22:
158:
313:-- and they named John G. Blystone director-in-chief. Blystone headed L-KO for a few months but he ultimately went to Fox Sunshine as well. L-KO nonetheless kept going for quite some time and proved a valuable training ground for new or developing comedy talent. Director Charles Parrott, better known as
360:
in July, 1917, L-KO managed to outlast
Keystone by a year. However, it remains an extremely obscure Silent Comedy brand. Although L-KO produced around 300 titles in its five-year existence; little more than 10 percent of these films are known to exist today. Given Lehrman's preference for violent
285:
Lehrman proved even more frugal with budget than
Sennett had been, and he favored a rough-and-tumble style of slapstick that reputedly resulted in injury. Author Kalton C. Lahue reported that there were stunt persons and bit players of the time who would not answer a call from L-KO owing to the
356:
While L-KO never had a break-out star as prominent as
Charlie Chaplin, in nearly every other way it was successful in competing with Keystone; moreover, as Mack Sennett broke with the
1142:
1132:
1094:
1137:
361:
sight gags and
Ritchie's confrontational style of humor, surviving L-KO films stand as some of the edgiest and darkest entries in the annals of American Silent Comedy.
1157:
1152:
258:
comedies and would go on to appear in many L-KO's, was also aboard for the first release. Before long this group of performers was joined by
301:
As the result of yet another dispute—this time with executives at
Universal—Lehrman left L-KO towards the end of 1916 and took over the
334:
What finally brought around the end of L-KO was not
Lehrman's departure, nor declining receipts for L-KO's product, but an outbreak of
105:
217:. After a relatively short time, Lehrman was fired from Sterling Comedies and founded L-KO as a separate unit within Universal.
119:
1020:
Fred J. Balshofer and Arthur C. Miller, One Reel a Week, University of
California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, 1967, pg. 109
1117:
317:, came onto the L-KO lot in August 1918 and directed a few subjects through to near the end of L-KO's existence. Dapper comic
43:
247:
86:
298:
and David
Kirkland to help raise the total output of L-KO, but stingily refused to award directors credit for L-KO films.
39:
1064:
58:
1147:
65:
309:. After Lehrman's departure, L-KO was taken over by Julius and Abe Stern -- brothers-in-law to Universal's founder
32:
357:
327:
295:
282:
before turning up at L-KO; not long after he would join
Charlie Chaplin's regular troupe of character actors.
189:
72:
306:
54:
340:
234:
183:
348:, was released on September 24, 1919, though the studio had already been closed for good in May.
214:
1103:
243:
345:
302:
202:
318:
291:
279:
255:
331:, just before his untimely death in 1917. He, thus, spent his entire film career at L-KO.
1055:
Kevin
Brownlow and John Kobal, "Hollywood: The Pioneers," Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1980.
238:, which was released October 25, 1914. Also making their first films in this venture were
194:
79:
338:
on the lot, which forced Universal to shut the whole studio down. L-KO's last release,
239:
221:
135:
1126:
1001:
314:
275:
267:
206:
178:
142:
310:
287:
263:
198:
1109:
335:
290:
referred to him as '"Suicide" Lehrman.' Lehrman eventually brought on directors
251:
21:
271:
232:
before Chaplin did. Ritchie made his film debut in the first L-KO production,
225:
149:
shorts between 1914 and 1919. The initials L-KO stand for "Lehrman KnockOut".
322:
259:
177:
By the spring of 1914, Henry "Pathé" Lehrman had directed several important
162:
1088:
262:
and other disaffected talent from Mack Sennett's "fun factory," such as
138:
213:
under the umbrella of the Universal Film and Manufacturing Co., later
157:
146:
118:
242:, a comedian who became the main female foil in L-KO comedies, and
325:
did so in 1917. Even Fatty Voss managed to direct one two-reeler,
156:
1066:
MOMA: Cruel and Unusual Comedy: "Food Fights -- Chaos á la carte"
145:
that produced silent one-, two- and very occasionally three-reel
15:
274:, whose "Ambrose" character continued at L-KO for a time.
220:L-KO's first comedy star was veteran English comic
205:, Lehrman left Keystone, along with star performer
46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
321:made his film debut at L-KO in 1915 and comedian
1044:Kops and Kustards: the Legend of Keystone Films
1076:Keystone: The Life and Clowns of Mack Sennett
8:
1046:, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, 1967
1143:Mass media companies disestablished in 1919
1133:Entertainment companies established in 1914
224:, who had played the role of the drunk in
106:Learn how and when to remove this message
1138:Mass media companies established in 1914
368:
169:(1917). Another of her films with L-KO,
165:had her film debut with L-KO Kompany in
117:
1013:
1158:American companies established in 1914
711:September 8, 1915 (According to IMDb)
7:
1078:, Faber & Faber, New York, 2003.
