Bumping Into Broadway (1919)

Young playwright spends his last cent to pay the rent of struggling actress in a theatrical boarding house. Pursuing her, he winds up at a gambling club, where he wins big, just before a police raid.

Director:

Hal Roach (uncredited)

Writer:

H.M. Walker (titles)

Stars:

Harold Lloyd, Bebe Daniels, 'Snub' Pollard

Cast

Credited cast:
Harold Lloyd	...	The Boy
Bebe Daniels	...	The Girl
'Snub' Pollard	...	Director of Musical Comedy (as Harry Pollard)
Helen Gilmore	...	'Bearcat' the Landlady
Noah Young	...	The Bearcat's Bouncer
Fred C. Newmeyer	...	Undetermined Secondary Role (as Freddie Neomeyer)
Charles Stevenson
Sammy Brooks
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Jack O'Brien	...	Unidentified

Storyline

She's a chorus girl in unpaid tryouts for a Broadway show, behind in her rent, about to be evicted. He's in the room next door, from Peoria, struggling to write his first comedy; he's also behind in his rent. He gives her his last dollar so she can square with "Bearcat," the landlady, then he has to avoid Bearcat and her bouncer. Later, he tries to get his comedy read by the production manager at the same theater where his neighbor's just been fired. She's desperate, so she agrees to lunch with a Lothario, who takes her to a speakeasy. Our comedy-writer follows them to the club where an accidental roulette bet, a police raid, and a hectic pursuit end the story.

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Plot Keywords:

police raid | roulette | playwright | bouncer | boarding house | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Short

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Certificate:

TV-G

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first two-reel short with Harold Lloyd playing his most-famous "glasses" character.

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Goofs

When Lloyd leaves his room, there is a stool beside his bed. When he returns, the stool is at the foot of the bed.

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Quotes

Desperate Spinster: Oh, Lord, send me a man.

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Alternate Versions

In 2004, The Harold Lloyd Trust copyrighted a 25-minute version of this film with a musical score written, arranged and conducted by Robert Israel, and played The Robert Israel Orchestra (Europe).

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Connections

Featured in Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection: Mini Biographies (2005)

User Reviews

Restored Version From LLoyd Trust

The restored version of this film plays pretty well. The orchestration on the TCM set version is pretty good. A couple of sequences are a little grainy & choppy. As usual, this is a LLoyd Romantic Comedy but the pace in this 25 minute short is more frantic than the features he did later. There are lots of physical stunts packed into this essentially 2 reeler. Bebe Daniels fans should enjoy this as she does very well in her role as LLoyds love. In real life, she was his love at this time as Harold had given her an engagement ring, but she decided to leave Harold for her career.

This restored version even has some shots in Septia tone instead of black & white. I thought septa tone was not used much until the 1920's. Much of the sight gags & situations in this one got worked into later LLoyd films also. In fact, GIRL SHY later borrows from it, as far as how Harold's Character is set up in this one. While I prefer Girl Shy over all, if you like some stunts & comedy in shorts form, this one will make you a happy camper as well. It is not as elaborate as the feature, but great fun just the same.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

None English

Release Date:

2 November 1919 (USA)

Also Known As:

Amour et poésie

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rolin Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

25 min (2004 alternate)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1