Father and the Boys

Last updated

Father and the Boys
Directed by Joe De Grasse
Written by Ida May Park
Based onFather and the Boys
by George Ade (play)
Produced byBroadway Films Co.
Starring Digby Bell
Louise Lovely
Lon Chaney
CinematographyEdward Ullman
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date
  • December 20, 1915 (1915-12-20)
Running time
5 reels (50 minutes)
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent (English intertitles)

Father and the Boys is a 1915 American silent comedy film directed by Joe De Grasse, written by Ida May Park, and co-starring Lon Chaney and Digby Bell. It is based on a popular 1908 Broadway play produced by Charles Frohman, called Father and the Boys by George Ade. This was Louise Lovely's American film debut after emigrating from Australia. She made a total of 8 films with Chaney during this time period. [1]

Contents

Digby Bell reprised his Broadway role as Lemuel Morewood in the film (this was his first film role). [2] Louise Lovely's role of Bessie Brayton was played by Margaret Dale in the play. [3] The makeup-savvy Bell befriended Chaney on the set of this film and the two were seen trading makeup tips behind the scenes. [4]

After Richelieu (1914), this was Lon Chaney's 2nd appearance in a full-length feature film, running approximately 50 minutes, much longer than the shorts he had been appearing in for Universal. A still exists which shows Chaney in the role of Tuck Bartholomew. [5] The film is today considered to be lost. [6]

Plot

Lemuel Morewood is a wealthy businessman who hopes someday to see his two sons take over his business. He wants Tom to marry Frances Berkeley and Billy to marry Emily Donelson, but the boys have different plans. Tom is just interested in sports, while Billy is obsessed with high society matters and spends all his time with Mrs. Guilford, the leader of the smart set.

Bessie Brayton is an orphan from Nevada who comes to New York and gets a job as an entertainer at high society parties. She owns a half-interest in the Bluebird Mine, which she believes is worthless. The Morewoods hire Bessie one night to entertain at a party where she meets Major Didsworth, who offers to sell her mine shares for her. Bessie taunts Lemuel that he is old-fashioned, so he gets into his tuxedo, wins a large sum of money gambling with Didsworth, and goes off with Bessie to blow his cash. Lemuel keeps up his wild pace; he goes to the racetrack where his wild behavior infuriates Mrs. Guilford, and she criticizes Lemuel's behavior. Billy defends his father, ending his friendship with Mrs. Guilford.

Bessie receives a telegram from Didsworth offering her $1,000 cash in exchange for her mine stock. Lemuel suspects that she is being cheated, and he goes back to Nevada with her. The boys think their father has run off to elope with Bessie and they follow them, along with Emily, Frances, and Tobias Ford, the family lawyer. Out in Nevada, Lemuel and Bessie learn that her half of the mine is actually worth a fortune, and they learn that the other half is owned by Tuck Bartholomew (Lon Chaney), Bessie's old sweetheart who disappeared years ago up in Alaska.

On route to Nevada, Tom becomes engaged to Emily and Billy becomes engaged to Frances—exactly the opposite of what their father had planned for the boys. They arrive at a wedding ceremony just in time to stop their father from marrying Bessie, only to learn that Bessie is actually marrying her old flame Tuck Bartholomew, who has come back from Alaska. Lemuel and his two sons return home to New York to run the family business, together with Emily and Frances.

Cast

Reception

"George Ade's comedy is pleasant, genuine and funny. The dialogue being absent, it is not such a sidesplitting affair as it was several years ago on the stage, but it is a lively comedy. An excellent five-reel comedy....Digby Bell, ther? veteran character actor is seen in the leading part. He is supported by a good cast.... A very pleasing comedy number." --- Motion Picture News [7] [8]

"Ida May Park, the scenario writer, and Joseph De Grasse, director, are to be congratulated on getting this comedy over without either padding or loss of action. It runs smoothly and clearly from scene to scene and preserves the undercurrent of genial humor throughout. The supporting cast is very pleasing." --- Moving Picture World [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lon Chaney</span> American actor (1883–1930)

Leonidas Frank "Lon" Chaney was an American actor and makeup artist. He is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and afflicted, characters and for his groundbreaking artistry with makeup. Chaney was known for his starring roles in such silent horror films as The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) and The Phantom of the Opera (1925). His ability to transform himself using makeup techniques that he developed earned him the nickname "The Man of a Thousand Faces".

