Born in 1871 in Watertown, New York, Charles Giblyn was a versatile actor who transitioned from silent films to the early talkie era. In What! No Beer? (1933), he showcases his comedic timing, reflecting the era's shift in cinematic style. Giblyn's contributions to the film industry extended beyond acting; he was also a director and co-founder of the Motion Picture Directors Association. His work in the 1930s captures a pivotal moment in film history, bridging the gap between silent storytelling and the dialogue-driven narratives that followed.
What! No Beer?
Although he has never met her, Elmer Butts loves Hortense secretly and from afar. He dreams of making a million dollars so he can buy her a Rolls automobile and marry her. With prohibition apparently on the verge of ending, Elmer's friend Jimmy Potts gets an idea to make them both rich by opening a brewery just before the legalization of alcoholic beverages. Their timing is off, and the police raid them, but their inept brewing has created a beer with no alcohol, so they are let off. But it has also resulted in a cheaply made beer, and bootlegger Spike Moran realizes that he can vastly increase his profits by partnering with Elmer and Jimmy. But none of them reckons with the competitor, another bootlegger, gangster Butch Lorado. Butch has a girlfriend....Elmer's dream girl, Hortense.