44:adding citations to reliable sources
1042:Kalton C. Lahue and Terry Brewer,
365:Confirmed extant (and Lost) films
14:
344:(1919) starring Chinese funnyman
230:A Night in the English Music Hall
286:possibility of danger; stuntman
20:
31:needs additional citations for
1:
1153:Defunct American film studios
1095:Cruel and Unusual Comedy Blog
1093:Museum of MOdern Art (MOMA),
961:Charlie, the Little Daredevil
708:Silk Hose and High Pressure
254:, who had appeared in some
1174:
1033:, March 20, 1915, pg. 1752
833:Live Wires and Love Sparks
817:Cold Hearts and Hot Flames
446:Henry Lehrman (Uncofirmed)
429:Henry Lehrman (Uncofirmed)
278:had made one picture with
197:'s debut. Wooed away from
358:Triangle Film Corporation
122:Logo for the L-KO Kompany
1111:The Sign of the Cucumber
1029:"Hank Mann Joins L-KO,"
865:The Sign of the Cucumber
771:A Stool Pigeon's Revenge
739:A Tale of Twenty Stories
677:The Child Needs a Mother
190:Kid Auto Races at Venice
171:The Sign of the Cucumber
945:The King of the Kitchen
787:Gertie's Gasoline Glide
530:The Baron's Bear Escape
248:Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle
1101:Slapstick Encyclopedia
693:Vendetta in a Hospital
486:Fido's Dramatic Career
328:Fatty's Feature Fillum
174:
123:
1108:Cincecon screening:
897:The Belles of Liberty
473:The Blighted Spaniard
160:
121:
1031:Moving Picture World
935:Walter S. Fredericks
612:Thou Shalt Not Flirt
228:'s stage production
184:The Bangville Police
40:improve this article
1148:Silent film studios
929:Adventurous Ambrose
881:Soapsuds and Sirens
724:No Flirting Allowed
661:Love and Sour Notes
596:Through a Knot Hole
579:Cupid in a Hospital
499:Adventures of Uncle
246:, L-KO's answer to
181:comedies including
1089:IMDB entry on L-KO
967:Alfred J. Goulding
820:September 20, 1916
756:Sin on the Sabbath
727:September 19, 1915
423:The Fatal Marriage
215:Universal Pictures
175:
167:Roped into Scandal
134:, was an American
124:
993:
992:
977:The Freckled Fish
849:Bombs and Bandits
802:Billie's Waterloo
696:September 8, 1915
632:February 17, 1915
549:December 27, 1914
546:The Manicure Girl
533:December 20, 1914
516:December 13, 1914
502:December 11, 1914
476:November 29, 1914
460:November 22, 1914
443:November 11, 1914
406:Partners in Crime
341:An Oriental Romeo
303:Sunshine Comedies
211:Sterling Comedies
203:Fred J. Balshofer
161:Silent film star
116:
115:
108:
90:
1165:
1116:Slapsticon bio:
1099:Images Journal:
1067:
1062:
1056:
1053:
1047:
1040:
1034:
1027:
1021:
1018:
983:Joseph Le Brandt
980:January 22, 1919
964:January 15, 1919
948:December 4, 1918
823:John G. Blystone
777:John G. Blystone
759:December 8, 1915
683:John G. Blystone
667:John G. Blystone
629:Almost a Scandal
615:January 13, 1915
599:January 10, 1915
513:The Rural Demons
489:December 6, 1914
457:The Groom’s Doom
426:November 8, 1914
409:November 1, 1914
392:October 25, 1914
389:Love and Surgery
369:
319:Raymond Griffith
292:John G. Blystone
280:Phillips Smalley
235:Love and Surgery
111:
104:
100:
97:
91:
89:
48:
24:
16:
1173:
1172:
1168:
1167:
1166:
1164:
1163:
1162:
1123:
1122:
1085:
1074:Simon Louvish,
1071:
1070:
1063:
