Today we celebrate the 20th anniversary of this blog with the following contribution to the 2026 Silent Movie Day Blogathon, hosted by The Everyday Cinephile and Silentology. The spotlight's on favorite comedians who brought the laughs and no doubt would be most amused to know they are still doing so 100+ years after their heydey. We'll start with the toast of Great Britain, the most adept acrobatic comedian not named Buster Keaton or Al St. John, Lupino Lane.
Before becoming the king of London's musical theatre in Me & My Girl and swinging The Lambeth Walk, Mr. Lane tumbled, climbed and somersaulted his way through numerous classic comedy shorts in the teens and 1920's.
Silent comedy expert Steve Massa adds: Lupino Lane was an international stage star, and, along with Douglas Fairbanks and Buster Keaton, one of the great acrobats and comic action heroes of the movies. Born in London in 1892, he was part of the Lupino family—a famous theatrical clan that started its reign in the 1600s. Stanley and Barry Lupino, very popular in England, were cousins and Stanley’s daughter Ida Lupino became a big movie star in America.
Lane began his career as a child in pantomime, under the tutelage of his father Harry, and became known as “Little Nipper,” or just Nip for short. He had a thorough training in tumbling, juggling, mime and even shooting through “star traps” (trap doors in the stage floor that were connected to catapults that would allow a performer to suddenly pop into a scene).
Only Me is an especially stellar Lupino Lane comedy short.
He plays a slew of parts, a la Buster Keaton's The Playhouse.
Lupino Lane is the equivalent of a whirling dervish in many of his 1920's starring vehicles. The stunts in Sword Points must be seen to be believed.
Directors of the diminutive whirlwind's action-packed adventures included Roscoe Arbuckle and Jack "Preston Black" White.
He and his talented brother - and frequent co-star - Wallace Lupino make like Doug Fairbanks, poke fun at "the glory that was Rome" and tear up antiquity in Roaming Romeo (1928).
While Lane is outstanding and charming in such talkies as The Love Parade, the sheer physical comedy that fills the 2-reelers he starred in for Educational Pictures (a.k.a. The Spice Of The Program) is something to behold.
The nimble Lupino Lane brings us to another nimble comic who starred in movies both in the United States and Europe, Marcel Perez (1884-1929).
For those who haven't seen Marcel Perez, also known as Ferdinand Perez and Marcel Fabre, he was a pioneering, irreverent and dancer-like comedian who gleefully thumbed his nose at the pomposity and conventions of the early 20th century.
Between 1900 and 1923, he starred in 200+ films under a slew of different character names (Robinet, Bungles, Tweedy, Tweedledum, Twede-Dan), both in Europe and America. Talented leading ladies Nilde Barrachi and Dorothy Earle shine in supporting roles.
There's a sleight of hand recalling the graceful deftness of Max Linder while also a more cartoony sleight of hand that brings to mind both the earliest European screen clowns and a key contemporary, the popular American silent movie comedian who quite literally was the son of a professional magician, Larry Semon, known as Ridolini to those who saw his films on European television.
The Extraordinary Adventures Of Saturnino Farandola is a particularly amazing Marcel Perez opus.
The silent movie-crazed (and movie crazy) gang at Way Too Damn Lazy To Write A Blog shall be posting mass quantities of our personal favorite classic comedy short subjects and cartoons for the occasion!
Very talented scribes, terrific silent film experts and ridiculously knowledgeable cinephiles will be celebrating National Silent Movie Day 2026 with cool writings. A few of the posters have been on our blogroll for quite a few years now - and with good reason - and the gang here is thrilled that Silentology, Silver Screenings, Crítica Retrô and Nitrate Glow in particular are still at it, consistently creating great content.
We'll close today's post by whetting the appetite for silents with some excellent 1920's cartoons, beginning with pre-Mickey Mouse Disneys. These were produced back in the days when the likes of Hugh Harman, Rudy Ising and Friz Freleng were, rather amazingly, working for Walt.
And. . . can't finish without following those with some Otto Messmer cartoons!
