Charles R. Bowers

Directing

Charles R. Bowers

Born — Died

1889-06-07 — 1946-11-26

Place of birth

Creco, Iowa, USA

Known for

Directing

Credits

54 titles

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; along with Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Harold Lloyd

Known for

Film credits

1930s · 2 titles

1920s · 11 titles

Nothing Doing poster
7.7

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.

Nothing Doing

1927

Fatal Footsteps poster
5.8

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.

Fatal Footsteps

1926

Egged On poster
6.3

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.

Egged On

1926

Whoozit poster
10.0

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.

Whoozit

1928

Now You Tell One poster
6.5

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.

Now You Tell One

1926

There It Is poster
6.9

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.

There It Is

1928

A Wild Roomer poster
6.5

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.

A Wild Roomer

1927

Many a Slip poster
6.5

Charley attempts to invent a non-slippery banana peel.

Many a Slip

1927

Hop Off poster
9.0

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.

Hop Off

1928

He Done His Best poster
5.7

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.

He Done His Best

1926

Say Ah-h! poster
7.3

Charley has to find an ostrich egg in a hurry for a disgruntled visitor, but he doesn't count on the introduction of some surreal plot twists and turns that foil his every attempt.

Say Ah-h!

1928

Behind the camera

Westward Whoa poster
6.0

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

Westward Whoa

1926

Nothing Doing poster
7.7

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.

Nothing Doing

1927

Nothing Doing poster
7.7

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.

Nothing Doing

1927

Nothing Doing poster
7.7

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.

Nothing Doing

1927

No artwork available
10.0

1925 Mutt and Jeff cartoon

Invisible Revenge

1925

Fatal Footsteps poster
5.8

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.

Fatal Footsteps

1926

Fatal Footsteps poster
5.8

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.

Fatal Footsteps

1926

Fatal Footsteps poster
5.8

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.

Fatal Footsteps

1926

Slick Sleuths poster
6.0

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

Slick Sleuths

1926

Dog Gone poster
7.5

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.

Dog Gone

1926

Egged On poster
6.3

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.

Egged On

1926

Egged On poster
6.3

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.

Egged On

1926

Egged On poster
6.3

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.

Egged On

1926

Soda Jerks poster
7.0

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.

Soda Jerks

1925

Whoozit poster
10.0

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.

Whoozit

1928

Whoozit poster
10.0

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.

Whoozit

1928

Whoozit poster
10.0

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.

Whoozit

1928

On Strike poster
4.3

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.

On Strike

1920

On Strike poster
4.3

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.

On Strike

1920

Now You Tell One poster
6.5

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.

Now You Tell One

1926

Now You Tell One poster
6.5

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.

Now You Tell One

1926

Now You Tell One poster
6.5

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.

Now You Tell One

1926

There It Is poster
6.9

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.

There It Is

1928

There It Is poster
6.9

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.

There It Is

1928

'Lots' of Water poster
NR

Mutt and Jeff's hilarious hijinks.

'Lots' of Water

1926

A.W.O.L. poster
4.2

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.

A.W.O.L.

1918

A.W.O.L. poster
4.2

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.

A.W.O.L.

1918

No artwork available
NR

In this fragmentary episode, Mutt, as a cinema proprietor, has problems with his 5-man orchestra and his projectionist Jeff.

Mutt and Jeff in the Movies

1920

A Wild Roomer poster
6.5

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.

A Wild Roomer

1927

A Wild Roomer poster
6.5

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.

A Wild Roomer

1927

A Wild Roomer poster
6.5

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.

A Wild Roomer

1927

A Stretch in Time poster
NR

Mutt and Jeff fight with Indians.

A Stretch in Time

1926

Pop and Mom in Wild Oysters poster
7.7

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.

Pop and Mom in Wild Oysters

1941

Pop and Mom in Wild Oysters poster
7.7

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.

Pop and Mom in Wild Oysters

1941

Many a Slip poster
6.5

Charley attempts to invent a non-slippery banana peel.

Many a Slip

1927

Many a Slip poster
6.5

Charley attempts to invent a non-slippery banana peel.

Many a Slip

1927

Many a Slip poster
6.5

Charley attempts to invent a non-slippery banana peel.

Many a Slip

1927

Hop Off poster
9.0

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.

Hop Off

1928

The Extra-Quick Lunch poster
6.3

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.

The Extra-Quick Lunch

1918

He Done His Best poster
5.7

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.

He Done His Best

1926