A Thief Catcher

A Thief Catcher is a one-reel 1914 American comedy film, produced by Mack Sennett for his Keystone film company, directed by Ford Sterling,[1] and starring Sterling, Mack Swain, Edgar Kennedy, and Charles Chaplin[2][3] as a policeman.

A Thief Catcher
full film
Directed byFord Sterling
Produced byMack Sennett
StarringFord Sterling
Mack Swain
Edgar Kennedy
Charles Chaplin
Distributed byKeystone Studios
Release date
  • February 19, 1914 (1914-02-19)
Running time
1 reel
c. 7 min, 35 sec
CountryUnited States
LanguagesSilent film
English (Original titles)

Plot

Three armed burglars stop atop an embankment to divide the loot from a recent crime. When one of the men complains about how the shares are split, a fight erupts. The complainer is eventually pushed over the embankment by the other two thieves. By chance, a police chief (Ford Sterling) who was out with his dog and his camera, takes a photo of the burglars. They spot him and pursue him. Eventually the police chief flees unknowingly to a barn which the burglars have been using as their hideout. The police chief appears to be cornered in the barn but he dispatches a note with his dog who takes it to police headquarters. The bumbling police force arrives and eventually captures the burglars, but not without considerable difficulty.

The Thief Catcher (1914) with Charlie Chaplin (left) as a Keystone Cop

Cast

Preservation status

The film was believed lost, and Chaplin's appearance was unknown, until a vintage 16mm print was discovered by director/film historian Paul E. Gierucki in 2010 at a Michigan antique sale.[4][5] Chaplin had stated in interviews that he had played a bit-role as a policeman while at Keystone Studios.[6]

See also

References
  1. Allen, Nick (July 16, 2010). "Long lost Charlie Chaplin film found at antiques fair". The Daily Telegraph.
  2. Larotonda, Matthew (July 18, 2010). "Lost Charlie Chaplin Silent Film Re-Debuts 96 Years Later at Virginia Movie Festival". ABC News.
  3. Zongker, Brett (July 15, 2010). "Long-Lost Chaplin Film to Debut at Va. Festival". The Associated Press.
  4. Brunsting, Joshua (June 8, 2010). "Charlie Chaplin Film Found At An Antique Sale, Once Thought Lost". The Criterion Cast. Retrieved June 9, 2010.
  5. "Progressive Silent Film List: A Thief Catcher". Silent Era. Retrieved 2010-06-10.
  6. "Cinecon 46: Lost Chaplin Film". cinecon.org. Archived from the original on 1 August 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-10.


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