GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN - CHARLEY CHASE: THE MASTER OF THE COMEDY OF EMBARRASSMENT

Since the advent of cinema, many well-known actors have faded from the public eye due to the changes reflected in popular culture and the passing of time. Today, we are going to take a look at the life and career of one of these actors, Charley Chase, by chronicling his journey through the entertainment industry. Please enjoy.





Full name: Charles Joseph Parrott / Occupations: Actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter / Born: October 20, 1893, in Baltimore, Maryland, USA / Died: June 20, 1940, in Hollywood, California, USA (aged 46) / Years active: 1912 to 1940

What do we know about his life before he started his career? Not much is known about Charley's life before he started his career. But what we do know is that his father, also known as Charles, was an alcoholic who suddenly died of a heart attack while in his forties. His mother, Blanche, on the other hand, was a housewife who did her best to bring up Charley and his younger brother, James. We also know that Charley supported his family by quitting school and then working in a variety of odd jobs.

How did he start his career? Charley began performing in vaudeville when he was a teenager, predominantly singing, dancing, and reciting Irish monologues in theaters throughout his native Baltimore. He eventually became a local celebrity, and by 1910, he left his hometown and started touring America with more seasoned performers. In 1912, Charley arrived in Hollywood and found work at the Al Christie filmmaking unit at Universal, before gravitating to Mack Sennett's Keystone Studios, which was fast becoming a haven for talented young comedians. While there, Charley became a supporting actor and worked alongside such comedic legends as Charlie Chaplin and Fatty Arbuckle. He also starred in a series of silent shorts and became a director, directing such stars as Ford Sterling, Chester Conklin, and Mack Swain. That's partially why in 1917, Charley left Keystone and then started directing silent comedies for other studios, including Fox Film Corporation, Bulls Eye, and Educational Pictures, where he directed such actors as Lloyd Hamilton, Billy West, and a young Oliver Hardy.

What happened next? Following a brief stint as a director for Henry Lehrman's L-KO Kompany, Charley began directing silent comedies for Hal Roach Studios in 1920. Not only did he direct comedies and supervise the first entries in the Our Gang series, but in 1921, he also became director-general of the studio and supervised all of the series produced by Hal Roach, apart from the Harold Lloyd comedies. However, when Harold left in 1923, Charley moved back in front of the camera and began appearing in his own series of shorts, initially calling himself Jimmie Jump (or Jimmy Jump), prior to assuming the name he's now generally known for, Charley Chase. Along with the director, Leo McCarey, Charley formed a comedic style for his series and continued to act in comedies, even during the sound era, starring in comedies like 'The Pip from Pittsburg' (1931) with Thelma Todd, and 'Sons of the Desert' (1933) with Laurel and Hardy. But due to creative differences, Charley left the studio in 1936 and started working for Columbia Pictures a year later, where he spent the remainder of his career starring in his own series of two-reel comedies, as well as producing and directing other comedies for Columbia, including those starring The Three Stooges, Andy Clyde, and Walter Catlett.

What was he best known for? Charley's screen persona was that of a pleasant young man who sported a dapper mustache, smart street clothing, and occasionally, round glasses. He was generally known as the master of the comedy of embarrassment, and he typically played either hapless young businessmen or befuddled husbands.

Was he married? Yes, from 1914 until his untimely death, Charley was married to a nice lady originally from San Diego, California, called Bebe Eltinge. Allegedly, they both had a rather strained relationship, but despite this, they managed to have two daughters together, Polly and June.

How did he pass away? It's believed that during their respective careers, Charley and his younger brother, James Parrott (see below for more details 👇), both suffered from depression and alcoholism, which eventually took a serious toll on their health. In James's case, though, he also had a drug habit that hindered his career. So much so, in fact, that he began to rely on his brother for financial support. But then, one fateful day, Charley refused to help James until he overcame his problems, which resulted in James allegedly committing suicide (although officially his death was attributed to a heart attack). So, feeling partially responsible for his brother's demise, Charley threw himself into his work and drank so much alcohol, that after a year or so, the stress caught up with him and Charley died of a heart attack.

Additional information:

• Charley helped his younger brother, James Parrott, establish a career in the film industry. Just like Charley, he became an actor, a director, and a screenwriter. But unlike him, James's acting career wasn't as notable, even though his career as a director was. He directed such classic comedies as 'The Music Box' (1932), starring Laurel and Hardy, 'Now We'll Tell One' (1932), starring his brother, Charley, and a number of Our Gang shorts, such as 'Washee Ironee' (1934).
• Charley's hair turned prematurely gray and had to dye it jet-black whenever starring in a comedy.
• In an interview with the talk show host, David Letterman, Hal Roach said that when Charley auditioned for him, Charley stated that he could play any part, before proceeding to do his impression of a lighthouse. Charley did this by turning his head and then pausing with his eyes wide open whenever he was facing forward during each rotation.
• Charley is interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, in Glendale, California, near his wife, Bebe Eltinge.
• Charley Chase received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6630 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, on February 8, 1960.

So, there you have it, folks, a quick look at the life and career of the actor, Charley Chase. Out of curiosity, have you seen any of the films Charley starred in? And if you have, which one is your favorite and why? Either way, please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section below.