Tweet "Music in My Hair" (1934)

My fear is that this is another Roach title that has copyright issues. It starred Billy Gilbert and Billy Bletcher as next door neighbors, who go to a speak to see Billy G's son perform. Complications ensue. Charley Chase directed. Does anyone know if this is available anywhere?

My fear is that this is another Roach title that has copyright issues. It starred Billy Gilbert and Billy Bletcher as next door neighbors, who go to a speak to see Billy G's son perform. Complications ensue. Charley Chase directed. Does anyone know if this is available anywhere?

I don't know about "issues", but it is under copyright. I've seen it, but don't recall if I have it or not and my collection list is not near me. It's another Billy Gilbert/Billy Bletcher comedy, but instead of the Schmaltz Brothers they're battling neighbors. Ty Parvis plays Gilbert's son who wants to marry Bletchers daughter and he gets to do another song and they reuse the SONS OF THE DESERT nightclub set. As I recall, the film looks sort of slapped together, and Parvis's number and I believe Virginia Karn's screentest (she played Mother Goose in BABES IN TOYLAND) are both somewhat obvious filler in it. It had the working title of KEG O MY HEART as I recall as well.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

It aired between features a couple of weeks ago on TCM, so will probably show up again. It was a mess, one of Charley's rare misfires.

It aired between features a couple of weeks ago on TCM, so will probably show up again. It was a mess, one of Charley's rare misfires.

I certainly wouldn't blame Chase for the misfire. They were wrapping up those Musical shorts series which weren't lighting any fires anyway and it looks like a total schedule filler. I don't think anyone cared much how it turned out, just finish and ship it.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

Billy Gilbert could be such a refreshing presence as a supporting player that these starring shorts of his are doubly atrocious for me. All that he exudes in that German Beer Hall is bluster and ham.

What was behind Roach's thinking of making musical shorts at a studio filled with clowns? At least Sennett had Bing Crosby for a time.

With apologies if this is too pedantic, but KEG O' MY HEART is the title of another Schmaltz Bros. two reeler from the previous year, on which Billy Gilbert gets director credit. It was a surprise to find it playing on TCM after I'd read in Richard Ward's Roach Studios book that it appeared to have been scrapped during cutting as a "lost cause". It was watchable, and not as anemic as MUSIC IN YOUR HAIR if I remember correctly, though most of the humor seemed to come from Bletcher's sodden germanic repetition of one line, "Louie...I think we buy the place!"

So Charley winds up directing this programmer, and the "Lot of Fun" keeps chugging along. He was a gag man of the first order, a pretty good director; why did he never direct Laurel & Hardy?

why did he never direct Laurel & Hardy?

For one thing, he and Stan Laurel had "issues".

With apologies if this is too pedantic, but KEG O' MY HEART is the title of another Schmaltz Bros. two reeler from the previous year, on which Billy Gilbert gets director credit. It was a surprise to find it playing on TCM after I'd read in Richard Ward's Roach Studios book that it appeared to have been scrapped during cutting as a "lost cause". It was watchable, and not as anemic as MUSIC IN YOUR HAIR if I remember correctly, though most of the humor seemed to come from Bletcher's sodden germanic repetition of one line, "Louie...I think we buy the place!"

Yes, you're right. I was going off the top of my head and not near my notes or my Roach book when I posted, and you've jogged my fuzzy memory. The working title for MUSIC IN MY HAIR was SYMPHONY IN SUDS, and it was the last of the Schmaltz Brothers trilogy and was indeed pretty much finished off after decisions were already made to scrap the whole Schmaltz Brothers concept. KEG O MY HEART did get a general release, but it was indeed sort of thrown out there with little fanfare in November 1933 and MUSIC IN YOUR HAIR sat on the shelf until it was let go the following June 1934. Apparently Billy Gilbert as director had gone over-budget on the shorts, and Chase may have been called in to finish up the last one in as quick and cheap a manner as possible. A pity because the first one, RHAPSODY IN BREW is a delightful short (which also may have been shot in color, but released only in black and white), and most of those Roach musical shorts had gone over budget (Leigh Jason was let go as their director for the same reason).


RICHARD M ROBERTS

why did he never direct Laurel & Hardy?

