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The Nickel-Hopper

  • 19261926
  • 37m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
116
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
198,530
114,069
Mabel Normand in The Water Nymph (1912)
ShortComedyRomance
Dance hall Romeos and an irresponsible father create comic complications in the life of a nickel-per-whirl taxi dancer.Dance hall Romeos and an irresponsible father create comic complications in the life of a nickel-per-whirl taxi dancer.Dance hall Romeos and an irresponsible father create comic complications in the life of a nickel-per-whirl taxi dancer.
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
116
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
198,530
114,069
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Directors
      • F. Richard Jones
      • Hal Yates
    • Writers
      • Frank Butler
      • Stan Laurel
      • Hal Roach
    • Stars
      • Mabel Normand
      • Michael Visaroff
      • Theodore von Eltz
    Top credits
    • Directors
      • F. Richard Jones
      • Hal Yates
    • Writers
      • Frank Butler
      • Stan Laurel
      • Hal Roach
    • Stars
      • Mabel Normand
      • Michael Visaroff
      • Theodore von Eltz
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 8User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • Photos6

    Boris Karloff in The Nickel-Hopper (1926)
    The Nickel-Hopper (1926)
    The Nickel-Hopper (1926)
    The Nickel-Hopper (1926)
    The Nickel-Hopper (1926)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Mabel Normand
    Mabel Normand
    • Paddy, the Nickel Hopper
    Michael Visaroff
    Michael Visaroff
    • Paddy's Father
    Theodore von Eltz
    Theodore von Eltz
    • Jimmy Jessop, Paddy's Rich Beau
    Jimmy Anderson
    • Cop
    Margaret Seddon
    Margaret Seddon
    • Paddy's Mother
    Mildred Kornman
    Mildred Kornman
    • Edsel
    William Courtright
    William Courtright
    • Mr. Joy - Landlord
    • (uncredited)
    James Finlayson
    James Finlayson
    • Resident of 625 Park St.
    • (uncredited)
    Oliver Hardy
    Oliver Hardy
    • Jazz Band Drummer
    • (uncredited)
    Hammond Holt
    • Paddy's Little Brother
    • (uncredited)
    Boris Karloff
    Boris Karloff
    • Dance Hall Masher
    • (uncredited)
    Gus Leonard
    • Blind Man
    • (uncredited)
    Sam Lufkin
    Sam Lufkin
    • Dance Hall Customer
    • (uncredited)
    • Directors
      • F. Richard Jones
      • Hal Yates
    • Writers
      • Frank Butler
      • Stan Laurel
      • Hal Roach
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

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    User reviews8

    Review
    Top review
    Hilarious Karloff and Oliver Hardy!
    Mabel Normand was the leading lady in slapstick comedies at Mack Sennett's Keystone movie studio, and also Sennett's lover (and a talented director in her own right). After they quarrelled over Sennett's philandering, Normand left Keystone and tried her luck at other studios, including Goldwyn and Hal Roach. At the same time, she dropped her custard-pie slapstick technique, and evolved into a comic actress of genuine subtlety. But drug addiction, a tendency to squander her money, and some unfortunate personal habits all took their toll on Mabel, and she died at age 35. She never made a sound film.

    "The Nickel-Hopper" stars Mabel Normand (post-Keystone) as a dance-hall girl. She dances with lonely men for five cents a time, which makes her a "nickel-hopper". This film is excellent: the plot is realistic, and Normand gives a believable performance. The comedy elements are strong, and well-balanced with touches of pathos. Normand's heroine is a working-class girl whom we actually care about. But this movie is stolen by two actors who were not yet famous: Boris Karloff and Oliver Hardy.

    Karloff, looking young and handsome, plays a "masher" who persuades Mabel to leave the dance-hall with him. We can tell by the look on Karloff's face what sort of "date" he's got in mind for Mabel. When Mabel finds out what Boris is planning, she comes up with a brilliant (and brilliantly funny) way of getting rid of him. Watch the hilarious scene involving Mabel, Karloff, a blind man and a policeman. When the cop shows up, Boris Karloff does an "away we go!!" piece of physical comedy which is totally unexpected from this dramatic actor.

    Oliver Hardy gives the most energetic performance of his career (and one of his funniest) as a jazz drummer in Mabel's dance hall. Stan Laurel doesn't appear in this film, but Laurel & Hardy fans will be intrigued to note that Laurel worked on the script of "The Nickel-Hopper", along with perennial Laurel & Hardy scriptwriter H.M. "Beany" Walker. James Finlayson, another favourite of Stan & Ollie's fans, makes a brief appearance in this movie. Years later, Karloff's ability to speak French earned him a chance to work with Laurel & Hardy, as the villain in the French-language version of their first starring feature, "Pardon Us". He's good in that film, but he's hilarious here. Make an effort to view "The Nickel-Hopper", a very funny comedy which hints at the career Mabel Normand might have achieved as a dramatic actress.
    helpful•5
    0
    • F Gwynplaine MacIntyre
    • May 8, 2002

    Details

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    • Release date
      • December 5, 1926 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • None
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Charleston-Pigen
    • Filming locations
      • Hal Roach Studios - 8822 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Hal Roach Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      37 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Silent
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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