Haldane of the Secret Service | |
---|---|
Directed by | Harry Houdini |
Starring | Harry Houdini Gladys Leslie William J. Humphrey Richard Carlyle Edward Boulden Jane Jennings Charles Fang |
Cinematography | Irving B. Rubenstein Frank Zucker |
Production company | Houdini Picture Corporation |
Distributed by | Film Booking Offices of America |
Release date |
|
Running time | 84 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | Silent (English intertitles) |
Haldane of the Secret Service is a 1923 American silent adventure film directed by Harry Houdini. The film stars Harry Houdini, Gladys Leslie, William J. Humphrey, Richard Carlyle, Edward Boulden, Jane Jennings, and Charles Fang. The film was released on September 30, 1923, by Film Booking Offices of America. [1] [2] [3]
"Heath Haldane (Houdini), son of a detective slain by a gang of counterfeiters, swears vengeance. He rescues a girl (Leslie) from the gang, but is thrown into river by them for dead, and escapes.
"He rounds them up after many adventures, brings about their arrest, and discovers the leader of the gang is father of girl whom he loves." -- Motion Picture News Booking Guide (April 1924)
Erik Weisz, known as Harry Houdini, was a Hungarian-American escapologist, illusionist, and stunt performer noted for his escape acts.
Escapology is the practice of escaping from restraints or other traps. Escapologists escape from handcuffs, straitjackets, cages, coffins, steel boxes, barrels, bags, burning buildings, fish-tanks, and other perils, often in combination.
James Oliver Curwood was an American action-adventure writer and conservationist. His books were often based on adventures set in the Hudson Bay area, the Yukon or Alaska and ranked among the top-ten best sellers in the United States in the early and mid 1920s, according to Publishers Weekly. At least one hundred and eighty motion pictures have been based on or directly inspired by his novels and short stories; one was produced in three versions from 1919 to 1953. At the time of his death, Curwood was the highest paid author in the world.
Jamaica Inn is a 1939 British adventure thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and adapted from Daphne du Maurier's 1936 novel of the same name. It is the first of three of du Maurier's works that Hitchcock adapted. It stars Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara in her first major screen role. It is the last film Hitchcock made in the United Kingdom before he moved to the United States.
Gladys Hulette was an American silent film actress from Arcade, New York, United States. Her career began in the early years of silent movies and continued until the mid-1930s. She first performed on stage at the age of three and on screen when she was seven years old. Hulette was also a talented artist. Her mother was an opera star.
The Grim Game is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by Irvin Willat and starring Harry Houdini and Ann Forrest. The basic plotline serves as a showcase for Houdini's talent as an escapologist, stunt performer and aviator. As the story unfolds, a series of Houdini's trademark set-piece stunts and escapes are performed. When his tormentors chain him up and imprison him on numerous occasions, Houdini escapes. The film concludes with a climactic mid-air collision following an aircraft pursuit. Following the collision, Houdini is reunited with his fiancée.
Franklin Bryant Washburn III was an American actor who appeared in more than 370 films between 1911 and 1947. Washburn's parents were Franklin Bryant Washburn II and Metha Catherine Johnson Washburn. He attended Lake View High School in Chicago.
Canyon of the Fools is a 1923 American silent Western film directed by Val Paul and starring Harry Carey that was released by Film Booking Offices of America (F.B.O.).
DeWitt Clarke Jennings was an American film and stage actor. He appeared in 17 Broadway plays between 1906 and 1920, and in more than 150 films between 1915 and 1937.
Isle of Sunken Gold is a 1927 American silent adventure film serial directed by Harry S. Webb. The film was long considered to be lost, however, chapters 4, 5, and 6 and reel 1 of chapter 7 were recently discovered in a European archive and retranslated back into English.
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Gladys Leslie Moore was an American actress in silent film, active in the 1910s and 1920s. Though less-remembered than superstars like Mary Pickford, she had a number of starring roles from 1917 to the early 1920s and was one of the young female stars of her day.
Terror Island is a 1920 American silent adventure film produced by Jesse Lasky and directed by James Cruze. It is a starring vehicle for illusionist Harry Houdini here costarring with Lila Lee. This film listed as 7 reels by the AFI but two reels are lost/missing with only 5 reels remaining. The film had the working title of Salvage.
The Rest Cure is a 1923 British silent comedy film directed by A. E. Coleby and starring George Robey, Sydney Fairbrother and Gladys Hamer.
Richard Carlyle was a Canadian born stage and film actor. He is not to be confused with later actor Richard Carlyle. After stage experience, he began appearing in silent films in 1913.
Jane Jennings was an American actress known for playing older motherly characters. In a 1918 edition of Motion Picture News she is described as a sweet looking little woman. Famous Players was one of the studios where she worked. She is on the cover of the sheet music for That Wonderful Mother of Mine (1918). By the 1925 film Self Defense, she had played 178 mother roles in films.
Charles Fang was an American actor and comedian who was active in Hollywood primarily during the silent era. He was active on Broadway from 1930 to 1935. He was known during his time as "the greatest Chinese actor in America."
One Million in Jewels is a 1923 American silent crime film directed by J.P. McGowan and starring Helen Holmes, Elinor Fair and McGowan. It was shot in Miami, New York and Havana.
Bob Rose was an American actor and stuntman.