Volume II: Filmography

PA'S MEDICINE

July 9, 1912 (Tuesday)

Length: 1 reel (split with Hazers Hazed at the end)

Character: Comedy

Director: George O. Nichols

Cameraman: A.H. Moses, Jr.

Cast: George O. Nichols, Jr. (Willie, the little boy), William Russell (Pa, who is sick), Marguerite Snow (Ma), James Cruze (the doctor)

Location: Florida and New Rochelle

ADVERTISEMENT, The Moving Picture World, July 6, 1912:

"Screaming comedy split-reel partly made in Florida and partly in New Rochelle - a pleasant swing from South to North."

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, July 6, 1912:

"Willie West, a small boy, is very fond of his pet rabbit. He is unhappy because Hank (the rabbit) seems to be losing his former good health. When Willie tries to obtain assistance from his family, he quickly discovers that he has chosen the wrong time, for his father is feeling bad himself, and has no sympathy to waste on rabbits. A doctor is also hard-hearted. Willie is sent to the drugstore to fill a prescription for his father, and he decided to see if the medicine will not cure the rabbit. To hide his wrongdoing from his parents, Willie fills the bottle with water. In the meantime the druggist has discovered that he has made an awful mistake, and put poison in the dose. He goes to the doctor, and the two hasten around the house in hopes of being able to save West's life. They find that he is still alive, and work hard to keep him from dying. While everybody is busy, Willie enters, and wants to know why the nasty medicine has killed his rabbit instead of curing it. Then there is a general rejoicing, except on the part of Willie."

REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, July 14, 1912:

"Father is taken suddenly ill while seated on his lawn, and the small boy of the household is obliged to drop his ailing pet rabbit and run to the drugstore to get the doctor's prescription filled. On the way back his rabbit seems of more importance to him than his father and so he forces the entire bottleful of medicine down the animal's throat. The druggist suddenly discovers he has made a terrible mistake and sent the boy off with a bottle of poison. He hurries to the doctor and they drive in great haste to the home of the sick patient. There they find to their joy that the boy had refilled the bottle with water, the poison having killed his rabbit, and the father being providentially saved. Comedy and dramatic interest play a kindred part in upholding the story, which is well put on and acted."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, July 20, 1912:

"A comedy, in which a drug is mistaken fatally for a rabbit instead of for the one for whom the medicine was purchased. The comedy came in at the point where the druggist discovered his error and started for the home of the supposed victim."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, July 10, 1912:

"Willie's rabbit becomes gravely ill, but more concern is shown when Willie's pa gets in the same condition, so the boy is sent for the medicine that the doctor prescribes. The rabbit exhibits such distressing symptoms that Willie, on the way home, decides to do a little doctoring on his own account, and he treats the rabbit with the medicine intended for Pa. The necessity of having something in the bottle forces Willie to fill it with water from the pump, and this is the liquid that Pa gets to recede his ailment. Meanwhile the druggist discovers that he has given poison by mistake and starts in pursuit of the boy, but gets to the house too late to stop Pa's imbibing of the supposed medicine. The chemist and his assistant give Pa and Ma a terrible scare until Willie appears with the rabbit very much dead and explains the substitution of water for poison. George Nichols, Jr., makes a hit as Willie, William Russell plays the part of Pa, and Marguerite Snow is the mother."

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