Volume II: Filmography

THE COOKED GOOSE

July 5, 1914 (Sunday)

Length: 1 reel (1,008 feet)

Character: Comedy

Scenario: Roy L. McCardell

Cast: Nolan Gane (Dusty Ways, a tramp), Harry N. Blakemore (Tired Tompkins, a tramp), Eugene Redding (Antonio, an Italian peanut vendor), Joseph Phillips (Dan McCarthy, a pompous cop), Robert Robson (Bill, turnkey in the town lockup)

SYNOPSIS, Reel Life, July 11, 1914:

"Tired Tompkins and Dusty Ways, two tired tramps, steal a goose after a chase lasting many minutes and extending over much territory. The partners have the goose half cooked in a vacant lot, when Dan McCarthy, the pompous village policeman, descends upon them and marches both of them off to the village jail. This done, the cop takes the half cooked goose to his home and has his wife, Bridget, finish cooking it. With a begged nickel the hoboes call the policeman to the telephone and then, while he is busy trying to re-establish his connection with central, Tired Tompkins boosts Dusty Ways up to the window ledge. The policeman returns from the telephone just as the hobos seize the goose."

REVIEW, The Bioscope, October 22, 1914:

"A breezily humorous romance, covering a day in the life of two thoroughly delightful tramps, whose competition for the possession of a stolen goose makes quite good fun. The very American subtitles are for the most part superfluous."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, July 18, 1914:

"Two weary Willies and a cop furnish most of the fun in this farce, which is cleverly worked out, except that it hardly convinces us to see the tramps get the goose away from the cop, once his hands have fastened on it. It was stolen goods and he found it on the tramps. His wife had cooked it and it was waiting for his copship to come home from the prison when they steal it again and get away. However, it is a farce and not a dissertation on sociology. It is meant to make laughter and will do so with a reasonable certainty; for it is cleverly acted, well put on and clearly photographed."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, July 22, 1914:

"A patrolman warns two hoboes that the only sure way to avoid arrest is to leave town, but his warning passes unheeded. Instead of taking the advice seriously, they steal a goose and are cooking it for supper when the policeman carts them off to the station house. The goose he carries home to his wife, who has complained of insufficient provisions. Having filed their way out of jail, the hoboes outwit their blue-coated enemy and get the goose, which by this time is nicely roasted. There is plenty of fun in this broad farce, acted with spirit by the Thanhouser players."

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