Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1914 film)

Last updated
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1914 film).jpg
Directed by Harold Entwistle
Written by
Produced by George E. Middleton
Starring
Cinematography Arthur Powelson
Production
company
Distributed by
Release date
  • December 31, 1914 (1914-12-31)
Running time
5 reels
CountryUnited States
LanguagesSilent
English intertitles

Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch is a 1914 American silent comedy drama film directed by Harold Entwistle and starring Beatriz Michelena, Blanche Chapman and House Peters. It is based on the 1903 play by Anne Crawford Flexner, [1] which itself is taken from the 1901 novel of the same name by Alice Hegan Rice. [2]

Contents

Plot

Mr. and Mrs. Wiggs, prior to their marriage, worked as a coachman and housekeeper to Colonel Vanderhurst, who removed his son, Jack, from his will for marrying a woman connected to the circus. Years later, Jack and his wife both pass away, leaving Lovey Mary with Jack's wife's sister and her sister's husband, a temperamental circus proprietor. Along with Lovey Mary goes Jack's marriage certificate, Lovey Mary's birth certificate, and a locket with a portrait of Jack and his wife.

Now, Mr. and Mrs. Wiggs are married with five children, suffering greatly, especially due to strikes at Mr. Wiggs’ work. This place is controlled by wealthy politician Murphy, whose stepson Bob pities the strikers, specifically Mr. Wiggs and his family. Bob becomes an attorney and Mr. Wiggs leaves the town in search of other work, meeting Lovey Mary's uncle, the circus proprietor. With Mr. Wiggs absent, Mrs. Wiggs struggles greatly with poverty as she tries to take care of her family alone.

Years pass, and Mrs. Wiggs continues struggling. Colonel Vanderhurst decides to make a will in Lovey Mary's favor after regretting his harshness with his son. He releases advertisements to find Lovey Mary, which Mary's uncle finds and plans to turn in Lovey Mary as his own daughter to receive the inheritance.

Mr. Wiggs falls in love with a circus performer and has a child named Tommy with her, who Lovey Mary becomes fond of. When her uncle tells her the plan, she runs away with Tommy. Her uncle chases after her but she is rescued by Bob. She has another close call with her uncle, but escapes by train with Tommy, and stops near the Cabbage Patch. Noticed by one of the Wiggs children, she is taken to Mrs. Wiggs house. Soon, she is kidnapped by her uncle with Tommy still at the house.

Her uncle takes her to claim the inheritance, but Bob's firm represents the Colonel's estate and Bob becomes suspicious. He visits the circus, which is currently in the Cabbage Patch, and goes to Mrs. Wiggs, discovering the truth.

Bob follows Lovey Mary's uncle under disguise and saves her as she is about to be murdered. The two later run into Mr. Wiggs and convince him to return to Mrs. Wiggs, who forgives him for abandoning her and their family, and Bob and Lovey Mary announce their decision to get married. [3]

Production and Reception

Beatriz Michelena in Salomy Jane in which she acted alongside Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch co-star House Peters. Salomy Jane (1914) - 8.jpg
Beatriz Michelena in Salomy Jane in which she acted alongside Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch co-star House Peters.

Beatriz Michelena, who played Lovey Mary, and House Peters, who played Bob, had been on a film prior to the filming of Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch with the California Motion Picture Corporation called Salomy Jane. Though Michelena held a special relationship with the California Motion Picture Corporation and received star treatment, she felt upstaged by Peters due to his acting style, which caused many problems during the production of Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch. Michelena did not like play the film was based from and was angry that her role of Lovey Mary was not the title role, believing her role was not glamorous enough. Peters also disliked his lack of screen time as Bob. This led to an argument between the two and Peters storming off and never returning to the set. Producer George E. Middleton attempted to uphold continuity without the missing scenes, the gaps were too noticeable, and the film never became a success. [4]

Cast

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alice Hegan Rice</span> American writer (1870–1942)

Alice Hegan Rice, also known as Alice Caldwell Hegan, was an American novelist. Her 1901 novel Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch became a play and four films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mabel Taliaferro</span> American actress (1887–1979)

Mabel Taliaferro was an American stage and silent-screen actress, known as "the Sweetheart of American Movies."

<i>Bookman</i> list of bestselling novels in the United States in the 1900s

This is a list of bestselling novels in the United States in the 1900s, as determined by The Bookman, a New York–based literary journal. The list features the most popular novels of each year from 1900 through 1909.

Jimmy Butler was an American, juvenile, motion-pictures actor, active in the 1930s and early 1940s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Strauss (actor)</span> American actor (1913–75)

Robert Strauss was an American actor. He became most familiar in Hollywood films of the 1950s such as Stalag 17 (1953), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Best Supporting Actor.

