Charley Chase, a silent comedy legend, was born Charles Parrott in Maryland, USA, in 1893. He began his career in vaudeville, burlesque, and musical comedy before joining Universal Studios in 1913 as a comedian. Chase's early film career was marked by bit parts in numerous short comedies, including "The Knockout" with Charlie Chaplin, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Edgar Kennedy, and the Keystone Cops.
In 1914, Chase became one of the stars of the spectacular "Tillie's Punctured Romance," featuring all the stars on the lot, which took 14 weeks to shoot. He spent another year with Sennett starring in his own shorts, including "Settled at the Seaside" co-starring Mae Busch.
Chase started directing films using his real name and switching to his stage name when starring. He moved to Fox Studios in 1916, where he directed, wrote, and starred in comedies featuring Chester Conklin. After a few more studio moves, he rejoined Sennett and eventually landed at Hal Roach Studios in 1920 as a director.
At Hal Roach, Chase directed nearly a hundred two-reelers, most of which were directed by Leo McCarey. He usually portrayed a gentle and charming man who, in reality, was a loser. His character was largely inspired by Lloyd Hamilton, another neglected comedian.
Chase made several promising appearances after the talkies arrived, including in Laurel and Hardy's feature "Sons of the Desert" (1933). Despite this, he was never offered any further appearances in features. He continued to perform in shorts and directed some of the Three Stooges' early movies.
Charley Chase died in 1940 at the age of 46 from a heart attack, likely caused by his addiction to alcohol. His brother James, also an actor, had died the year before. Chase was married to Bebe Eltinge from 1914, a marriage that lasted until his death and produced two daughters, Polly and June.
Chase's silent work was celebrated on DVD in two volumes from Kino Video, finally recognizing his comic genius.
