Volume II: Filmography

THE INFANT HEART SNATCHER

April 19, 1914 (Sunday)

Length: 1 reel (1,002 feet)

Character: Comedy

Scenario: Lloyd F. Lonergan

Cast: Riley Chamberlin (Ahren, first cross old man), N.S. Woods (Ben, second cross old man), Arthur Bauer (Charles, third cross old man), Ethyle Cooke (May, a widow on the stage), Helen Badgley (her daughter), Fan Bourke (maid), Justus D. Barnes (judge)

SYNOPSIS, Reel Life, April 18, 1914:

"Little four-year-old Helen is the pet of a big New York boarding house. Her three greatest admirers are Ahren, Ben and Charles, three crabbed old coves, who spend most of their time outside of business hours racking their brains to provide new amusements for the object of their elderly affections. Helen's mother at length returns to New York and takes her child away from the boarding house. The three old coves are heartbroken. Life holds out no promise of anything worth living for and things look gloomy, indeed, until one of the trio conceives the brilliant idea of kidnapping the child. Their plan succeeds, but the little girl's frantic mother causes their arrest. They are arraigned in court and things look black until little Helen climbs up on the judge's knee and explains things. The three old bachelors then propose that the mother start a boarding house, which they assure her will be a money-maker, and the judge, satisfied with the child's explanation of the kidnapping, releases them. The boarding house is established and thereafter instead of being known as 'the three crabbed old coves' the bachelors earn for themselves the sobriquet of 'Little Helen's Three Grandpas.'"

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, April 25, 1914:

"This is a photoplay that contains more than the usual originality of plot, if it can be called plot. The incidents revolve around a baby who is stranded in a boarding house with its actress mother. If a baby ever received attention this one got its full share. There is both sentiment and comedy happily blended, and human characters make up the cast. It is well done in every respect."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, April 22, 1914:

"A simple tale based on the unconscious attraction of a pretty child - the Thanhouser Kidlet in this instance. She is the pet of the boarding house, and when her mother, an actress, goes on the road, three old men strive to outdo each other in showering attentions on the youngster. In time, the mother returns, takes the child away from the boarding house, whereupon the lonesome old men turn kidnappers and are dragged to court. A compromise is effected, by which the actress opens a boarding house that the little girl and her aged admirers may be together. As a child story, well staged and acted, this film answers the purpose. Photography is clear."

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