<i>Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch</i> (1934 film) 1934 film by Norman Taurog

Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch is a 1934 American comedy drama film directed by Norman Taurog, and is based on the 1904 Broadway play by Anne Crawford Flexner, which itself is taken from the novel of the same name by Alice Hegan Rice. The film stars Broadway stage actress Pauline Lord, and is one of only two films she appeared in. ZaSu Pitts and W. C. Fields appear in supporting roles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethel Griffies</span> English actress (1878–1975)

Ethel Griffies was an English actress of stage, screen, and television. She is remembered for portraying the ornithologist Mrs. Bundy in Alfred Hitchcock's classic The Birds (1963). She appeared in stage roles in her native England and in the United States, and had featured roles in around 100 motion pictures. Griffies was one of the oldest working actors in the English-speaking theatre at the time of her death at 97 years old. She acted alongside such stars as May Whitty, Ellen Terry, and Anna Neagle.

<i>Salomy Jane</i> (1914 film) 1914 film

Salomy Jane is a 1914 silent Western-drama film based on Bret Harte's 1898 novella "Salomy Jane's Kiss" and Paul Armstrong's 1907 play based on Harte's story, Salomy Jane.

<i>Lovey Mary</i> 1926 silent film by King Baggot

Lovey Mary is a 1926 American comedy-drama film directed by King Baggot, with Bessie Love in the title role. It is based on the 1903 novel of the same name by Alice Hegan Rice, a sequel to Rice's Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch. It was distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anne Crawford Flexner</span> American playwright

Anne Crawford Flexner born Anne Laziere Crawford, was an American playwright.

<i>Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch</i> (1919 film) 1919 film by Hugh Ford

Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch is a 1919 silent American comedy-drama film produced by Famous Players–Lasky Corporation and distributed through Paramount Pictures. Directed by Hugh Ford, the film stars Marguerite Clark and is based on the 1904 Broadway play by Anne Crawford Flexner, which itself is taken from the novel of the same name by Alice Hegan Rice.

<i>Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch</i> 1901 novel by Alice Caldwell Hegan

Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch is a 1901 novel by American author Alice Hegan Rice, about a southern family humorously coping with poverty. It was highly popular on its release, and has been adapted to film several times. The early editions of the book carry the author's birth name, Alice Caldwell Hegan.

Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch is a 1942 American comedy-drama film starring Fay Bainter and directed by Ralph Murphy. It was based on the play by Anne Crawford Flexner that premiered on Broadway in 1904, which was in turn adapted from the 1901 novel of the same name by Alice Hegan Rice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helen Lowell</span> American actress (1866–1937)

Helen Lowell, born Helen Lowell Robb (1866–1937), was an American stage and film actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Motion Picture Corporation</span>

California Motion Picture Corporation was a film company based in San Rafael, California, in Marin County during the silent film era. The company lasted from 1914 until January 1916 when it went bankrupt. It was subsequently renamed and lasted until 1920. It produced at least 15 films. The film company is known for its feature-length films about early California history. Alex E. Beyfuss managed the company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George E. Middleton</span> American film producer

George E. Middleton was an American film director and producer. His work includes films for California Motion Picture Corporation (CMPC) and, after its failure, Beatriz Michelena Features. Middleton married stage actress and singer Beatriz Michelena, who starred in his films.

<i>Lovey Mary</i> (book) 1903 novel by Alice Hegan Rice

Lovey Mary is a 1903 novel by the American writer Alice Hegan Rice. The novel was first serialized in the monthly Century Magazine beginning in December 1902, then was published in book form by The Century Company on February 28, 1903. It was a sequel to the author's 1901 novel Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch. The book contains eighteen illustrations by Florence Scovel Shinn, one of which is reproduced on the cover. The story spans three years in the life of Lovey Mary, an orphan who finds acceptance among the poor folks of the Cabbage Patch, an area which was inspired by Rice's personal experiences growing up in Kentucky.

Carmencita Johnson was an American actress. She was best known as a child actress in the 1920s and 1930s.

<i>Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch</i> (play) 1903 play by Anne Crawford Flexner

Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch, is an 1903 comedy by American author Anne Crawford Flexner. It was based on two books by Alice Hegan Rice, Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1901) and Lovey Mary (1903). It has three acts and two settings, all within the "Cabbage Patch", an impoverished neighborhood on the fringes of Louisville, Kentucky. The character-driven play covers three weeks time and has multiple storylines, including an ill-starred mail-order marriage, two refugees from an orphanage, the return of a long-lost husband, and a handful of young romances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vivia Ogden</span>

'Vivia Ogden was an American film and stage actress and producer whose career spanned the 1910s and 1920s.

References

  1. "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch – Broadway Play – Original | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Archived from the original on 2020-08-04.
  2. Goble p.877
  3. Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1914) - IMDb , retrieved 2019-09-27
  4. Bell, Geoffrey (1984). The Golden Gate and the Silver Screen. Associated University Presse. ISBN   9780845347508.

Bibliography