volume One Contains 18 Rare Talking Comedy Shorts From The Golden Age of Hollywood

(Phoenix, AZ) The Sprocket Vault announces its latest DVD release: CHARLEY CHASE AT HAL ROACH: THE TALKIES VOLUME ONE: 1930-31, the first in a series and available exclusively on Amazon. These 18 comedy shorts on a 2-DVD set showcases this great but somewhat neglected comedian during some of his prime film days.

From 1924-1936, Charley Chase made hilarious short comedies for the Hal Roach Studios. He was one of their most popular comedy stars in both the silent and sound eras. His talkie shorts for Hal Roach have never been collected into a comprehensive collection before, and now THE SPROCKET VAULT brings them to the public in a planned multi-volume collection designed to reacquaint comedy fans to his wonderful short films.

Charley Chase was considered the leading man of comedians, a handsome, talented performer with strong comedy credentials on both sides of the camera. He became Hal Roach's number two star in terms of box office, second only to Laurel and Hardy during his stay at Roach. Chase utilized a style that incorporated classic visual comedy blended with more situational and screwball elements, his sound comedies also highlight his musical abilities. Chase was an accomplished singer and dancer as well.

The films in this 1930-31 collection are also complimented by the presence of Charley Chase's then-frequent leading lady, the lovely and vivacious Thelma Todd. She was a beautiful and statuesque blonde with great timing and comedy talent, whose work with Charley Chase and other comedians propelled her to stardom in her own Hal Roach comedy series. Her career as a lead comedienne was tragically cut short by her early death in 1935 at the age of 29.

The Sprocket Vault's new Charley Chase collection utilizes original Hal Roach Studio print materials for its digital masters, and each short on this collection is accompanied by a commentary track from noted film historian and Hal Roach authority Richard M. Roberts, who shines new light on the "Lot of Fun" and the people involved in making these classic comedies in an informative, clever, and entertaining manner.

CHARLEY CHASE AT HAL ROACH: THE TALKIES VOLUME ONE: 1930-31 contains -The Shorts - 1930: The Real McCoy, Whispering Whoopee, All Teed Up, Fifty Million Husbands, Fast Work, Girl Shock, Dollar Dizzy, Looser Than Loose, High C's

The Shorts - 1931: Thundering Tenors, The Pip from Pittsburg, Rough Seas, One of the Smiths, The Panic Is On, Skip the Maloo! What a Bozo! The Hasty Marriage

Extra: La Senorita De Chicago (1931) (Spanish-language version of THE PIP FROM PITTSBURG)

DVD BASICS

Retail: $34.99

Amazon Price: $24.93

Language: English

Running Time: 413 minutes

Color: Black & White

Year: 1930 & 31

Rating: Not Rated

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 - 4X3


Available Now!

The Sprocket Vault DVDs are sold exclusively through Amazon.


www.sprocketvault.com

Social Media links:

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/Film_Buff/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sprocketvault/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sprocketvault/

Thank you!

Placed my order, will post my opinions when I view the set.  I've only seen one of these shorts, so I have a lot of new viewing ahead.

[falsealarms]

Nearly all of these will be new to me. I'm especially looking forward to seeing THE HASTY MARRIAGE and a good copy of THE PIP FROM PITTSBURG.

Hopefully this sells well and more volumes will follow.

[Kopfy2013]

Nice.  Thanks for the heads up.

[falsealarms]

My set came on Tuesday. I ordered last Thursday and had 2-day shipping.

People will be very pleased with this set. I've sampled several shorts and watched the first four completely. All were enjoyable to varying degrees. I liked The Real McCoy more than I thought I would, and Chase has a nice song in it. A pleasant surprise.  Whispering Whoopee starts a little slow but ends up being quite a bit of fun. All Teed Up wasn't as good as I thought it would be, but there were still enjoyable aspects to it. Fifty Million Husbands was a gem - the best of the four so far.  Charley's quiet night at home turns into anything but when a separated couple shows up at different points of the night to look at their old home.

All Teed Up and Fifty Million Husbands were both directed by Edgar Kennedy, who also acts in both films.

Audio and video is good.

This long-awaited set looks to be worth every penny. Here's hoping it sells enough to warrant more volumes.

[metaldams]

Mine arrived today!  Get out at work 12:30 on Friday and have a very rare weekend with zero plans or commitments, so it shall be glorious digging through this set.  Will post my thoughts.

Between this and watching and reviewing SPEAK EASILY, plenty of Hot Toddy this weekend!  Thelma Todd features on the cover, so I'm expecting a lot of her in this set.

[falsealarms]

Mine arrived today!  Get out at work 12:30 on Friday and have a very rare weekend with zero plans or commitments, so it shall be glorious digging through this set.  Will post my thoughts.

Between this and watching and reviewing SPEAK EASILY, plenty of Hot Toddy this weekend!  Thelma Todd features on the cover, so I'm expecting a lot of her in this set.

I eagerly await your takes on these shorts.

[metaldams]

I've watched the first disc shorts and commentaries so far and am enjoying the heck out of this.  Richard Roberts does a great job at being both informative and personable - the guy has a sense of humor and I don't feel like I'm in a classroom like with other audio commentaries, yet I still learn a lot.

I wonder if the reason why the Chase shorts didn't catch on with the baby boomers when they were kids watching on television was because they were more adult than The Three Stooges, Laurel and Hardy, and Our Gang?  Just a theory on my part, but especially WHISPERING WHOOPEE and LOOSER THAN LOOSE are extremely adult oriented. 

