Looking for Mabel Normand

The Looking-for-Mabel website

by

Marilyn Slater

As I hope, is clear just by the name I use for this website “Looking-for-Mabel” that I am searching for data dealing with Mabel Normand; in fact, my personal mission is to preserve the artistic and historic significance of one of films’ greatest and most important comediennes, Mabel reined as “Queen of Comedy” during the founding of the motion picture industry.

Mabel Normand was one of the distinguished women of early cinema however sadly, she is sometimes over-looked by film historians, who don’t regard comedy shorts and comedians worthy of study. Not just, because she was a woman but the genre in which, she worked, keeps her just outside the primary area of mainstream academic interest.  However, she was not only a great comedian but also headed her own production company and was the director of Charlie Chaplin first films. She has become known as the female Chaplin but more accurately, Chaplin was a male Mabel Normand. This is not to negate the genius that he did grow into; it is only to remind you of the beginning.

It was Mabel, who is credited with throwing the first pie on screen, even if not a factual story, it is metaphorically true. She co-starred with Roscoe Arbuckle in some of the most important comedies of the era.

Mabel was originally one of Charles Dana Gibson’s Gibson Girl. She first appeared in films under the direction of D. W. Griffith in 1910, Mack Sennett, one of Biograph Studios comic actors/directors fell-in-love with her. When Mack Sennett founded Keystone Comedy Studios, he was able to take Mabel with him. Mack Sennett may have been the “King of Comedy” it was Mabel that ruled over the Studio in her light and joyful way.

 It was with the ensemble group formed at Keystone where she achieved her finest moments on screen. In 1918, Mabel Normand signed a contract with Samuel Goldwyn. During the period she worked for Goldwyn, she made over 15 films. Sadly, all but 3 have been lost to the ravages of time and nitrate decay. She was one of Goldwyn’s top moneymakers and was said to have also been an object of his affection.

By 1921, Mack Sennett had wooed Mabel back to his studios. It was during this very productive period that the William Desmond Taylor death occurred. The effect of the scandal connected with multiple trials of her friend, Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, the unsolved murder of her other dear friend William Desmond Taylor and other misfortunes left Mabel a shell of her former self.

After an unsuccessful try at performing on stage, she returned to Hollywood where she made a few films with Hal Roach.  In 1926, she married Lew Cody; he had played the villain in her production of Mickey, which she had made in 1917. After her marriage, Mabel had for the most part retired from films. Sound was on the horizon and the tuberculosis, which had affected her for years, ended her career. After an agonizing and prolonged period of suffering, Mabel Normand died in 1930.    

On this site, you will find material on Mabel’s life and career; I try to use primary source material whenever possible.  There is also a lot of material on the individuals, which populated her world and things are added frequently.  I am particularly pleased with the photo albums.  If you are looking for a particular topic, a search bar is available at the top of this page.  The Navigation Bar is on the top of each page and has links to various sections of interest. On the pages called “What’s New”, you will see the items added since your last visit.  If however, you don’t find the information about Mabel you are looking for, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly, if I am unable to answer your questions, I may know someone that can.

"Looking-for-Mabel"     marilyn@mabelnormand.com