Mary Philbin Movies

Although The Shannons of Broadway was not James Gleason's first film appearance as advertised, it might as well as been: Based on Gleason's own stage play, the film co-starred Gleason with his wife Lucille Webster. Mr. and Mrs. G. are cast as Mickey and Emma Shannon, a vaudeville duo who meet with a spectacular lack of success. They decide to quit trodding the boards and settle down as the owners of a hotel. But when a previously dormant real-estate transaction pays off, the Shannons are able to re-finance their return to the stage in a big-time Broadway revue. Released in both sound and silent versions, The Shannons of Broadway was remade in 1938 as Goodbye Broadway. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this romance, an early talkie containing approximately 4 minutes of dialog and a song, a man is paroled from prison provided he adheres strictly to "Rule No. 3," which states that he cannot get romantically involved, nor marry until he is off parole. He encounters trouble when he saves a doe-eyed girl from drowning and falls instantly in love. Fortunately, his parole officer is sensitive and the office grants the parolee special dispensation to wed. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Pioneering filmmaker D.W. Griffith's days of glory were well behind him when he agreed to direct Drums of Love. Indicative of his diminishing status in Hollywood was the fact that he was now merely a hired hand at United Artists, the company he'd helped to form in 1919. The film was based on the venerable melodrama Francesca da Rimini, "updated" from 14th-century Italy to 19th-century South America. Mary Philbin and Don Alvarado were starred as illicit lovers Emanuella and Leonardo, while Lionel Barrymore glowered his way through the role of Emanuella's misshapen husband. The film was stolen by Tully Marshall as the malevolent jester who reveals Emanuella's infidelities. No longer in full control of his films, Griffith was forced to make several demeaning concessions, the most injurious of which was imposing a happy ending on the story. Despite all that was working against him, however, Griffith was occasionally able to invest his old vim and vigor into the proceedings -- especially during a spectacular action setpiece which, reversing the director's usual formula, took place at the beginning of the picture. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Released with sound effects and a music score that included the song "When Love Comes Smiling" by Walter Hirsch, Lew Pollack and Erno Rapee, Paul Leni's near masterpiece remains one of the silent era's last great romantic melodramas. Based on Victor Hugo's 1869 novel L'Homme qui Rit, The Man Who Laughs starred German import Conrad Veidt as Gwynplaine, a carnival freak doomed to live life wearing a perpetual grin carved on his face by Dr Hardquannone (George Siegman because his father, Lord Clancharlie (Allan Cavan), had offended England's King James II (Sam De Grasse). Taken in as a child by Ursus, a mountebank (Cesare Gravina), Gwynplaine grows up alongside the beautiful but blind Dea (Mary Philbin). They fall in love but Gwynplaine refuses to marry her because his hideous face makes him feel unworthy. Queen Anne (Josephine Crowell), meanwhile, has ascended the throne and when she learns from her predecessor's evil jester Barkilphedro (Brandon Hurst) that the recalcitrant Duchess Josiana (Olga Baclanova) is in possession of Lord Clancharlie's estates, she decrees that the royal femme fatale must marry Gwynplaine, the rightful heir. Josiana, who has caught Gwynplaine's act incognito and arranged a rendezvous, is at the same time sexually attracted to and repelled by the "Laughing Man," but Gwynplaine, who realizes that the duchess' attraction has legitimized his right to love Dea, renounces his title and follows his heart to the new World. Although Kirk Douglas was long interested in producing a remake, The Man Who Laughs was instead filmed again as L'Uomo che Ride by Italian director Sergio Corbucci in 1966. Corbucci, however, changed the setting from Queen Anne to the infamous sixteenth century Italian court of the Borgias. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Lon Chaney stars as Erik, the Phantom, in what is probably his most famous and certainly his most horrifying role. Produced by Universal, the film shot in 1923 and shelved for nearly two years, and was subjected to intensive studio tinkering. While many expected a disaster, the film turned out to be a rousing success. It was both the stepping off point for Chaney's run as a superstar at MGM and the prototype for the horror film cycle at Universal in the 1930s. The story concerns Erik, a much-feared fiend who haunts the Paris Opera House. Lurking around the damp, dank passages deep in the cellars of the theater, he secretly coaches understudy Christine Daae (Mary Philbin) to be an opera star. Through a startling sequence of terrors, including sending a giant chandelier crashing down on the opera patrons, the Phantom forces the lead soprano to withdraw from the opera, permitting Christine to step in. Luring Christine into his subterranean lair below the opera house, the Phantom confesses his love. But Christine is in love with Raoul de Chagny (Norman Kerry). The Phantom demands that Christine break off her relationship with Raoul before he'll allow her to return to the opera house stage. She agrees, but immediately upon her release from the Phantom's lair, she runs into the arms of Raoul and they plan to flee to England after her performance that night. The Phantom overhears their conversation and, during her performance, the Phantom kidnaps Christine, taking her to the depths of his dungeon. It is left to Raoul and Simon Buquet (Gibson Gowland), a secret service agent, to track down the Phantom and rescue Christine. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Although this is a silent production, it does include a color sequence. The story remains clear even in this condensed version. ~ All Movie Guide