HIGH C'S and to a lesser extent, THE REAL MCCOY, almost come across as novelties, but the other shorts are excellent.  Chase was a fantastic comedian and so was Thelma Todd, in addition to being gorgeous.  They work fantastically together.  I really hope more volumes come out, I at least did my free market part and bought it.

Oh, and forget about Edgar Kennedy's mumbled background "shit" in PERFECT DAY, Chase blatantly says "shitty" as an actual line in ALL TEED UP.  I thought I was hearing things, but my suspicions were confirmed in the audio commentary.

[Umbrella Sam]

Still waiting on my DVD. It was supposed to come this Monday, but I just got word that it won’t arrive until Wednesday.

[falsealarms]

Still waiting on my DVD. It was supposed to come this Monday, but I just got word that it won’t arrive until Wednesday.

I think that's because it's selling well and it's taking longer to get more in.

[falsealarms]

I've watched the first disc shorts and commentaries so far and am enjoying the heck out of this.  Richard Roberts does a great job at being both informative and personable - the guy has a sense of humor and I don't feel like I'm in a classroom like with other audio commentaries, yet I still learn a lot.

I wonder if the reason why the Chase shorts didn't catch on with the baby boomers when they were kids watching on television was because they were more adult than The Three Stooges, Laurel and Hardy, and Our Gang?  Just a theory on my part, but especially WHISPERING WHOOPEE and LOOSER THAN LOOSE are extremely adult oriented. 

HIGH C'S and to a lesser extent, THE REAL MCCOY, almost come across as novelties, but the other shorts are excellent.  Chase was a fantastic comedian and so was Thelma Todd, in addition to being gorgeous.  They work fantastically together.  I really hope more volumes come out, I at least did my free market part and bought it.

Oh, and forget about Edgar Kennedy's mumbled background "shit" in PERFECT DAY, Chase blatantly says "shitty" as an actual line in ALL TEED UP.  I thought I was hearing things, but my suspicions were confirmed in the audio commentary.

Your theory makes sense to me. Good as most of these are so far, I can't see kids getting into them as easily as the other acts you mentioned.

I'm now a couple shorts into disc 2. The two that were weaker than the rest so far were HIGH C's and THUNDERING TENORS. HIGH C's never really got off the ground for me, and I don't seem to be alone in not being a huge fan of THUNDERING TENORS. Two of the three written reviews at IMDb trash the film pretty hard. The one saving grace in the film are Charley's scenes with the female doctor at the end - those are lot of fun, but they can't salvage the rest of it.

FAST WORK, LOOSER THAN LOOSE, DOLLAR DIZZY and THE PIP FROM PITTSBURGH are all up there with FIFTY MILLION HUSBANDS and WHISPERING WHOOPEE as the set's best so far.

By most accounts I've read, the Chase shorts only better better after this 1930-31 period.

[Umbrella Sam]

I think that's because it's selling well and it's taking longer to get more in.

Hey, if that’s the case, then that’s alright. Just glad to hear it’s selling well.

[falsealarms]

I finished this set. Watching these in order, you can really sense the Chase talkies found their groove with the 1931 releases. The 1930 crop certainly wasn't without highlights, but the 1931 releases were more consistently good. The only 1931 release I'd rate less than good was the first, THUNDERING TENORS.

I'm eager to see where the Chase talkies go from here. Bring on vol 2!

[metaldams]

I finished this set. Watching these in order, you can really sense the Chase talkies found their groove with the 1931 releases. The 1930 crop certainly wasn't without highlights, but the 1931 releases were more consistently good. The only 1931 release I'd rate less than good was the first, THUNDERING TENORS.

I'm eager to see where the Chase talkies go from here. Bring on vol 2!

Next volume will have LUNCHEON AT TWELVE, one of the few post 1931's I've seen.  It is of definite interest to Stooge fans.

[falsealarms]

Next volume will have LUNCHEON AT TWELVE, one of the few post 1931's I've seen.  It is of definite interest to Stooge fans.

You've piqued my interest. I've only seen maybe a handful of his post 1931 Roach shorts, and that isn't one of them.

What did you think of ROUGH SEAS (1931)? The old adage is that sequels are rarely as good as the original film but I thought ROUGH SEAS beat HIGH C's by a mile. Lots of fun.

[metaldams]

You've piqued my interest. I've only seen maybe a handful of his post 1931 Roach shorts, and that isn't one of them.

What did you think of ROUGH SEAS (1931)? The old adage is that sequels are rarely as good as the original film but I thought ROUGH SEAS beat HIGH C's by a mile. Lots of fun.

I too liked ROUGH SEAS better than HIGH C'S.  I thought of this and it was echoed in the audio commentary....put the two films together and you have a legitimate six reel feature.

[Umbrella Sam]

Finally got a chance to watch the first 5 shorts today. They’ve all had good moments, but probably my favorites so far have been ALL TEED UP and FIFTY MILLION HUSBANDS. Looking forward to watching the rest of the shorts later.

[falsealarms]

An essential review of this set:

https://thrillingdaysofyesteryear.wordpress.com/2018/03/05/smile-when-the-raindrops-fall/

[metaldams]

An essential review of this set:

https://thrillingdaysofyesteryear.wordpress.com/2018/03/05/smile-when-the-raindrops-fall/

Thanks for the review.  Made me bookmark that blog in general.