A Thanksgiving Surprise | |
---|---|
![]() A film still from the lost film | |
Produced by | Thanhouser Company |
Distributed by | Motion Picture Distributing and Sales Company |
Release date |
|
Country | United States |
Languages | Silent film English inter-titles |
A Thanksgiving Surprise is a 1910 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. The film follows Jack Clyde, a young man who lives a vain and idle life in the city with his rich friends. His wealthy uncle decides to test the morale character and has his lawyers announce his death and giving his fortune to charity. When Jack learns of his death, he is left penniless and is shunned by his friends, but assisted by the poor. Jack struggles to survive, but decides to host a Thanksgiving dinner for those poorer than himself. His uncle sees Jack has learned his lesson and secretly prepares a feast set while Jack sleeps. After the guest arrives, the uncle reveals himself and all ends well. The film was released on November 22, 1910, and was met with favorable reviews. The film is presumed lost.
Though the film is presumed lost, a synopsis survives in The Moving Picture World from November 26, 1910. It states: "Jack Clyde is a rich young fellow who has been brought up by his wealthy uncle in a small Western town. Jack decides that he wants to move to New York and is indulged in this whim by his uncle, who sends with the lad as valet a faithful old servant, who has his welfare at heart. In the city Jack rents expensive apartments, and leads a vain, idle life. Jack's uncle hears of his conduct and devises a scheme whereby he can make a thorough test of the boy. He instructs his lawyers to announce his death, that the entire fortune has gone to charity, and Jack has been left penniless. Jack is turned out of his rooms and shunned by his rich friends. Among the very poor, whom he formerly despised, he is treated as a comrade. They share with him their last crust, and he ends by marrying them, and falling in love with a humble little flower girl. Jack finally secures a situation as a porter in a hotel. His uncle discovers that he is planning to give a Thanksgiving dinner to all those poorer than himself and decides that Jack has learned his lesson. Jack brings to his poor room a few meager provisions that his week's salary has permitted him to buy. While waiting for his guests to arrive Jack goes to sleep. His uncle and the old servant who have been watching him closely, seize upon this opportunity to enter Jack's room and substitute for his poor meal a real Thanksgiving feast. The guests arrive, their host awakes, uncle returns, and Jack is assured that his prosperity is real and not a dream." [1]
The writer of the scenario is unknown, but it was most likely Lloyd Lonergan. He was an experienced newspaperman employed by The New York Evening World while writing scripts for the Thanhouser productions. [5] The film director is unknown, but it may have been Barry O'Neil or Lucius J. Henderson. Cameramen employed by the company during this era included Blair Smith, Carl Louis Gregory, and Alfred H. Moses, Jr. though none are specifically credited. [6] The role of the cameraman was uncredited in 1910 productions. [7] Marie Eline was cast in the film, likely as the newspaper boy. [1] Eline had previously played a newspaper boy in Not Guilty . [8] The role of the flower girl has been claimed to be Frances Gibson by an answer column in Motion Picture Story Magazine . This is disputable because Gibson is known only to have a single credit with the Thanhouser Company, in the 1912 release of Nicholas Nickleby . [3] Around this time Gibson was appearing in Solax Studios productions. [3] Both immediate before and after her only Thanhouser credit, Gibson was employed by Solax, leading Bowers to speculate that her appearance in that one film may have been as a special project. [3] A different film still shows William Russell and opens the possibility of identifying the other actors. [4] The other cast credits are unknown, but many 1910 Thanhouser productions are fragmentary. [6] In late 1910, the Thanhouser company released a list of the important personalities in their films. The list includes G.W. Abbe, Justus D. Barnes, Frank H. Crane, Irene Crane, Marie Eline, Violet Heming, Martin J. Faust, Thomas Fortune, George Middleton, Grace Moore, John W. Noble, Anna Rosemond, Mrs. George Walters. [9]
The single reel drama, approximately 1,000 feet long, was released on November 22, 1910. [1] The drama film was sometimes labeled as a comedy by advertisers. [10] The film had a wide national release and was shown in theaters in North Carolina, [11] South Dakota, [12] Washington, [13] Kansas, [10] Pennsylvania, [14] California,. [15] Though Hawaii was not yet a state, it was also shown as a new release in July 1912. [16]
The film was positively reviewed by critics. Walton of The Moving Picture News affirmed, stating that the film was a "...well-staged, naturally acted story with a lesson. There is pathos and stern reality mixed in with fidelity and anxiety, the whole making a story of entrancing and edifying power." [1] The Moving Picture World summarized the film and remarked, "The contrasts in the delineation of human nature constitute the principal points of interest, and they are worked out with full appreciation of dramatic varieties. The implied false friends have a good many counterparts, and the way they are depicted here is too graphic to be misunderstood." [1] The New York Dramatic Mirror took a swipe at Bison Pictures of the New York Motion Picture Company and the Powers Picture Plays by praising the camera posing of the film and acknowledging the acting of the flower girl to be well-portrayed. [1]
The Thanhouser Company was one of the first motion picture studios, founded in 1909 by Edwin Thanhouser, his wife Gertrude and his brother-in-law Lloyd Lonergan. It operated in New York City until 1920, producing over a thousand films.
