Sold at Auction (1923)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Charley Chase

Writer:

H.M. Walker (titles)

Release Date:

27 May 1923 (USA)

Genre:

Short | Comedy

Cast

'Snub' Pollard	...	The Auctioneer's Helper
Wallace Howe	...	The Man Who Sold
James Finlayson	...	The Man Who WAS Sold
Marie Mosquini	...	His Wife
Jack Ackroyd	...	'Whiskers'
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charley Chase	...	Customer (uncredited)
Noah Young	...	'Product' Demonstrator (uncredited)

Directed by
Charley Chase		(as Charles Parrott)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
H.M. Walker		titles

Produced by
Hal Roach	....	producer

Cinematography by
Robert Doran

Film Editing by
Thomas J. Crizer		(as T.J. Crizer)

Production Companies

• Hal Roach Studios

Distributors

• Pathé Exchange (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
• Looser Than Loose Publishing (2006) (worldwide) (DVD)
• Reelclassicdvd.com (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Country:

USA

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Company:

Hal Roach Studios

Sold at Auction was a pretty funny Hal Roach silent short starring Snub Pollard

This Hal Roach comedy short I found on the "American Slapstick" DVD collection of rare silent comedies starts bizarre and has an anything goes-quality one rarely sees in Mr. Roach's output. It stars Snub Pollard who is initially introduced as a baby left on a doorstep before we see him fully grown about 20 or so years later still in that basket! From there, he gets bumped car to car crossing the street prior to getting literally thrown through a window as an auction is taking place! Also appearing is James Finlayson as a man who's items accidentally get sold. There's also some animated mosquitoes, a moving piano, and a lamppost that's not as sturdy as one thinks. Charley Chase's direction, which he did under his real surname Parrott, is mostly frenetic though not every thing depicted here is fall-on-your-knees hilarious. Still, Sold at Auction is pretty entertaining throughout so on that note, I highly recommend it.