The Fireman is the second film Charlie Chaplin created for Mutual Film Corporation in 1916. Released on June 12, it starred Chaplin as the fireman and Edna Purviance as the daughter to Lloyd Bacon.
PLOT:
A young girl's father (Bacon) arranges with the local fire chief (Campbell) to have his house burn down so he could collect on the insurance money.
However, a real fire breaks out elsewhere in the town. The firemen ignore an inhabitant of the burning building as he tries to alert them to the fire, first by activating the fire alarm, then by phoning the fire station, and then by going to the fire station in person. Eventually, a fireman (Chaplin) alerts the fire chief and the fire company goes to put out the fire.
The father than realizes that his daughter is still in his own burning building, and the same heroic fireman climbs the outside of the building to save her.
Directed by Charles Chaplin
Edward Brewer (technical director)
Produced by Henry P. Caulfield
Written by Charles Chaplin (scenario)
Vincent Bryan (scenario)
Maverick Terrell (scenario)
Starring:
Charles Chaplin
Edna Purviance
Lloyd Bacon
Eric Campbell
Cinematography - William C. Foster
Roland Totheroh
Editing by Charles Chaplin
Distributed by Mutual Film Corporation
Release dates June 12, 1916
Creative Commons license: Public Domain.