A Night in the Show

A Night in the Show
Theatrical poster to A Night in the Show
Directed by	Charlie Chaplin
Written by	Charlie Chaplin
Produced by	Jess Robbins
Starring	Charlie Chaplin Charlotte Mineau Dee Lampton Edna Purviance Leo White
Cinematography	Harry Ensign
Edited by	Charlie Chaplin
Distributed by	Essanay Studios General Film Company Warner Bros. (re-release)
Release dates	November 20, 1915 1919 (re-release)
Running time	30 minutes
Country	United States
Languages	Silent film English (original intertitles)

A Night in the Show was Charlie Chaplin's 12th film for Essanay. It was made at Majestic Studio in Los Angeles in the fall of 1915. Chaplin played two roles: one as Mr. Pest and one as Mr. Rowdy. The film was created from Chaplin's stage work from a play called Mumming Birds (a.k.a. A Night at an English Music Hall in the United States) with the Karno Company from London. Chaplin performed this play during his U.S. tours with Fred Karno company and decided to bring some of this play to his film work. Edna Purviance played a minor role as a lady in the audience.

Plot

Mr. Pest tries several theatre seats before winding up in front in a fight with the conductor and, eventually, the entire cast of an evening variety show.

The film concludes when a fire eater takes the stage and Chaplin "heroically" drenches the performer and the audience with a fire hose.

The difference between "Mr. Pest" and "Mr. Rowdy" appears to be that one is pleasantly drunk and the other is obnoxious and sober.

Cast

• Charlie Chaplin - Mr. Pest and Mr. Rowdy
• Edna Purviance - Lady in the Stalls with Beads
• Charlotte Mineau - Lady in the Stalls
• Dee Lampton - Fat Boy
• Leo White - Frenchman/Negro in Balcony
• Wesley Ruggles - Second Man in Balcony Front Row
• John Rand - Orchestra Conductor
• James T. Kelley - Trombone Player and Singer
• Paddy McGuire - Feather Duster/Clarinet Player
• May White - Fat Lady and Dancer
• Phyllis Allen - Lady in Audience
• Fred Goodwins - Gentleman in Audience
• Charles Inslee - Tuba Player

External links

BooksSongsOtherFilms about ChaplinMusicals about ChaplinFilms directed by Chaplin

Keystone Studios	Twenty Minutes of Love (1914) Caught in the Rain (1914) A Busy Day (1914) Her Friend the Bandit (1914) Mabel's Married Life (1914) Laughing Gas (1914) The Property Man (1914) The Face on the Bar Room Floor (1914) Recreation (1914) The Masquerader (1914) His New Profession (1914) The Rounders (1914) The New Janitor (1914) Those Love Pangs (1914) Dough and Dynamite (1914) Gentlemen of Nerve (1914) His Musical Career (1914) His Trysting Place (1914) Getting Acquainted (1914) His Prehistoric Past (1914)
Essanay Studios	His New Job (1915) A Night Out (1915) The Champion (1915) In the Park (1915) A Jitney Elopement (1915) The Tramp (1915) By the Sea (1915) Work (1915) A Woman (1915) The Bank (1915) Shanghaied (1915) A Night in the Show (1915) A Burlesque on Carmen (1915) Police (1916) Triple Trouble (1918)
Mutual Film Corp	The Floorwalker (1916) The Fireman (1916) The Vagabond (1916) One A.M. (1916) The Count (1916) The Pawnshop (1916) Behind the Screen (1916) The Rink (1916) Easy Street (1917) The Cure (1917) The Immigrant (1917) The Adventurer (1917)
First National	A Dog's Life (1918) The Bond (1918) Shoulder Arms (1918) Sunnyside (1919) A Day's Pleasure (1919) The Kid (1921) The Idle Class (1921) Pay Day (1922) The Pilgrim (1923)
United Artists	A Woman of Paris (1923) The Gold Rush (1925) The Circus (1928) City Lights (1931) Modern Times (1936) The Great Dictator (1940) Monsieur Verdoux (1947) Limelight (1952)
Later productions	A King in New York (1957) A Countess from Hong Kong (1967)
See also	The Chaplin Revue (1959)