Charlie Chaplin IS “The Star Boarder”

Today marks the anniversary of the release date of the Charlie Chaplin short The Star Boarder, directed by George Nichols. This is a terrific early comedy. Nice strong situation and shape to it. Chaplin plays a seedy boarder at a roaming house. He flirts with his landlady (Minta Durfee), who gives him all sorts of privileges. Edgar Kennedy is the jealous husband. He’s in fine form even at this early stage of his career.  The climax of the picture is a slide-show where the whole house accidentally sees incriminating pictures of Charlie and the landlady cavorting, taken by a troublesome kid from the house. Mayhem ensues.

The film has also been released as The Landlady’s Pet:

Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to Youtube