Films of Emil Sitka: AIN'T LOVE CUCKOO? (1946)
by Saxon E. Sitka
A month after his second film role, Emil finally received a another call. This time it was Columbia Pictures again, for a second short subject. Starring Gus Schilling and Richard Lane, AIN'T LOVE CUCKOO? features Emil as an elevator operator. It's a "straight" bell-hop part, on screen for about a minute with only a few lines. The script has additional scenes such as depicted on the still photo showing Emil's head stuck in the elevator doors. Unfortunately those scenes weren't included in the final released version of the film.
Emil's diary entry for Friday, January 25, 1946:
After a restless and sleepless night I was soon driving in the direction of Hollywood again for another movie chore. Although early enough, I hadn't ever known exactly where this branch of Columbia's studio was.
Soon enough I was inside. And feeling very the amateur still when it comes to studio movie-making. I was nevertheless encouraged to see Gus Schilling doing the star comedy work in this "quickie-short" directed by Jules White , instead of me.
I was just a "bell-hop" and the biggest moment of my scene is the place where I get my head caught between two elevator doors!
But the assurance surging through me when I watched another comedian being the "responsible one" in a movie made me feel more at ease, and I knew that this would help me "break" into this new medium.
In a few minutes I did what prompted one old-timer to remark I did "a hundred dollar job" - & I went home happy.
The End
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AIN'T LOVE CUCKOO (1946)
