Lizzies of the Field
About Lizzies of the Field
The Red Dog Garage and the Black Cat Garage face each other across a street and share a grudge. Mechanics Bud Gasket and Tim Fender both want the boss's daughter, Polly Pliers. A 250-mile road race sets the shops against each other. Ben Davis, the villain, tries to wreck the hero's run. Cars pile up on the course before the finish.
Cast & crew
More about Lizzies of the Field
Del Lord directed. Mack Sennett produced and supplied the story. Pathé Exchange released it on September 7, 1924, as a two-reel Pathécomedy. Jack Wagner did comedy construction, F. Richard Jones supervised, William Hornbeck edited, and John A. Waldron wrote the titles. Bob Ladd and George Spear photographed it, with Ernie Crockett on the effects camera. Silent Era notes possible animation by Pinto Colvig.
Themes
Background
Two-reel Sennett comedies of 1924 were still going out through Pathé, and auto races were a standard way to end a mechanic farce.
Making
Sennett's unit built the short around rival shops and a cross-country auto race, with Lord's crash gags and Crockett's effects shots covering the pile-up.
Look
Bob Ladd and George Spear shot the two-reeler. Ernie Crockett handled the special-effects camera for the race crashes.
Preservation
Silent Era records that a print exists and that the film is in the public domain in the United States. ACMI holds a 10-minute-50-second access print.
Notes
- Billy Bevan plays Bud Gasket. Sid Smith plays Tim Fender. Jack Lloyd is their boss, Nick Pliers. Barbara Pierce is Polly. John J. Richardson is Ben Davis. Andy Clyde starts the race.
- Spencer Bell plays Davis's mechanic. Also on the credits: George Gray, Tiny Ward, Thelma Hill, and Elsie Tarron.
- ACMI in Melbourne holds a print timed at 10 minutes 50 seconds, short of a full two reels.
- Silent Era lists the survival status as print exists, and the short is in the public domain in the United States.
- 'Lizzie' was the nickname for a Ford Model T, which is what the garages are racing.
Scenes
- The two garages stare at each other from opposite curbs.
- Andy Clyde starts the 250-mile race.
- Ben Davis tries to take the hero's car out of the running.
- Several cars pile up before the finish.
Also available
- Internet Archive (silent-lizzies-of-the-field)
- ACMI collection (access print, researcher request)