<i>Almost an Actress</i> 1913 film

Almost an Actress was a 1913 American silent short comedy film directed by Allen Curtis and starring Louise Fazenda, Max Asher, Lon Chaney and Silvion de Jardin. A surviving still from the film shows Lon Chaney as the exasperated cameraman, grimacing in frustration as chaos envelops the film set. The film is now considered lost. It is unknown when the film was lost, but if it was in Universal's vaults it would have been deliberately destroyed along with the remaining copies of Universal's silent era films in 1948.

<i>Bloodhounds of the North</i> 1913 film by Allan Dwan

Bloodhounds of the North is a 1913 American silent short drama film directed by Allan Dwan and starring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush, and Lon Chaney. The film is now considered lost. Some sources state the film was edited down to one reel and re-released theatrically in 1916 as Accusing Evidence, but this is disputed.

<i>The Embezzler</i> (1914 film) 1914 film by Allan Dwan

The Embezzler is a 1914 American silent short drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Lon Chaney, Pauline Bush and Murdock MacQuarrie. The film is now considered lost. A still exists showing Chaney in the J. Roger Dixon role.

<i>The Tragedy of Whispering Creek</i> 1914 film

The Tragedy of Whispering Creek is a 1914 American silent short Western film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush, and Lon Chaney. Chaney expert Jon Mirsalis says Chaney also wrote the screenplay, based on a story by Elliott J. Clawson, but the Blake book says the film's director Allan Dwan wrote the screenplay himself. A print exists in the Deutsche Kinemathek film archive, making it Chaney's earliest surviving moving picture. A still exists which shows Chaney in his role as "The Greaser".

The Forbidden Room is a 1914 American silent drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush and Lon Chaney. The film's working title was originally The Web of Circumstance. The film is now considered to be lost.

Her Bounty is a 1914 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse and written by his wife Ida May Park, and featuring Lon Chaney and Pauline Bush. This was the first film Chaney worked on with the filmmaking team of Joe De Grasse and Ida May Park, to be followed by many more. The film is now considered to be lost.

The Sin of Olga Brandt is a 1915 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse and featuring Lon Chaney and Pauline Bush. Jon Mirsalis claims the film was written by Ida May Park and that "some sources suggest that the film, which preaches about the high morality of moving pictures, was instigated by (producer) Carl Laemmle, who was involved in censorship fights of his own over some of his releases".

<i>All for Peggy</i> 1915 film

All for Peggy is a 1915 American silent drama short film directed by Joe De Grasse, written by his wife Ida May Park and featuring Lon Chaney and Pauline Bush. The film is now considered to be lost. Lon Chaney had a very small role in the film. A still exists showing Lon Chaney in the role of Seth, the stable groom.

Maid of the Mist is a 1915 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse, written by James Dayton and featuring Lon Chaney and Pauline Bush. The film is now considered to be lost. The Blake book on Chaney oddly lists Chaney as playing "Jed, the postmaster" in the film, but all other sources claim Chaney played the heroine's father, Lin.

For Cash is a 1915 American silent drama short film directed by Lon Chaney and released by Universal Pictures, starring J. Warren Kerrigan and Vera Sisson. Chaney directed this film but not appear in it. The film is today considered to be lost.

<i>The Oyster Dredger</i> 1915 film

The Oyster Dredger is a 1915 American silent drama film written and directed by Lon Chaney, and starring J. Warren Kerrigan and Vera Sisson. Chaney did not appear in the film himself. Chaney only directed two films that he himself wrote, The Oyster Dredger and The Chimney's Secret, both 1915.

