Volume II: Filmography

THE ACTOR'S CHILDREN

Orilla Smith and Yale Boss in THE ACTOR'S CHILDREN, the first Thanhouser release on March 15, 1910. Carl Louis Gregory estate, courtesy of Ralph Graham, M.D. (X-90)

March 15, 1910 (Tuesday)

Length: 1,000 feet

Character: Drama

Director: Barry O'Neil (or Lloyd B. Carleton)

Scenario: Lloyd F. Lonergan

Cameraman: Blair Smith

Cast: Orilla Smith (little girl), Yale Boss (little boy), Frank H. Crane (adult male lead), Nicholas Jordan (comedian)

Notes: 1. Filming was done by a camera invented by Joseph Bianchi and made and rented by the Columbia Phonograph Company, of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Two such devices were rented by Thanhouser. During the filming of The Actor's Children, Joseph Bianchi was on hand to supervise his camera's use. 2. Although the directing of this film has often been credited to Barry O'Neil or Lloyd B. Carleton, usually mentioned together, it is apparent from an "official history" of the Thanhouser film enterprise, as furnished by Thanhouser and published in 1914 in the Photoplay Arts Portfolio of Thanhouser Motion Picture Stars, that O'Neil was the director: "The first release was made on March 15, 1910. The subject was The Actor's Children.... The original director was Barry O'Neal [sic], now with Lubin, and a number of the actors who participated in the first picture are still in the service of the Thanhouser Film Corporation, one of them being Lloyd Lonergan, who wrote the first scenario." On the other hand, a notice in The Moving Picture World, quoted below, credits Carleton as the director. 3. Filming of certain parts of this subject was accomplished during the last week of February 1910.

ADVERTISEMENT, The Moving Picture World, March 12, 1910:

"Thanhouser on a film means merit in a plot, production and photography - and The Actor's Children proves it. The plot tells of the disappearance of an actor's children, the thrilling adventure they pass through and how, as if by a miracle, they were restored to their parents." The same advertisement noted that the Thanhouser release day was Tuesday. "First release sent subject to screen examination," exchanges were advised.

ADVERTISEMENT and testimonial, The Moving Picture World, April 2, 1910:

"One of the biggest Independent exhibitors writes one of the best Independent manufacturers: 'The 14th Street Theatre, New York - Gentlemen - I was much pleased with the Thanhouser release of yesterday, The Actor's Children - and I am glad there is one more good producer in the Independent field. I shall look forward with much pleasure to your future work. Truly yours. - J. Wesley Rosenquest, manager."

ARTICLE, The Moving Picture World, March 26, 1910:

"A number of queries have reached the Thanhouser office regarding the identity of the tots that played the lost youngsters in The Actor's Children, and this paper was asked to help in the task of answering them. The little girl is Miss Orilla Smith, of New York City, and the lad, Master Yale Boss, of the same place. Both have had a bit of stage training and considerable moving picture experience.

"Who are the Thanhouser producers? We are glad to tell you. Barry O'Neil, late a Klaw & Erlanger producer, is one, and Lloyd B. Carleton, formerly of the Forham forces, the other. They like the 'picture game,' but neither can get reconciled to the ideal that every cop on the beat must receive his five-spot every time a street scene is 'taken.' Lloyd F. Lonergan, who wrote The Actor's Children, is 'doing' most of the Thanhouser scenarios. The producers have found in him a writer who has grasped the 'all action' idea as applied to picture scenario writing, and possesses an ability to make the common place plot moving picturesque. Mr. Lonergan is an editor on the New York World."

ARTICLE, The Moving Picture World, April 2, 1910:

"There are many incidents in a day's work in a moving picture studio. To the Thanhouser studio one day came a darkey to see 'one of the producers.' Producer Carleton saw the 'gentleman.' 'Ah was kicked square in the head by a mule Friday on Huguenot Street,' stated the visitor, 'and the doctors at the New Rochelle Hospital said there was nary a scratch on me. Furthermore, you can call at the hospital and ask if what I say ain't the gospel truth. Now - now for $5 I'd let another mule give me another kick in the same place - and say boss, it would make a bully picture!'... So Carleton cast him for the part of the bowing colored comedian in the theatre scene of The Actor's Children, and competent critics who saw the picture think he has really made good."

