Larry Semon, Daredevil Comedian of the Silent Screen: A Biography and Filmography

by Claudia Sassen

Overview

Prior to his premature death from tuberculosis in 1928, Larry Semon was one of the most popular comics on the silent screen. For a time he rivaled comedy legends Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton for fame and fortune. The son of magician Professor Zera the Great, Semon participated in many of his father's early performances. A talented youth, he worked as an illustrator and cartoonist before going into motion pictures with the Vitagraph Company. He soon became a Hollywood legend, responsible for his own stories, gags, acting and direction. The result of 30 years of research, this long overdue biography recognizes one of Hollywood's most overlooked auteurs. The author draws on numerous articles and contacts with Semon's family and friends, and screens many films previously believed to be lost.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786498222
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	11/03/2015
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Claudia Sassen is a cartoonist and linguist by profession, currently associated with the Technical University of Dortmund, Germany. Her cartoons have appeared in calendars and in a variety of newspapers and magazines. She lives in Duisburg, Germany.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Foreword by Norbert Aping
Preface
1. Roots and Settings
2. On the Road
3. Paperland
4. Early Directions
5. Growing Success
6. Womenfolk
7. The Flawmill
8. Image Change
9. The Perfect Frown
10. From Broke to Breakdown
11. Slow Motion
12. Fade out
Appendix: “Magic, Past and Present, Exposed”
Filmography by Patrick Skacel and Claudia Sassen
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

this fascinating and enlightening work on this unsung genius of the silent era will be a fine addition to both referencing and circulating collections”—ARBA; “definitive...impeccable...very highly recommended”—Examiner; “a must have for all serious Laurel and Hardy fans...for anyone who seeks everything Laurel and Hardy, add Claudia Sassen’s new biography of Larry Semon to your collection”—The Intra-Tent Journal; “recommended”—Silent-ology; “a valuable addition to serious scholarship of silent cinema”—Plan 9 Crunch.

From the Publisher