The Alice Howell Collection #2 – “Father Was a Loafer” (1915) – reviewed by George

Mack Sennett’s former right-hand man, Henry Lehrman, set up his own L-Ko Komedy Company (Lehrman Knock-Out Komedies) in the summer of 1914, and began hiring away many of Sennett’s regular performers. Along with Hank Mann and Peggy Pearce, Alice joined the group at the beginning of 1915. Her first L-Ko appearance was in “Father Was a Loafer” (1915). In which—-
Mr. Bummel, the loafer (Billie Ritchie), who should actually be called the drunk, staggers into a small bar and manages very quickly to offend the man mopping the floor. He then goes to the counter where the mop head has come to rest, and he stands on it. The man mopping jerks it out from under him, causing him to fall, but unfortunately the drunk’s weight being off the mop causes the mopper to fall too. Then, with both men upright, I was expecting a big fight, but an employee of Bummel’s has called the bar (must be his regular stop) and left a message. “The stork has arrived!”
Despite his condition he manages to arrive home still alive, and we see that there are already 4 young Bummels.  And then the doctor (Hank Mann) comes in with 2 more. And the drunk is beginning to fade in the stretch. And the nurses (Louise Orth and Eve Nelson) stride in with the third. Yes, triplets!
Followed by a happy Mrs. Bummel (Alice Howell), who sees her husband’s shock and displeasure and throws him out.
What does he care? He can find someone new pretty quickly, and he does – Miss Rocks (Gertrude Selby), an heiress, whose father detests this guy on sight, and he gets what he deserves.
The music is great, the actors are great, and this wonderful 28 minute comedy is Highly Recommended.