It is an old saying that imitation is the highest form of flattery. If we are to go by this saying than Charlie Chaplin was one of the most flattered men in the history of cinema. During the 1910's there were many Chaplin imitators hoping to cash on the phenomenon that was Chaplin's tramp character. They did not go about this subtly often times. They often dressed just like the tramp and essentially made remakes of Chaplin's early films. What is incredible and often forgotten about these films is that they were extremely popular in their day. The most popular of these imitators was Billy West. As I have written about before on this blog (to see click here), some audiences and reviewers shockingly even preferred these films over actual Charlie Chaplin films. While I wouldn't say they are better than actually Charlie Chaplin films, I personally really enjoy Billy West's films. A typically great Billy West comedy was The Candy Kid.
In this short two store owners (Leo White, Oliver Hardy) are in heavy competition for costumers. When one of the stores proves more successful, the other store owner (Leo White) wants to take revenge on his rival. He wants to get a bomb into his rival's store. He puts out a sign saying "Wanted strong brave man." Quite a few apply but Billy (Billy West) ends up with the job, which does nothing but get the poor tramp into further trouble.
While I could easily complain about the unoriginality of this film (and other Billy West films), if I am to be honest, I laughed out loud watching The Candy Kid. The slapstick here comes fast and furious and few if any of the comedic moments miss. I love Billy using onions for their strength and the scene with him trying to hide the bomb from the police officer is very funny as well. Watching this film also makes it clear how much West truly studied Chaplin's films. Many of the Chaplin imitators of this era made their versions of the tramp character look and walk funny, but have little of the personality Chaplin bestowed on his character. Billy West truly brings the Tramp's personality out. You can see his character thinking and trying to figure things out. He also has purpose behind his slapstick antics. Many of the Chaplin imitators would kick another character in the rear because that's what Chaplin did. However what made this funny in the Chaplin films is that the little tramp always had a reason for ding this. In the same way Billy has a reason for all his slapstick violence which makes the acts both funnier and more relatable, than if he had done them for no reason.
One major point of interest for this film today is in one of the supporting players. This supporting player is Oliver Hardy, years before he would team with Stan Laurel. Just as Billy West is playing Charlie Chaplin's little tramp, Oliver Hardy is essentially playing the character Eric Campbell played in various Charlie Chaplin shorts. Like Billy West, Oliver Hardy is dressed to look like Eric Campbell here. For those not as familiar with the short films of Charlie Chaplin, Campbell often played a big tough villain or a heavy. This seemed like a perfect role for Oliver Hardy, since before teaming with Stan Laurel, he mostly played heavies for various stars of slapstick comedies. In The Candy Kid Oliver Hardy was credited by his nickname Babe Hardy. Also in this film is Leo White, who was in quite a few short subjects with the real Charlie Chaplin.
Though West would begin directing his own films in the 1920's in 1917, he had not yet taken up this position. This film was directed by one of his most common directors of this period, Arvid E. Gillstrom. Gillstrom would spend most of his career directing comedy short subjects beginning in 1915 and ending in 1934. My fellow Harry Langdon fans might know him for directing quite a few of Harry's talkie shorts for Educational Pictures.
The following is a short article from The Motion Picture News (dated December 8, 1917).
"Julius Singer, manager of the Bee-Hive Exchange, handling the King Bee Comedies, featuring Billy West, reports that he has booked these comedies with more than four hundred exhibitors throughout the country. Mr. Singer reports to Nat I. Spitzer, general sales agent of the Billy West comedies, that he booked 'The Candy Kid' and 'The Pest,' the last two releases featuring Billy West, with more than a hundred exhibitors in the last week."
The following is an article of Motion Picture News (Dated March 30, 1918)
"Julius Singer executive manager of the Bee Hive Exchange, reports that his organization has just completed the biggest week's business since its organization.
"James Mendelson who has been promoted from shipping manager to manager of sales for the Brooklyn territory, has closed the following houses for Billy West: 'The Linden,' 'Whitney,' 'Strand,' 'Duffield,' 'Eden,' 'Colonial,' 'Avon,' 'Hamilton,' and 'Century' theatres.
"N.J. Schwartz, who handles the Bee-Hive sales in Jersey, reports that he has closed with Fox's Terminal theatre in Newark for all Billy West comedies for a seven day's run after showing 'The Rouge.'
"Other Jersey contracts closed on Billy West comedies last week include the 'City,' 'Atlantic Gardens,' 'Winter Garden,' 'Casino Playhouse,' 'Orient,' 'Walton' of Elizabeth, 'Proctor's' Plainfield theatre, 'Lyric' and 'Majestic' theatres in Paterson, and the 'Rialto' of Union Hill. Julius Singer closed a contract with Keith's Greenpoint theatre for a three day run on Billy West comedies, starting with 'The Candy Kid' and running through the whole series.
"Joseph Sultan, salesman for Manhattan and the Bronx, claims that more than forty per cent of the exhibitors in Greater New York are playing the King-Bee brand of comedies. Sol Rovinger is in charge of the shipping department."
-Michael J. Ruhland
In this short two store owners (Leo White, Oliver Hardy) are in heavy competition for costumers. When one of the stores proves more successful, the other store owner (Leo White) wants to take revenge on his rival. He wants to get a bomb into his rival's store. He puts out a sign saying "Wanted strong brave man." Quite a few apply but Billy (Billy West) ends up with the job, which does nothing but get the poor tramp into further trouble.
While I could easily complain about the unoriginality of this film (and other Billy West films), if I am to be honest, I laughed out loud watching The Candy Kid. The slapstick here comes fast and furious and few if any of the comedic moments miss. I love Billy using onions for their strength and the scene with him trying to hide the bomb from the police officer is very funny as well. Watching this film also makes it clear how much West truly studied Chaplin's films. Many of the Chaplin imitators of this era made their versions of the tramp character look and walk funny, but have little of the personality Chaplin bestowed on his character. Billy West truly brings the Tramp's personality out. You can see his character thinking and trying to figure things out. He also has purpose behind his slapstick antics. Many of the Chaplin imitators would kick another character in the rear because that's what Chaplin did. However what made this funny in the Chaplin films is that the little tramp always had a reason for ding this. In the same way Billy has a reason for all his slapstick violence which makes the acts both funnier and more relatable, than if he had done them for no reason.
One major point of interest for this film today is in one of the supporting players. This supporting player is Oliver Hardy, years before he would team with Stan Laurel. Just as Billy West is playing Charlie Chaplin's little tramp, Oliver Hardy is essentially playing the character Eric Campbell played in various Charlie Chaplin shorts. Like Billy West, Oliver Hardy is dressed to look like Eric Campbell here. For those not as familiar with the short films of Charlie Chaplin, Campbell often played a big tough villain or a heavy. This seemed like a perfect role for Oliver Hardy, since before teaming with Stan Laurel, he mostly played heavies for various stars of slapstick comedies. In The Candy Kid Oliver Hardy was credited by his nickname Babe Hardy. Also in this film is Leo White, who was in quite a few short subjects with the real Charlie Chaplin.
Though West would begin directing his own films in the 1920's in 1917, he had not yet taken up this position. This film was directed by one of his most common directors of this period, Arvid E. Gillstrom. Gillstrom would spend most of his career directing comedy short subjects beginning in 1915 and ending in 1934. My fellow Harry Langdon fans might know him for directing quite a few of Harry's talkie shorts for Educational Pictures.
The following is a short article from The Motion Picture News (dated December 8, 1917).
"Julius Singer, manager of the Bee-Hive Exchange, handling the King Bee Comedies, featuring Billy West, reports that he has booked these comedies with more than four hundred exhibitors throughout the country. Mr. Singer reports to Nat I. Spitzer, general sales agent of the Billy West comedies, that he booked 'The Candy Kid' and 'The Pest,' the last two releases featuring Billy West, with more than a hundred exhibitors in the last week."
The following is an article of Motion Picture News (Dated March 30, 1918)
"Julius Singer executive manager of the Bee Hive Exchange, reports that his organization has just completed the biggest week's business since its organization.
"James Mendelson who has been promoted from shipping manager to manager of sales for the Brooklyn territory, has closed the following houses for Billy West: 'The Linden,' 'Whitney,' 'Strand,' 'Duffield,' 'Eden,' 'Colonial,' 'Avon,' 'Hamilton,' and 'Century' theatres.
"N.J. Schwartz, who handles the Bee-Hive sales in Jersey, reports that he has closed with Fox's Terminal theatre in Newark for all Billy West comedies for a seven day's run after showing 'The Rouge.'
"Other Jersey contracts closed on Billy West comedies last week include the 'City,' 'Atlantic Gardens,' 'Winter Garden,' 'Casino Playhouse,' 'Orient,' 'Walton' of Elizabeth, 'Proctor's' Plainfield theatre, 'Lyric' and 'Majestic' theatres in Paterson, and the 'Rialto' of Union Hill. Julius Singer closed a contract with Keith's Greenpoint theatre for a three day run on Billy West comedies, starting with 'The Candy Kid' and running through the whole series.
"Joseph Sultan, salesman for Manhattan and the Bronx, claims that more than forty per cent of the exhibitors in Greater New York are playing the King-Bee brand of comedies. Sol Rovinger is in charge of the shipping department."
-Michael J. Ruhland
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