Custard's Last Stand

Billy Franey stars as Custard, the bumbling proprietor of a roadside lunch stand who spends more time dodging freeloaders than flipping burgers. The short is built entirely around the offensive gimmick of white actors in blackface, utilizing every tired caricature available in 1921. While Custard struggles with the basic logistics of food service, his wife uses overt flirtation to lure in customers and distract them from the questionable menu. The plot, if you can call it that, is a loose collection of mean-spirited gags involving people trying to eat for free and the husband’s escalating frustration with his wife’s 'marketing' tactics. It is a primitive attempt at slapstick that replaces wit with racial mockery and cheap sets.