Doris May Movies

Johnny Hines wrote the screenplay for this entertaining comedy in which he starred. Terry O'Toole (Hines) comes to America from Ireland to seek his fortune and becomes a trolley conductor. One day, while working, he saves the life of Bobby Connelly (Byron Sage), the son of the line's president (Fred Esmelton). He is rewarded and welcomed into the Connelly home, where he meets the daughter, Noretta (Doris May). They begin a romance, and Terry's father, Mike (Dan Mason, who was known for his "Toonerville Trolley" shorts), comes over from Ireland. There is a power struggle between the president and vice president of the trolley company, and a mere two shares of stock will determine who is the victor. The bad guys forge the shares, but old man O'Toole digs up two real shares, which he had bought many years before. Connelly keeps control of the company and gives his blessings to Noretta's relationship with Terry. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

This light comedy featured an "all-star cast" that really did contain some of the better also-rans of the silent era. Doris May stars as Bonnie Day, a rambunctious young lady who is rankled when she is expelled from college for serving tea in her room. She goes on to open up a tearoom in a fancy hotel, saving all the profits to pay the legal fees for her father (Ralph Lewis), who has been unjustly jailed. Mr. Day's rival has embroiled him in a crooked stock deal and made him appear to be the guilty party. Meanwhile, Bonnie is in the midst of a romantic dilemma; her Aunt Pearl (Rosemary Theby) wants her to wed Napoleon Dobbings (Stuart Holmes), but Bonnie much prefers helpful young lawyer Art Binger (Creighton Hale). After being thrown over, Dobbings tries to ruin Bonnie's business by informing the Purity League that she is putting liquor in her tea. The League members, who have names like Kitty Wiggle (Dale Fuller) and Mrs. Bump (Spike Rankin), are naturally horrified. But Bonnie outwits Dobbings by putting on a special show called "Tea - With a Kick." Bonnie's father is released, and Bonnie gets to marry her handsome attorney. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

Based on a serialized story by Max Brand, this silent "Mountain Melodrama" starred a veteran of the genre, William Farnum, as Billy Buell, a stranger involving himself with a long-standing mountain feud. The Benchleys and the Camps have been feuding ever since Lew Camp (J. Morris Foster) learned that his daughter Nellie (Doris May) was stolen by Jacob Benchley (Arthur Morrison) to replace a dead Benchley baby. Buell, who has fallen in love with Nellie, returns her to her mother (Virginia True Boardman). That doesn't sit well with the Benchley clan, who arrive for a final shootout. Happily, Buell's announcement that he intends to marry the girl puts an end to the feud before any bloodshed. A former star for pioneering producer Thomas H. Ince, Doris May was the wife of actor/director/producer Wallace MacDonald. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

Minor screen comedienne Doris May has the lead in this routine farce. Barbara Jackson (May) dresses up in the chauffeur's uniform to drive her father's car. She picks up a passenger who turns out to be a crook who is off to rob Bob Everett (Hallam Cooley), a rival of her father (Otis Harlan), and a collector of fine art. The robber believes she is a detective and forces her to participate in the theft, then leaves her to be discovered by Everett. Barbara manages to convince Everett that she is not a thief and they rush off to her father, who is buying one of Everett's paintings. They show up just as the agent has left. When they tell Mr. Jackson that the agent was really a crook, he reveals that he has trapped the man at the front gate. The crook and his associates are rounded up, and love blooms between Barbara and Everett. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

A major -- and rare -- failure from legendary producer Thomas H. Ince, The Bronze Bell starred British-born stage idol Courtenay Foote as a Long Island socialite doubling as an Far Eastern revolutionary. As the title indicated, the story hinged upon a huge bell, the possession of which could shake the British Empire to its foundation. Far too expensive for its own good, the production was further marred by the death of minor player John L. Franck, killed in a special effects explosion.on the set. The Bronze Bell was based on a novel by Louis Joseph Vance, the creator of The Lone Wolf. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

Douglas MacLean and Doris May made a number of popular light comedies in the late 1910s and early '20s. In the spirit of their first hit 23 1/2 Hours Leave, MacLean once again plays an army sergeant, only this picture shows his adventures after he has returned home from France. James Stewart Lee (MacLean) tries to become a book salesman. He fails miserably, but he does meet pretty Alicia (May). Lee decides to visit his wealthy aunt only to discover that she has died and left him her fortune with one catch: he has to keep her servants for six months. This is not an easy task since she has willed them 5,000 dollars each and they are anxious to leave so they can collect. At a library where Lee is trying to find an answer to his problem, he meets an older man known only as Dad (Frank Currier). The two strike up a friendship and Dad goes to Lee's home. He proceeds to straighten out the servant problem. Alicia, meanwhile, tells Lee she is upset because her father is missing. Lee doesn't realize the missing Dad is staying right in his home. Dad, however, finds out that his daughter is looking for him and orchestrates a series of adventures for the couple that guarantees that their romance will culminate in marriage. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi