Volume II: Filmography

THE CAMPAIGN MANAGERESS

a.k.a. A CAMPAIGN MANAGERESS

(Princess)

November 11, 1913 (Tuesday)

Length: 1 reel (997 feet)

Character: Comedy-drama

Director: Carl Louis Gregory

Scenario: Lloyd F. Lonergan and Carl Louis Gregory

Cameraman: Carl Louis Gregory

Cast: Muriel Ostriche (Edith, the campaign manageress), Marie Eline, Boyd Marshall, Catherine Webb, Frederick Sullivan

Notes: 1. Schedules published in the November 5, 1913 issue of The New York Dramatic Mirror and the November 8, 1913 issue of The Moving Picture World gave the release date erroneously as November 9, 1913. 2. In several schedules published in The Moving Picture World in November 1913, the title was erroneously given as The Campaign Managers.

ADVERTISEMENT, Reel Life, November 8, 1913:

"A rousing political story, wherein the right candidate wins, but in a surprising way. Don't look for the usual 'political stuff,' with the usual smooth politician handling the campaign purse strings. For here a pretty girl is manager! No, it's not a suffragette ticket she's boosting, but a mere man whom she happens to love. Her efforts on his behalf are unique, and successful."

ARTICLE, The Evening Standard (New Rochelle), September 27, 1913:

"An exciting election melodrama is being staged by the Thanhouser Film Corporation in which two candidates for sheriff, a newspaper office, and the editor's daughter figure prominently. The girl is petite but she worsts [sic; bests was intended] the husky candidate when he goes to horsewhip her for an editorial she has written about him. She finally falls into the arms of her sweetheart, the other candidate, whose election she wins by her editorial.

"Several of the scenes, including the election returns, were made in front of the office of The Evening Standard, Rose Street, yesterday afternoon, and the work was watched by a crowd of several hundred. Among the 'villagers,' was Catherine Webb, formerly a member of the Stainach-Hards Stock Company, Mount Vernon. Her husband, Frederick Sullivan, who was the leading comedian and stage director of that company for some time, is one of the Thanhouser directors. Agents of the Thanhouser concern came to the office of The Evening Standard a few days ago and asked to be directed to a typical country newspaper office for another photoplay. The office of The Evening Standard was offered, but the agent stated that it was much too modern and up to date for a country newspaper. The search led to other parts of Westchester County."

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, November 15, 1913:

"In the little rural county there were two candidates for sheriff, the nominee of the 'ring' and the young man who believed in reform principles. The reformer was in love with a bright girl, whose father was the editor of the village newspaper. The editor did not object to the marriage, but he absolutely refused to swing his support to his prospective son-in-law. And despite all the campaigning the young man did, he found that he did not make any headway, and as he sadly confessed to his sweetheart, 'only a miracle' could elect him. The girl did not believe in waiting for a miracle to happen along. She waited for an opportunity, and when it came she grasped it. Her father was suddenly taken ill, and the girl volunteered to get out the paper. The first thing she did was to swing its support to her sweetheart, and in so doing she made a most bitter attack upon the rival candidate, explaining that she had voiced the views 'of the editor.'

"The article aroused the ire of the 'ring' nominee and he telephoned that he was coming over to horsewhip the editor. A crowd saw him stalk into the office, horsewhip in his hand, and revolver in his pocket. The crowd waited for developments, and there was a general surprise when the would-be sheriff marched out, his hands high in the air, while the girl followed carrying the horsewhip and revolver. The fair editor threw the whip down, announcing, 'Here is his whip, he tried to beat me.' Then she added, 'This is his revolver; I took it away from him.' Whereupon the crowd rose in its wrath. They believed that the candidate had sunk so low that he tried to beat a woman, and furthermore, was so great a coward that he permitted the crowd to cow her. Thereupon they chased the candidate away, with harsh words and stones, and his chances of election vanished more rapidly than he did. The reformer won at the polls, and only then did the girl admit that she had tricked the ring nominee, explaining blandly, 'All is fair in politics, especially for a campaign manageress who loves her candidate.'"

SYNOPSIS, Reel Life, November 8, 1913:

"The Campaign Manageress shows what a woman might do - given the chance to turn the tables on the men. Believing that 'all's fair in love and - politics' - the daughter of the editor of 'The Andrewsville Clarion' uses her father's paper for the defeat of the candidate of the local machine - and puts here lover in the office of sheriff. How she manages the campaign is very cleverly worked out by Mr. Lonergan. The reform candidate and the girl were engaged - with her father's consent - but they could not prevail upon him to swing 'round 'The Clarion' to the political support of his prospective son-in-law. Perhaps the Andrewsville boss would have withdrawn his advertising, or otherwise taken the ground out from under the feet of the editor - but when Gray falls ill, and his daughter volunteers to get out the paper, she adopts a new policy. She makes a bitter attack upon machine rule, and an eloquent appeal for the reform candidate - explaining that the paper voices the opinions of the 'new editor.' Word spreads abroad that the machine nominee is going to horsewhip the writer of the editorial in 'The Clarion' - and a crowd gathers in front of the newspaper office. Ryan arrives - stalks in, carrying a horsewhip and a revolver - but is presently out again, his hands high in the air - the fair editor in possession of both weapons. Public opinion experiences a revulsion. Ryan has proved himself a bully and a coward. They stone him off the scene, everybody votes for the young reformer - and the campaign manageress wins the day."

REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, November 16, 1913:

"A rapidly moving tale of mingled comedy and tense dramatic situations is unfolded in this film. Though perhaps not so intended it is an interesting comment on the fickleness of the crowd in political campaigns. The way in which a quick change of sentiment is depicted is absolutely true to life. The reform candidate for sheriff is running a poor race with the 'machine' nominee and is further handicapped by the opposition of the town's only newspaper. He is engaged to the editor's daughter, and there is no opposition to the match, but her father refuses the support of his paper. He is taken ill, and his daughter acts as editor. She at once prints such an attack on the 'machine' man that he comes to the office prepared to horsewhip the editor. By a trick the girl disarms him and forces him into the street at the point of his own gun. There she denounces him to the crowd. After rough handling he escapes. Naturally all his chances of election are gone."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, November 15, 1913: This review is reprinted in the narrative section of the present work.

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

"A topical drama-comedy depicting the successful efforts of a girl to get her sweetheart into office. The direction of the play is creditable, the photography average, and there is a good humorous climax. Edith is the daughter of the local editor, who does not care for Jack, the local candidate for sheriff. Suddenly the editor is taken ill, and it devolves upon the girl to get out the ensuing edition of the paper. This she does, putting in one peppery article about Jack's rival, Ryan, the only other candidate for sheriff. Ryan comes on boiling, boasting to the crowd at his heels that he is going to horsewhip the author of the article, whom he thinks is Edith's father. Arriving in the office, Edith holds him up at pistol's point, disarms him, and drives him out, an object of ridicule to an expectant crowd. Of course, the public will no longer vote for a man who is worsted by a woman, especially for the office of sheriff, and the way is cleared for the lovers, as the father has no more objection to Jack, who is elected by a large majority."

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