The Traveling Salesman (1921 film)

The Traveling Salesman is a 1921 American comedy film starring Fatty Arbuckle. It is based on a 1908 play, The Traveling Salesman, by James Grant Forbes. A 1916 film adaptation of the play starred Frank McIntyre, who had also starred in the play.^[1][2] A print of The Traveling Salesman with German intertitles survives at the George Eastman House.^[1][3]

The Traveling Salesman
Film's promotion in Variety, 1921
Directed by	Joseph Henabery
Written by	Walter Woods
Based on	The Traveling Salesman by James Forbes
Starring	Fatty Arbuckle
Cinematography	Karl Brown
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	June 5, 1921 (1921-06-05)
Running time	5 reels; 4,514 feet
Country	United States
Language	Silent

Plot

Film still with Clarke and Arbuckle

As described in a film publication,^[4] Bob Blake (Arbuckle), a travelling salesman, is the victim of a practical joke and gets off the train before his intended destination of Grand River. Bob is drenched in the pouring rain and, when he cannot find lodging, breaks into a private house that the sheriff is going to sell for a tax delinquency. The house belongs to Beth Elliott (Clarke), a telegraph operator at Grand River Station. Bob looks her up so he can pay for his lodging and falls in love with her. Franklin Royce (Holland), also in love with Beth, is jealous of Bob and accepts a proposition from Martin Drury (Taylor) to trick Beth out of the proceeds of the tax sale. In the end, Bob saves the house and wins the girl.

Cast

• Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle as Bob Blake
• Betty Ross Clarke as Beth Elliott
• Frank Holland as Franklin Royce
• Wilton Taylor as Martin Drury
• Lucille Ward as Mrs. Babbitt
• Jim Blackwell as Julius
• Richard Wayne as Ted Watts
• George C. Pearce as John Kimball (as George Pearce)
• Robert Dudley as Pierce Gill

Production

The railroad scenes were filmed on the Sierra Railroad in Tuolumne County, California.^[5]