On the surface it may seem slightly surprising that a master
of verbal humor should also be a devotee of silent comedy, but Paul
Merton is completely passionate about the early days of Hollywood
comedy and the comic geniuses who dominated it. His knowledge is
awesome, his enthusiasm is infectious—and these qualities are to be
found in abundance in his new book. Starting with the very earliest
pioneering short films, he traces the evolution of silent comedy
through the 1900s and considers the works of the genre's greatest
exponents—Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, and
Harold Lloyd—showing not only how each developed in the course of
their career but also the extent to which they influenced each
other. At the same time, Paul brings a comedian's insight to bear
on the art of making people laugh, and explores just how the great
comic ideas, routines, gags, and prat-falls worked and evolved. His
first book for 10 years, this richly illustrated history of
silent comedy is destined to be a classic.
