James Kirkwood Movies

This 990-foot Biograph "temperance melodrama" was filmed in late November of 1909. Charles Craig plays the leading character, an alcoholic husband and father. When his wife objects to his constant drinking, he walks out on her, whereupon she briefly goes insane. With her little child in tow, the wife wanders distractedly through the streets, thence to the country, where she collapses exhausted outside of a farmhouse. As she sleeps, her child toddles away and subsequently is "adopted" by a local farmer. Fifteen years later, the formerly drunken husband has become a prosperous businessman, as indicated by his fancy automobile. Chancing to drive by the rural home of his long-lost daughter, the man falls in love with the girl, never dreaming that she is his own flesh and blood. On the day of the wedding, the man's now-aged wife suddenly appears, calling an abrupt halt to the nuptials and setting the stage for an emotional reunion. Among the Griffith stock-members appearing in the film are James Kirkwood, Stephanie Longfellow, W. Christie Miller, George Nichols, Frank Powell, and, in her movie debut, Blanche Sweet. Location scenes for The Rocky Road were filmed in Hackensack and Edgewater, New Jersey. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Biograph stock-company player Marion Sunshine was an ideal choice for the leading role in D.W. Griffith's Sunshine Sue. A country gal, Sunshine Sue makes a big-time mistake when she runs off to the big city in the company of a glib young slicker. They set up housekeeping without benefit of clergy, a set-up that suits Sue's roving boyfriend just fine. After her false lover stomps on her heart, Sue realizes the error of her ways and wearily heads home, where she is welcomed back effusively by her forgiving daddy. The rural establishing scenes in Sunshine Sue were filmed in Westfield, New Jersey. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This Biograph gambling melodrama was completed by D.W. Griffith in a fast two days. The hero, a chronic gambler, embezzles funds from his employer to feed his "habit." Discovering the discrepancy in the books, the employer figures out what has happened but compassionately gives the embezzler two days to return the money. The hero's wife willingly hocks her family jewels to save her husband from prison, but even this is not enough to make up the loss. In desperation, he sits in on a marathon poker game, hoping to win enough money to square himself. Instead, he loses spectacularly to a smooth cardsharp. On the verge of killing himself, the hero discovers that the cardsharp was in fact his wife's brother, who uses his own winnings from the other players to pay off the employer and save the day. James Kirkwood, Florence Barker and Owen Moore are among the Biograph players showcased herein. The Last Deal represented another stylistic step forward for Griffith with its innovational over-the-shoulder medium shots during the climactic card game, and with the director's striking utilization of a moving camera in one crucial scene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Running 292 feet (or approximately 4 minutes), D. W. Griffith's Oh Uncle features Billy Quirk, who later enjoyed a brief career as a starring comedian. A newly married husband receives a telegram from his rich uncle, informing the husband that he'll be cut off without a dime if he ever has the temerity to take a wife. With Uncle preparing to pay a visit, the hero must figure out a way to persuade his wife to pretend that she isn't his wife. The heroine agrees to pose as her own husband's maid, leading to the usual comic consequences when Uncle begins flirting with the girl. Unable to stand any more, the husband confesses the truth, whereupon jovial old Unk reveals that he knew all along about the marriage and was merely playing a joke on the couple. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This 974-foot Biograph subject was designated by the studio as a "Contemporary Melodrama." The main character, a young husband named Henry, is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Henry's loving wife suggests that he go on a hunting trip to forget his troubles and catch some fresh air. Meanwhile, the wife's cousin Alice has a spat with her sweetheart Jack. As wifey tries to patch things up between the couple, Henry returns from hunting earlier than expected. Assuming that his missus has been making love to Jack in his absence, Henry beats Jack with a whip -- and when he realizes his mistake, he goes completely insane. It is up to Alice and Jack, who feel responsible for the whole mess, to restore Henry's sanity. Such D.W.Griffith regulars as Marion Leonard, Owen Moore and Mary Pickford are prominently featured in Restoration, which was partially filmed on location in Little Falls, New Jersey. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide