Fat Man on a Bicycle (1914)

This short film - also known as 'W-H-O-R-K a la Pimple' - follows the pattern of previous entries featuring Fred Evans' 'Pimple' character, with a simple set-up (in this case, Pimple teaching a fat man how to ride a bike) followed by a series of incidents in which they crash into innocent bystanders and tradespeople before they are stopped and retribution is exacted. This usually involves some kind of physical punishment, much in the way of comic strip characters being whacked for some misdemeanour.

The deliberate misspelling of W-H-ORK, with the extra 'h', is a feature that crops up in Pimple films occasionally, although the reason is obscure. (Bryony Dixon)

You can watch 1000 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge at the new BFI Mediatheque - http://www.bfi.org.uk/mediatheque

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• BFI
• Fat
• Man
• Bicycle
• Cycling
• Pimple
• Early
• Comedy
• slapstick

[Spinoraptorrex]

This is the first fail ever recorded.

[ELcapalla2]

96 year later as the fat man looks down on earth -

"Holy shit! And I thought I was fat, I mean look at these people!"

[Dollyfaceangel]

Lol, they got kicked up the arse!

[megadork456]

Now, here's a man attempting to ride a bicycle. But he's having some trouble isn't he? Would you like to know why? Because he's a scott! *chuckle chuckle* Now! Who wants to hear a good story about a bridge?

[rankingtrevor]

Is that chap 'riding' it or callously attempting to weigh it and the other poor fellow down?

[coltsuperocean10]

...move forward 100 years and there are 10 buses, 200 cars, 25 taxis and 15 police cars speeding along these same streets every hour!! Mind you those elegant houses are probably worth £3.5m today!!

[joshster89]

This video just needs some "old timey" piany music!

[ajgolfer1]

@C0LL1N kids were tougher in 1914 :)

[musicmadmatti]

@italianmafia100 -No such thing as death ,these actors have just moved on to a higher ,better Stage and left us this memory .

[italianmafia100]

Weird to think that everyone involved in this video is now dead

[Daeven1]

Hilarious slapstick

[daveibukun]

@abacab87 i second that. where i am from, fatness is a sign of opulence.