Steady Company was a 1915 short silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse and featuring Lon Chaney and Pauline Bush. It was written by Ida May Park, based on a story by Julius G. Furthman. The film is now considered to be lost.

A Mother's Atonement is a 1915 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse, written by Ida May Park, and featuring Lon Chaney and Cleo Madison. Chaney played a dual role as Ben Morrison. Two stills exist showing Lon Chaney in both of the roles he plays in the film.

The Grip of Jealousy is a 1916 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse, written by Ida May Park and starring Lon Chaney and Louise Lovely. It was based upon Ida May Park's story "Love Thine Enemy". The film is today considered lost. Two still exist showing Lon Chaney in somewhat different make-ups, one as the character Silas Lacey, and the other as an older version of him

<i>Tangled Hearts</i> 1916 film

Tangled Hearts is a 1916 silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse, written by Ida May Park, and starring Lon Chaney and Louise Lovely. A small fragment of the film survives in a private collection. A still exists showing Chaney in the role of John Hammond, menacing his wife Enid with a pistol.

<i>The Place Beyond the Winds</i> 1916 film

The Place Beyond the Winds is a 1916 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse, and starring Lon Chaney, Gretchen Lederer and Dorothy Phillips. It was written by Ida May Park, based on the novel by Harriet T. Comstock. The director De Grasse also played a role in the film. The film's original working title was Mansion of Despair. A still exists showing Chaney in the role of Jerry Jo, the homeless man.

<i>The Price of Silence</i> (1916 film) 1916 film

The Price of Silence is a 1916 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse and starring Lon Chaney. The screenplay was written by Ida May Park, based on the short story by W. Carey Wonderly. A print is housed at the French archive Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée in Fort de Bois-d'Arcy. A still also exists showing Chaney in his role of the blackmailing Dr. Stafford. There were four other silent films entitled The Price of Silence, but this was the only one released in 1916.

<i>The Pipers Price</i> 1917 film

The Piper's Price is a 1917 silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse and starring Lon Chaney, William Stowell and Dorothy Phillips. It was the first in a series of films co-starring William Stowell and Dorothy Phillips together. The screenplay was written by Ida May Park, based on the short story by Nancy Mann Waddel Woodrow. The film was released in the U.K. as Storm and Sunshine. The film is today considered lost. A still exists showing Lon Chaney in the role of Billy Kilmartin.

<i>When Bearcat Went Dry</i> 1919 film

When Bearcat Went Dry is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by Oliver L. Sellers from the novel by Charles Neville Buck, and starring Lon Chaney as Kindard Powers. The title refers to a character nicknamed "Bearcat" who promises his girlfriend that he will quit drinking liquor. The plot involving a promise to give up drinking was timely given the passage of the Wartime Prohibition Act, which took effect on June 30, 1919, and banned the sale of alcoholic beverages, and ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in January of the same year.

References

  1. ↑ Mirsalis, Jon C. "Father and the Boys". Lonchaney.org. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  2. ↑ Mirsalis, Jon C. "Father and the Boys". Lonchaney.org. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  3. ↑ Father and the Boys on Broadway at the Empire Theatre March 2 1908 to May 1908; 88 performances; IBDb.com
  4. ↑ Mirsalis, Jon C. "Father and the Boys". Lonchaney.org. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  5. ↑ Mirsalis, Jon C. "Father and the Boys". Lonchaney.org. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Silent Era: Father and the Boys". silentera. Retrieved June 24, 2008.
  7. ↑ Blake, Michael F. (1998). "The Films of Lon Chaney". Vestal Press Inc. Page 58. ISBN   1-879511-26-6.
  8. ↑ Mirsalis, Jon C. "Father and the Boys". Lonchaney.org. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  9. ↑ Mirsalis, Jon C. "Father and the Boys". Lonchaney.org. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.