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Ups and Downs
(1915) United States of America
B&W : Short film
Directed by Bobby Burns and Walter Stull
Cast: Bobby Burns [Pokes], Walter Stull [Jabbs], Billy Ruge [Runt], Babe Hardy (Oliver Hardy) [Shifty Mike], Ethel Burton (Ethel Marie Burton) [Ethel], Spook Hanson (Frank Hanson) [Runt]
Vim Comedy Film Company production; distributed by The General Film Company, Incorporated. / Produced by Louis Burstein. / Released 31 December 1915. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Comedy.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Plaid Jabbs has lots of money and a beautiful daughter. While out in the park one day feeding the docks, the beautiful daughter, Ethel, is accosted by Shifty Mike, who endeavors to caress her and impress a kiss upon her lips. Jabbs, nearby, hears her scream and hurried to the rescue. Administering a sound thrashing to Shifty Mike, he kicks him away. But Shifty Mike is not so easily gotten rid of. He immediately summons his two assistants and with orders to them to repair to their rendezvous, he proceeds to follow Jabbs home. Pokes is Ethel’s favorite and arrives upon the scene shortly after Jabbs leaves. Ethel, forgetting her troubles, reposes comfortably in the arms of her sweetheart. Marriage is the question, but Pokes is broke and Ethel informs him work he must get. So he starts out to hunt it. The confederates about this time have finished their task of getting ready a warm reception for Jabbs. Shifty arrives, but a brave man is needed to put their scheme into execution. A poster card is written and placed upon the front of their residence. Numerous applicants arrive and last of all, Pokes, who, upon seeing the sign “Little work and big pay,” immediately applies. As we might expect, Pokes is the successful applicant, and with Shifty’s two assistants as watchers, he starts out to perform his task. Numerous obstacles present themselves, which are finally overcome. Arriving at the side of Jabbs’ residence, Pokes throws the missile through the window. It travels some distance and is handled by various people, when arriving back at Pokes’ feet, it explodes. In his journey up and down he passes through a room full of card players and the sides of a house, only to fall back into the very room where Jabbs is sitting, unhurt. Shifty, during this time, has captured Ethel upon the street, while she was walking with a friend. Pokes and Jabbs rough it up a bit, and Jabbs tosses Pokes through the open window. Unconsciously, but just in time, Pokes knocks Shifty head first into a rain barrel and rescues his sweetheart. Ethel, proving “it is indeed an ill wind that blows nobody good.”
Survival status: Print exists.
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 14 May 2025.
References: Website-IMDb.
Home video: Blu-ray Disc, DVD.
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