Deep Archive Finds Movies That Echo the Spirit of Dew Drop Inn: Cult Guide

Dir: Larry Semon

Semon's character, working behind the scenes, creates mayhem during a vaudeville performance.

Dir: Larry Semon

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Well, I'll Be perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Larry is the booby sheriff of a Western town named Beer Bottle Bend, whose lawlessness matched his witlessness. A demure little thing from the East arrives on the same stage with a consignment of $100,000 to the sheriff, and the town proceeds to celebrate. After reforming the champion "elbow-bender" of the community, the demure one inspires the sheriff to action against the lawless element. The $100,000 changes hands in rapid and humorous fashion, and finally comes into the possession of the demure thing who had followed the cash all the way from New York. Larry proceeds to make a few cursory remarks on women.

Dir: Larry Semon

Larry's absurdly plush life of ease as a convict comes to an end when his sentence is up. Tossed out, he tries several ways, including a stickup to get back in the comfortable jail. Exchanging clothes with a lookalike escaped prisoner, he goes back, only to find he's to be hung. Now desperate to leave again, he joins other cons in a jailbreak.

Dir: Larry Semon

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Star Boarder perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

What with pretty women lounging around the lobby, Larry's existence as a secret guardian of a hotel is all roses until a valise filled with jewels is left in his hands for safekeeping. Larry locks it up in the hotel safe, but not before crooks have caught a glimpse of the gems. Thenceforth every art and artifice is employed by them to separate Larry and the hotel from the jewels.

Dir: Larry Semon

A bumbling detective lands alongside the crooks even the police are afraid of. He makes his escape through the window to a woman's apartment, where the misadventures continue.

Dir: Larry Semon

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Passing the Buck perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A government official staying in a hotel puts some important secret papers in the hotel safe. A ring of spies out to get the papers manages to steal them from the safe, and a lady government agent enlists the help of the hotel's bumbling bellhop in getting back the papers and breaking up the spy ring.

Dir: Larry Semon

A woman and her daughter are throwing a party, and Larry Semon is in the kitchen, joined by some monkeys and jewel thieves. What could go wrong?

Dir: Larry Semon

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Dull Care perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Larry is a mighty hunter, unafraid of rabbits, canaries and field mice, and also quite unafraid of the hundred-off wives of the Sultan, but he reverts to Semonesque agility when a half dozen lions are let loose in the conservatory.

Dir: Larry Semon

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Larry Semon

Larry applies for a job as a revenue officer, ready to catch bootleggers.