Volume II: Filmography

THE SKILFUL SLEIGHER'S STRATEGY

(Falstaff)

May 6, 1916 (Saturday)

Length: 1 reel

Character: Comedy

Scenario: Lloyd F. Lonergan

Cast: Billy Swan (skilful sleigher), Gladys Leslie (his sweetheart), Frank E. McNish (her uncle)

Note: A word in the title was spelled as "skillful" in certain schedules in The Moving Picture World and the synopsis in Reel Life. Thanhouser in its advertisements spelled it as "skilful."

SYNOPSIS, Exhibitors Herald, May 13, 1916:

"The girl tells her suitor they were going to take her to school in her father's auto, and the suitor, aided by several snow shovelers, blocked the road. Then he drove up in his sleigh and offered to drive the girl to her destination. The guardian insisted upon accompanying them. The young man put the girl on the front seat, placing the guardian in the rear seat, and drove so skillfully that at a certain place in the road the sleigh tipped and the unsuspecting guardian was tipped out. Then the young couple drove on to a minister's house. But he never saw the skillful sleigher again until the happy couple returned to his home to ask his blessing."

SYNOPSIS, Reel Life, April 20, 1916:

"The young man in this story started something, helped by a heavy snow. The girl had told him they were going to take her to school in her father's auto, and the suitor, aided by several shovelers, blocked the road, rendering it impassable for the auto. Then he drove up in his sleigh, and offered to drive the girl to her destination. Did the guardian let her go? He did not. He insisted upon accompanying them. Was the young man surprised? He was not. He put the girl on the front seat, placing guardian in the rear seat, and drove so skillfully that a certain place in the road the sleigh tipped, and the unsuspecting guardian was tipped out. Then the young couple drove on to a minister's house. The guardian never saw the skillful sleigher again until the happy couple returned to his home to ask his blessing."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, May 13, 1916:

"An entertaining light comedy in which a young couple bent on matrimony against the wishes of the young lady's guardian manage an elopement very cleverly, when, on his way to take her to boarding school, the auto hired by the guardian sticks in the snow, and her sweetheart ready with a sleigh and a team of horses rescues her. Some beautiful snow scenes add to the enjoyment of this picture."

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