1059:
1054:
1050:
1041:
1037:
1028:
1024:
1019:
1015:
1010:
998:
742:August 22, 1915
582:January 6, 1915
565:January 3, 1915
367:
354:
270:and ultimately
195:Charlie Chaplin
155:
112:
101:
95:
92:
49:
47:
37:
25:
12:
11:
5:
1171:
1169:
1161:
1160:
1155:
1150:
1145:
1140:
1135:
1125:
1124:
1121:
1120:
1118:Billie Ritchie
1114:
1106:
1097:
1091:
1084:
1083:External links
1081:
1080:
1079:
1069:
1068:
1057:
1048:
1035:
1022:
1012:
1011:
1009:
1006:
1005:
1004:
997:
994:
991:
990:
989:fragment only
987:
984:
981:
978:
974:
973:
971:
968:
965:
962:
958:
957:
955:
952:
949:
946:
942:
941:
939:
936:
933:
932:April 17, 1918
930:
926:
925:
923:
920:
919:William Watson
917:
914:
910:
909:
907:
904:
903:James D. Davis
901:
898:
894:
893:
891:
890:Harry Lorraine
888:
885:
882:
878:
877:
875:
872:
869:
866:
862:
861:
859:
856:
853:
850:
846:
845:
843:
842:Billie Ritchie
840:
837:
836:March 19, 1916
834:
830:
829:
827:
826:Billie Ritchie
824:
821:
818:
814:
813:
811:
810:Billie Ritchie
808:
806:
803:
799:
798:
796:
795:Gertrude Selby
793:
791:
788:
784:
783:
781:
778:
775:
772:
768:
767:
765:
764:Billie Ritchie
762:
760:
757:
753:
752:
751:fragment only
749:
746:
743:
740:
736:
735:
733:
730:
728:
725:
721:
720:
718:
717:Billie Ritchie
715:
712:
709:
705:
704:
702:
701:Billie Ritchie
699:
697:
694:
690:
689:
687:
684:
681:
678:
674:
673:
671:
670:Billie Ritchie
668:
665:
662:
658:
657:
655:
654:Billie Ritchie
652:
649:
648:April 25, 1915
646:
642:
641:
639:
638:Billie Ritchie
636:
633:
630:
626:
625:
622:
621:Billie Ritchie
619:
616:
613:
609:
608:
605:
604:Billie Ritchie
602:
600:
597:
593:
592:
589:
588:Billie Ritchie
586:
583:
580:
576:
575:
572:
569:
566:
563:
559:
558:
555:
552:
550:
547:
543:
542:
539:
536:
534:
531:
527:
526:
523:
522:Billie Ritchie
520:
517:
514:
510:
509:
506:
505:Ernest Shields
503:
500:
496:
495:
492:
490:
487:
483:
482:
479:
477:
474:
470:
469:
466:
465:Billie Ritchie
463:
461:
458:
454:
453:
450:
449:Billie Ritchie
447:
444:
441:
440:Lizzy’s Escape
437:
436:
433:
432:Billie Ritchie
430:
427:
424:
420:
419:
416:
415:Billie Ritchie
413:
410:
407:
403:
402:
399:
398:Billie Ritchie
396:
393:
390:
386:
385:
382:
379:
376:
373:
366:
363:
353:
350:
240:Gertrude Selby
222:Billie Ritchie
154:
151:
136:motion picture
114:
113:
55:"L-KO Kompany"
28:
26:
19:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1170:
1159:
1156:
1154:
1151:
1149:
1146:
1144:
1141:
1139:
1136:
1134:
1131:
1130:
1128:
1119:
1115:
1113:
1112:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1098:
1096:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1086:
1082:
1077:
1073:
1072:
1065:
1061:
1058:
1052:
1049:
1045:
1039:
1036:
1032:
1026:
1023:
1017:
1014:
1007:
1003:
1002:Henry Lehrman
1000:
999:
995:
988:
985:
982:
979:
976:
975:
972:
969:
966:
963:
960:
959:
956:
954:Harry Gribbon
953:
951:Frank Griffin
950:
947:
944:
943:
940:
937:
934:
931:
928:
927:
924:
921:
918:
915:
913:All Jazzed Up
912:
911:
908:
905:
902:
899:
896:
895:
892:
889:
887:Noel M. Smith
886:
883:
880:
879:
876:
873:
871:Richard Smith
870:
867:
864:
863:
860:
857:
854:
851:
848:
847:
844:
841:
839:Henry Lehrman
838:
