Happy Birthday Harold Clayton Lloyd Sr.
20 April 1893 - 8 March 1971‘In two things I was exceptional - freckles, and a single-tracked ambition’ - Harold Lloyd: An American Comedy (1925)
Harold Lloyd was, and remains, one of the most important filmmakers in history. His exploration of both character and society ensured that his films reflected the very essence of the 1920s. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Lloyd’s ‘glass character’ was not a grotesque, he was in fact an ordinary man; a man the audience could not only relate to, but one who embodied their spirit and the very heart and soul of the nation. Lloyd’s determination set him apart, not to be deterred by setbacks or accidents (including his own) he would go on to make some of the greatest comedies to come out of the silent era.
His films were full of thrilling stunts, heart-warming romances, sharp humour and most of all, they were filled with his endearing, charming and extraordinary presence. To call Harold Lloyd a passionate and accomplished filmmaker is not enough. He was a genius of the medium, a pioneer of film technique and character-based narrative, a visionary.
To put it simply, he was one of the most extraordinary people who has ever been involved with film. So much more than a pair of glasses.
