Charley Chase: Megapack
For decades, Chase was the "best-kept secret" of classic film buffs. That secret, however, is now gloriously out of the bag, thanks to the essential home video treasure: .
Often cited as one of the funniest two-reelers ever made. Chase plays a homely man who, after getting a drastic makeover, doesn’t recognize his own wife (who has also had a makeover). They end up trying to have an affair with each other. It is sophisticated, ridiculous, and flawless.
Chase’s genius was narrative structure. His shorts (mostly for the Hal Roach studio, home of Laurel & Hardy and Our Gang) are miniature masterpieces of cause-and-effect chaos. A simple lie about knowing how to dance leads to a shattered car radiator, a stolen police horse, and a wedding cake falling off a cliff. While specific box sets vary, a true "Charley Chase MegaPack" typically bundles his finest surviving works, often spanning the late 1920s through the mid-1930s. Here are the crown jewels you’ll likely find: Charley Chase MegaPack
In the golden age of silent and early sound comedy, a few names dominate the conversation: Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd, and later, Laurel & Hardy. But lurking just beneath that A-list is a man who might have been the most consistently hilarious of them all. His name is Charley Chase.
Chase transitioned to talkies better than most. His voice—a smooth, slightly panicked tenor—became his weapon. In this short, he invents a fake, exotic backstory to impress a girl, only to have her father actually be from that exotic place. The rapid-fire linguistic gymnastics are a joy to hear. For decades, Chase was the "best-kept secret" of
Put on Mighty Like a Moose . And prepare to meet your new favorite comedian.
A silent film with a frantic pace. Chase is trying to get to his wedding, but his future mother-in-law’s limousine keeps getting stripped of parts by strangers. The final freeze-frame of Chase screaming silently into the camera is the stuff of comedy legend. Chase plays a homely man who, after getting
If you love perfectly tailored suits, double-takes that defy physics, and plots that spiral from "minor misunderstanding" into "absolute urban warfare," you need this collection. Born Charles Parrott in Baltimore in 1893, Chase was a triple-threat: director, writer, and star. While his contemporaries played tramps (Chaplin), stone-faces (Keaton), or go-getters (Lloyd), Chase played the everyday man —specifically, the everyday man who has just accidentally set his mother-in-law’s hat on fire while trying to impress a girl.
Stop searching for the "deep cut." Stop pretending you’ve seen every Keaton short.
In an era of "elevated horror" and "prestige drama," the Charley Chase MegaPack is a reminder that pure, physical, plot-driven comedy is an art form. Chase is the comedian your favorite comedian’s favorite comedian. Groucho Marx admired him. Jerry Lewis copied his rhythm. Mel Brooks quotes his gags.