835:
832:
831:
828:
825:
822:
819:
816:
815:
812:
809:
807:
804:
801:
800:
797:
794:
792:
789:
786:
785:
782:
779:
776:
773:
770:
769:
766:
763:
761:
758:
755:
754:
750:
747:
744:
741:
738:
737:
734:
731:
729:
726:
723:
722:
719:
716:
714:Henry Lehrman
713:
710:
707:
706:
703:
700:
698:
695:
692:
691:
688:
685:
682:
679:
676:
675:
672:
669:
666:
663:
660:
659:
656:
653:
651:Harry Edwards
650:
647:
644:
643:
640:
637:
635:Henry Lehrman
634:
631:
628:
627:
623:
620:
618:Henry Lehrman
617:
614:
611:
610:
606:
603:
601:
598:
595:
594:
590:
587:
585:Henry Lehrman
584:
581:
578:
577:
573:
570:
568:Henry Lehrman
567:
564:
562:Gem and Germs
561:
560:
556:
553:
551:
548:
545:
544:
540:
538:Henry Bergman
537:
535:
532:
529:
528:
524:
521:
519:Henry Lehrman
518:
515:
512:
511:
507:
504:
501:
498:
497:
493:
491:
488:
485:
484:
480:
478:
475:
472:
471:
467:
464:
462:
459:
456:
455:
451:
448:
445:
442:
439:
438:
434:
431:
428:
425:
422:
421:
417:
414:
412:Henry Lehrman
411:
408:
405:
404:
400:
397:
395:Henry Lehrman
394:
391:
388:
387:
383:
380:
377:
374:
371:
370:
364:
362:
359:
351:
349:
347:
343:
342:
337:
332:
330:
329:
324:
320:
316:
315:Charley Chase
312:
308:
304:
299:
297:
296:Harry Edwards
293:
289:
283:
281:
277:
276:Henry Bergman
273:
269:
268:Harry Gribbon
265:
261:
257:
253:
249:
245:
241:
237:
236:
231:
227:
223:
218:
216:
212:
208:
207:Ford Sterling
204:
200:
196:
192:
191:
186:
185:
180:
179:Keystone Cops
172:
168:
164:
159:
152:
150:
148:
144:
143:Henry Lehrman
140:
137:
133:
132:L-KO Komedies
129:
120:
110:
107:
99:
88:
85:
81:
78:
74:
71:
67:
64:
60:
57: –
56:
52:
51:Find sources:
45:
41:
35:
34:
29:This article
27:
23:
18:
17:
1110:
1100:
1075:
1060:
1051:
1043:
1038:
1030:
1025:
1016:
805:June 7, 1916
790:May 17, 1916
774:May 12, 1916
680:July 7, 1915
664:May 19, 1915
375:Release Date
355:
339:
333:
326:
311:Carl Laemmle
300:
288:Harvey Parry
284:
264:Alice Howell
233:
229:
219:
210:
201:by producer
199:Mack Sennett
188:
182:
176:
173:, survives.
170:
166:
131:
128:L-KO Kompany
127:
125:
102:
96:January 2011
93:
83:
76:
69:
62:
50:
38:Please help
33:verification
30:
858:Billy Bevan
645:Poor Policy
571:Louise Orth
554:Louise Orth
336:Spanish flu
252:Louise Orth
209:, to found
187:(1913) and
141:founded by
1127:Categories
1008:References
938:Mack Swain
686:Fatty Voss
272:Mack Swain
244:Fatty Voss
226:Fred Karno
66:newspapers
986:Chai Hong
970:Chai Hong
922:Eva Novak
906:Eva Novak
874:Eva Novak
855:Vin Moore
780:Hank Mann
748:Hank Mann
745:Vin Moore
732:Hank Mann
591:Survives
541:Survives
525:Survives
418:Survives
401:Survives
346:Chai Hong
323:Eva Novak
260:Hank Mann
163:Eva Novak
996:See also
378:Director
305:unit at
256:Biograph
193:(1914),
1104:Vol. 4
153:History
139:company
80:scholar
384:Notes
352:Legacy
147:comedy
82:
75:
68:
61:
53:
624:Lost
607:Lost
574:Lost
557:Lost
508:Lost
494:Lost
481:Lost
468:Lost
452:Lost
435:Lost
372:Title
130:, or
87:JSTOR
73:books
916:1917
900:1917
884:1917
868:1917
852:1917
381:Star
126:The
59:news
307:Fox
42:by
1129::
294:,
266:,
250:.
109:)
103:(
98:)
94:(
84:·
77:·
70:·
63:·
36:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
