Volume II: Filmography

WHILE MRS. MC FADDEN LOOKED OUT

February 7, 1913 (Friday)

Length: 1 reel (500 feet this section) (split with Los Angeles the Beautiful at the end)

Character: Comedy

Scenario: Lloyd F. Lonergan

Cast: Riley Chamberlin (in a female role as Mrs. McFadden), Mignon Anderson (her daughter), William Garwood (Mike, the iceman, who elopes with Mrs. McFadden's daughter), Justus D. Barnes (Mr. McFadden)

Notes: 1. This film, together with His Uncle's Wives, was originally scheduled for release on December 29, 1912, according to The Moving Picture World, issue of December 28, 1912. 2. The Moving Picture World had trouble with the title, which was given both correctly and as Why Mrs. McFadden Looked Out and How Mrs. McFadden Looked Out. In an article in Reel Life, August 23, 1913, Lloyd F. Lonergan incorrectly recalled the title as being When Mrs. McFadden Looked Out. 3. Half Way to Reno was originally scheduled for release on February 7, 1913 but was moved to February 16, 1913 during the rescheduling which took place after the Thanhouser fire.

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, February 8, 1913:

Old Mrs. McFadden had a great leaning to looking out of the window, harmless enough habit to be sure, but in Mrs. McFadden's instance it was a menace and a danger. She would spend hours at the front window to the great hurt of her house duties and everything else. One day the result of her dread weakness all came to a climax. While she kept her window-vigil in front, her daughter eloped from the rear. After she went out, the installment furniture people came in and took back the articles they had furnished her, although she had the money due them right in her purse, and would have paid them had she known they were around. As the lady continues to street-gaze, a blaze breaks forth in a rear room and, as there are none on hand to quell it, spreads. The firemen come - by the rear way - and fight the flames valiantly with axe and hose. The latter gives Mrs. McFadden her first intimation that she had better leave the window. A stream from the hose 'gets' her in the ear. Then she comes in from out of the window.

REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, February 9, 1913:

Mrs. McFadden had the window gazing habit prevalent among many of her sex. And as she leaned far out of the casement things happened. Her daughter eloped, the installment furniture man arrived and took back some of the household goods, and then the place caught fire and Mrs. McFadden might have been burned to death had not the gallant fire laddies come to her rescue. Such is the plot, and if it will not amuse the writer's judgment is way off.

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, February 15, 1913:

An amusing half-reel, in which Mrs. McFadden continues placidly looking out of her window while her daughter elopes with the iceman and the house takes fire. A fireman turns the hose on her and finally it attracts her attention.

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, February 5, 1913:

Riley Chamberlin as Mrs. McFadden courts most of the honors for the humorous success of this Thanhouser comedy. The facial expressions of Mrs. McFadden as she looks out the window at passers-by are incomparable, and while the other players do their share in the entertainment capably, it is when we see the old lady looking out of the window that we laugh. It is straight travesty on women who spend their days gazing out of their windows seeing what they can see and heeding little of what is going on inside the house. While she looks out, her daughter, played by Mignon Anderson, elopes with Mike, the iceman, enacted by William Garwood; the bread burns in the oven, the smoke issues forth into the hall, the firemen are called, the kitchen is flooded with water - and so is Mrs. McFadden when the firemen discover her. Justus D. Barnes plays Mr. McFadden. The piece is unique.

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