A Thief Catcher (1914) - Charlie Chaplin Colorized Movie

A Thief Catcher (1914) | The Lost Keystone Chase

**A Thief Catcher (1914)** is a quintessential Keystone chase comedy, starring **Ford Sterling** as "Suspicious John" and featuring the famous **Keystone Cops**. This film is less known for Chaplin's Tramp persona and more for a brief, yet historically significant, cameo.

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Synopsis: The Cops and the Crook

The plot is a simple, high-energy chase typical of the early Keystone era. The film centers around the pursuit of a thief, presumably by the bumbling but persistent **Keystone Cops**. Directed by lead comedian **Ford Sterling**, the action is packed with the signature cinematic chaos, fast cuts, and physical comedy the studio was famous for, often ending in a humorous pile-up.

Context: The Rediscovered Chaplin Cameo

For decades, this short was considered a "lost film." However, in 2010, film historian Paul E. Gierucki discovered a 16mm print which confirmed one major piece of movie lore: the film contains **Charles Chaplin** in a small, uncredited role as one of the Keystone Kops. This makes the film a crucial document in early cinema history, showcasing Chaplin working in a bit part under Sterling's direction early in his career at Keystone before he took complete creative control of his own shorts.

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Film Details and Restoration

Director:

Ford Sterling

Starring:

Ford Sterling, Keystone Kops, Charles Chaplin (uncredited)

Production Company:

Keystone Film Company

Release Date:

February 19, 1914 (United States)

Runtime:

8 minutes (approx. 480 seconds)

Color/Sound:

Black and White / Silent (Restored & Colorized Version)

License:

PUBLIC DOMAIN MARK / “No Known Copyright”

This version of the film has been enhanced using digital techniques like DeOldify and ESRGAN to improve the visual quality and bring a fresh, colorized look to this public domain classic.

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Watch A Thief Catcher (1914) - Restored and Colorized

See if you can spot the future film legend among the Kops!

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