This rather trite romance was saved by its colorful backdrop; the setting is the New York Bowery of the early 1890s. Mamie Rose (Mary Philbin) works as a mender in the secondhand clothing shop run by Old Levi (Max Davidson). Levi's son, Max (William Collier Jr.) is a gentle, meek soul who loves Mamie, but she has also attracted the attention of Mike Kildare (Pat O'Malley). Kildare is a pugilist and henchman for the local political boss and he's surprised when Mamie doesn't swoon over him. But soon enough he figures out that Mamie isn't the sort of girl he is used to and he decides to reform. He quits the boss, only to discover that Mamie has decided to leave town. He finds her giving Max a sweet good-bye and mistakes the scene for something more passionate. The result is an argument, after which Mamie betrays Kildare to his old gang. When she realizes exactly what she's done, it's too late and Kildare suffers a terrible beating. But the incident wins Mamie's love, and the pair marry. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Venus, the Goddess of Love (Celeste Lee) sends Cupid to Earth to look for romance. He travels to the home of Dennis Dean (William Walling) in a little fishing village. Dean has two daughters, Moria (Mary Philbin) and Peggy (Alice Day). Nat Harper, a fisherman (David Butler), loves Moria but she becomes fascinated with an artist. The artist tells her the story of Echo (Lorraine Easton), along with weaving tales of Juno (Marilynn Boyd), Neptune (Robert Cline), and other mythological figures. But he is infatuated with Constance Lane (Phillis Haver), who throws a jazz ball which features the female guests in bathing costumes (perhaps the only true selling point of this picture). The artist turns away from Constance's wild life and paints Moria's portrait. The jealous Harper ties the artist to the rocks, but releases him when he realizes that Moria really loves the man. Moria's sister also makes a good match, and Cupid is able to return to Venus with a positive romantic report. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Penrod (Ben Alexander) and his pal Sam (Joe Butterworth) are the all-American boys growing up in a small town in this comedy drama taken from Booth Tarkington's popular novel. The boys form an exclusive club and conspire to keep the neighborhood wimp and his toady companion away from their clubhouse. Penrod's beloved pet terrier Duke dies and is buried in a somber ceremony on the vacant lot. When the wimp's father buys the land, the boys are kicked off what they consider to be hallowed ground. Perod's mother (Gladys Brockwell) convinces his father (Rockcliffe Fellows) to buy back the land to make the boy happy. Mary Philbin, Gareth Hughes, and William V. Mong appear along with Buddy and Gertrude Messinger. Martha Mattox plays the schoolmarm Miss Spence, and Vic Potel is the town drunk. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

Minor Universal star Gladys Walton plays an especially pitiful character in this subpar programmer. Mamie Judd (Walton) is a drudge for a theatrical troupe. She adores leading man Herman Jenks (Jack Perrin), who barely acknowledges her existence -- occasionally he will gift her with an autographed photo. When the troupe lands in a small town, Mamie overhears a plot between the manager and the star, Irene La Rue (Kathleen O'Connor) -- they are planning to swindle Neal Selden (Roscoe Karms), son of the town's banker (Tom D. Guise). La Rue works her feminine wiles on young Selden, but when he doesn't cough up any money, the star and manager rob the bank. Mamie keeps them from escaping and becomes a heroine. At last Jenks realizes he loves her and all is well. Stuck far back in the cast is a bit player named Mary Philbin -- a few months later the inexperienced actress would be promoted to stardom by director Erich Von Stroheim, who cast her as one of the leads in The Merry Go Round. She flourished under Stroheim's care, but on other films -- yes, even Phantom of the Opera -- her performances aren't nearly as strong. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Frank Mayo made some of Universal's best program features; here he receives support from lovely newcomers Lillian Rich and Mary Philbin. Bradley Yates (Mayo) works so intently on discovering a new blood serum that it gives him a nervous breakdown. His associate, Dr. Pickney Forbes (Frank Holland), sends him to the Blue Ridge mountains for a rest. Yates goes by an assumed name, Pickins, and is accepted by the rural folk as a woodsman. Talithy Millicuddy (Philbin), the innocent daughter of a shopkeeper (Bert Sprotte), falls in love with him when he gives her some books and takes a brotherly interest in her. The woman Forbes prefers is Carroll Brown, the new school teacher (Rich). Talithy persists in pursuing Forbes, and the mountain people turn against him. But his spirit has returned and he finishes his work on the serum, which saves Carroll's life when she is stricken with blood poisoning. When she recovers, Carroll and Forbes become engaged. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

This Universal programmer features Mary Philbin, who was still fairly new to the screen and not yet the star of The Merry-Go-Round and Phantom of the Opera. Tressie Harlow (Philbin) lives with her Uncle Nate (George Bunny) and Aunt Deborah (Minna Ferry Redman) in a little fishing village. Because of financial reverses, they are compelled to take in boarders for the summer. The first ones are Mrs. Minot and her son, Norman (James Morrison), from the Boston social set. Tressie falls in love with Norman, but the fortune-hunting Della Mayhew (Emily Rait) comes to board, and she tries to force her own daughter, Dora (Helene Caverly), on the young man. Meanwhile, artist Robert Kitteridge (Jack Mower), a friend of Norman's, makes a play for Tressie himself. He manages to bring her to his studio in Boston, where he tries to have his way with her. But Tressie is saved by the arrival of his ex-girlfriend, an athletic vaudeville performer. In an unlikely climax, this muscular young lady proceeds to give Kitteridge a sound thrashing. Norman finally tracks Tressie to the studio and he fetches her. Back at the Harlows', they announce their engagement. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide