Directing

Charles R. Bowers

Born June 7, 1889 · Creco, Iowa, USA

Died November 26, 1946 · aged 57

Charles R. Bowers was a cartoonist and slapstick comedian during the silent film and early "talkie" era. He was forgotten for decades and his name was notably absent from most histories of the Silent Era, although his work was enthusiastically reviewed by André Breton and a number of his contemporaries. As his surviving films were rediscovery he has been one of the greats of the silent film era; …

Known For

Scanners

Scanners · 1981

MovieScience FictionHorror

A scientist trains a man with an advanced telepathic ability called 'scanning' to stop a dangerous Scanner with extraordinary psychic powers from waging war against non-Scanners.

Dog Gone

Dog Gone · 1926

MovieComedyAnimation

Mutt has been appointed the judge at a dog show. He persuades Jeff to dress in a dog costume and they will split the prize money.

Nothing Doing

Nothing Doing · 1927

Charley asks for his girlfriend's hand in marriage, but her father, the police chief, angrily refuses to allow her to marry anyone who is not himself a policeman. Charley then decides to join the police force, so that he can win her. But when he applies, he is rejected because he is too small. Charley doesn't give up, and he soon thinks of a way to avoid the size restriction - but simply joining the force is only the first challenge that he has to face.

On Strike

On Strike · 1920

MovieAnimationComedy

On Strike is one of more than 300 animated ‘half-reelers’ produced between 1913 and 1926 starring the popular American comic-strip characters Mutt and Jeff—and is unusual in featuring live-action shots of its creator, Bud Fisher.

Westward Whoa

Westward Whoa · 1926

MovieWesternComedy

Cowboys Mutt and Jeff tangle with a bull on the ranch where they work.

Soda Jerks

Soda Jerks · 1925

MovieComedyAnimation

In this silent Mutt and Jeff cartoon, Jeff puts some pep liquid instead of the usual syrup in the sodas that Mutt serves to the customers in the malt shop.

Fatal Footsteps

Fatal Footsteps · 1926

Fatal Footsteps

Charley is obsessed with learning the Charleston, so he can enter and win a local contest, which promises a large prize and the hand in marriage of a beautiful woman.

Whoozit

Whoozit · 1928

Whoozit, produced in 1928 by Bowers Comedy Corp, was considered totally missing. This unique 16 mm print was discovered in 2008 in the collections of the Eye Film Institute. It is incomplete, and only retains the second half of the original production. It was restored digitally by Lobster Films, Paris, in November 2013.

Filmography

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Scanners

Scanners · 1981

MovieScience FictionHorror

A scientist trains a man with an advanced telepathic ability called 'scanning' to stop a dangerous Scanner with extraordinary psychic powers from waging war against non-Scanners.

Sound Editor

Dog Gone

Dog Gone · 1926

MovieComedyAnimation

Mutt has been appointed the judge at a dog show. He persuades Jeff to dress in a dog costume and they will split the prize money.

Director

Nothing Doing

Nothing Doing · 1927

Charley asks for his girlfriend's hand in marriage, but her father, the police chief, angrily refuses to allow her to marry anyone who is not himself a policeman. Charley then decides to join the police force, so that he can win her. But when he applies, he is rejected because he is too small. Charley doesn't give up, and he soon thinks of a way to avoid the size restriction - but simply joining the force is only the first challenge that he has to face.

Director

On Strike

On Strike · 1920

MovieAnimationComedy

On Strike is one of more than 300 animated ‘half-reelers’ produced between 1913 and 1926 starring the popular American comic-strip characters Mutt and Jeff—and is unusual in featuring live-action shots of its creator, Bud Fisher.

Writer

Westward Whoa

Westward Whoa · 1926

MovieWesternComedy

Cowboys Mutt and Jeff tangle with a bull on the ranch where they work.

Director

Soda Jerks

Soda Jerks · 1925

MovieComedyAnimation

In this silent Mutt and Jeff cartoon, Jeff puts some pep liquid instead of the usual syrup in the sodas that Mutt serves to the customers in the malt shop.

Director

Fatal Footsteps

Fatal Footsteps · 1926

Fatal Footsteps

Charley is obsessed with learning the Charleston, so he can enter and win a local contest, which promises a large prize and the hand in marriage of a beautiful woman.

Director

Whoozit

Whoozit · 1928

Whoozit, produced in 1928 by Bowers Comedy Corp, was considered totally missing. This unique 16 mm print was discovered in 2008 in the collections of the Eye Film Institute. It is incomplete, and only retains the second half of the original production. It was restored digitally by Lobster Films, Paris, in November 2013.

