Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to Youtube

by Trav S.D.

Chain of Fools traces the art of slapstick comedy from its pre-cinema origins in the ancient pantomime through its silent movie heyday in the teens and twenties, then on to talkies, television, and the Internet. As in his first book, the critically acclaimed No Applause, Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous, author Trav S.D. mixes a wicked wit, a scholar's curiosity, and a keen critical appreciation for laugh-makers through the ages, from classical clowns like Joseph Grimaldi to comedy kings like Mack Sennett, Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton . . . to more recent figures, from Red Skelton, Sid Caesar and Ernie Kovacs to Adam Sandler, Jim Carrey and Steve Carell . . . all the way down to the teenagers on YouTube whose backyard antics bring us full circle to slapstick's beginnings. This valentine to the great clowns contains enough insights and surprises to open the eyes of even life-long comedy fans. Here's what critics had to say about Trav S.D.'s first book, No Applause, Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous: "A book that sharpens the mind and stirs the heart . . .The writing is as snappy as these troupers and headliners deserve. And the scholarship is high-class. - Margo Jefferson, New York Times "Almost a vaudeville show unto itself...Open a single chapter of No Applause and you'll get a great snapshot of the industry at that time. . .An ode to the tenacity, the freaks, the slapstick, and yes, the art form that was responsible for entertainment today as we know it." - Rachel Shindelman, Time Out Chicago "Much has been written about the American institution of vaudeville, but readers would be hard-pressed to find an account as humorous and sharp as writer and performer Trav S.D.'s tasty chronicle . . . A well-researched, riotous book." - Publisher's Weekly (starred review) "Thorough and thoroughly entertaining . . . One of the year's best historical performing arts texts; a wonderful story wonderfully told." - Barry X. Miller, Library Journal (starred review) "Both performer and theatre historian, [Trav S.D.] knows of what he speaks. His rich, well-researched history of American vaudeville from its roots in the 1880s onward is a rare enough feat made all the more startling by the wit, zest and fresh eyes [he] brings to the subject." - Jack Helbig, Booklist (starred review)

1 pages, Audio CD

First published March 28, 2013

Reviews

[Halli Casser-Jayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wonderfully written, eminently readable book, by the equally well-written and informative No Applause, Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous author, performer and historian Trav S.D. is a must-read for anyone interested in the early laugh makers. Listen to my interview with Trav S.D., when I host The Halli Casser-Jayne Show’s Silent Comedy Fest also starring Chaplin the Musical’s Tony Award Nominee, Rob McClure; one of the leading silent film’s accompanists Ben Model, and from SLAPSTICON 2013, Richard Roberts. That's Wednesday June 26, 3 p.m. ET. Listen online @ http://bit.ly/U4EEMd.

[Lisa Vogl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great! Loved how it was all tied together- learned a lot.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an entertaining read, but be warned that it is neither scholarly nor unbiased.

It’s great to read a book on early silent comedies that focuses on artists outside the Chaplin/Keaton/Lloyd triumvirate, and the through-line from vaudeville to silent movies. It tells a much wider story about the artists, the studios, and how they influenced each other. (An added bonus: Almost every silent film referenced is in the public domain and on YouTube.)

Unfortunately, the book sometimes bogs down with the author’s personal biases. It’s fairly clear that he adores Chaplin, which means that he tends to inflate Chaplin’s accomplishments, minimize Chaplin’s problematic behavior, and throw shade at rivals like Keaton and Lloyd.

(Also, he spends a lot of time telling the reader how much he despises Abbott & Costello and Jerry Lewis, which didn’t really provide any information.)

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written and thorough history of comedy in the silent film era and its echoes in today's comedy. Trav has seen an amazing number of silent comedies; his knowledge is veritably encyclopedic. And he continues in the witty vein he established in his first book, No Applause - Just Throw Money. Here he gets to give more free rein to his opinions, as unlike the case with vaudeville, most of the stuff here is viewable today. Definitely worth a look for those interested in the silent era and those who might be, and comedy-lovers of all stripes.

[Chip Carman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too much on the filmographies and precious little information on the people and personalities of a bygone era. I wanted to know a lot more about what it was like to be involved in the silent film era and his other book about vaudeville was great. So, it was a major disappointment.

[Anne Libera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good information- not just on the early silent era but also how it translated into sound film and television