Tweet The Pies in "A Noise From the Deep" (Sennett, 1913)

Hi All,

Many people have credited the first thrown pie to "A Noise from the Deep," although, Raymond Hatton and Ford Sterling both threw pies in "A Rag Time Band" which came out several months before "A Noise from the Deep".

I believe only the Museum of Modern Art has a print of the movie "A Noise from the Deep". I am wondering if anybody has ever seen it? If you have, could you describe the pie-throwing in the movie? Who throws the pie(s) and who gets hit by it? What motivates the pie throwing and what are the consequences?

Besides these two films, I know that "A Muddy Romance" also has a pie throwing sequence where Ford Sterling hits Mabel Norman with a pie. Does anybody know of any other movies with pie throwing from 1913 or 1914?

A Noise from the Deep played at the Arbuckle festival at MOMA in 2006. Not many details remain in my memroy, mostly the trick horses, but here's the review I wrote for IMDB that evening:

Horsing Around, 20 April 2006
Author: boblipton from New York City

This lively Keystone farce from 1913 is cast in the standard mode: it's a triangle caused by the fact that Mabel and Roscoe love each other, but her father likes another boy. A rather sissified young man. So Roscoe and Mabel pretend that Mabel has drowned and while everyone tries to rescue Mabel, the pair sneaks off and gets married.

I trust I haven't revealed any plot twists, ruining all possible enjoyment of this movie. It is rather enjoyable because when the Keystone Kops race to the rescue, they ride horses. Or try to. They've got some amusing trick horses and this makes the movie.

This is also supposed to be the first Keystone in which someone threw a pie. Roscoe throws it. All in all, a very enjoyable effort.

Bob

Ben Turpin gets smashed in the face with a pie by the waitress he's bothering at the end of MR. FLIP (1909). It's not exactly "thrown"... does this count?

Hi boblipton,

Thanks for this. I did read it on IMDB. It is still the only review there.

The strange thing is that although it is quoted in many places as the first thrown pie film, nobody can say who threw the pie at whom or describe the pie-throwing scene.

I assume there probably was a pie-throwing scene. I just wish someone could identify what it was.

Roscoe Arbuckle did have a pie throwing scene later that year in "A Quiet Little Wedding" (released Oct. 23, 1913).

Sincerely,

Jay Raskin

A Noise from the Deep played at the Arbuckle festival at MOMA in 2006. Not many details remain in my memroy, mostly the trick horses, but here's the review I wrote for IMDB that evening:

Horsing Around, 20 April 2006
Author: boblipton from New York City

This lively Keystone farce from 1913 is cast in the standard mode: it's a triangle caused by the fact that Mabel and Roscoe love each other, but her father likes another boy. A rather sissified young man. So Roscoe and Mabel pretend that Mabel has drowned and while everyone tries to rescue Mabel, the pair sneaks off and gets married.

I trust I haven't revealed any plot twists, ruining all possible enjoyment of this movie. It is rather enjoyable because when the Keystone Kops race to the rescue, they ride horses. Or try to. They've got some amusing trick horses and this makes the movie.

This is also supposed to be the first Keystone in which someone threw a pie. Roscoe throws it. All in all, a very enjoyable effort.

Bob

Hi frankebe,

Yes, Ben Turpin does get smushed with a pie as he richly deserves in "Mr. Flip" 1909. He and his Director Bronco Billy Anderson certainly deserves credit for this. However, it is not a thrown pie and it seems to have been a one-off, without any follow up.

I think the pies thrown in "A Rag Time Band" by Raymond Hatton and Ford Sterling were the pies heard round the world and started the modern pie-throwing era in cinema. This is for cinephiles what being present at the first baptism would be for Christians.

Warmly,

Jay Raskin

Ben Turpin gets smashed in the face with a pie by the waitress he's bothering at the end of MR. FLIP (1909). It's not exactly "thrown"... does this count?

After doing some research, I have come up with a list of the first ten movies with pies in the face


1) Mr Flip (Anderson, 1909) Ben Turpin gets smushed with a pie. It is not thrown.

2) The Rag Time Band (Sennett, May 1, 1913) Raymond Hatton throws the first pie and Ford Sterling gets it. Sterling throws the second pie and Mabel Normand receives it.

3) A Noise From the Deep (Sennett, July 17, 1913) Roscoe Arbuckle and Mable Normand. No certain information about who throws it and who receives it.

4) A Quiet Little Wedding (Wilford Lucas, October 23, 1913) Roscoe Arbuckle, Minta Durfee and Charles Inslee

5) A Muddy Romance (Sennett, November 13, 1913) Ford Sterling again throws it in Mable Normand's face.