SYNOPSIS-REVIEW, The Moving Picture News, March 5, 1910:

"Here is a subject in human interest - rich and real human interest - the kind that appeals to the men, woman, and young folks alike - in village, town or city - everywhere, all the time. Two people of the stage, Eugenie Freeman and Paul Temple, join in matrimony and up to the time this picture opens are amply able by the professional labors to provide for themselves and the two children who have blessed their union. Then to the breadwinners comes a prolonged lay-off and its consequent hardships; how to meet the rent becomes a problem of the hours. True, the father and mother have been assigned parts in a production that is shortly to open, but pay and not prospects appease a landlady's palm. Landladies there are, it must be admitted, who are inclined to be lenient with delinquents under certain conditions; but Mrs. O'Brien, who lodged the Temples, was not one of these. That a temporary and unavoidable stroke of misfortune had laid her lodgers low, meant nothing to her; if the family exchequer was hard hit what need has the family of a roof over its head?

"So argues Mrs. O'Brien when Paul confronts her with empty pockets on that momentous occasion 'when the rent comes 'round,' and even sight of the Temple children at their innocent play fails to affect the landlady's frame of mind. By dint of persuasion and the flourishing of his typewritten 'part' in the forthcoming production, Temple secures one week's respite at Mrs. O'Brien's hand; he will have earned some money by then, he tells her. Having no prospective tenant for the rooms in view, she concludes to wait. And then - the opening of the production is postponed - and a tenant comes along. He is a flashy youth with a 'roll' and in the absence of the job-hunting father and mother, Mrs. O'Brien shows him the rooms. He is pleased with them but wants to know what to do with the children - he certainly doesn't want to be afflicted with them. Mrs. O'Brien tells him not to worry about the tots and casts them out of the house.

"Alone and friendless in the streets of a great city it is little wonder that the children fall captive to the wiles of an Italian organ grinder who takes them to his hovel and instructs them in the art of dancing to a hurdy-gurdy, much as a dog trainer teaches a mongrel stage tricks - with an oath and a whipping. Luckily, the children are rescued from the foreigner by a kindly theatre manager, who recognizes dancing ability in the youngsters and finds a place for them in the program.

"The parents have meanwhile searched long and fruitlessly for the children. To add to their grief is the fact that they have fallen heir to a relative's fortune. In hope of finding the little ones, the parents attend all large gatherings and make the rounds of all the places of amusement. So when they enter the theatre where the children do their dancing act it is but natural that - you see the most interesting and impressive film that has closed a reel in many a day. The picture producer's art is seen at its best in the views of the children imitating their elders at rehearsal, and tender 'touches' of a similar order result in as pretty a picture as 'child actors' ever helped to create. The big climax idea of the Thanhouser producers is worked out most effectively in the theatre restoration scene - a scene which competent critics call the best thing of its kind ever seen in an independent picture."

Note: Typical of many synopses printed in The Moving Picture News at the time, the preceding has slightly more information than its counterpart in The Moving Picture World, reprinted below.

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, March 12, 1910:

"Eugenie Freeman and Paul Temple join in matrimony and up to the time the picture opens are amply able, by their professional labors, to provide for themselves and the two children who have blessed their union. Then to the breadwinners comes a prolonged layoff and its consequent hardships; how to meet the rent becomes a problem of the hour.

"So argues Mrs. O'Brien when Paul confronts her with empty pockets on that momentous occasion 'when the rent comes 'round,' and even the sight of the Temple children at their innocent play fails to affect the landlady's frame of mind, and a tenant comes along. He is a flashy youth with a single 'roll,' and in the absence of the job-hunting father and mother, Mrs. O'Brien shows him the rooms. He is pleased with them, but wants to know what to do with the children - he certainly doesn't want to be afflicted with them. Mrs. O'Brien tells him not to worry about the tots and casts them out of the house.

