9 1 8 ▁American ▁short ▁silent ▁film ▁written , ▁produced ▁and ▁directed ▁by ▁Charlie ▁Chap lin . ▁This ▁was ▁Chap lin ' s ▁first ▁film ▁for ▁First ▁National ▁Films . ▁ ▁Chap lin ▁plays ▁opposite ▁an ▁animal ▁as ▁" co - star ". ▁" Sc ra ps " ▁( the ▁dog ) ▁was ▁the ▁hero ▁in ▁this ▁film , ▁as ▁he ▁helps ▁Charlie ▁and ▁Ed na ▁towards ▁a ▁better ▁life . ▁Ed na ▁Pur v iance ▁plays ▁a ▁dance ▁hall ▁singer ▁and ▁Charlie ▁Chap lin , ▁The ▁Tr amp . ▁Sydney ▁Chap lin ▁( Ch ap lin ' s ▁brother ) ▁had ▁a ▁small ▁role ▁in ▁this ▁film ; ▁this ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁the ▁two ▁brothers ▁were ▁on ▁screen ▁together . ▁ ▁Charles ▁Lap worth , ▁a ▁former ▁newspaper ▁editor ▁who ▁had ▁met ▁Chap lin ▁when ▁he ▁interview ed ▁him , ▁took ▁a ▁role ▁as ▁a ▁consult ant ▁on ▁the ▁film . ▁ ▁Syn opsis ▁Charlie ▁is ▁job less ▁and ▁has ▁few ▁prospect s ▁for ▁employ ment . ▁ ▁He ▁tries ▁to ▁ste al ▁food ▁from ▁a ▁l unch ▁cart ▁and ▁is ▁nearly ▁caught ▁by ▁a ▁police ▁officer , ▁avoid ing ▁arrest ▁by ▁doing ▁some ▁fancy ▁rolling ▁back ▁and ▁forth ▁under ▁a ▁f ence . ▁ ▁Later , ▁Charlie ▁saves ▁a ▁st ray ▁dog ▁( Sc ra ps ) ▁from ▁other ▁dogs . ▁Charlie ▁and ▁Sc ra ps ▁become ▁fast ▁friends ▁and ▁partners ▁in ▁pur lo ining ▁food . ▁ ▁Charlie ▁enters ▁a ▁cab aret ▁where ▁dogs ▁are ▁not ▁allowed . ▁