A documentary which explores the lives and tragic deaths of Marceline Orbes and Francis "Slivers" Oakley, the suicidal clowns who inspired Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton.

Marceline is a professional window washer. He goes from store to store with his mop and pail. First he gets a job cleaning a jeweler's plate glass front, where he works havoc among the priceless valuables on display. Next he applies at a grocery, where he deluges the goods with soapy water. At last he winds up in a saloon and is set to washing the mirrors in the back bar. His ladder slips, and a hundred dollars' worth of glasses goes crashing to its ruin. Marceline is arrested and arraigned in court, where he has many other laughable adventures.