Max Davidson - Dumb Daddies (1928) - Filming Locations
Watch the Quick Preview Video below, and scroll down for information about the filming locations.
Historical Production & Location Reference
| Film: | Dumb Daddies (1928) |
| Star: | Max Davidson |
- Main Street (Culver City): The primary location for the film's chase sequence, utilized by filmmakers for its versatile "every-town" aesthetic and appearing in many Our Gang / The Little Rascals and Laurel and Hardy movies.
Production & Preservation Note: The production of Dumb Daddies highlights the practical proximity of the Hal Roach Studios (the producer of this film) to the downtown Culver City district. The streetscape on Main Street, serving as a backdrop for the iconic mannequin-in-a-sack chase, remains remarkably well-preserved. Every building featured in this movie is still standing, allowing viewers (and visitors) to easily retrace the film's chaotic path through the historic downtown area today.
The Plot
Max is carrying a mannequin in a sack through downtown Culver City. The unusual sight of a man carrying a sack that appears to have a body in it attracts the interest of the other pedestrians and soon there is a big crowd of people following him. A policeman notices just as the leg breaks out of the sack and a chase ensues.
The Filming Location
Max Davidson had a starring role in a series of comedy short films produced in the late 1920s. Like many of the silent comedy short films made in the 1910s and 1920s, his films make ample use of on-location filming.
Dumb Daddies filmed extensively in downtown Culver City, likely out of convenience (it was a half mile from the studio) and because it had an "every town" look about it.
Almost every inch of the short, one block Main Street of Culver City is used as a filming location in the movie, making Dumb Daddies a perfect time capsule of the downtown Culver City core.
Every building seen in this Quick Preview video is still standing today.
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Filming Locations Then and Now - Site Listings
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