A Thief Catcher is a one-reel 1914 American comedy film, produced by Mack Sennett for his Keystone film company, directed by Ford Sterling, and starring Sterling, Mack Swain, Edgar Kennedy, and Charles Chaplin as a policeman. Cast Ford Sterling: Chief Charles Chaplin: Policeman (uncredited) William Hauber: Policeman (uncredited) George Jeske: Policeman (uncredited) Edgar Kennedy: Crook (uncredited) Rube Miller:Policeman (uncredited) Mack Swain: Crook (uncredited) Synopsis Three armed burglars stop atop an embankment to divide the loot from a recent crime. When one of the men complains about how the shares are split, a fight erupts. The complainer is eventually pushed over the embankment by the other two thieves. By chance, a police chief (Ford Sterling) who was out with his dog and his camera, takes a photo of the burglars. They spot him and pursue him. Eventually the police chief flees unknowingly to a barn which the burglars have been using as their hideout. The police chief appears to be cornered in the barn but he dispatches a note with his dog who takes it to police headquarters. The bumbling police force arrives and eventually captures the burglars, but not without considerable difficulty. Charlie Chaplin briefly appears as one of the policemen about two-thirds of the way through the film. Preservation status The film was believed lost and Chaplin's appearance unknown until a vintage 16mm print was discovered by director / film historian Paul E. Gierucki in 2010 at a Michigan antique sale. Chaplin had, however, claimed in interviews that he had played a bit-role as a policeman while at Keystone Studios. See also List of American films of 1914 Charlie Chaplin filmography List of rediscovered films References External links 1910s rediscovered films 1914 comedy films 1914 films 1914 short films American black-and-white films American silent short films American comedy short films Films directed by Ford Sterling Films produced by Mack Sennett Keystone Studios films 1910s police comedy films Rediscovered American films 1910s American films Silent American comedy films