Fatty Joins the Force
About Fatty Joins the Force
Fatty and his girlfriend are walking in a park when a girl falls into a pond. His girlfriend pushes him in, and he pulls the girl out. She is the police commissioner's daughter, and the commissioner puts Fatty on the force. On his beat, boys pelt him with food, steal his uniform while he tries to bathe, and leave the police thinking he has drowned. Dragged back to the station, he is locked up, and his girlfriend turns to the chief.
Cast & crew
More about Fatty Joins the Force
Mack Sennett produced and wrote the one-reeler. George Nichols directed it, and the AFI Catalog also credits Henry Lehrman. Keystone released it through Mutual Film Corporation on November 24, 1913. The working title was Freak Coward. The AFI Catalog places most of the park action at Westlake Park or Eastlake Park in Los Angeles.
Themes
Reviews
Moving Picture World (November 29, 1913) wrote, "The humor of this is not as strong as in other offerings by this company."
Preservation
George Eastman House holds a 35 mm print, a gift from Luigi Pallme in 1998. Silent Era also lists a 16 mm reduction positive.
Notes
- The AFI Catalog gives the length as 1,020 feet, one reel.
- Dot Farley plays Fatty's girlfriend, Minta Durfee the nursemaid, and Edgar Kennedy the policeman in the park.
- George Nichols, the director, also plays the police commissioner. Charles Avery is the desk sergeant, and Mack Swain is a policeman.
- At headquarters the commissioner introduces Fatty to the Keystone Cops.
- Moving Picture World for November 29, 1913 said the humor was not as strong as in other Keystone offerings.
Scenes
- Fatty is pushed into the pond and comes out with the commissioner's daughter.
- Boys take his uniform while he is stripped for a bath, and the station thinks he has drowned.
Also available
- Internet Archive (FattyJoinsTheForce)
- Mackinac Media DVD of Arbuckle films (2005)