For one thing, he and Stan Laurel had "issues".

Jim leaves a tantalizing nugget for the 'Charley Chase Fan' and then walks out the door.

What a tease!

why did he never direct Laurel & Hardy?

For one thing, he and Stan Laurel had "issues".

Jim leaves a tantalizing nugget for the 'Charley Chase Fan' and then walks out the door.

What a tease!

And (at least in this thread) nearly four years later, we are STILL teased!!

Billy Gilbert could be such a refreshing presence as a supporting player that these starring shorts of his are doubly atrocious for me. All that he exudes in that German Beer Hall is bluster and ham.

Ham and Bluster....Mmmmmmmmmmmmm

Well, one issue. Don't remember where I got the info, but there was a story about Stan being interested in one of Chase's daughters and it not ending well.

[quote="Jim Reid"]Well, one issue at least. Don't remember where I got the info, but there was a story about Stan being interested in one of Chase's daughters and it not ending well.[/quote]

That story is from Andy Edmonds and Brian Anthony's Chase biography, "Smile When Raindrops Fall." Charley's oldest daughter, Polly, had been doing some bit parts in Dad's productions at Roach. Stan met her on the lot and asked Polly out. Supposedly, he came to Charley's house on Tigertail to pick her up. (I find this hard to believe) Charley met Stan at the front door, as the story goes, when Mr. Laurel stated he was there to take out Mr. Chase's daughter, Dad popped Stanley in the nose; communicating the message that the date wasn't going to happen. Stan was invited inside for a drink, and Mr. Laurel and Mr. Chase were buddies again, no hard feelings. There seems to have been quite a bit of family history related to Brian Anthony by Charley's decendants. I have no doubt that the story was related to Brian Anthony the way it appears in his book. However, Stan was indiscriminate when it came to chasing women, and Charley possessed a "black Irish" temper, so I've read. The ending sounds like something out of one of Charley's pictures. I have a hard time believing that Dad and the prospective boyfriend remained on good terms. So, Jim Reid, how about throwing us some fresh meat. Any other "issues" between Messers. Chase and Laurel you would like to disclose?

I have no doubt that the story was related to Brian Anthony the way it appears in his book. However, Stan was indiscriminate when it came to chasing women, and Charley possessed a "black Irish" temper, so I've read. The ending sounds like something out of one of Charley's pictures. I have a hard time believing that Dad and the prospective boyfriend remained on good terms. So, Jim Reid, how about throwing us some fresh meat. Any other "issues" between Messers. Chase and Laurel you would like to disclose?

Your post confuses me. You act like you doubt the story yet give information backing it up. Or is it just me you seem to have a bug up your a** about?

Like I was saying earlier, does anyone know why Charley Chase never directed L&H? Did he ever get close to doing it?

Like I was saying earlier, does anyone know why Charley Chase never directed L&H? Did he ever get close to doing it?

Well, the most likely reason is that it would have been a very foolish business decision on Roach's part to let his third highest paid star spend time directing his two highest paid stars. You end up with one very expensive film instead of two films with your most popular stars that could be made concurrently. Chase did very little directing of others at Roach after he returned to camera-front. and what directing he did there seemed to have been more helping out on troubled series when a comedy expert was needed.

You seem to be trying to hatch up rumors of a feud between Laurel and Hardy and Charley Chase, and I have never seen any evidence of it. They seemed to appreciate each others work, did work together in early radio and personal appearances together promoting Roach product, made cameos in each others films, and even socialized to some extent. But they were top stars in separate units, and there just wasn't really time nor a real economic sense in them working together in Roach pictures. Later on, with Columbia's more hectic pace in grinding out shorts, Chase could crank out his contracted yearly output of starring shorts and still have time to direct others and make more money, but it was a different ballgame at the Lot of Fun.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

Richard-
This one is really off the subject, but what promotional events would Laurel and Chase have done? Can you give me an example? I have found photos and newspaper stories concerning Charley promoting a RCA product, either in a single personal appearance or in connection with a vaudeville tour, but that's it.

Richard-
This one is really off the subject, but what promotional events would Laurel and Chase have done? Can you give me an example? I have found photos and newspaper stories concerning Charley promoting a RCA product, either in a single personal appearance or in connection with a vaudeville tour, but that's it.