While perusing, as opposed to the 1920's and early 1930's slapstick we often focus on, the latest news in the world of comedy (notably, two talented comediennes and filmmakers, Saidah Belo-Osagie and Grace Reiter, joining the Saturday Night Live cast for season 52), the gang here tips a top hat worn in 1926 by Raymond Griffith to one of our favorite comedy writers and comics, Robert Smigel.
Since anyone who even worked on the periphery of show business is now required by federal law to have a podcast, here's Robert's podcast!
First remember seeing Robert Smigel on Saturday Night Live.
An SNL writer during one of the show's best eras, the latter 1980's and early 1990's, Mr. Smigel appeared in the "Bill Swerski's Superfans" sketches (Da Bears), among others.
Former SNL cast members Dana Carvey and David Spade had Robert on their podcast, by this time mandated by federal law.
And now, what readers have been waiting for, Triumph The Insult Comic Dog, who has his own YouTube channel!
Triumph recently appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
What's the best way to conclude a post about Robert Smigel? With some episodes of TV Funhouse, the series he produced for SNL from 1996-2008.
The TV Funhouse segments are frequently the funniest and most satiric segments of these SNL shows.
The topical humor from 20+ years ago still rings true in 2026.
Some of these ideas originated on The Dana Carvey Show, which briefly aired on ABC prime time in March-April 1996.
This very funny and wildly irreverent sketch comedy program, created by a crew of inventive writers and performers (including Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert), would have killed in late night as competition to SNL and Mad TV, but was definitely a tad too extreme in its humor for prime time.
Could The Dana Carvey Show have aired at 10:30 p.m. (just before the news) and not freaked people out? Uh. . . maybe. Airing at 9:30 after Home Improvement? No.
And, with that, we conclude our tip of the Jimmie Hatlo hat to Robert Smigel - and watch more TV Funhouse.
When the aficionados of 1930's movies here ponder great character actors and actresses, Ruth Donnelly, Frank McHugh, Aline McMahon, Hugh Herbert, Marie Dressler, Glenda Farrell, Guy Kibbee, Margaret Dumont, Jobyna Howland, Nat Pendleton, Allen Jenkins and just about everyone caricatured in Frank Tashlin's 1937 Looney Tune Porky's Road Race come to mind.
That said, one who ranks atop our list of all-time favorite 20th century character actors is none other than the great, the sneezy, the hilarious Billy Gilbert (September 12, 1894 - September 23, 1971).
Billy Gilbert is, among his numerous roles on stage, screen, radio and animation, well remembered for his memorable performance in Howard Hawks' His Girl Friday.
Character actors who also excel doing voice work in animated cartoons we love even more!
The Disney Wiki elaborates: Billy Gilbert was an American radio comedian, famous for his comical sneezing gags. For Disney, he provided the voice of Sneezy in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Willie the Giant in the Fun and Fancy Free segment Mickey and the Beanstalk.
It is believed by historian John Canemaker that Gilbert got the role of Sneezy by walking into Walt’s office for the audition. He sneezed 5 times and Walt said “Billy, you’ve got the job.”
We endorse the following video by Jim Hill Media - nice work, Jim!
At least two years before Walt Disney started production on Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs, Billy sneezes in Million Dollar Legs!
By the time he co-starred with a bunch of comics (including W.C. Fields) and the great Lyda Roberti in Million Dollar Legs, Billy was nailing role after role after role for Hal Roach Studios a.k.a. The Lot Of Fun, as a key supporting player for Laurel & Hardy, Charley Chase and Our Gang.
Arguably, the greatest showcase for Billy Gilbert at Hal Roach Studios, besides his starring musical short subject Apples To You (1934), would be as the salty sea captain in the Our Gang SHIVER MY TIMBERS. His exchanges with pint-sized comedian Matthew "Stymie" Beard are priceless.
He starred in the Roach Studio's TAXI BOYS series in 1932-1933.
My favorite Taxi Boys adventures co-star Australian comedian Clyde Cook.
Mr. Gilbert transitioned seamlessly from Hal Roach Studios to the Columbia Shorts Department.
