Volume II: Filmography

A TELEPHONE STRATEGY

Advertisement from Reel Life, May 30, 1914. (F-785)

(Princess)

May 29, 1914 (Friday)

Length: 1 reel (991 feet)

Character: Comedy-drama

Scenario: Philip Lonergan

Cast: Boyd Marshall (Ralph Parker), Muriel Ostriche (Ruth Alden), Charles Horan (Ralph's father), John Reinhard (a robber), James Dunne (another robber), J.S. Murray (another robber), Marie Rainford, Carey L. Hastings

Note: One published scenario states the first name of Alden as Beth, rather than Ruth.

SYNOPSIS, Reel Life, May 30, 1914:

"Ralph Parker is the son of the richest man in town and cashier of the local bank. He falls in love with Ruth Alden, operator of the telephone exchange. Colonel Parker bitterly opposes the match, and the girl proudly refuses to marry Ralph without his father's consent. At her request, she is transferred to night duty, which makes it possible for her to avoid meeting her lover. One evening when Ralph is alone after hours in the bank, robbers break in. He is seized and bound. They plan to imprison him in the vaults, but the young man, by a clever ruse, manages to get into communication with Ruth at the telephone exchange. She arrives with help in time to release Ralph from the vaults and to save his life. Col. Parker hears the whole story from his son. 'I guess you need someone to take care of you,' he says. 'You ought to know what to do now.'"

REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, May 24, 1914:

"Colonel Parker will not allow his son to marry Ruth Alden, the pretty telephone operator, whom he loves, and the girl proudly refuses to run counter to father's wishes. One night robbers enter the bank where Ralph works as cashier and, locking him in a vault, prepare to loot the safe. By a ruse he gets into communication with Ruth and she saves his life. When his father hears the whole story he remarks that the boy 'needs some one to take care of him' and withdraws his objection."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, June 13, 1914:

"A pleasing little melodrama, lively, exciting and free from anything objectionable. The affection between telephone girl and his son displeases a rich man, the town banker. Burglars are looting the safe in the bank and have got the young man tied up. He cleverly fixes a telephone so that the operator will hear what is going on. She rouses the neighborhood and, herself, saves her sweetheart from death in the safe. It is romance that makes such pictures go and they are popular just now. Well photographed, it has good scenes."

# # #