They all made numerous appearances together on Roach's radio station, KFVD, at the beginning of the sound era, and other radio stations as well (one appearance one wishes an aircheck existed on was one Chase, L and H, Harry Langdon, Thelma Todd, and Our Gang made on KHJ's VOICES OF FILMLAND show January 27th, 1930). I also remember an interview with William M. Robson years ago where he recalled Chase working incognito as a radio actor at some station he was working at in the early 30's, apparently to gain radio experience.). I do recall seeing an ad for some personal appearance at a Theater in San Francisco for Chase and Laurel and Hardy around 1928-29 but don;'t have it handy. But personal appearances were a regular part of most actors regimen, and Roach stars were no different, especially on the West Coast where it was easy to go out between pictures without travelling too far away from the studio. Wasn't Chase a member of the Masquers Club as well? I seem to recall some appearances he made at some of their functions and benefits.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

Charley was a long time member of the Masquers, and was the Harlequin, which was their president, in 1937. There was among other events the Masquers' Annual Revel, which seemed to be mostly skits with an overall theme holding the show together. Charley appeared in and wrote some of the skits over the years. Babe Hardy, Alan Hale, along with Charley were early members. One interesting news clipping that I read was about a Revel they decided to put on in Roscoe Arbuckle's honor to welcome him back to Hollywood after his last trial in San Francisco. A local organization who was leasing a facility to the Masquers for the Revel thought it inappropriate to welcome Arbuckle back even after he was acquitted of rape charges a 3rd time. Much to the Masquers credit, they kept Roscoe as their honoree, and moved the event to a different location. I saw it in the LA Times archive, in case anyone is interested.

They all made numerous appearances together on Roach's radio station, KFVD, at the beginning of the sound era, and other radio stations as well (one appearance one wishes an aircheck existed on was one Chase, L and H, Harry Langdon, Thelma Todd, and Our Gang made on KHJ's VOICES OF FILMLAND show January 27th, 1930).
RICHARD M ROBERTS

Found in Film Daily, 22 Jan. 1930 (thanks to the Media History Digital Archive):

roach1930.jpg (68.43 KiB) Viewed 697 times

-HA

They all made numerous appearances together on Roach's radio station, KFVD, at the beginning of the sound era, and other radio stations as well (one appearance one wishes an aircheck existed on was one Chase, L and H, Harry Langdon, Thelma Todd, and Our Gang made on KHJ's VOICES OF FILMLAND show January 27th, 1930).
RICHARD M ROBERTS

Found in Film Daily, 22 Jan. 1930 (thanks to the Media History Digital Archive):

roach1930.jpg

-HA

Dat be it, Thanks Harold! If only someone had cut a disc of it. Harry Langdon on the radio had to be either an interesting experience or a total failure.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

Charley was a long time member of the Masquers, and was the Harlequin, which was their president, in 1937. There was among other events the Masquers' Annual Revel, which seemed to be mostly skits with an overall theme holding the show together. Charley appeared in and wrote some of the skits over the years. Babe Hardy, Alan Hale, along with Charley were early members.

A few years ago I wrote a profile of Tyler Brooke for Slapstick and found some interesting material about the Masquers Club. Brooke, and his friend Charley Chase, were both on the executive board and among the most active members, and both always appeared in the Revels. In a Masquers newsletter I found a brief description of the 'Revels of 1928,' staged in January of that year. The show was hosted by Chase, and one of the sketches, called a "Novelty fight riot" in the newsletter, featured "those Mastodonic Shakespearean artists" Charley Chase, Babe Hardy, Stan Laurel, Jimmy Finlayson, and Hank Mann.

Oh, for a time machine!

Charley was a long time member of the Masquers, and was the Harlequin, which was their president, in 1937. There was among other events the Masquers' Annual Revel, which seemed to be mostly skits with an overall theme holding the show together. Charley appeared in and wrote some of the skits over the years. Babe Hardy, Alan Hale, along with Charley were early members. One interesting news clipping that I read was about a Revel they decided to put on in Roscoe Arbuckle's honor to welcome him back to Hollywood after his last trial in San Francisco. A local organization who was leasing a facility to the Masquers for the Revel thought it inappropriate to welcome Arbuckle back even after he was acquitted of rape charges a 3rd time. Much to the Masquers credit, they kept Roscoe as their honoree, and moved the event to a different location. I saw it in the LA Times archive, in case anyone is interested.

