Mack Sennett — Blue Book of the Scree (1923) 🇺🇸

January 17, 1880, there was born in the little village of Danville, Quebec, a personage who became a king. His name was — and is — Mack Sennett and the kingdom he rules is the kingdom of mirth.

Many of his subjects refer to him as father of the slap-stick comedy, as the creator of the custard-pie drama and as the man who made policemen popular. In addition to that, he is king of burlesque and artisan of a high form of theatrics, equaled in his skill for nonsense by none.

Not many persons to whom the name of Mack Sennett has long been familiar as producer of the world’s funniest comedies and many famous comedy features are aware of the fact that he was once a motion picture actor. In company with D. W. Griffith and several others who have since become foremost in the industry, Mr. Sennett took to playing anything he could get to play. He and his associates felt somewhat abased at having to accept such work, for they were used to speaking parts on the stage, and was not this somewhat of a comedown? However, Mack Sennett smiles with amusement as he recalls his early struggles, because he realizes that he was one of the pace-makers, one of the pioneers, who saw from the beginning the infinite possibilities of this new art.

While Griffith gradually became identified with the serious side of the films, Sennett threw his hat into the ring as the provider of laughter. This appealed to him, because being able to make people laugh seemed somewhat of a mission in life.

From the early days of Biograph comedy productions, with its slushing whirl of custards flying through space, slap-stick comedies have delighted millions. They were Sennett creations. Today these comedies are given to the world amidst more polite surroundings. The grotesque in character make-up is disappearing from the screen. but nevertheless a comedy produced by Mack Sennett is typically Sennettian, a thing apart and distinct, a joy forever.

In 1912 Mack Sennett organized his own company and released his efforts under the Keystone brand. Since then this type of comedy has been badly copied all through the him world, but from time to time a comedian, risen to fame under the Sennett banner “went on his own’’ and started production of comedies.

Sennett never was married. His only sweetheart is his mother, who spends five months of the year with her famous son in Los Angeles, while the remainder are passed in Canada.

Mack Sennett is the man who brought into fame such players as Charlie Chaplin and Mabel Normand, the latter having appeared in such famous Sennett features as Mickey, Molly O and Suzanna. Ben Turpin is another favorite of the Sennett comedies.

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It has been many years since Mack Sennett was on the screen, but he is still remembered from the old days. Beside him is his mother.

Collection: The Blue Book of the Screen (1923)