"Alone and friendless in the streets of a great city it is little wonder that the children fall captive to the wiles of an Italian organ grinder, who takes them to his hovel and instructs them in the art of dancing to a hurdy gurdy as much as a dog trainer teaches a mongrel stage tricks - with an oath and a whipping. Luckily, the children are rescued from the foreigner by a kindly theatre manager, who recognizes dancing ability in the youngsters and finds a place for them on his program. The parents have meanwhile searched long and fruitlessly for the children. To add to their grief is the fact that they have fallen heir to a relative's fortune. In hope of finding the little ones, the parents attend all large gatherings and make the rounds of all the places of amusement. So when they enter the theatre where the children do their dancing act it is as pretty a picture as 'child actors' ever helped create."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, March 19, 1910:

"A most excellent beginning for a new concern. The story is clear and clean and the acting is very good indeed in some scenes. There is, however, too much evidence of the production having been put on by a man whose experience has been gained on the living stage. Cutting out one or two scenes and substituting printed titles would improve the film and less time should be given to the supposedly speaking parts. No doubt this is also evident to the producer after seeing the story on the screen, where action speaks louder than words, and the fault will be remedied in the future. In fact it has already been much corrected in St. Elmo, the second picture of the new company, to be issued this week. In photography their work ranks well to that of older concerns and is far superior to some. The Actor's Children is a film that will please."

ADDITIONAL REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, March 19, 1910:

"Here is a picture which will interest by its fidelity to life and thrill with its appeal to the emotions. There is pathos, there is humor. Love and hate, the two most powerful passions of the human soul, are clearly depicted. In some respects this picture appeals even more strongly than the average which undertakes to illustrates those emotions which the principle controlling agency is in human life. The acting seems convincing and there is evident comprehension on the part of the actors which adds to the film's attractiveness. The firm is to be congratulated upon thus developing a subject then reproducing it with adequate photographic work."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, March 20, 1910:

"This is the first film put on the market by the new concern, and deserves commendation. The photography throughout the entire film is good and the story is pleasing.

"An actor, his wife and two children are living in a furnished room. With no engagement, the family is evicted during the absence of the parents. The children see a passing organ-grinder, whom they follow. By their dancing, the Italian organ-grinder earns more money than under ordinary circumstances. He takes them to his hut and forces them to live with him. The parents, who have missed the children, find them, after many days have elapsed, playing in a high-class theatre, where they had been taken by a theatrical manager. The father in the meantime had been left an heir to a big fortune, and he cares not whether he gets a job as long as he lives or not."

ADDITIONAL REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, March 26, 1910:

"This is the first release of the new Thanhouser Company, and had been looked forward to with unusual interest for that reason. The impression created by the picture is, on the whole, distinctly favorable. It tells an interesting, though childish story, with remarkable clearness for a new producer, and the acting is delightfully natural, if we except the two children. The photography is also excellent, especially considering that the company is new to the business.

"As for the faults, they are all of a class that we may expect to see remedied. The children are painfully conscious and continually turn toward the camera, not appearing to enter into the spirit of the action. For that matter, the acting of the entire company lacks expression. There is too much walking through the parts and not enough real feeling. The story itself has the same fault, there being too much attention to the development of unimportant parts of the tale at the expense of the vital moments. And yet, despite these faults, the picture pleases, which indicates that it has merits that outweigh its defects.

"An actor and his wife have been out of work, and have just secured an engagement in a new production to open in one week, so that they are able to induce the landlady to wait for her room rent. They have two children, a boy and a girl. When the week is up the manager of the new production announces that it has been abandoned on account of the star's illness. The landlady is disgusted, and while the parents are out visiting managers' offices to secure other engagements, she rents the room to a stranger, carries the trunk out and puts the children into the street. They are picked up by an Italian organ grinder, who is unnaturally and unnecessarily brutal and who teaches them to dance. Neither the teaching nor the dancing is convincing enough to warrant the enthusiasm of the theatre manager, who rescues the children and puts them on in his vaudeville bill. Here they are found by their parents, who are sitting in a box, having - what do you imagine? - fallen miraculously heirs to $100,000. Another good paying job would have been a better excuse than the $100,000, to bring the father and mother to the theatre."

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