Plot: A tramp (Billy West) has taken a snooze while hiding under a train and after he is woken up and kicked out, he sees a beautiful woman and decides to follow her into the train station. He hopes his charm will outshine his shabby clothes, but he doesn’t know her boyfriend is by her side. Soon enough, hijinks ensue as the two rivals banter with each other over the woman. While it seems his luck is on a downswing, it soon perks back up when he is given a job at the station, but of course, the tramp manages to cause even more trouble there.

Entertainment Value: This short centers on Charlie Chaplin impersonator Billy West, but also features a smaller role with Oliver Hardy, who would of course go on to join Stan Laurel in one of the all time great comedy teams. Hardy’s role is a supporting one, kind of a heavy to West’s tramp character, but also given a few scenes to shine in on his own, which was a nice touch. Hardy is fun to watch, though not at his best at his point and again, West’s tramp is the main focus. As you can imagine, trying to mimic Chaplin is no small task and while West is humorous in The Hobo, it is hard not to compare him to the master. There’s some fun slapstick here however, so if you appreciate silent cinema and need a few laughs, it is worth a look.

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