Charley My Boy!

Series: Charley Chase

Director: Leo McCarey

Producer: Hal Roach

Titles: H.M. Walker

Photography: Harry W. Gerstad

Editor: Richard C. Currier

Stars: Charley Chase, Katherine Grant, Walter James, William Courtright, Fred Kelsey, Sydney D'Albrook

Company: Pathé Exchange

Released: 24 January 1926

Length: 2 reels

Production No.: B-4

Filming dates: September 28 - October 9, 1925

Rating: 5/10

Charley My Boy!

Available on DVD:

Charley Chase, Fred Kelsey and Katherine Grant in Charley My Boy! (1926)

Company president T.J. (Walter James) wants to marry his daughter Dodo (Katherine Grant) off to some wealthy old relic but when she gets a look at his photograph she isn't too keen. Later when Dodo is driving her car she accidentally splashes Charley with a puddle. When he confronts her she pushes Charley into the same puddle. A policeman tries to intervene but Charley shows that he is the forgiving type. But then the cop seems to be more interested in the fact that the woman has parked in front of a fire hydrant and tries to write her a ticket. She manages to move the car whilst Charley sits on the fire hydrant to conceal it. As the cop tries to examine Charley's strange behaviour Charley manages to unlock the top of it and the thing explodes into the air soaking him and the cop.
Charley answers an advert for an office assistant, where the girl's father is the head of the company. Their initial meeting does not go well when Charley mistakes him as a new applicant for the firm and gives him a lecture on how to dress appropriately in the office! Just then the elderly suitor (also named Charley just to add to the confusion) enters the office and is greeted warmly by the president. Charley is offered the job on the basis that it requires no brains to do it. When he is not looking the awkward assistant (Sidney D'Albrook) slips some sleeping tablets into Charley's milk, which he later drinks. Dodo comes to the office to meet her intended husband but the elderly gentleman leaves after she insults him. Her father tells the clerk to give Charley a letter inviting him over to the house later that evening to smooth things over but of course the clerk gives it to the new employee by mistake.

A sleepy Charley (Chase) arrives at the president's house and is introduced to the mother (Evelyn Burns) and reunited with Dodo. But the father isn't happy to see that the wrong Charley has turned up and telephones the other Charley to come on over. Father sits on the sofa reading the newspaper whilst he awaits the arrival of (old) Charley as (young) Charley sits next to him and falls asleep on father's shoulders. Old Charley shows up and everybody is seated for dinner. But again (young) Charley falls asleep just as the butler is dishing up the steaks. After dinner it's time for cigars and the three men start puffing up. But old Charley can't handle it and is given some liquor to help. Upon realising how bad it tastes, old Charley threatens to have the house raided before storming off out to find a cop! There's gratitude for ya.
The father tells young Charley to git rid of the booze which is hidden in the basement as old Charley returns to the house with the cop to find it. The cop goes down to the basement but finds nothing so goes back outside. Young Charley has to then climb outside and remove the crates and throw them through an open window. The cop checks the house and yep, there's Charley again trying to conceal all the boxes. After a few successful concealments of the merchandise, Charley comes unstuck when old Charley sees him with it. An army of cops arrive at the house and enter the basement where young Charley has opened all the crates and bottles. The cop says that there is no evidence to be had and young Charley walks out with bulging trousers. The eight cops follow Charley the awaiting car with Dodo in. As they drive away one of the cops takes aim and fires a shot into Charley's leg, which explodes with all the liquor from the bottles hidden inside it!

Favourite bit
Charley tries hard to hide the fact that he is sitting on the fire hydrant whilst unwittingly unscrewing it.

Trivia
• Copyrighted January 23, 1926.
• UK title: "Charlie, My Boy".
• The age gap between William Courtwright and Katherine Grant was almost 56 years.
• All of the intertitle cards on the DVD are freeze-frame replacements.

My opinion
• A really long two-reeler for Charley Chase. You know the scene where he starts drifting off into sleep after drinking the milk? Well that's how I was feeling watching it.

	Charley Chase Charley Chase
	Katherine Grant Dodo
	Walter James President T.J.
	William Courtright Old Charley (aka Charleyhorse)
	Fred Kelsey Cop
	Sidney D'Albrook Assistant
	Harry Bowen Applicant
	Clara Guiol Secretary
	Evelyn Burns T.J.'s wife
	Al Hallett Butler
	Chester Bachman Policeman