Caught in a Cabaret, starring Charlie Chaplin, Mabel Normand originally released April 27, 1914
The short silent film Caught in a Cabaret is another Mabel Normand film where Charlie Chaplin begins to steal the show. Caught in a Cabaret has Charlie the Little Tramp overworked as a waiter in a cafe, who gets a free hour off from work and unexpectedly rescues Mabel from a mugging.
She invites him to her home, where he’s invited to a party. Along the way, in an effort to impress her, he presents a card falsely identifying him as the Greek Ambassador. Her jealous boyfriend follows Charlie back to the restaurant. The boyfriend plans to get even with Charlie at the party. He invites everyone to Charlie’s cafe afterward, in order to humiliate Charlie.
Trivia for Caught in a Cabaret
- Debut of actress Alice Howell.
- This film is among the 34 short films included in the “Chaplin at Keystone” DVD collection.
Cast of characters in Caught in a Cabaret
- Charlie Chaplin (Limelight) … Waiter
- Mabel Normand (Mabel at the Wheel) … Mabel Society Girl
- Chester Conklin (Modern Times) … Waiter / Footman
- Billy Gilbert (The Music Box) … Cabaret Patron
- Edgar Kennedy (Duck Soup) … Café Proprietor
- Hank Mann (City Lights) … Dancer in Eyepatch
- Mack Swain (Laughing Gas) … Tough Patron / Party Guest / Boy’s Father
- Al St. John (The Rounders) … Singer
Additional cast
- Dan Albert (Mabel’s Busy Day) … Cabaret Patron / Garden Party Guest
- Phyllis Allen (Gentlemen of Nerve) … Cabaret Dancer
- Glen Cavender (The Masquerader) … Piano Player
- Nick Cogley … Boy’s Defender
- Alice Davenport (Cruel, Cruel Love) … Mabel’s Mother
- Minta Durfee (Making a Living) … Cabaret Patron / Girl in Park
- Ted Edwards … Singer
- Gordon Griffith … Boy in Park
- William Hauber … Park Thief
- Alice Howell … Garden Party Guest
- Bert Hunn … Cabaret Patron / Garden Party Waiter
- Grover Ligon (Mabel’s Busy Day) … Bartender / Footman
- Wallace MacDonald … Society Guest
- Gene Marsh … Chambermaid
- Harry McCoy … Mabel’s Boyfriend
- Eva Nelson … Cabaret Dancer
- Josef Swickard … Mabel’s Father
[Updated June 16, 2022]
[Updated September 14, 2023]