Director

Hop Off

Hop Off · 1928

MovieComedyAnimation

Only a few minutes remain of this partially lost film. A scientist discovers a potion that restores things to their original form: pets, jewelry--endless possibilities. His assistant wonders about its applications, with comical results.

Director

Egged On

Egged On · 1926

MovieFantasyComedy

Charley invents a machine that turns ordinary, breakable eggs into rubbery, unbreakable ones for transport. He builds a Rube Goldberg contraption of parts stolen from his neighbors. Rival egg companies want his invention, one of them stooping to sabotage to get it.

Producer

Slick Sleuths

Slick Sleuths · 1926

MovieAnimationComedy

Private eyes Mutt and Jeff are on the trail of the ghostly shape-shifting criminal, the Phantom.

Director

He Done His Best

He Done His Best · 1926

He Done His Best

MovieScience FictionComedy

When Charley asks a young woman whom he is in love with to marry him, she tells him that he needs to get her father's consent. But when Charley then goes to see her father, who owns a restaurant, he ends up getting hired as a dishwasher instead. The rest of the kitchen staff soon find out that Charley is not a member of their union, and they go on strike. Charley is left by himself, leading to a series of upheavals in the restaurant, and a great invention.

Director

Pop and Mom in Wild Oysters

Pop and Mom in Wild Oysters · 1941

Pop and Mom in Wild Oysters

A family of mice lives inside a hole in the wall, just outside of the kitchen. One of the mice is ready to go out and get some food, but first he has to contend with the dog and the cat. He ties them down by their tails, and it looks safe to go out now. But then the mouse is confronted by a group of hostile and aggressive oysters.

Director

The Adding Machine

The Adding Machine · 1969

The Adding Machine

An accountant whose job is about to be taken over by a computer starts to re-examine his life and his priorities.

Sound Editor

The Extra-Quick Lunch

The Extra-Quick Lunch · 1918

The Extra-Quick Lunch

MovieComedyAnimation

A customer arrives at a restaurant in which Mutt is the waiter, and Jeff is the cook. The customer orders oxtail soup, and then argues with Mutt when it turns out to contain no actual tail. After Mutt then attends, with some difficulty, to two other customers, he takes an order for pancakes from an attractive woman. When the pancakes arrive, she is dissatisfied with them, and so Mutt tries to make amends.

Director

A Wild Roomer

A Wild Roomer · 1927

Charles Bowers is once again an eccentric inventor. This time, he has only a matter of hours to debut his extraordinary new invention in order to collect a huge bequest from his deceased father. Along the way, his evil uncle tries to sabotage the machine, so the inheritance will go to him.

Director

Accidents Won't Happen

Accidents Won't Happen · 1925

Accidents Won't Happen

MovieComedyAnimation

Mutt (the tall one) takes out a policy on Jeff hoping to cash in big. But, unfortunately for his big money plans, ACCIDENTS WON'T HAPPEN.

Director

It's a Bird

It's a Bird · 1930

MovieComedyAnimation

Charlie, working on a junkjard, always trying to help people in the most impossible ways with junk from his work place, hears from a German professor, that there is a bird, a Belgish Kongo, that eats metal. Charlie sets out on a ridiculous hunting expedition to catch one. With some music - the birds love music - and a strange worm he is able to catch one, but even then the bird offers some even more over-the-top surprises.

Special Effects

Now You Tell One

Now You Tell One · 1926

Now You Tell One

MovieFantasyComedy

The Liars Club is holding their contest to see who can tell the most unbelievable story, with a gold medallion waiting to be awarded to the winner. Disappointed with the other members' bland efforts, one member brings in Charley Bowers, who has an extraordinary tale to tell. Charley claims to have invented a magic potion that enables him to grow absolutely anything by a simple grafting process, and he proceeds to tell his story to the club.

Director

Many a Slip

Many a Slip · 1927

Charley attempts to invent a non-slippery banana peel.

Director

Bombs and Bums

Bombs and Bums · 1926

MovieAnimationComedy

Mutt and Jeff get involves in Russian affairs.

Director

A.W.O.L.

A.W.O.L. · 1918

A soldier impatient for his discharge from the army after the armistice ending World War I goes absent without leave and is faced with the consequences of his actions.

Director

Playing with Fire

Playing with Fire · 1926

Playing with Fire

MovieComedyAnimation

Mutt needs help putting out a fire, or does he?

Director

There It Is

There It Is · 1928

MovieHorrorComedy

When a mysterious figure appears to cause a series of disruptions at the Frisbie Home in New York, word goes out to Scotland Yard that the Fuzz-Faced Phantom is at work. Soon, Charley MacNeesha and his assistant MacGregor are sent across the ocean to investigate.

Director