Lige Conley
Encyclopedia
Lige Conley was an American actor of the silent era
. He appeared in 140 films between 1915
and 1938
.
As Lige Crommie, the curly-haired young comedian joined the stock company of the Mack Sennett
studio in 1915. In 1917 he moved to the up-and-coming Hal Roach
studio, then producing one-reel comedies with Harold Lloyd
, Bebe Daniels
, and Snub Pollard
. The Roach comedies credited the actor as "Lige Cromley," but since Lloyd and company dominated their pictures, which were limited to single reels, there was little chance for Lige to distinguish himself. He returned to Sennett as a stock player, again as Lige Crommie.
When Sennett director Fred Fishback left Sennett for his own unit at Universal Pictures
. Lige soon joined him there.
The comic finally achieved stardom at Educational Pictures
, where he appeared in a long string of brisk, elaborately staged two-reel comedies. Some of these were directed by Fishback, under the pseudonym of Fred Hibbard. Educational took out trade ads in the mid-1920s, hailing Conley as the next Charlie Chaplin
. Conley, with his curly hair and coy grin, did indeed bear a resemblance to the out-of-character Chaplin.
Conley's stock-in-trade was the comedy of embarrassment, as his meek screen character earnestly failed at any occupation he tried. Conley's two most famous comedies are both 1924 releases. Fast and Furious, directed by Norman Taurog
, is a fast-moving comedy set in a general store, with Lige doing everything from demonstrating pancake batter to selling shoes. The last half of the film is a spectacular car-motorcycle-and-train chase, some of which was excerpted in the Kevin Brownlow
-David Gill
silent-film documentary Hollywood. Conley's other major credit, Air Pockets, was directed by Fred Hibbard. It casts Lige as the inventor of a collapsible automobile, and the last half features an airborne chase climax.
Conley's comedies have very few close-ups of the star, because identically dressed stuntmen double him in daring sight-gag sequences. Educational's gag writers and directors, compensating for Conley's own limited bag of tricks, threw in all sorts of obvious humor that any comedian could play: physical comedy, vehicular chase scenes, pratfalls. and large doses of racial stereotypes. The gags weren't always original; Fast and Furious even copies Buster Keaton
's gag from Sherlock, Jr.
in which the hero is sitting on the handlebars of a runaway motorcycle.
Conley's series for Educational lapsed in 1926. He returned to freelance work for Mack Sennett
, as a director and supporting player. His starring days were over; he played only incidental roles for the next decade.
Lige Conley was very prolific in the 1920s but hardly any of his work survives today. Educational lost most of its silent-film backlog in a 1937 laboratory fire. Conley himself died in 1937, struck and killed by an automobile soon after playing a small role in the Fred Allen
comedy Sally, Irene and Mary.
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
. He appeared in 140 films between 1915
1915 in film
The year 1915 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 8 : D.W Griffith's The Birth of a Nation premieres at Clune's Auditorium Los Angeles and breaks box office and film length records, running at a total length of 3 hrs 10 minutes.* June 18 : The Motion Picture Directors...
and 1938
1938 in film
The year 1938 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*January — MGM announces that Judy Garland would be cast in the role of "Dorothy" in the upcoming Wizard of Oz motion picture. Ray Bolger is cast as the "Tinman" and Buddy Ebsen is cast as the "Scarecrow". At Bolger's insistence,...
.
As Lige Crommie, the curly-haired young comedian joined the stock company of the Mack Sennett
Mack Sennett
Mack Sennett was a Canadian-born American director and was known as the innovator of slapstick comedy in film. During his lifetime he was known at times as the "King of Comedy"...
studio in 1915. In 1917 he moved to the up-and-coming Hal Roach
Hal Roach
Harold Eugene "Hal" Roach, Sr. was an American film and television producer and director, and from the 1910s to the 1990s.- Early life and career :Hal Roach was born in Elmira, New York...
studio, then producing one-reel comedies with Harold Lloyd
Harold Lloyd
Harold Clayton Lloyd, Sr. was an American film actor and producer, most famous for his silent comedies....
, Bebe Daniels
Bebe Daniels
Bebe Daniels was an American actress, singer, dancer, writer and producer. She began her career in Hollywood during the silent movie era as a child actress, became a star in musicals like 42nd Street, and later gained further fame on radio and television in Britain...
