In the original dustsheet. Black binding with gilt title on the spine.

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‘An enjoyable and meticulous recreation of a pioneering, mythical era in Old Hollywood… From his founding of Keystone Studios in 1913, Sennett dominated the screen comedy scene, birthing the careers of the likes of Buster Keaton and Fatty Arbuckle while, with the Keystone Kops, defining ‘madcap’ comedy.’ Empire

‘This is a compelling tale of ambition, lust and financial chicanery that is vividly evocative of its period.’ Film Review

‘The story rattles along with all the dash of a Keystone Kops chase… Louvish is expert in vivid description and insightful interpretation, and he brings these movies to life on the printed page like no other film historian.’ Sunday Times

The Keystone Cops in The Stolen Purse (1913). Pictured (left to right): Robert Z. Leonard, Mack Sennett, Bill Haber, Henry Lehrman, ⸻ McAlley, Chester Franklin, Ford Sterling, Fred Mace, and Arthur Tavares.

“‘This is a compelling tale of ambition, lust and financial chicanery that is vividly evocative of its period.’ Film Review ‘The story rattles along with all the dash of a Keystone Kops chase… Louvish is expert in vivid description and insightful interpretation, and he brings these movies to life on the printed page like no other film historian.’ Sunday Times ‘An enjoyable and meticulous recreation of a pioneering, mythical era in Old Hollywood… From his founding of Keystone Studios in 1913, Sennett dominated the screen comedy scene, birthing the careers of the likes of Buster Keaton and Fatty Arbuckle while, with the Keystone Kops, defining ‘madcap’ comedy.’ Empire”

Keystone Studios was an early film studio founded in Edendale, California (which is now a part of Echo Park) on July 4, 1912 as the Keystone Pictures Studio by Mack Sennett with backing from actor-writer Adam Kessel (1866–1946) and Charles O. Baumann (1874–1931), owners of the New York Motion Picture Company (founded 1909).The company, referred to at its office as The Keystone Film Company, filmed in and around Glendale and Silver Lake, Los Angeles for several years, and its films were distributed by the Mutual Film Corporation between 1912 and 1915. The Keystone film brand declined rapidly after Sennett went independent in 1917.

The name Keystone was taken from the side of one of the cars of a passing Pennsylvania Railroad train (Keystone State being the nickname of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania) during the initial meeting of Sennett, Kessel and Baumann in New York.

The original main building, the first totally enclosed film stage and studio in history, is still standing. It is located at 1712 Glendale Blvd in Echo Park, Los Angeles and is now being used as a Public storage facility.

                                                 Sennett – The Moving Picture World, 1916

Mack Sennett (born Michael Sinnott; January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was a Canadian actor, director, comedian, and studio head who was known as the “King of Comedy” during his career.

Born in Danville, Quebec,in 1880, he started in films in the Biograph Company of New York City, and later opened Keystone Studios in Edendale, California in 1912. Keystone possessed the first fully enclosed film stage, and Sennett became famous as the originator of slapstick routines such as pie-throwing and car-chases, as seen in the Keystone Cops films. He also produced short features that displayed his Bathing Beauties, many of whom went on to develop successful acting careers. After struggling with bankruptcy and the dominance of sound films in the early 1930s, Sennett was presented with an honorary Academy Award in 1938 for his contributions to the film industry, with the Academy describing him as a “master of fun, discoverer of stars, sympathetic, kindly, understanding comedy genius”.

About the Author: Simon Louvish was born in Glasgow in 1947 and misspent his youth growing up in Israel between 1949 and 1968, including a stint as an army cameraman from 1965 to 1967. Having decamped to the London School of Film Technique in 1968, Simon became involved in the production of a series of independent documentary films about apartheid in South Africa, dictatorship in Greece, and general mayhem in Israel-Palestine from 1969 to 1973. He also published a memoir of his Israeli days entitled A Moment of Silence in 1979. Since 1985 Simon has published a series of novels set mainly in the Middle East, including the acclaimed Blok trilogy (The Therapy of Avram Blok, City of Blok and The Last Trump of Avram Blok). His most recent Middle East novel, The Days of Miracles and Wonders, was published in the UK in 1997 by Canongate.
Since 1979, he has also been teaching film at the London International Film School and writing for various newspapers and magazines.
Simon Louvish is the author of a trilogy of definitive biographies of the great clowns of screen comedy, including Man on the Flying Trapeze (1997), the story of W. C. Fields, Monkey Business: The Lives and Legends of the Marx Brothers (1999), and Stan and Ollie: The Roots of Comedy (2001), all published by Faber & Faber. Further film biographies include Keystone: The Life and Clowns of Mack Sennett(2003), Mae West: It Ain’t No Sin (2005), and Cecil B. DeMille and The Golden Calf (2007).