One of the most fascinating aspects of reviewing books is the opportunity to learn something new about someone or something that one has never known before. That is the case with this particular book, which examines and documents the life and career of one of the most important and mysterious personages in early filmography, Mack Sennett. What I found most interesting while perusing the book was the breadth, depth, and extent that the author went through to uncover and document the facts and documentation surrounding the legends of this man. For the author, this biography and filmography have taken a lifetime to compile, not only because little has been written about Sennett and his life (and that which has is often biased or obscured intentionally by Sennett himself), but also because of the detective‐like trail of clues and trails hidden in un‐catalogued archives and first‐hand accounts which the author was able to piece together over years of research and study. The result is this massive tome to the life and work of Mack Sennett, from his actor debut in 1908 through his death in 1960, focusing specifically on his studio production (1912 to 1933), with some additional reference to his attempts to return to the motion picture industry after that period of time.
Born in 1880 in Canada and dying in 1960, this pioneering film producer touched the lives of just about every important film star, producer, director, writer, editor, and photographers of the early twentieth century. Some of these people included Charlie Chaplin, Bing Crosby, W.C. Fields, Edgar Kennedy, Polly Moran, and Billy Bevan, to name but a few. Known by the nickname “The King of Comedy,” Sennett is best known as the father of American film comedy based on his studio, known as the Fun Factory, and the perennial productions of that studio the Keystone Kops films. The author begins describing Sennett's legacy to early film by discussing the many myths and inaccuracies that were in the literature before this particular book was published. The author also documents each step of his research back to his early interest and findings on Sennett and the Fun Factory. Almost half of the book (242 pages) is devoted to a historical overview of Sennett and his movies, one that includes quite a lot of biographical information as well. Although the author indicates that the definitive biography of Sennett has yet to be done, I think that it is obvious that, for now, this book will be the definitive Sennett biography.
Part I, as indicated, is an extensive and detailed historical overview of Mack Sennett, his early career, his Keystone Film Company, descriptions of his film and comedy style that affected early silent and “talkie” films, his quest into feature films, and his eventual early retirement in 1933 due to bankruptcy. Part II is, according to the author, the most complete filmography of Mack Sennett as a producer, writer, director, actor, unofficial supervisor, director general, technical advisor, or any other capacity from 1908 through 1955. These films are presented in chronological order, from Sennett's Biograph Company days (1908‐1912) to his feature film years up to 1933. The author also documents Sennett's many film credits and appearances after his retirement, as well as all theatrical compilation films. An extensive introduction to this section provides a key to the many abbreviations that appear in the filmography. The author lists as much information as is known about each film, including dates, performers, technical personnel, release date, short description of plot, and cost of production, among many other types of information. Part III is an alphabetical compilation of biographies to the many Keystone and Mack Sennett Studio personnel. An additional section of Other Notable Personnel, with substantially reduced information, follows after Part III. The book includes extensive chapter notes and a huge index. There are many black and white photographs interspersed throughout, showing Sennett at various stages and events during his life, key movies, sets, and backdrops for Sennett's studios and personnel.
As I indicated earlier, this book is a gem and treasure trove of information regarding this little‐known yet highly influential figure in American and film history. I would highly recommend it as a reference work, especially for music, film, and media studies, but also as a general reference work in any academic or public library, as it stands as a model of superior research and scholarly work.
