For several years during the silent film era, Craven -- who had made
his reputation in domestic comedies on Broadway -- had pestered
Harold Lloyd
to let him to sit in on the gag-writing sessions Lloyd held to write
his movies. Craven wanted to make a contribution to Lloyd's movies, but
after a particularly harrowing session with Lloyd's writers, who tossed
gag ideas about at the tops of their voices, Craven admitted that
slapstick wasn't his brand of humor and returned to Broadway.