Coming! A Brand New Charlie Chaplin Comedy -- August 19, 2018

Moving Picture World, 03-August-1918

I think Charlie and Syd are with Olga Petrova, whose real name was Muriel Harding.

Moving Picture World, 03-August-1918

Charlie and his friend Douglas Fairbanks strike Napoleonic poses in this photo.  The caption imitates ads that vaudeville acts would put in Variety.  Bill West was probably Chaplin imitator Billy West and Frank Farnum was probably actor Franklyn Farnum, who had a very long career in movies.

Moving Picture World, 03-August-1918

"Coming!  A Brand New Charlie Chaplin Comedy."  Essanay was still trying to make money out of Charlie Chaplin's work.  They took pieces of released ("Police") and unreleased (Life) Chaplin shorts to produce Triple Trouble.

Moving Picture World, 03-August-1918

"Genuine Chaplin Comedies Drawing Tremendous Crowds." Meanwhile, Essanay was also rereleasing individual Chaplin movies, along with the Snakeville Comedies, which are not nearly as funny.

Moving Picture World, 03-August-1918

"The comedy is new throughout.  Although Chaplin has not been working with Essanay for some years the company states that this film is not a reissue nor a rehash, but a new film in its entirety."  Not true.

Moving Picture World, 10-August-1918

In 'Triple Trouble' we are offering you a NEW Charlie Chaplin picture in its entirety." 

Moving Picture World, 17-August-1918

"Book only the genuine Charlie Chaplin Comedies."  This is ironic coming from the company that distributed Chase Me Charlie and made "Triple Trouble."

Moving Picture World, 17-August-1918

"'Triple Trouble' Genuine Says Spoor."  George K Spoor was the "Ess" in "Essanay."

Photoplay, August, 1918

A letter from Chaplin asks people to look for his signature to identify genuine films.

Motion Picture News, 03-August-1918

"Shoulder Arms," his second First National release, was to be Chaplin's longest film yet.  He threw out the first reel showing his character's life before the army.

Moving Picture World, 10-August-1918

I like the photo of Chaplin.  The telegram from Chaplin (I added punctuation for readability): "Trade papers announcing Essanay issue of Triple Trouble as a new Chaplin picture just arrived on coast. This is not a new Chaplin but from the advertising layout in trade review must be nothing but the discarded portions of Police the last picture made by Charlie Chaplin for Essanay.  First National should stop these misleading statements and advertising which must be stamped out." 

Moving Picture World, 24-August-1918

A letter addressed to distributor George Kleine says "Believing that a great injustice has been done to the Essanay Company as well as yourselves by the Trade Paper advertising of one of your competitors in conjunction with the release of Charley Chaplin in 'TRIPLE TROUBLE'..."

Moving Picture World, 24-August-1918

First National fired back with "Here's Trouble for 'Triple Trouble.'"  It quotes a newspaper article with the headline: "'Triple Trouble' is Atrocious Patch Quilt of Ancient Slapstick Reels."  Keep in mind that these "ancient slapstick reels" were about three years old.

Moving Picture World, 31-August-1918

"Thanks for the Trouble on 'Triple Trouble.'"  This thanks the competitors (Charlie Chaplin) who spread the word about the movie.

Moving Picture World, 25-August-1918

Moving Picture World, 24-August-1918

The author visited Chaplin while he was working on "Shoulder Arms."

Moving Picture World, 24-August-1918

"How Charlie Captured the Kaiser" was an animated short produced by the Nestor Company and released by Universal. Everyone was trying to cash in on Chaplin.

Moving Picture World, 24-August-1918

Rollie Totheroh photographed all of Chaplin's movies from the late Essanays to Monsieur Verdoux. His grandson David Totheroh used to post on alt.movies.silent.