The Pasha's Daughter is a 1911 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. The film based on a true story. The film focuses on an American named Jack who is traveling in Turkey. He befriends an aged Turk and is arrested as a conspirator against the government. His first attempt to flee the jail failed, but the second succeeds. Jack flees into the courtyard of the Pasha and is hidden from the guards by the Pasha's daughter. Disguised as a woman, Jack makes his escape with her aid, but she refuses his offer to flee with him. A year later, the Pasha's daughter is ushered in and announces that she wants to be his bride.
The Best Man Wins is a 1910 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. The film features Thanhouser's leading players Anna Rosemond, Martin Faust, Frank H. Crane and Marie Eline in a drama about morality. Two suitors are vying for the hand of Julia Seaton and propose to her on the same day, but she asks for a month to decide between them. In the time, the caliber of both men are tested when asked by a young girl, named May, to help her dying mother. The doctor refuses to help, and the lawyer offers his assistance, but her mother soon dies. The orphan is taken in by the Seaton family and personally attests to the character of both men when Julia Seaton has to choose between her suitors.
The Flag of His Country is a 1910 American silent short drama film produced by the Thanhouser Company. The patriotic film focuses on a man aptly named Walter North who sides with the Union and whilst his wife sides with the Confederacy in the American Civil War. The family is reunited thirty years later at a Grand Army of the Republic reunion through the actions of their grandchild. Little is known about the production and cast of the film, but the role of granddaughter was played by Marie Eline. Released on July 1, 1910, the film took place within living memory of the war and a reviewer in The Moving Picture World noted that the film would not offend its audience members. The film is presumed lost.
The Girls of the Ghetto is a 1910 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. The film focuses on Bella, who works in a sweatshop and save enough money to have her little sisters emigrate to New York. John Magie encounters one of the girls and urges to attend classes. During an outbreak of fever, John is suddenly taken ill and Bella nurses him back to health. At the time of its production, the term "ghetto" was a buzzword and the focus of the hardworking Jewess struggling to survive was a focus of other 1910 productions. The film was released on July 19, 1910, and received criticism for not having the character appear to be Jewish and incorrectly portraying her place of work as a sweatshop. The film is presumed lost.
Uncle Tom's Cabin is a 1910 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. The film was adapted by from the 1852 novel Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. The plot of the Thanhouser production streamlined the actual story to portray the film over the course of a single reel. The film was released on July 26, 1910, on the same day that Vitagraph released the first reel of their own three reel version of Uncle Tom's Cabin. This prompted the Thanhouser Company to advertise against the Vitagraph film by referring to the other as being overly drawn out. The film garnered mixed, but mostly positive reception in trade publications. The film is presumed lost.
The Doctor's Carriage is a 1910 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. The plot is a melodrama that features Marie Eline in the starring role. The film begins with Max, an old musician who has two daughters, one of whom is blind. Max becomes ill and dies and without a mother to raise them, the younger daughter cares for her older sister, but they are homeless and poor. The little girl begs a doctor to restore her sister's vision and he proposes to her. The film was released on September 9, 1910, and was met with praise from reviewers. The film saw a wide national release and was also shown in Canada, Britain and Australia. The film is presumed lost.
Dots and Dashes is a 1910 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. May Wilson is a telegraph operator and Jack Wilson is the head bookkeeper of the brokerage office. May teaches Jack how to use Morse code. At the end of the day is called to into the office and learns that something is wrong with the books and he quickly finds the guilty party and confronts him. While he leans into the safe, Bill pushes him inside and locks the safe before fleeing. May, who is waiting for Jack, goes to the office and searches for him. Hearing groans from the safe, she knows he is in danger and uses Morse code to learn the combination and free him. Later, Bill returns to the scene to see if Jack is dead. As he opens the door, the police pop out of the safe and arrest him. The film was released on September 30, 1910 and was met with mixed reviews for the improbable plot and the inaccurate Morse code being tapped out on screen. The film is presumed lost.