Billy reprises the wacko he portrayed in the Three Stooges opus Men In Black with panache.
Stan Laurel was in the audience at Gilbert’s stage show Sensations of 1929 and hired Billy as a gag writer, actor and director.
After and during amazing turns in comedy short subjects, Mr. Gilbert played character roles in many feature films, including Seven Sinners, Captain Courageous, and Tin Pan Alley.
Billy is fantastic in Chaplin's The Great Dictator. Unfortunately, none of the clips from that terrific movie on the official Charlie Chaplin channel on YouTube happen to co-star Billy (although there are terrific scenes between Charlie and Jack Oakie).
Would love to have a Billy Gilbert & Charlie Chaplin GREAT DICTATOR clip from Chaplin's estate, but. . . the following will have to do.
In the 1950’s, Gilbert worked frequently in television on numerous shows, including The Red Skelton Hour.
Andy’s Gang
On Broadway, Billy worked in several productions as an actor, writer and director. These included acting roles in Fanny, The Chocolate Soldier, and Gypsy Lady. His offstage work included The Red Mill, Sally and Buttrio Square. So we applaud and extend multiple hat tips to the star of stage screen cartoons and radio, the one, the only Billy Gilbert!
In closing, the Way Too Damn Lazy To Write A Blog crew want to mention that, if you simply can't get enough Hal Roach Studios content - and we can't - check out the following Lot Of Fun playlist. If one gets unlucky, sadly ends up ill, injured and bedridden but in good enough condition to be awake and watch video, there's at least 2600 hours of comedy goodness with healing powers in said playlist. Hail, Billy Gilbert and all the comedy greats!
Yes, you know him, you love him - this guy, the leader of the CBS Orchestra and composer of Powerhouse, the one, the only Raymond Scott!
Posted a birthday tribute to Raymond Scott way back in 2010.
Missed his 100th birthday by two years!
Love him madly for such amazing and catchy compositions as the following, all brought to the masses courtesy of one Carl W. Stalling. Massive and unending kudos, bravos and huzzahs to Irwin Chusid for his fantastic work on these restorations.
In the 1940's, on the radio, Raymond Scott and crew performed unconventionally swinging big band tunes, some of which re-imagine and revamp his 1930's "Quintette" compositions.
They present Scott's unique spin on the big band sound.
"Junkman's Shuffle" is especially catchy.
Did not, unfortunately, find a recording to post with Raymond Scott leading the CBS Orchestra as the CBS Jump Band on the show Jump Time in August 1942. This was the first racially integrated studio orchestra for radio at CBS and featured jazz giants Coleman Hawkins and Charlie Shavers.
Today's post spotlights a few of the 20 stellar tracks that were uploaded to the Works For Orchestra 1934-1960 volume 9 YouTube playlist in January of this very year. The following has a wistful Ellington/Strayhorn vibe.
Here, none other than mid-1930's #1 box office star Shirley Temple sings The Toy Trumpet!
Raymond Scott turned his attentions to inventing and developing new electronic instruments.
The Ectoplasm album, recorded in 1948-1949, features the innovative electronic instruments and synths Scott had been building for years, paired with the vocals of Dorothy Collins. It is up on YouTube in its entirety.
The Manhattan Research album presents further electronic music featuring instruments designed by Raymond Scott and the voice work of Dorothy Collins (Mrs. Scott).
The 1957 album This Time With Strings is as cool, highly creative and astonishing as all his other recordings. The incomparable Ron Carter, still with us and performing in 2026, rocks the upright bass on this album - he played with Miles Davis, Eric Dolphy and Raymond Scott!
We extend extended, respectful and extraterrestrial hat tips to Raymond Scott, Dorothy Collins and all the super talented musicians who worked with Scott's various ensembles.
Labor Day Weekend is here! Our first Labor Day cartoon, Mess Production (1945), features the ever-industrious Popeye, not aided by rat bastard Bluto. There's a clever and funny re-use of concepts central to the Fleischer Popeye cartoons A DREAM WALKING (1934) and LOST & FOUNDRY (1937).
