Louis Burstein

Bright and Early

Billy West as does fairly random series of gags as a bellboy in a rather poor hotel run by Oliver Hardy.

The Scholar

Short King Bee Studios slapstick comedy featuring Billy West and Oliver Hardy

The Stranger

After a luckless prospecting trip, Billy starts homeward across the desert, mounted on his little burro with his pick, shovel and pack strapped up behind him. Finally he comes in sight of Red Dog Gulch and, hungry and thirsty, he pushes on toward the city. Susie is the daughter of the town drunkard. She starts out on her horse for a little ride, and a little way from town is attacked by Pedro and Little Casino, two Mexicans, who try to steal her horse. Billy happens along, runs the Mexicans off and takes Susie back to town.

The Hobo

Billy is a hobo who hangs around the train station. He creates disruption in the ticket office, at the lunch counter, and in the lives of some of the customers.

The Candy Kid

A Fake Chaplin movie with Billy West as the tramp.

The Chief Cook

The film opens in the lobby of a small hotel, where the desk clerk/owner (Budd Ross) is addressing three members of staff: the cook, the waiter and the bellboy. It is obvious from their reactions, particularly the cook (Leo White) that whatever was said did not go down too well. His animated arms knock down the man standing behind him repeatedly until all three servants simultaneously quit. They storm off into the adjoining kitchen where a slavery maid (Blanche White) is on the floor scrubbing the floor. The men all trip over her, moan briefly and then leave.

The Villain

In The Villain, Billy attempted something a little different. He's still imitating Chaplin, but this time he's playing the wicked, top-hatted Charlie found in some of his earliest Keystone appearances (e.g. Mabel at the Wheel), the ones where Charlie himself seemed to be imitating the studio's recently departed Ford Sterling. Throughout this short there is much spoofing of old-time melodramas, a frequent motif of Sterling's comedies.

Cupid's Rival

A bumbling janitor in a fleabag hotel drives the residents crazy, and a poor artist believes that his girlfriend is having an affair with a wealthy artist living across the hall, and takes unorthodox measures to find out what's going on.

The Hero

The Hero is a 1917 silent comedy film featuring Billy West & Oliver Hardy.

The Candy Trail

A 1916 silent comedy.

Love and Duty

Ollie is a love-struck private who is drilled by his unsympathetic lieutenant at reveille. The colonel of the regiment wants his daughter to marry the lieutenant but she has her heart set on the chubby-faced Hardy, who himself is in love with another woman. He is thrown into a cell for disobeying orders, where he later escapes with the assistance of his sweetheart, and a casual touch of assault when he bumps the guard with his large stomach. The final chase scene ends with everyone getting what they want.

Hungry Hearts

Plump and Runt are starving artists who are both in love with their pretty model. Runt chooses money over love and marries a widow he thinks is rich. It turns out the model is the real heiress, and Plump marries her.

A Pair of Skins

A comedy involving tiger skins.

The Serenade

Plump and Runt are street musicians who are rivals for Florence's affection.

One Too Many

When his uncle arrives for a visit, Plump has to find a wife and baby in a hurry. With the help of his friend, Runt, soon there are wives and babies everywhere.

Ups and Downs

Shifty Mike attempts to force his attentions on Jabbs' daughter, but is thwarted. Vowing revenge, Mike hires Pokes to throw a bomb through Jabbs' window. Instead, Pokes blows himself up.