Bringing Up, Hubby (Selig, January 29, 1914) Tom Santschi, Harriett Notter, John Lancaster, Lillian Leighton. Hubby sits down in a custard pie. I am not sure if there is any pie-throwing in this.

6) Papa's Boy (May 14, 1914) Ford Sterling, Billy Jacobs,

7) Getting Vivian Married (Phillips Smalley July 21, 1914) Vivian Prescott, Charles De Forrest

8 ) Topsy Turvey, Sweedie (Essanay, August 10, 1914) Wallace Beery, Charlotte Mineau, Leo Whtie

9) The Band Leader (Edmond R. Stratton, September 9, 1914) Hughie Mack, Lillian Herbert, Wally Van) Vitagraph

10) His Trysting Place (Charlie Chaplin, November 9, 1914) Chaplin throws two pies. The first one misses. The second hits Edward Frazee.

If you have any additions to the list, please feel free to make them.

Warmly,

Jay Raskin

There's a very funny pie throwing battle in Charlie Chaplin's BEHIND THE SCREEN (1916) between Charlie and Eric Campbell with lots of other people getting smashed in the face with flying pies around the studio as well.

Also, Laurel and Hardy's BATTLE OF THE CENTURY (1927) has a large pie throwing climax.

Hi Gloria,

Thanks for these. Yes, there are any number of great pie throwing scenes in both silents and talkies.

I just saw "Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops." I thought it was one of their poorest efforts, but the one really funny scene in the movie is a cameo by Mack Sennett. Abbott doesn't believe it really is Sennett. To prove it, Sennett picks up a pie, yells "Sweetheart" and throws it at Costello. He ducks and the pie hits Abbott. The film is worth watching just for these 30 seconds.

There's a very funny pie throwing battle in Charlie Chaplin's BEHIND THE SCREEN (1916) between Charlie and Eric Campbell with lots of other people getting smashed in the face with flying pies around the studio as well.

Also, Laurel and Hardy's BATTLE OF THE CENTURY (1927) has a large pie throwing climax.

Philosopher Jay
I just saw "Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops." I thought it was one of their poorest efforts, but the one really funny scene in the movie is a cameo by Mack Sennett. Abbott doesn't believe it really is Sennett. To prove it, Sennett picks up a pie, yells "Sweetheart" and throws it at Costello. He ducks and the pie hits Abbott. The film is worth watching just for these 30 seconds.

One of my personal favorite comedies of all time. Just watched this too a few days ago, and absolutely love it, did all my life.

Actually, Mack Sennett throws the pie at Bud Abbott because when Bud and Lou walk past his set Costello asks who he is, Sennett tells them "Mack Sennett" Bud snaps at Costello, "That's not Mack Sennett!" Sennett motions for a pie from the prop man, throws it into Buds face, Costello ends the scene with, "That's Mack Sennett!"

Later during the climatic chase they with Bud and Loe in moterbike and side car, they and the Keystone Kop wagon hit a bakery wagon and both get pies in the face.

Hi Gloria,
Thanks for the correction. I'll have to watch it again, especially to see the pies at the end. I didn't even catch that.

I think Lou Costello would have been a great silent film actor. While known for his radio routines with Bud Abbott, he does do a lot of great physical comedy in all his films. The dance in "Hold That Ghost" with Joan Davis comes to mind.

He really has an adorable baby face like Harry Langdon.

Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton's collaborator, wrote a lot of the episodes for the Abbott and Costello television Show.

Warmly,

Jay Raskin

Philosopher Jay
I just saw "Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops." I thought it was one of their poorest efforts, but the one really funny scene in the movie is a cameo by Mack Sennett. Abbott doesn't believe it really is Sennett. To prove it, Sennett picks up a pie, yells "Sweetheart" and throws it at Costello. He ducks and the pie hits Abbott. The film is worth watching just for these 30 seconds.

One of my personal favorite comedies of all time. Just watched this too a few days ago, and absolutely love it, did all my life.

Actually, Mack Sennett throws the pie at Bud Abbott because when Bud and Lou walk past his set Costello asks who he is, Sennett tells them "Mack Sennett" Bud snaps at Costello, "That's not Mack Sennett!" Sennett motions for a pie from the prop man, throws it into Buds face, Costello ends the scene with, "That's Mack Sennett!"

Later during the climatic chase they with Bud and Loe in moterbike and side car, they and the Keystone Kop wagon hit a bakery wagon and both get pies in the face.