Next up, a not exactly subtle pro-business time capsule created for the Chamber Of Commerce in 1954 by John Sutherland Productions. Thanks, Prelinger Archives for posting!
The following Labor Day opus, a song of praise for hard workin' roller ball bearings and how they protect locomotives from the dastardly Kid Friction, was produced by UPA and narrated by Stan Freberg. It's just one of many terrific animated films on Mike Kazaleh's YouTube channel.
What would Labor Day be without commercials?
Portafilms in Ann Arbor, Michigan produced the following short film, very in the Cartoon Modern style, as the previous commercials were. Thanks for discovering and posting, Steve Stanchfield/Thunderbean Animation!
And, speaking of Cartoon Modern, am a big fan of the Terrytoons produced by Gene Deitch, especially in CinemaScope. Jerry Beck wrote about 'em here and we at Way Too Damn Lazy To Write A Blog wholeheartedly agree! While none of these imaginative and unusual cartoons are specifically about Labor Day, they're included today because we love 'em.
Every Labor Day Weekend, the Cinecon Classic Film Festival rocks the vintage celluloid. This year's festival, the 62nd Cinecon, is at the Nuart Theatre on 11272 Santa Monica Blvd. Hope this blog's readers can make it to West Los Angeles, enjoy the big screen fun and the special guests the festival books. Kudos to all involved!
After a week in which, holy Toledo, freakin’ glaciers melted in Nepal and all-world all-star champion megawatt entertainers Dolly Parton and Tim Curry passed, the question of how the heck Monsieur Blogmeister can write today’s post arises. The answer is. . . NACHO LIBRE!
Something about this bit involving The Lord's Chips cracks me up.
Yes, Jack Black is clearly a fan of luchador movies, which definitely number among the favorite psychotronic cinema goodies of the gang here. The B-movie devotees at Dark Corners Reviews and The Cinema Snob concur!
The utter cheesiness of the killer robots and grotesque Aztec mummies battling El Santo remains something to behold.
The lucha libre genre was definitely influenced by such robot-filled American B and C studio serials as The Mysterious Dr. Satan and The Monster & The Ape. Did Mexico's professional wrestlers don masks because they saw them in Republic serials?
These productions, regardless of budget (or lack of one), GO FOR BROKE! Pedal to the metal!
Mexico's amped-up answer to American horror films/monster movies and sci-fi feature masked wrestlers, mummies, mad scientists, robots, vampires, werewolves, zombies, extraterrestrials and derriere-kicking wrestling women started in 1957. It resulted in delirium.
The many lucha libre movies include an offshoot genre involving wrestling women and are even more bizarre when dubbed into English. In such enjoyably demented ultra-psychotronic films as The Wrestling Women Vs The Aztec Mummy, doubly deranged mad scientists and robotic ladies who transform into derriere-kicking wrestling wonders are the order of the day. Would double billing this with A Touch Of Evil work? Think so, although both might have to be preceded by The Three Stooges in Grips, Grunts and Groans, plus Bugs Bunny in Bunny Hugged.
Yes, there are lots and lots of El Santo flicks - check out this Santo playlist.
The masked wrestler starred in 52 films!
Now, getting back to Jack Black, the following may be the single funniest, rudest sketch I have seen from SNL in quite some time. Jack spoofs his own over-the-top persona and "take it to the extreme" ethos.
Love the trifecta of SNL stalwarts Kenan Thompson, Ashley Padilla and Jack Black in the following sketch. They are three brilliant comedy performers.
Now, just how the segue from Jack Black to Santo to Lewis Black happens, we at Way Too Damn Lazy To Write A Blog have no idea! So. . . enjoy, on Jack Black's birthday, the satiric, caustic, biting and hilarious comedy of Lewis Black.
Here are some amazing Lewis Black stand-up sets.
Have been aficionados of Black's "The Rant Is Due" videos for quite a few years.
This Lewis Black clip from 20+ years ago strikes the gang here as weirdly like 2026. While the names have changed, the story persists - and Lewis Black enthusiastically skewers all miscreants in his path.
