"Dutch" characters and anti-German backlash

[Thomas Reeder]

Gene Fowler in his book FATHER GOOSE contends that at the formation of Sterling Comedies in early 1914, Henry Lehrman advised Ford Sterling to drop his Dutch character for fear of offending potential viewers harboring strong anti-German feelings. Accurate or not, is anyone aware of any sort of backlash circa 1913-early 1914 towards so-called "Dutch" characters on the screen? I don't recall reading of any offhand, but I throw this question out to the more learned members of this site.

[Pasquale Ventura]

Author Rob King deals with these cultural matters in his book "The Fun Factory: The Keystone Film Company and the Emergence of Mass Culture". It's a very interesting read.

Many immigrants of Italian, Irish, German and Jewish were indeed forming groups to complain about how they are depicted in comedies. According Rob King, in to 1915/16 these German, Italian etc, stereotypes did fade from site some what. Black groups also complained, but were ignored completely. German stereotypes returned when America entered WWI. Sennett's YANKEE DOODLE IN BERLIN is a great example.

I highly recommend Rob Kings book "The Fun Factory: The Keystone Film Company and the Emergence of Mass Culture", it's a terrific companion to Brent Walkers MACK SENNET'S FUN FACTORY. Amazon is selling it for only $10.95 at the moment.

http://www.amazon.com/Fun-Factory-Keyst ... un+factory

Pasquale Ventura

[Richard M Roberts]

Groucho Marx talked about how he had to change from a German Comedian to a "Dutch" Comic in Vaudeville because of the Great War during his AN EVENING WITH GROUCHO concert in the 70's. There did indeed seem to be quite a bit of anti-German sentiment, even before America entered the War.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Louie Despres]

El Brendel switched from a German dialect to his Swedish one after the pubic outrage from the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915.

[Thomas Reeder]

Thanks for the feedback, all. Strong feelings aroused by the Great War and the sinking of the Lusitania make perfect sense, but supposedly Lehrman uttered these concerns circa February 1914, a good four months before Ferdinand was assassinated and the war broke out in Europe. I'm wondering if these anti-German sentiments existed prior to that, or if Fowler simply made up the exchange without considering the timing. I guess I'll need to dig a bit further into some non-film-related history!

[Richard M Roberts]

Thanks for the feedback, all. Strong feelings aroused by the Great War and the sinking of the Lusitania make perfect sense, but supposedly Lehrman uttered these concerns circa February 1914, a good four months before Ferdinand was assassinated and the war broke out in Europe. I'm wondering if these anti-German sentiments existed prior to that, or if Fowler simply made up the exchange without considering the timing. I guess I'll need to dig a bit further into some non-film-related history!

You can't rely on any dates in FATHER GOOSE, one gets the impression those interviews with Sennett took place at the Hollywood Roosevelt's bar.


RICHARD M ROBERTS