Volume II: Filmography

THE VARSITY RACE

Production still Courtesy of Dominick Bruzzese. (F-790-2B)

September 22, 1914 (Tuesday)

Length: 2 reels (2,008 feet)

Character: Drama

Director: Carroll Fleming

Scenario: Philip Lonergan

Cameramen: William Zollinger, Walter Cameron

Cast: Arthur Bauer (Professor Scheffauer), Muriel Ostriche (Muriel, his daughter), Carey L. Hastings (Caddie, his wife), Irving Cummings (Frank Irving, the bow oarsman), Ernest C. Warde, Perry Horton, Edward N. Hoyt, Nolan Gane (Ralph Davis, the sneaky student), Robert Robson, Walter Cameron, Bill Noel; members of the rowing crew: Toots Brady, Clayton Cole, Frank Murphy, Charles Howe, Robert Marchange, John Scott, George Sullivan, Fred Knowell (Also see Note 1.)

Locations: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (but an account in The Moving Picture World erroneously stated the location as Poughkeepsie, New York); New Rochelle studio; Glen Island, New Rochelle

Notes: 1. In a review in The Moving Picture World, September 29, 1914, different names were given to the characters in the film: Irving Cummings (Jack Stimson, bow oarsman), Muriel Ostriche (Ruth Randall), Arthur Bauer (Professor Randall), Carey L. Hastings (Mrs. Randall), Nolan Gane (Bob Devere, a student), Edward N. Hoyt (president of Garford University), William Noel (captain of the crew), Walter Cameron (varsity coach). Fred Knowell, of New Rochelle, was identified as a rowing crew member, and William Zollinger and Walter Cameron (better known as an actor) were named as cameramen in an article in the New Rochelle Evening Standard, August 13, 1914. It is probable that "Fred Knowell" was a misprint of William Noel. 2. Irving Cummings contracted a case of blood poisoning during the production of the film, necessitating a delay of several weeks. 3. The Thanhouser rowing team practiced in Long Island Sound, at Glen Island, New Rochelle, where certain scenes for the film were taken.

ARTICLE, The Moving Picture World, August 22, 1914:

"The 'Thanhouser Eight,' the only expert rowing crew in the moving picture industry, competed successfully in the big amateur rowing regatta, August 8, in Philadelphia. Every large athletic association in the United States and in Canada participated in the regatta. The 'Thanhouser crew' was taken to Philadelphia by Carroll Fleming, former producing director at the New York Hippodrome, now director at the New Rochelle studio. Those comprising the crew are: Irving Cummings, William Noel, Toots Brady, William Carroll, Clayton Cole, Frank Murphy, Charles Howe, Robert Marchange, John Scott (coxswain), George Sullivan (substitute). Toots Brady is the holder of several national records."

ARTICLE, The New Rochelle Pioneer, Aug. 29, 1914:

"Irving [Cummings] Germinsky, a lead at the local studio, resumed work Wednesday after an enforced absence due to illness. He is taking the lead in a college story, The Varsity Race, written by Phil Lonergan, which brought the company to Philadelphia for the regatta. Billy Noel and Toots Brady, local scullers, are cast in the piece."

SYNOPSIS, Reel Life, September 5, 1914:

"Frank Irving, bow oarsman of the Garford University Eight, is depended upon to win the annual rowing contest for his alma mater. Irving is in love with Muriel, the pretty daughter of the professor, who doesn't look upon the athlete with much favor, particularly as he has fallen behind in his studies. The professor speaks to him about his shortcomings, and the oarsman endeavors to make up for his past remissness. Another student, who has also been behind in his studies, is Ralph Davis, a young man of rather dissipated habits, who is an unsuccessful suitor for Muriel's hand. Realizing that Irving has won her affections, he hates him accordingly. Just before an important examination is to be held, it is discovered that someone has tampered with the professor's papers. Circumstantial evidence points to Irving, so much so that he is expelled from college. There is no one competent to replace him on the crew, which now faces almost certain defeat at the coming race. On the day of the race, however, Muriel discovers a clue and succeeds in establishing Irving's innocence and in proving that Davis is the guilty man. Word is sent to Irving who, despite numerous difficulties that greatly delay him, arrives just in time to take his place in the boat and win the race for his college."

REVIEW, The Bioscope, January 28, 1915:

"A fine story, cleanly and naturally acted by everyone concerned, and, as a whole, novel, effective and full of interest throughout. The plot deals with life in an American university, and, although this evidently differs very markedly in several respects from life in English seats of learning, that is not a matter of great importance in a film which does not pretend to be other than an American production. In addition to the interest and comparative novelty of the story, the film contains numerous characteristic glimpses of college life, including some splendid boat-racing scenes. Altogether, it is quite a first-rate picture, which may be honestly recommended."

REVIEW by Rev. E. Boudinot Stockton, The Moving Picture World, September 26, 1914: This review is reprinted in the narrative section of the present work.

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, October 3, 1914:

"A lively two-reel college story, written by Philip Lonergan. Irving Cummings plays the part of Jack, the bow oarsman of the winning crew, and Muriel Ostriche the professor's pretty daughter. The plot ingredients are familiar, including the stolen examination questions, the false accusation of the hero and his subsequent saving of the great race. But it is all well photographed and acted with snap. Some of the racing scenes were evidently taken at the intercollegiate races at Poughkeepsie. A good college yarn."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, September 30, 1914:

"We are familiar with the various forms of jockeys who are cleverly substituted for the riders in the real race track scenes, and we know of various other aviators and auto pilots and baseball stars who have been supplemented in the stage scenes by the actors, but it remains for this feature to feature Irving Cummings as the bow oar of a varsity crew, slight but evidently with enough pluck to win the boat race. The actual scenes of the race were taken at the various regattas in the spring and are sufficient to give the idea of a well-rowed race, and later we see Cummings and the other husky actors return in their shell but not in the least worn out. Nor does he stop longer after the race than to don a bathing robe before he proposes to the girl.

"College life is presented in the oarsman who is backward in his studies and the other student who, while no athlete, is also backward in his studies. The latter enters the office of the professor of Latin and copies the examination papers. Cummings sees him enter and follows, but only in time to be accused of the misdeed. Previously the daughter of the professor had told him: 'My father keeps his exam papers in that drawer.' So he is found guilty and dismissed, with the varsity race only a few hours away. The race itself, as indicated, is rowed by experts and no flaw is to be found in this part of this production. At the last moment before the contest the girl had found the class pin of the real malefactor, and by securing additional evidence had been able to persuade the faculty that Cummings was innocent. A telephone call finds him a long distance away, but by missing a train, grabbing an auto which breaks down, and then by a final spurt on a fast moving motorboat - about the best feature - he manages to reach the boathouse in time to jump into his rowing togs, and although the bow oar, to win the race. Muriel Ostriche is her usual pretty self and adds to her good graces in the capabilities of a first class actress."

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