Keystone Hotel (1935)

The Keystone Hotel hosts a very prestigeous beauty contest. When the cross-eyed judge presents the first prize to an elderly cleaning woman, angry members of the audience respond by hurling... See full summary »

Director:

Ralph Staub

Writer:

Joe Traub

Stars:

Ford Sterling, Ben Turpin, Chester Conklin

Cast

Credited cast:
Ford Sterling	...	Sterling, Chief of Police
Ben Turpin	...	Count Drewa Blanc
Chester Conklin	...	Mayor Carson
Hank Mann	...	House Detective
Marie Prevost	...	Mrs. Clarabelle Sterling
Vivien Oakland	...	Mrs. Carmenchita Carson
Dewey Robinson	...	Gangster Chief
Bert Roach	...	Hotel Manager
Leo White	...	Frenchman
Jack Duffy	...	Man with Ear Trumpet
Keystone Kops	...	The Police Patrol
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
June Gittelson	...	Hefty Autograph Seeker

Storyline

The Keystone Hotel hosts a very prestigeous beauty contest. When the cross-eyed judge presents the first prize to an elderly cleaning woman, angry members of the audience respond by hurling custard pies. The Keystone Kops are summoned, and arrive just in time to get plastered with pastry.

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Plot Keywords:

custard pie | pie | fight | two reeler

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Genres:

Short | Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 September 1935 (USA)

Also Known As:

Big V Comedies (1935-1936 season) #1: Keystone Hotel

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

20 min 9 min (home cinema)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Vitaphone production reels #1732-1733.

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Connections

Referenced in Minority Report (2002)

User Reviews

One of the greatest comedy shorts of the sound era

My specialty in the comedy shorts field are those produced by Columbia Pictures, however, "Keystone Hotel" (Warner Brothers-Vitaphone Corporation), is perhaps my all-time favorite of any comedy short from any studio. What more could one ask for in a two-reeler paying homage to the early slapstick comedy of Mack Sennett? There's plenty of everything Sennett made famous...The Keystone Kops, car chases, bathing beauties (well sort of...there is a beauty contest), pie fights, and a dream cast of former Mack Sennett players still doing what they did best some 10-20 years earlier. I highly recommend this film. It's funny, fast-paced, and a real delight to see old timers like Ben Turpin and Ford Sterling at the top of their game.

It's too bad that a series wasn't developed from this terrific crowd pleaser.