, and Snub Pollard
Snub Pollard
Harry "Snub" Pollard was a silent film comedian, popular in the 1920s.-Career:Often mistaken as the brother of Australian actress Daphne Pollard, in fact the two were not related despite their shared surname. Harry Pollard was born as Harold Fraser and took the name Pollard as his stage name...
. The Roach comedies credited the actor as "Lige Cromley," but since Lloyd and company dominated their pictures, which were limited to single reels, there was little chance for Lige to distinguish himself. He returned to Sennett as a stock player, again as Lige Crommie.
When Sennett director Fred Fishback left Sennett for his own unit at Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
. Lige soon joined him there.
The comic finally achieved stardom at Educational Pictures
Educational Pictures
Educational Pictures was a film distribution company founded in 1919 by Earle Hammons . Educational primarily distributed short subjects, and today is probably best known for its series of 1930s comedies starring Buster Keaton, as well as for a series of one-reel comedies featuring Shirley...
, where he appeared in a long string of brisk, elaborately staged two-reel comedies. Some of these were directed by Fishback, under the pseudonym of Fred Hibbard. Educational took out trade ads in the mid-1920s, hailing Conley as the next Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
. Conley, with his curly hair and coy grin, did indeed bear a resemblance to the out-of-character Chaplin.
Conley's stock-in-trade was the comedy of embarrassment, as his meek screen character earnestly failed at any occupation he tried. Conley's two most famous comedies are both 1924 releases. Fast and Furious, directed by Norman Taurog
Norman Taurog
Norman Rae Taurog was an American film director, and screenwriter.Between 1920 and 1968, Taurog directed over 140 films, and directed Elvis Presley in more movies than any other director...
, is a fast-moving comedy set in a general store, with Lige doing everything from demonstrating pancake batter to selling shoes. The last half of the film is a spectacular car-motorcycle-and-train chase, some of which was excerpted in the Kevin Brownlow
Kevin Brownlow
Kevin Brownlow is a filmmaker, film historian, television documentary-maker, author, and Academy Award recipient. Brownlow is best known for his work documenting the history of the silent era. Brownlow became interested in silent film at the age of eleven. This interest grew into a career spent...
-David Gill
David Gill (film historian)
David Ian Gill was born in Papua New Guinea, the son of Cecil Gill, a missionary doctor. His uncle was the sculptor Eric Gill. The family returned to England in 1933 where Gill attended the Belmont Abbey School, Hereford...
silent-film documentary Hollywood. Conley's other major credit, Air Pockets, was directed by Fred Hibbard. It casts Lige as the inventor of a collapsible automobile, and the last half features an airborne chase climax.
Conley's comedies have very few close-ups of the star, because identically dressed stuntmen double him in daring sight-gag sequences. Educational's gag writers and directors, compensating for Conley's own limited bag of tricks, threw in all sorts of obvious humor that any comedian could play: physical comedy, vehicular chase scenes, pratfalls. and large doses of racial stereotypes. The gags weren't always original; Fast and Furious even copies Buster Keaton
Buster Keaton
Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton was an American comic actor, filmmaker, producer and writer. He was best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression, earning him the nickname "The Great Stone Face".Keaton was recognized as the...
's gag from Sherlock, Jr.
Sherlock, Jr.
Sherlock, Jr. is an American silent comedy film directed by and starring Buster Keaton and written by Clyde Bruckman, Jean Havez and Joseph A. Mitchell...
in which the hero is sitting on the handlebars of a runaway motorcycle.
Conley's series for Educational lapsed in 1926. He returned to freelance work for Mack Sennett
Mack Sennett
Mack Sennett was a Canadian-born American director and was known as the innovator of slapstick comedy in film. During his lifetime he was known at times as the "King of Comedy"...
, as a director and supporting player. His starring days were over; he played only incidental roles for the next decade.
Lige Conley was very prolific in the 1920s but hardly any of his work survives today. Educational lost most of its silent-film backlog in a 1937 laboratory fire. Conley himself died in 1937, struck and killed by an automobile soon after playing a small role in the Fred Allen
Fred Allen
Fred Allen was an American comedian whose absurdist, topically pointed radio show made him one of the most popular and forward-looking humorists in the so-called classic era of American radio.His best-remembered gag was his long-running mock feud with friend and fellow comedian Jack Benny, but it...
comedy Sally, Irene and Mary.
