Arvid E. Gillstrom

The Hero

The Hero is a 1917 silent comedy film featuring Billy West & Oliver Hardy.

The Villain

In The Villain, Billy attempted something a little different. He's still imitating Chaplin, but this time he's playing the wicked, top-hatted Charlie found in some of his earliest Keystone appearances (e.g. Mabel at the Wheel), the ones where Charlie himself seemed to be imitating the studio's recently departed Ford Sterling. Throughout this short there is much spoofing of old-time melodramas, a frequent motif of Sterling's comedies.

Knight Duty

Harry is a hobo, one step ahead of the law. After accidentally foiling a purse snatcher, he cadges a ride on a flatbed truck, is knocked out when a wax figure falls on him during the ride, and is carried into a museum by someone thinking he's another manikin. Inside, it takes him a while to figure out that he's among dummies. Then, two enterprising jewel thieves arrive to steal the museum director's priceless ruby. Cops are on hand as well: when the ruby goes missing, Harry may be the perfect fall guy. Can Harry stay away from the cops, foil the theft, and behave heroically in front of the museum director's daughter, the same woman whose purse he saved that morning?

Smiles

When their father is reported missing at the front during World War I, Jane and Katherine are stamped and sent by parcel post across the country to their Aunt Lucille Forrest in New Jersey. The two girls manage to smuggle their dog into the mail bag as well. Aunt Lucille is in love with Lt. Tom Hayes, but she is angry with him after he resigns his commission at the start of the war. She does not know that Tom is in the Secret Service, and she becomes jealous of a female spy whom Tom is trailing. Jane and Katherine's mischievous pranks finally assist in capturing the spy and the secret plans, and getting Aunt Lucille back together with Tom.

The Pest

The Pest (aka The Freeloader) is a 1917 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy and starring Billy West in one of his "Charlie Chaplin" rip-off roles.

Hot Scotch

A Paramount-Christie comedy from 1928.

Cupid's Rival

A bumbling janitor in a fleabag hotel drives the residents crazy, and a poor artist believes that his girlfriend is having an affair with a wealthy artist living across the hall, and takes unorthodox measures to find out what's going on.

The Scholar

Short King Bee Studios slapstick comedy featuring Billy West and Oliver Hardy

The Hobo

Billy is a hobo who hangs around the train station. He creates disruption in the ticket office, at the lunch counter, and in the lives of some of the customers.

Clancy's Kosher Wedding

Clancy's Kosher Wedding is a 1927 silent comedy film directed by Arvid E. Gillstrom.

The Rogue

'The Rogue' casts West as the slavey in a boarding-house (not a very Chaplinesque role) overseen by a landlady who seems to be a cross between Alice Davenport and Marie Dressler, with a dash of Hattie Jacques. He crosses paths with a counterfeit count (White) and a stolen violin worth $20,000.

The Big Flash

Would-be photographer Harry gets his big chance when a newspaper wants pictures of a prominent gangster and his girl. Harry and another photographer first visit the gangster's girl, and then wait at the scene of an expected robbery. But before they can get the pictures they want, they must first distract a policeman whose presence would otherwise deter the gangster from appearing.

The Framing of the Shrew

Privacy Robson is a downtrodden husband who takes advice from his friend Florian Slappey. He eventually gets the upper hand after starting divorce proceedings, pretending to have a new girlfriend and refusing to eat anything she cooks him.

The Snow Cure

The Snow Cure is a silent Comedy short.

Tell It to the Marines

After a busy day of playing pranks on their father's servants and guests, Harry Williams' daughters Jane and Katherine tumble into bed and fall asleep. Having seen a film depicting World War I fighting in Europe, little Jane dreams that two armies, consisting entirely of mechanical dolls, are advancing against each other in battle. While Trik leads the German troops, who are guilty of committing a score of atrocities, Trak heads the Allied army, which ultimately wins the war. In the end, Jane awakens with a start to find that it has all been a dream.

Hooks and Jabs

Harry is down and out. A woman friend from a temperance union loans him a buck. He goes to a bar and orders a glass of milk to get a free sandwich. After he loses the greenback, the burly saloon keeper confiscates Harry's sandwich and tells him to sweep the floor to pay his tab. In the back room is a boxing ring where the owner stages fights. By happenstance, Harry ends up in the ring. Outside, the temperance union pickets the saloon. Between the beer and the boxing, can Harry stay on his feet and help his crusading friend?

The Candy Kid

A Fake Chaplin movie with Billy West as the tramp.

Please

Two dueling suitors vie for the heart of the town’s beautiful music teacher. Features Songs: “Please”, “You’re Getting To be A Habit With Me” and “I Don’t Stand A Ghost of a Chance”.

A Good Scout

A snappy young book agent reforms and becomes a cook for a group of Boy Scouts.

Swat the Spy

Andrew Sheldon is so busy perfecting a new explosive for the United States effort in World War I that he fails to realize that his butler, cook, housekeeper and chauffeur are all German spies. His two mischievous daughters, Jane and Katherine, however, make life difficult for the spies by throwing pies at the Kaiser's picture and clipping the butler's long, Prussian-style mustache while he sleeps. When Andrew's wife announces that she is pregnant, he tells the girls that he has written a letter requesting a baby brother for them, whereupon they decide to steal the letter, convinced that two children are enough for their family. Breaking into Andrew's laboratory, they take the "letter," actually the secret formula, but after Andrew reveals that his plans are missing, the butler enters the laboratory and seizes the invention itself.

Meet the Missus

When the story begins, James is confronted by his wife for his roving eyes! Soon after this, he goes to a speakeasy and begins chatting up women. One in particular catches his eye and so he brings her home to meet the wife. And here's where it gets weird. Apparently the Gleasons have an agreement that if either meets another person and falls for them, the marriage will be amicably dissolved and they'll each go their separate ways! Of course, things don't work out the way the hubby expects...and it certainly will come as a surprise to you as well!

The Knight Before Christmas

Legionnaires in Paris

Two American soldiers are on leave in Paris on Armistice Day and, due to a misunderstanding, believe that they've killed a man, although accidentally. When they discover that the police are looking for them, they're convinced that they're in big trouble and take off. Complications ensue.

Happy Days

Winnie Winkle's wee brother Perry captains a rag tag sandlot team.