“Oh, Uncle!”

(Or, The Curious Case of the Backward Biograph)


* * *




Biograph: Where comedies come to die?


“Oh, Uncle!” (July, 1909)





* * *











* * *








* * *












My re-edited version:


* * *







* * *

Primary Sources:









* * *


  1. Rock,

    The building at 11 E14th St. that was home to the Biograph studio from 1906 to 1913 was demolished in the 1960s, along with several other structures on that side of Fourteenth St., and is now the site of an apartment building, with retail businesses at street level. Biograph’s original location, beginning in 1895, was less than two blocks east, at 841 Broadway, with an open-air studio on the roof of the building. 841 Broadway is a landmark and has been restored (but not the rooftop studio 😉 ). In 1914, Biograph moved to a more “modern” facility in the Bronx.
    Thanks for reading and commenting!

    P.S. — Much more information here:

  2. OK, Another Pickford short. Just saw it late last night. Only time for a quick scan. Yes that was one mixed up out of sequence film. Thank you for restoring it as to how it was originally meant to be seen. Oddly the AB trademark is missing.from both the opening title card and the film itself. There had to originally been inter title cards and may have been on those.
    As to the film, Kirkwood seems to enjoy not only groping as well as frequently kissing Mary. First on the hand and then on the face. She then putting hand to face as if brushing it away. Even does this once with Quirk. As film nearing end and all 3 grouped together, he again holds her face as she shakes finger at him, admonition? Film abruptly cuts off as Kirkwood kisses her again.
    I know these early shorts are a hard sell to even fans of silent films. What I’ve come to realize and enjoy is the spontaneity they show.
    Shame they have been locked away for so long.

  3. I thought it was an offbeat choice, and being out of sequence gave me the chance to practice my editing “skills”. 😉 Yes, it is amazing that people who moan about how silents are neglected — those same people will flatly refuse to watch anything pre-1915 unless it is a slapstick comedy piece. So, it’s not popular, that’s why I write about it. If all I wanted were clicks and counted views obsessively, I’d write about pre-code films and stars. But, i did that before they became a “thing,” and “things” bore me obsessively. Glad to see you’ve caught up with me. Now it’s my turn. Maybe now a hard left or right turn into something new or different or both, but . . . rest assured, more Biographs to come too, and never enough M.P. thanks M.,


    1. Finally, more and more of these shorts coming on line. Was just sent a post,1915, restored, The Woman with Chaplin. What is unique in film is Chaplin minus his mustache. While I lean more towards Keaton, both were true artists. Film is on YT.
      As always, looking forward to your posts.

      1. Yes, online gradually. But I don’t know if the LOC has any plan or priority regarding the Biograph shorts specifically, only as part of their Nat’l Screening Room. If you read Christel Schmidt’s survey (at of Pickford materials at the various archives, and especially the LOC, it gives you a real understanding of the magnitude of any project to restore even a quarter of what is out there. But I don’t mind doing a little ad hoc “restoration” myself, reassembling a couple of Biographs to something approaching coherence. When it comes to Charlie vs. Buster, i don’t have a preference, and i’ve never understood the factions that developed over them. If you hold a gun to my head, I’ll take Arbuckle and “Luke” his faithful companion.
        As always, looking forward to your comments 😉




You are commenting using your account. Log Out /  Change )

Google photo


Twitter picture


Facebook photo


Connecting to %s