Delightful Dolly is a 1910 American silent short comedy produced by the Thanhouser Company. The film follows Marie Allen, an orphan girl who lives with her grandfather, who sees a large doll in the window of the shop. At night, she sneaks out to visit the shop with the doll, but finds it gone. She sneaks into the shop and ends up hiding in the box, to prevent from being discovered by the store clerk. She is taken to the home of the rich little girl, Daisy. After taking the doll's clothes, Marie hides in the box as Daisy approaches. When Daisy opens the box, Marie acts like a doll. When Daisy takes a break for food, Marie secretly takes the food and drink much to Daisy's bewilderment. Marie's grandfather arrives at the home and explains the situation and Marie receives the doll from the family. Little is known about the production or cast of the film, but Marie Eline played the role of Marie. The film was released on October 14, 1910 and was met with some praise in trade publications. The film is presumed lost.
Their Child is a 1910 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. The film begins with Ellen Stokes whose extravagant lifestyle is outside the means of the family. While their only son is hosting a birthday party, the husband informs Ellen that they are financially ruined because of her. Ellen attempts to get money from her uncle, who refuses, and a friend of the family soon comes to her aid with a loan. Ellen is deceptive in telling who provided the money and her jealous husband soon learns the truth. In anger, he takes the child and leaves. The child soon returns to Ellen and she whisks him away to a new home where she fails to obtain gainful employment. The son decides to sell newspapers for some money and in this job is recognized by his father, soon the family is reunited. Marie Eline played the role of "their child" and was likely so well disguised that the reviewer for The Nickelodeon believed her to be a boy. The film was released on October 21, 1910, and was met with positive reviews. The film is presumed lost.
The Fairies' Hallowe'en or The Fairies' Halloween is a 1910 American silent short comedy produced by the Thanhouser Company. The plot focuses on Marie, played by Marie Eline, as a young girl who plays with a jack-o-lantern crafted by her father. When she falls asleep, the girl dreams that she is invited by the Fairy Queen to their Halloween party. Her doll and pumpkin are given life and she enjoys the party. As she awakes, she mourns that it was all a dream, but was content for the experience. The film was advertised as a trick film and received mixed reception by reviewers. It was released on October 28, 1910, but records show that the film was still being shown in 1913. The film is presumed lost.
The Little Fire Chief is a 1910 American silent short comedy produced by the Thanhouser Company. The film focuses on a young boy, Willie Stone, who follows a parade of firemen and attempts to join them as their leader. The firemen find it humorous and allow him to play with them. The fire alarm sounds and Willie attempts to join them, but is too slow. On their way back, Willie holds them up and his sister appears. A fireman named Jack, who has affections for the woman, convinces Willie to be relieved of his "command" by promising to call him later. Marie Eline played the role of Willie Stone, but the other two credits are claimed to have been William Garwood and Mignon Anderson. The rest of the cast and credits are unknown. The film was released on November 8, 1910 and does not appear to have had any reviews in the usual trade publications. The film was advertised nationally and was claimed to have been popular in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The film is presumed lost.
The American and the Queen is a 1910 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. The film focuses on Maud, the fictional queen of Rumania, who is overthrown by her cousin, Rupert. Maud is thrown into prison after refusing the romantic advances of Rupert. She escapes with the aid of her lady-in-waiting and a priest. A wealthy American named Jack Walton, foils an assassination attempt on Maud and he falls in love with her. Maud is recaptured and set to be executed when the priest comes up with a plan to save her, by marrying Jack and Maud. The ceremony takes place through her cell window, and soon the United States military arrives to save the now wife of an American. Rupert is killed in the ensuing conflict. No known cast or production credits for the film is known. The film was released on November 11, 1910 and was met with neutral to negative reviews by critics. The patriotic element of the film was cited as likely being comical for European audiences and the film was also used as an example of an inappropriate example of American flag-waving. The film is presumed lost.
The Girls He Left Behind Him and The Iron Clad Lover are two 1910 American silent short comedies produced by the Thanhouser Company. Both films were originally released together on a single reel and are two distinct and separate subjects. The Girls He Left Behind Him focuses on a young man, Jack Redfern, who receives a letter from an old sweetheart of his. This prompts him to reminiscence about all the girls he has had affections for on the eve of his wedding. All the old sweethearts of his life then appear at his wedding to wish him well. The Iron Clad Lover concerns two suitors who are vying for the affections of Bessie. Tom, who plays a game of chess with her father, ends up quarreling with him and he is thrown out of the house. The next day, Tom attempts to bring flowers and candy for Bessie's birthday, but is dismissed by the angry father. Tom decides to dress up in a suit of armor and ends up breaking a vase when trying to announce himself. The suit of armor is thrown out and Bessie and the other suitor chase down the junk dealer to free Tom from the suit of armor. Both films were released on December 9, 1910 and were met with positive reviews by The Moving Picture World and the New York Dramatic Mirror. Both films are presumed lost.
