Billy Gilbert, a very talented comic actor who appeared in numerous comedy shorts at every studio in Hollywood in the 1930s and '40s, was finally signed to his own series of comedy shorts for Columbia. Unfortunately, his output consisted of only 3 two-reelers in a little over a year. Though Gilbert had supporting roles in Columbia shorts before, people thought his solo shorts were mediocre.
His first short, SHOT IN THE ESCAPE, in which he is teamed with Cliff Nazarro, who made another Columbia short with Greek dialect comic George Givot, TWO SAPLINGS, which is currently unavailable for viewing, does pay off, but very little. What's worse is Gilbert speaks with a Greek accent for the entire short, maybe to make him more funnier, I imagine. Gilbert and Nazarro play friends who decide to spend a day at the movies when they try to help a woman cross a muddy street and end up getting soaked. When they go to the woman's apartment to dry off, her jealous husband (Charlie Hall) shows up and chases them away with a gun. It would have more funnier if this short was assigned to the Stooges since this material would have better suited for them.
Even though Gilbert's shorts were later revived on television by Screen Gems in 1959 (part of its Hilarious Hundred package), they still failed to make an impact since they disappeared from TV shortly after. Fans of Gilbert may like it, others might want to steer clear.
His first short, SHOT IN THE ESCAPE, in which he is teamed with Cliff Nazarro, who made another Columbia short with Greek dialect comic George Givot, TWO SAPLINGS, which is currently unavailable for viewing, does pay off, but very little. What's worse is Gilbert speaks with a Greek accent for the entire short, maybe to make him more funnier, I imagine. Gilbert and Nazarro play friends who decide to spend a day at the movies when they try to help a woman cross a muddy street and end up getting soaked. When they go to the woman's apartment to dry off, her jealous husband (Charlie Hall) shows up and chases them away with a gun. It would have more funnier if this short was assigned to the Stooges since this material would have better suited for them.
Even though Gilbert's shorts were later revived on television by Screen Gems in 1959 (part of its Hilarious Hundred package), they still failed to make an impact since they disappeared from TV shortly after. Fans of Gilbert may like it, others might want to steer clear.
