Comedy Is a Man in Trouble

Slapstick in American Movies

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by Alan Dale

Type

Studies

Subject

Silent Cinema

Keywords

comedy, burlesque, slapstick

Publishing date

2002

Publisher

University of Minnesota Press

Language

English

Relative size

Physical desc.

Paperback • 288 pages
6 x 9 inches (15 x 23 cm)

ISBN-10
ISBN-13

0-8166-3658-3
978-0-8166-3658-7

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Book Presentation:
An enthusiast’s look at the art of physical comedy—now in paperback!

Legendary screen comedian Jerry Lewis once said, "The premise of all comedy is a man in trouble." The films that endeared Lewis and others to us hinged on the physical assault of their hero, the pie in the face or slip on the banana peel that reduced the movie star to the level of the audience. Alan Dale presents a lively and accessible look at slapstick, a form of comedy with roots in the circus and vaudeville that has been refashioned by actors ranging from Buster Keaton to the Marx Brothers, from Katharine Hepburn to Jim Carrey.

Winner of the Theater Library Association’s Special Jury Prize for Distinguished Achievement

About the Author:
Alan Dale worked at a Los Angeles talent agency before earning a Ph.D. in comparative literature from Princeton University. He is currently working toward a J.D. at Yale Law School.

See the publisher website: University of Minnesota Press