The Wild Flower and the Rose is a 1910 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. The film focuses on Frank Wilson, the son of an inventor who has constructed a new airplane model. After failing to secure financing, his father suggests that he marry Rose, the daughter of his wealthy employer, to get the money they need. Jack rejects this idea because he is engaged to another woman, but he soon learns she does not love him. He heads out West to seek a fortune and is quickly successful. He returns to the aviation field and meets Rose again, after a successful flight she confesses to loving him. The cast and staff credits are unknown, but the film may have included scenes from the 1910 International Aviation Meet at Belmont Park One reviewer claimed that a Wright brothers flyer was also shown in full flight. The film was released on November 25, 1910, but is now presumed lost.
Love and Law is a 1910 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. The film begins with a meeting between Tom Egan and Sue Jennings. Sue asks Tom, who had previously been sweethearts, for each others' love letters because she will soon marry another man. On this same night, Jack Deming confronts Tom in a drunken state and brandishing a revolver. Jack seeks vengeance because was put into financial ruin by Tom's speculative advice, but Tom manages to calm him down. Tom pens a letter to Sue and takes his own life, making it appear as if Jack murdered him. Jack is arrested, but a young detective named Violet Gray proves his innocence. Jack and Violet also fall in love. The role of Violet Gray was played by Julia M. Taylor, but the other roles and staff credits are unknown. The film was released on December 13, 1910, it would be the first of four films in the "Violet Gray, Detective" series. The film is presumed lost.
The Millionaire Milkman is a 1910 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. The film focus on Jack Cass, a young millionaire, who has affections for a society girl named Clara Moore. Jack receives a letter of warning about Clara's real interest, his money. Jack decides to decides to test his suspicions and the character of Clara, by having newspapers announce the ruin of his mind and his fortune. Clara calls Jack to confirm the story and breaks off the engagement. May Dustin, the orphan girl who Clara's family treats as a servant, expresses sympathy for Jack. Jack becomes infatuated with May and becomes the milkman to see her every day. The two are married and May learns that Jack had never lost his fortune. The cast and production credits are unknown. The film was released on December 16, 1910, and met with mixed reviews. The film is presumed lost.
Looking Forward is a 1910 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. Adapted from James Oliver Curwood's short story of the same name, the film follows a young chemist named Jack Goodwin. He discovers a chemical compound that puts a person into a state of sleep for a determined period of time and decides to test it upon himself. The first test is a success and Jack makes arrangements for his sleep of a hundred years, in a state similar to suspended animation. When he awakes in 2010 into a world ruled by women, he woos the female mayor. Jack joins a society to campaign for men's rights. The society ends up before the female mayor who jails all of them, save for Jack who she proposes to. Jack accepts on the condition that men are given back their rights and she accepts. The cast and production credits of the film are not known, but Theodore Marston was not the director. The film was released on December 20, 1910. The film is presumed lost.
The Childhood Of Jack Harkaway is a 1910 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. Adapted from Bracebridge Hemyng's Jack Harkaway story series by Lloyd Lonergan, the film depicts the life of the title character. Given to the care of strangers after his birth, Jack grows up and is sent to a school at age 12. After being severely and unjustly punished by the schoolmaster, Jack runs away and comes across two thieves plotting a robbery. Jack hurries to the house and warns the mistress of the planned robbery. The robbery is foiled and the lady of the house is very grateful, but Jack's schoolmaster and his guardian arrive to take him back. She recognizes the guardian as the man who forced her to turn over Jack and turns them out of the house. The film's cast and production credits are unknown. The film was released on December 23, 1910, it was met with favorable reviews and saw a wide national release. In 1988, a severely deteriorated nitrate print of the film was known to exist and it was likely transferred to the Library of Congress archives in 1997.
Hypnotized, released in Britain as A Quack Hypnotist, is a 1910 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. The film focuses on May Smalley and Jack, who loves her, who attend a traveling show that comes to their little town. The show consists of a hypnotist and a Hindu magician and proves to be a popular show, but the hypnotist who is becomes interest in May. The hypnotist lures May away by telling her that he has a message for her from the spirit world and later gets her to leave town with him. Jack knocks the magician down and takes his costume and follows the hypnotist and May back to their hotel, where he rescues her. Aside from William Russell's role in the film, the production and cast credits are unknown. The film was released on December 30, 1910, it was met with positive reviews. The film is presumed lost.