20. Laughing Gas (1914)

Keystone 1914

Synopsis

Charles Chaplin arrives at work in a dentist surgery. He surveys the waiting room with a superior air, removes his gloves, and gets to work - when it transpires he is actually the dentist's assistant. He is left to treat a patient with laughing gas (and a mallet). On his way to collect a prescription he flirts with the dentist's wife, accidentally pulling off her skirt, and gets into trouble with a large man and a passer-by, knocking their teeth out by throwing bricks. Back in the surgery Charlie uses an enormous pair of pliers on a patient before the infuriated dentist, his wife, and all who Charlie has abused catch up with him.

chaplin_credits

Director/Scenario:

Charles Chaplin

Cast:

Charles Chaplin (Dentist's Assistant)

Fritz Schade (Dentist)

? Alice Howell Dentist's Wife)

Joseph Sutherland (Assistant)

George 'Slim' Summerville (Patient)

Josef Swickard (Patient)

Mark Swain (Bystander)

? Gene Marsh (Patient)

Shooting days:

June 15 - June 22

Negative sent from LA:

June 26

Received in New York:

July 2

Released:

July 9 1914

Length:

1020ft

Keystone working title:

Dentist Story

Other titles:

Tuning His Ivories, The Dentist, Down and Out, Tuning His Ivories, Laffing Gas, Busy Little Dentist