CHASE! A Tribute to the Keystone Cop

by Lon Davis, Debra Davis

There have been many worthy books on the Keystone Film Company, Mack Sennett, and Mabel Normand—not to mention the countless volumes on Charlie Chaplin. But, despite their ongoing popularity, there has never been a full-length book devoted solely to the Keystone Cops.At least, not until now. A dozen or so film historians have come together to document and assess those clumsy constabularies. Containing insights into the Cops’ place in cinema history, as well as fifty-six individual biographies, three hundred rare photographs, and a newly compiled filmography, Chase! is the ultimate tribute to the world’s most comically inept police force. “An engaging, enlightening, and informative collection of essays by some of the most knowledgeable silent comedy experts around today, thanks to silent film historian Lon Davis. In addition, Lon and Keystone historian and author Brent Walker have provided a comprehensive listing of all the Sennett-produced Keystone Cops films. An essential addition to any silent film fan’s library.”- SilentsAreGolden.comAbout the Lon & Debra Davis have been collaborating on writing projects since they first met in college in 1978. Their first major endeavor was penning King of the Movies, the authorized biography of silent screen legend Francis X. Bushman, which was published to critical acclaim in 2009. Their other book collaborations include Silent 100 Biographies of the Silent Film Era (2008), Stooges Among Us (2008), CHASE! A Tribute to the Keystone Cops (2020), and Ma and Pa Kettle on Film (2021). In 2021, their documentary film This is Francis X. Bushman was released on Blu-ray by Flicker Alley. Mr. and Mrs. Davis reside in the Pacific Northwest.

389 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 19, 2020

Reviews

[Gijs Grob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a niche book if there ever was one. After all, the Keystone cops only existed for five years, and were neither a concrete group nor the stars of any comedy short. Nevertheless, their name lives on, at least as an expression. Yet, I only ordered this book because Lea Stans from the excellent Silent-ology blog contributed to the book, and she doesn't disappoint.

She's one of no less than fifteen authors, and naturally their contributions vary widely in content and quality. For example, Mark Pruett argues that the comic ensemble acting of the cops were a form of art, while Lon Davis tells a personal story of finally watching the film for which the most iconic shot of the cops was made, and John Bengtson explores all locations of the Keystone feature film 'Tillie's Punctured Romance'. Veteran Joe Adamson's analysis is a little too long and too exhausting to be of much merit, and contains little information on the cops.

More interesting are Lea Stans on what the Cops were and weren't, Chris Seguin on how the 1939 film 'Hollywood Cavalcade' became the origin of most of the myths around the Keystone cops, Lon Davis's 1973 interview with the very last of the original Keystone Cops, and Randy Skretvedt's complete history of the cops.

Then there are three excellent reference chapters: on useful sources on the Keystone Cops, biographies of all Keystone cops, original or otherwise, and a complete and by all means impressive filmography, including documentaries, television programs and even animated cartoons.

Even so, when one reads the book one realizes there's little to know about the cops. Many of their films were lost, and many of the actors complete unknowns, and I think this book has gathered all the information there is. Recommended for all avid lovers of silent comedy, and of course of Mack Sennett's Keystone studio in particular.