61. Today in 1920s Turkey: 11 February 1926 (New “Film” Starring Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd)

Cartoon by Ramiz (Gökçe), published in Akbaba, 11 February 1926, no. 333, pages 2 and 3.

Türkçe
(Üstte) Dört Kısımlık Sinema: Ava Giden Avlanır!
(Altta) Şarlo’nun fendi Loy[d]u’yu yendi!

English
(Above) A Four-Part Film: The Hunter Becomes Hunted!
(Below) The Tramp’s trick was Lloyd’s loss!

Comments:
Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977) and Harold Lloyd (1893–1971) were household names among the entertainment-consuming classes of Turkey in the 1920s, just as they were in the US and Europe. The two actors were best known for the comedic characters they brought to life in the silent film era. Both had exaggerated physical traits associated with certain characters they played and these attributes are quite blatantly illustrated in the cartoon. For instance, Charlie Chaplin is referred to in this cartoon as “Şarlo” which is the vernacular, Turkish way of saying “Charlot” — the name adopted for his “The Tramp” character in several other languages. Chaplin’s The Tramp is immediately identifiable by his short mustache, bowler hat, over-sized shoes, baggy pants, tight-fitted jacket, and walking cane.

Using these two familiar movie stars, the cartoonist Ramiz, devises a short film that unfolds over four frames (and bridging two pages). Reading them from right to left we are expected to connect the dots and decipher the sequence of events to arrive at the conclusion statement below the cartoon. From both the movie’s suggested title, located above the cartoon, and the text below it, the reader is informed of a twist in the narrative. However, only by “reading” the images in their specific sequence can the nature of the trickery be determined and appreciated.

Ramiz has created many self portraits/caricatures over the course of his career. Coincidentally, especially during the 1920s, he often depicted himself wearing a cloth that wraps over his head and under his chin — not unlike the wrap he uses for Charlie Chaplin’s “rabbit” disguise, thus leading me to believe that the cartoonist’s own unique “style” was the inspiration for this film’s visual punchline.

Frame 1 of 4

Frame 2 of 4

Frame 3 of 4

Frame 4 of 4

Entire page, Akbaba, 11 February 1926, no. 333, page 2. Hakkı Tarık Us Collection, Beyazıt Library, Istanbul.

Entire page, Akbaba, 11 February 1926, no. 333, page 3. Hakkı Tarık Us Collection, Beyazıt Library, Istanbul.

Originally published at https://steemit.com on February 12, 2017.