The Plumber

Checking the IMDb credits, I see that Billy Franey did a number of shorts in 1920-21 with titles such as THE DOG CATCHER, THE CAMERAMAN, THE BULLFIGHTER, THE THIEF, etc. THE PLUMBER was undoubtedly part of the same series. If you are not familiar with Billy Franey, he reminds me somewhat of Ben Turpin minus the cross eyes, and projecting forward about fifty years, John Ratzenberger of CHEERS fame. He appeared in nearly 150 films in the 1914-1918 period, and he can be seen in small roles in many poverty row films of the 1930's. In this short, THE PLUMBER, he is a fish delivery man who is taking an order to a couple who are also having plumbing problems. On the way he is stopped by a man trying to show him a scrap of paper with Chinese writing on it... a detail that is revived again near the end of the film in a self-reflexive scene! As he is fixing the couple's plumbing, there is an odd surreal scene where a guy next door (Bill Franey has broken through the wall) is taking a bath, Franey spills hair tonic all over him (after taking a swig of the tonic himself), and then the man picks up his bathtub, pulls it up around him, and walks out the front door! There is a slapdash quality to this film that I like. Fans of low-budget indie silent comedy shorts should like this. Running time is 9:57.