Selected filmography
- Matrimony BluesMatrimony BluesMatrimony Blues was a 1926 short comedy silent film directed by Philadelphian director, Benjamin Stoloff. The film starred Lige Conley, Mildred June, and Spencer Bell....
(19261926 in film-Events:*August - Warner Brothers debuts the first Vitaphone film, Don Juan. The Vitaphone system used multiple 33⅓ rpm disc records developed by Bell Telephone Laboratories and Western Electric to play back audio synchronized with film....
) - Air Pockets (19241924 in film-Events:* Entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer Pictures to create Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...
) - Fast and FuriousFast and FuriousFast & Furious is a 2009 street racing action film directed by Justin Lin. It is the fourth film in The Fast and the Furious film series and the third installment in terms of chronology. The plot connects with the original film of the series from which Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez,...
(19241924 in film-Events:* Entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer Pictures to create Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...
) - His Only FatherHis Only FatherHis Only Father is a 1919 short comedy film directed by Hal Roach and starring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * Frank Daniels* Charles Inslee* Mark Jones* Dee Lampton...
(19191919 in filmThe year 1919 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 5 - Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith launch United Artists...
) - Pay Your DuesPay Your DuesPay Your Dues is a 1919 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd - The Boy* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * Frank Daniels* William Gillespie* Charles Inslee* Mark Jones* Dee Lampton...
(1919) - Count the VotesCount the VotesCount the Votes is a 1919 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * Frank Daniels* Mark Jones* Gus Leonard* Marie Mosquini* Fred C. Newmeyer...
(1919) - Soft MoneySoft Money (film)-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* Billy Bray* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * Charles Inslee* Edna La Badie* Gus Leonard* Marie Mosquini* Fred C. Newmeyer* Billie Oakley* Loyola O'Connor* E.J. Ritter...
(1919) - He Leads, Others FollowHe Leads, Others FollowHe Leads, Others Follow is a 1919 short comedy film starring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * Charles Inslee* Dee Lampton* Marie Mosquini...
(1919) - The RajahThe RajahThe Rajah is a 1919 short comedy film directed by Hal Roach and starring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley* Dee Lampton* Marie Mosquini* Fred C. Newmeyer* Catherine Proudfit* E.J. Ritter...
(1919) - Be My Wife (1919)
- Don't ShoveDon't Shove-Cast:* Harold Lloyd - Harold* Bebe Daniels - Bebe* Bud Jamison - Harold's rival* Noah Young - Tough guy* Eddie Boland* Sammy Brooks - Party Guest* Lige Conley - * Wallace Howe - * Dee Lampton - Fat Rival* Marie Mosquini...
(1919) - Heap Big ChiefHeap Big ChiefHeap Big Chief is a 1919 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * Lew Harvey* Wallace Howe* Bud Jamison* Dee Lampton* Earl Mohan* Marie Mosquini...
(1919) - Chop Suey & Co.Chop Suey & Co.Chop Suey & Co. is a 1919 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd - The Boy* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * Wallace Howe* Bud Jamison* Dee Lampton* Marie Mosquini* Fred C. Newmeyer...
(1919) - Count Your ChangeCount Your ChangeCount Your Change is a 1919 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd - the boy* Snub Pollard - Billy Bullion * Bebe Daniels - Miss Flighty* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * Wallace Howe...
(1919) - Never Touched MeNever Touched MeNever Touched Me is a 1919 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * Billy Fay* Lew Harvey* Wallace Howe* Noah Young...
(1919) - Spring FeverSpring Fever (1919 film)Spring Fever is a 1919 short comedy film directed by Hal Roach and featuring Harold Lloyd. Prints of the film exist in the film archives of George Eastman House, UCLA Film and Television Archive and the National Film Archive of the British Film Institute....
(1919) - A Sammy in SiberiaA Sammy in SiberiaA Sammy In Siberia is a 1919 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd. In this seven minute film, an American soldier in Siberia rescues a woman assaulted by ruffians.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd as The Boy* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* Sammy Brooks...
(1919) - Swing Your PartnersSwing Your PartnersSwing Your Partners is a 1918 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* William Blaisdell* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * William Gillespie* Bud Jamison...
(19181918 in filmThe year 1918 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*Following litigation for anti-trust activities, the US Supreme Court orders the Motion Picture Patents Company to disband....
