Ask Father

Ask Father
Ask Father
Written by	H.M. Walker
Produced by	Hal Roach
Starring	Harold Lloyd
Release date	February 9, 1919;
Running time	13 minutes
Country	United States
Languages	Silent; English intertitles

Ask Father is a short, 13-minute, slapstick-style comedy made by Harold Lloyd in 1919 before his entry into full-length feature films. Aside from Lloyd, it features Snub Pollard and leading lady Bebe Daniels.^[1]

Plot

Lloyd is a serious young middle-class guy on the make, who wants to marry the boss’ daughter. The problem is getting in to see the boss so that he can ask for her hand in marriage; the office is guarded by a bunch of comic, clumsy flunkies who throw everyone out who tries to get in. When Lloyd gets into the boss’ office, the latter uses trap doors and conveyor belts to expel him; Lloyd then goes to the costume company next door, tries to get in wearing drag (no success), and then in medieval armor – that works, since he bangs everyone over the head with his club. When he learns that the daughter has eloped with another suitor, Lloyd decides to be sensible and he settles for the cute switchboard operator (Daniels) instead. The film includes a brief wall climbing sequence.^[2]

Cast

Harold Lloyd - The Boy
Bebe Daniels - Switchboard operator
Snub Pollard - The Corn-Fed Secretary
Wallace Howe - The Boss
Bud Jamison - Guardian at the door
Noah Young - Large office worker
Sammy Brooks - Short office worker
Marie Mosquini - The Boy's First Love
James Parrott - Willie, The Boy’s Rival
Harry Burns
William Gillespie - Office worker
Lew Harvey
Margaret Joslin
Dorothea Wolbert
Charles Stevenson - The Cop

Music

In 2013, the Dallas Chamber Symphony commissioned an original film score for Ask Father from composer Alain Mayrand.^[3] The score premiered during a concert screening on November 19, 2013 at Moody Performance Hall with Richard McKay conducting.^[4]^[5]

References

^ Roach, Hal (1919-02-09), Ask Father (Comedy, Short), Harold Lloyd, 'Snub' Pollard, Bebe Daniels, Rolin Films, retrieved 2024-12-11
^ Ask Father (Short 1919) - Plot - IMDb. Retrieved 2024-12-11 – via www.imdb.com.
^ "Concert #2: The Comedic Three | Dallas Chamber Symphony". 2013-11-13. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
^ Magazine, D. (2013-11-25). "Three Concerts Raise Same Question: Do Add-on Sounds or Images Enhance or Hinder Classical Music?". D Magazine. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
^ Laughlin, Jamie. "I Love You, But I've Chosen Keaton". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 2024-12-11.

External links

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[1] Roach, Hal (1919-02-09), Ask Father (Comedy, Short), Harold Lloyd, 'Snub' Pollard, Bebe Daniels, Rolin Films, retrieved 2024-12-11

[2] Ask Father (Short 1919) - Plot - IMDb. Retrieved 2024-12-11 – via www.imdb.com.

[3] "Concert #2: The Comedic Three | Dallas Chamber Symphony". 2013-11-13. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 2024-12-11.

[4] Magazine, D. (2013-11-25). "Three Concerts Raise Same Question: Do Add-on Sounds or Images Enhance or Hinder Classical Music?". D Magazine. Retrieved 2024-12-11.

[5] Laughlin, Jamie. "I Love You, But I've Chosen Keaton". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 2024-12-11.

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