The Pill Pounder
The Pill Pounder is a 1923 American silent comedy short directed by Gregory La Cava. It stars Charles Murray and Clara Bow, with veteran vaudeville actor Charlie Murray. The two-reel film runs about 20 minutes and was shot on Long Island, New York. It tells the story of a druggist, the "pill pounder," who tries to host a secret poker game in the back room of his drugstore. It was released on April 22, 1923, by All Star Comedies.
For many years it was considered a lost film. In 2023 a 35mm print was found in an Omaha auction. The print came in a lot of film canisters from bankrupt distributor Modern Sound Pictures, bought for $20. Although the copy was missing intertitles and some scenes, it was in good condition overall and has since been cleaned up. It was shown to audiences at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival on April 11, 2024.
The film was shot on Long Island and was praised in its time, with Exhibitors Herald giving it an enthusiastic recommendation in its April 28, 1923 issue.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 18:52 (CET).