Pop's Pal

"Pop's Pal" stars Billy Bevan and George Bickel, but it's also a rare opportunity to see the comedian Lloyd Hamilton in his second to last film. Although he was only 42 in the short, he only lived about two more years...and looked awful. Sadly he died from alcohol...which is quite a waste.

When the story begins, you learn that a young couple are worried, as they both invited their father's to visit...and the two men hate each other. However, fortunately, the old men have made up...so everything will be perfect, right? Nope!

This isn't exactly brilliant comedy, but it does make you laugh. Many laughs and a generally likable cast make this worth seeing...and it's far better than the typical offering from Educational Pictures.

This 1933 Educational comedy short stars silent comedy great Billy Bevan (he of the walrus mustache) and George Bickel as warring fathers-in-law who bury the hatchet to help son John Harron (taking a break from poverty row features--see my review of MURDER IN THE MUSEUM)and his wife buy a boat company owned by Lloyd Hamilton, who appears in the second half of the short. Veteran gag writers Ernest Pagano and Ewart Adamson throw in everything but the kitchen sink to get a laugh in this short, and it works. We have a dog and a baby in addition to the above characters, and in the final chase scene that goes on for a while, we have ALL of the principals, a motorcycle, a car, a wagon, and a bicycle. This was Lloyd Hamilton's second-to-last film, his final one being an Andy Clyde short in 1934. He looks a bit weak and emaciated, but he had not forgotten his brilliant reactions and facial mugging. Bevan is always welcome to me, with a career going back to the teens and continuing well into the sound era, both in comedy shorts and in supporting roles. The pairing of Bevan and Bickel is inspired, and even the baby is funny (and cut when he says "dog" upon first seeing the dog his grandfather bought him). Well worth watching for Bevan or Hamilton fans!