His New Job (1915) starring Charlie Chaplin, Ben Turpin, Leo White
In His New Job, while the Little Tramp waits to be interviewed for a part in a movie, he wrecks havoc in the office. Once actually hired as an actor, he … wreaks more havoc!
His New Job begins with the Little Tramp Charlie Chaplin applying for a job at the fictional Lockstone Studios to become a film actor. While there, the characteristically flirts with young ladies. Also characteristically he fights with other men (starting with cross-eyed Ben Turpin).
Eventually, he gets in to the office for his job interview. But the gentleman conducting the interview is virtually deaf! This gives Charlie the opportunity to clown around with him, eventually getting the job anyway!
But then things go from bad to worse. Even though he’s only an extra, he’s quickly fighting with his director, misses his cue while playing in a dice game, and gets demoted to “helping” the carpenter, etc.
Charlie manages to drive away his replacement (Leo White), fusses over the leading lady (Charlotte Mineau), and … rip off her skirt!
In short, His New Job is a fast-paced, energetic one-reel comedy. It wasn’t a bad introduction for Essanay.
Editorial review of His New Job courtesy of Amazon.com
Charlie is hired as a prop man and is soon demoted to a carpenter’s assistant at the Lockstone studio before given the chance to act, which ends in disaster. The film was Chaplin’s first pairing with cross-eyed comedian Ben Turpin and features an early appearance by Gloria Swanson as a secretary.
Trivia
- This is the first of 14 Essanay Films that Charles Chaplin made after leaving Keystone when Mack Sennett would not meet the comedian’s $1000-a-week salary demand. Essanay gave him $1250. This is the only Chaplin film made on location in Chicago.
- The fictional Lockstone Studios is clearly a reference to Charlie Chaplin’s former studio, Keystone.
- This film is one of Gloria Swanson‘s earliest screen appearances. She’s the stenographer on the left that Charlie Chaplin speaks to when the film begins. She auditioned for the female lead, but Chaplin didn’t see that the role suited her. She would later admit that she hated slapstick comedy and had been deliberately uncooperative.