text: the cheese special the cheese special is a 1913 american silent short comedy film featuring max asher and marking the film debut of louise fazenda . the scenario was written by allen curtis , but the identity of the director is unknown . it was the first production released by the newly formed joker productions , as part of the universal film manufacturing company . the film is presumed to be lost and there is no published synopsis of the film . known production details state that it was shot on a beach resort and used a miniature train . the film had a wide release and was reviewed by the moving picture world as a low comedy suited for the burlesque theaters . plot no known script or plot of the film has surfaced , but the highlight of the film was summarized in the corsicana daily sun as " a roaring joker comedy in which dauntless dan stops the train with one hand and rescues the heroine with the other while the villain hisses between his teeth . " cast max asher louise fazenda as heroine / schmaltz 's daughter henry mann as schmaltz lee morris bobby vernon as de production few details are known about the production of the film , but it was shot on a beach resort and used a miniature train . due the lack of credits , both louise fazenda and henry mann 's roles were provided by photoplay , in response to an reader inquiry . the film was the first release by the new joker productions , which was dedicated to producing only short comedy films . c. lahue and samuel gill credit this production as being louise fazenda 's film debut . film historian richard e. braff notes that allen curtis as the writer , but provides no directorial credits . the single reel production was released on october 25 , 1913 . reception the new joker line was billed as one of the " best comedies yet " by advertisers wanting to draw crowds to the theaters , but there may have been truth in the claims because it was cited as one of max asher 's best roles in a 1914 edition of moving picture world . the film had a wide release with showings in indiana , kansas , ohio , north carolina , maryland , pennsylvania , texas , and in chicago , illinois . the moving picture world review of the film noted that it was a low comedy suitable for the burlesque houses with " less particular audiences " than finer establishments because one of the minor characters spat frequently on camera , interrupting the humor and thus making it unfit for the best theaters . another newspaper review claimed that it was one of the best comedies released in months , but ended up referring to the film as " the chinese special " . the date of disappearance is unknown , but universal destroyed its remaining copies of silent era films in 1948 . the film is presumed to be lost .