You must be getting this story confused with something else about Roscoe. Arbuckle was acquitted in 1922. The Masquers didn't come into existence until 1925.

Well, one issue at least. Don't remember where I got the info, but there was a story about Stan being interested in one of Chase's daughters and it not ending well.

That story is from Andy Edmonds and Brian Anthony's Chase biography, "Smile When Raindrops Fall." Charley's oldest daughter, Polly, had been doing some bit parts in Dad's productions at Roach. Stan met her on the lot and asked Polly out. Supposedly, he came to Charley's house on Tigertail to pick her up. (I find this hard to believe) Charley met Stan at the front door, as the story goes, when Mr. Laurel stated he was there to take out Mr. Chase's daughter, Dad popped Stanley in the nose; communicating the message that the date wasn't going to happen. Stan was invited inside for a drink, and Mr. Laurel and Mr. Chase were buddies again, no hard feelings. There seems to have been quite a bit of family history related to Brian Anthony by Charley's decendants. I have no doubt that the story was related to Brian Anthony the way it appears in his book. However, Stan was indiscriminate when it came to chasing women, and Charley possessed a "black Irish" temper, so I've read. The ending sounds like something out of one of Charley's pictures. I have a hard time believing that Dad and the prospective boyfriend remained on good terms. So, Jim Reid, how about throwing us some fresh meat. Any other "issues" between Messers. Chase and Laurel you would like to disclose?

Thanks to Brian Anthony I met (and became friends with) Chase's daughter June and his grandson Charley. The stories from the Chase family members recounted in Brian's book were also related to me. After the above altercation there was no bad blood between Stan and Charley, once Charley bopped Stan on the nose and they had a drink, there were no hard feelings between them. Stan crossed over the line and the head of the Chase household let him know it.

I'm imagining the punch in the nose a re-enactment from OUR WIFE, with Chase subbing for Blanche Payson.
Fade in to the little cocktail table from BLOTTO and now Charley has replaced Ollie as the two get mildly 'spiffed'.

Friends again.....(until their wives show up with a shotgun)

[quote]You must be getting this story confused with something else about Roscoe. Arbuckle was acquitted in 1922. The Masquers didn't come into existence until 1925.[/quote] You were quite right on that account, Ed. I found the articles about this event in the LA Times from October, 1925. You were right about the Masquers coming into existence in 1925, and this was their first Revel as well. They kicked up quite a fuss by having Mr. Arbuckle on the program as one of the participants. The Revel was to be held at the Hollywood High School Memorial Auditorium, and the event was approved several weeks previously by the Board of Education. When various members of the community saw the posters and handbills for the entertainment that had been distributed included Roscoe Arbuckle as one of the featured players, they protested to the school board. The Board of Education then directed an ultimatum be given the Masquers; either drop Arbuckle or forget about the auditorium. Robert Edeson, actor and Halequin of the Masquers, made the following statement, "Mr. Arbuckle is a member of this club, and the club stands back of him to a man. We have spent thousands of dollars preparing for this revel and we will hold it sometime next week somewhere, if we have to hold it in a tent. The Board of Education, it seems, is holding its head above the San Francisco courts in Mr. Arbuckle's case"(LA Times, October 16, 1925). What a guy! With that said, the Revel was held at Los Angeles Philharmonic Auditorium on October 22, 1925. It was reported by Herbert Moulton in the LA Times the next day, "Roscoe Arbuckle's appearance in the opening number was the occasion for ovation, which lasted several minutes. A few hisses were heard once during a lull in the applause, but were soon drowned out in the next outburst. Arbuckle, who had most of the act to himself, indulged in a few humorous antics, which proved that he has lost none of his ability as a comedian, even though he has not had the opportunity to practice in a long while"(LA Times, October 23, 1925). I only hope that if Barry Levinson (Native Baltimoron alert) is directing the Arbuckle biography this chapter in Roscoe's life makes it into the screenplay. Those who worked with and knew him supported his innocence.