) - Bees in His BonnetBees in His BonnetBees in His Bonnet is a 1918 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* William Blaisdell* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * William Gillespie* Helen Gilmore* Bud Jamison...
(1918) - That's HimThat's HimThat's Him is a 1918 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* Lige Conley - * William Gillespie* Helen Gilmore* Lew Harvey* Gus Leonard* Marie Mosquini* James Parrott...
(1918) - Kicking the Germ Out of GermanyKicking the Germ Out of GermanyKicking the Germ Out of Germany is a 1918 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd - The Boy* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* Lige Conley - * Mildred Forbes* William Gillespie* Helen Gilmore* Max Hamburger...
(1918) - Are Crooks Dishonest?Are Crooks Dishonest?Are Crooks Dishonest? is a 1918 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd. Prints of the film survive in the film archives of The Museum of Modern Art and Filmoteca Espanola.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd - Harold* Bebe Daniels - Miss Goulash...
(1918) - Somewhere in TurkeySomewhere in TurkeySomewhere in Turkey is a 1918 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd - A Fearless Explorer* Snub Pollard - His Assistant* Bebe Daniels - A Girl in Danger* William Blaisdell* Sammy Brooks* Harry Burns* Louise Carver...
(1918) - Sic 'Em, TowserSic 'Em, TowserSic 'Em, Towser is a 1918 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* William Blaisdell* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * William Gillespie* Helen Gilmore* Gus Leonard* James Parrott...
(1918) - The City SlickerThe City SlickerThe City Slicker is a 1918 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd. Prints of the film survive in the film archive of the Library of Congress.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd - Harold* Snub Pollard - Snub * Bebe Daniels - The Girl...
(1918) - Fireman Save My Child (1918)
- Kicked OutKicked Out-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* William Blaisdell* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * Billy Fay - * William Gillespie* Helen Gilmore* Marvin Loback* Belle Mitchell* James Parrott* Dorothea Wolbert...
(1918) - Hey There!Hey There!Hey There! is a 1918 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* William Blaisdell* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * Billy Fay* William Gillespie* Helen Gilmore...
(1918) - It's a Wild LifeIt's a Wild LifeIt's a Wild Life is a 1918 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* William Blaisdell* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * Helen Gilmore* Lew Harvey* Bud Jamison* Fred C. Newmeyer...
(1918) - Pipe the WhiskersPipe the WhiskersPipe the Whiskers is a 1918 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd - Janitor* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* William Blaisdell* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * Billy Fay* William Gillespie* Fred C. Newmeyer...
(1918) - On the JumpOn the JumpOn the Jump is a 1918 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd. A print of the film survives in the film archive of the Museum of Modern Art. -Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* William Blaisdell* Sammy Brooks...
(1918) - Let's GoLet's Go (film)-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* William Blaisdell* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * Billy Fay* Gus Leonard* James Parrott* Dorothea Wolbert...
(1918) - Here Come the GirlsHere Come the Girls (1918 film)Here Come the Girls is a 1918 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd. Prints of the film survive in the film archive of the Museum of Modern Art.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* William Blaisdell* Sammy Brooks...
(1918) - Look Pleasant, PleaseLook Pleasant, PleaseLook Pleasant, Please is a 1918 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* William Blaisdell* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * Billy Fay* William Gillespie* Lew Harvey* Gus Leonard...
(1918) - A Gasoline WeddingA Gasoline WeddingA Gasoline Wedding is a 1918 short comedy film starring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd - The Boy* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* William Blaisdell* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley * William Gillespie* Maynard Laswell...
(1918) - Beat ItBeat It (film)Beat It is a 1918 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* William Blaisdell* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * William Gillespie* Maynard Laswell - * Gus Leonard...
(1918) - Hit Him AgainHit Him Again-Cast:* Harold Lloyd - The Boy* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* William Blaisdell* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * Billy Fay* Lew Harvey* Gus Leonard* James Parrott* King Zany -...
(1918) - The Big IdeaThe Big Idea (1917 film)-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* William Blaisdell* Sammy Brooks* Lige Conley - * Billy Fay* William Gillespie* Gus Leonard* Norman Napier* Fred C. Newmeyer* Dorothea Wolbert...
(19171917 in filmThe year 1917 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*Foundation of Universum Film AG , as a propaganda film company, in Berlin.*Technicolor System 1, a two-color process, is introduced...
) - Step Lively (1917)