A standout contributor to the art of silent film comedy, Harold Lloyd (1893-1971) offers new generations a body of film work that is as fresh and entertaining as in its day. His roots were simple - born in rural Nebraska, product of a broken home, and initially destined for legitimate stage - yet by the 1920s Lloyd was, both at the box office and in the polls, the most popular comic actor in the world. His appeal was simple, yet legendary: the his Glass Character, which formed the basis of roles from 1917-1947, Lloyd struck gold with a screen persona that forged new ground. The Boy, as he was most often called, had one trademark - lens-less horn-rimmed glasses- yet was able to reach audiences as no contemporary could. He is regarded as the man who most greatly influenced eyeglass-wearing in America, and this single facet of Lloyd inspired youth worldwide. His screen normalcy - in look and demeanor - allowed moviegoers to relate to the Glass Character no matter what his label. Rich or poor, cowardly or flip, from film to film, Lloyd was a different Boy, and was able to create a cinematic legacy that remains both diverse and uniformly thrilling. Harold Lloyd might just be the funniest actor you've never seen - a silent screen comedian so often placed in the shadow of Chaplin and Keaton - but he continues to shine in some of the most enduring short- and feature-length comedies ever offered to audiences.
A standout contributor to the art of silent film comedy, Harold Lloyd (1893-1971) offers new generations a body of film work that is as fresh and entertaining as in its day. His roots were simple - born in rural Nebraska, product of a broken home, and initially destined for legitimate stage - yet by the 1920s Lloyd was, both at the box office and in the polls, the most popular comic actor in the world. His appeal was simple, yet legendary: the his Glass Character, which formed the basis of roles from 1917-1947, Lloyd struck gold with a screen persona that forged new ground. The Boy, as he was most often called, had one trademark - lens-less horn-rimmed glasses- yet was able to reach audiences as no contemporary could. He is regarded as the man who most greatly influenced eyeglass-wearing in America, and this single facet of Lloyd inspired youth worldwide. His screen normalcy - in look and demeanor - allowed moviegoers to relate to the Glass Character no matter what his label. Rich or poor, cowardly or flip, from film to film, Lloyd was a different Boy, and was able to create a cinematic legacy that remains both diverse and uniformly thrilling. Harold Lloyd might just be the funniest actor you've never seen - a silent screen comedian so often placed in the shadow of Chaplin and Keaton - but he continues to shine in some of the most enduring short- and feature-length comedies ever offered to audiences.
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