Wallace Reid

At the time this film was released, its star, Wallace Reid, was supposedly spending some time in a sanitarium, getting a much needed rest. The truth was that he had been hospitalized for his morphine addiction, which would kill him within a few months. Reid looks tired and strained here, and this poor excuse for a farce was all wrong for him. It was based on a Broadway play by A.E. Thomas and Clayton Hamilton, but did not translate at all well to the screen. Reid plays John Cadwalader Floyd, who gets himself into a lot of trouble when hot-headed Italian Giacomo Polenta (Hershall Mayall) finds him in the arms of his wife, Rosa (Carmen Phillips). The situation is completely innocent, but Polenta won't even consider that. To get away from the man, who is to depart for his home country in 28 days, Floyd begs his pal, Judge Hooker (Charles Ogle) to lock him away in jail for a whole month. The only problem is that Polenta has been thrown into the clink too. Things get even worse for Floyd when his fiancee, Lucy Ledyard (Wanda Hawley) finds him there. Then there's the bear-like presence of the warden, Marcel (Kalla Pasha, of Mack Sennett fame), to add even more complications. Floyd gets in good with Marcel by finding a shortage in the books and is pardoned early. Polenta also gets out but Floyd and his friends manage to capture him, roll him up in a rug and get him to the steamer that will take him out of America, and out of Floyd's life. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

The quality of Wallace Reid's films were starting to slip, quite possibly because of his drug problems, and this comedy-drama -- based on the stage play The Champion -- was merely an average picture for him. William Burroughs (Reid) is the son of a socially ambitious Englishman (Lionel Belmore). William meets Lady Elizabeth Galton (Lois Wilson), but is beaten to a pulp by her cousin, Lord Brockington (Stanley J. Sanford). As a result, his father disowns him and he travels to America where he becomes a champion boxer known as "Gunboat" William. After a number of years he returns to England to find that because of reduced circumstances, Lady Elizabeth is now working as his father's social secretary. Burroughs still hasn't forgiven his son, but his celebrity as a boxer causes him to change his mind. William goes after Lord Brockington and gives him a sound thrashing, then turns around and weds Lady Elizabeth. This picture was the first Paramount release for Phil Rosen, who had only recently begun directing films. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Wallace Reid starred in a legion of comedy-dramas involving speeding cars and most of them (generally written by Byron Morgan) were interchangeable -- this one is no exception. John Dent (Paramount's most dependable character actor, Theodore Roberts) manufactures solid, dependable -- and rather boring -- cars (these were a spoof on Ford's Model T's, changed around just enough to avoid a lawsuit). His son Jimmy (Reid), who works at his father's plant, has no use for these "flivvers," since he likes the bigger, flashier models made by Dent's rival, Dutton Tyler (with Walter Long in this role, it's almost guaranteed he'll turn out to be villainous). Dent orders that all his employees -- Jimmy included -- drive a Dent, but Jimmy rebels. There's a cross-country race going on, and since he has been carrying on a flirtation with Tyler's daughter Lorraine (Betty Francisco), he decides to ride with her and her father. Tyler's car holds the record, and Jimmy finds out why -- because he sabotages the competition. So Jimmy turns around and mans one of his pop's cars instead. He wins the race in the trusty Dent, and also wins a better girl (Mary MacLaren). Reid's inert performance and lack of closeups were obvious enough to be noted in trade paper Motion Picture News -- the star would die within a year of drugs and perhaps the effects of his addiction were showing. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Wallace Reid plays against type in this comedy-drama, based on the play by Booth Tarkington. As a matter of fact, he does a fair imitation of Alfred Lunt, who played the title role on Broadway. He even parts his hair in the middle and wears horn-rimmed glasses, just as Lunt did. Clarence Smith (Reid) is an ex-soldier who is hired for odd jobs by Mr. Wheeler (Edward Martindel) primarily because he has overheard a family argument. And the Wheeler household is going through quite a bit of turmoil -- Mrs. Wheeler (Kathlyn Williams) feels neglected by her husband and is jealous of Violet Pinney, the governess (Agnes Ayres). Daughter Cora (May McAvoy) is planning to elope with her father's secretary, Hubert Stem (Adolphe Menjou). Son Bobby (Robert Agnew), meanwhile, has been making passes at the maid. Clarence manages to solve the Wheelers' various problems -- he kidnaps Cora back from Stem, repairs everyone's hurts and ends up with Violet. Reid, incidentally, was directed by both DeMille brothers -- Cecil B. and William C. -- at one point or another during his career. Sadly, the star would be dead from drug abuse within six months of this picture's release. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

The star power of Wallace Reid kept the silent farce Charm School afloat. Auto salesman Reid inherits a school for proper young ladies. Realizing that the students are withering on the vine thanks to the antiquated curriculum, Reid transforms the establishment into a charm school, complete with athletics and dancing lessons. It must needs be that Reid sneaks into the school in the dead of night and is forced to disguise himself as a girl to escape detection. The popular if not particularly innovative James Cruze directed Charm School, adapting the screenplay from a novel by Algonquin Round Table habituee Alice Duer Miller. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The ill-fated Wallace Reid -- who would die of morphine addiction in 1923 -- was in top form in this Paramount action picture. Reid's team of director Frank Urson and screenwriter Byron Morgan gave him a clever vehicle, and his supporting cast, which included lovely Agnes Ayers and Paramount's scene-stealing character actor Theodore Roberts, was excellent. Pat MacMurran (Roberts), owner of the Patko auto firm, has been against racing ever since his driver, Jimmy Rodman (Lucien Littlefield), was seriously injured when Howdy Zeeker (Guy Oliver), driver for rival firm Ronado, smashed into his car on purpose. MacMurran allows his daughter, Virginia (Ayers), to become engaged to Ronado driver Dusty Rhoades (Reid) only when he promises never to race again. But on their wedding day, another Ronado driver, Tyler Hellis (Jack Richardson) entices Rhoades into a race and MacMurran calls off the ceremony. Rhoades and Virginia elope anyway, and her father follows in hot pursuit. Both men are arrested for speeding and Rhoades is really in the doghouse. The Ronado company tries to trick Rhoades into racing for them, but when he discovers the scheme, he takes an old Patko car and enters against them. Not only does he come out ahead of the other cars, he hands the wheel over to Rodman for the last lap so he can have the joy of defeating Zeeker. Because the Patko car wins the race, Patko gets a big South American deal and Rhoades is back in good with his father-in-law. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Jim Glover (Wallace Reid) is an engineer in charge of constructing a railroad to the sea. He gives the company president Gage (Theodore Roberts) a tour of the area of land coveted for its use as a short cut that can save hours on the journey. After the officials visit a recently constructed dam, the train makes a stop in a dull town, and Gage's daughter Laura (Agnes Ayers) throws a charity bazaar to combat the boredom. Jim puts together a mock-holdup that saves the event from financial ruin, endearing Laura to him. Later, an accident traps three workers in a cave, and Jim is called away to rescue the victims. While he is gone, the villain Harrison (Lloyd Whitlock) tries to claim the land slated for the railroad shortcut for himself. Jim must save the men, claim the land parcel and win the girl before all is lost. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

Cecil B. DeMille's much-maligned cinemadaptation of Arthur Schnitzler's The Affairs of Anatol holds up better than its reputation suggests. Wallace Reid stars as New York socialite Anatol DeWitt Spencer, who after only a few day's marriage has become bored with his new bride Vivian (Gloria Swanson). In search of new romantic vistas, Anatole takes up his old flame Emilie (Wanda Hawley), who repays the "favor" by two-timing him. Briefly returning to his wife, Anatole attempts another extramarital adventure with Annie Elliot (Agnes Ayres), whose tear-stained tales of a tragic life are but a subterfuge to disguise her larcenous streak. Finally, Anatole dallies with Satan Synne (Bebe Daniels), "the wickedest woman in New York"-who turns out to be a virtuous housewife, hoping to raise money for her seriously ill husband. At long last, Anatole decides that he's better off with Vivian, who by now has grown tired of him. In reviewing The Affairs of Anatol, Photoplay magazine said laconically "Cecil B. DeMille, not Arthur Schnitzler. We leave it to you which gentleman has pleased our public more." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Wallace Reid plays one of his speed demon roles in this picture, which is based on the Saturday Evening Post story, "The Hippopotamus Parade" by Byron Morgan. Dusty Rhoades (Reid) leaves just about everybody in the dust when he steps on the gas pedal. But this talent does nothing to win over Patrick MacMurran (Charles Ogle), the father of his sweetheart, Virginia (Lois Wilson). MacMurran owns a truck company and suggests that if Dusty does a good job of publicizing his trucks, he might give the union his blessings. So Dusty goes to work but fails miserably until the day the Cabrillo dam is about to burst. He loads up a shipment of dynamite onto five MacMurran trucks and leads them through nearly impassable roads to their destination just in the nick of time. Because he has saved the day, Dusty wins his girl. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

During the early '20s, Wallace Reid starred in a number of snappy car racing films. This one was adapted from the Saturday Evening Post story "The Bear Trap," by Bryon Morgan, the same author responsible for the story to Reid's prior film, The Roaring Road. "Toodles" Walden (Reid) is manager of the Darco auto concern. His father-in-law, J.D. Ward, also known as "the Bear" (Theodore Roberts), is the company's president. Ward has a Darco with a powerful, new motor, which he is hiding from his rivals at the Fargot Motor Car Company. Its president, Mutchler (Tully Marshall), is determined to get his hands on the design. One of Fargot's racing drivers, Ritz (Walter Long), gets Walden involved in a street race and he is arrested. As a result, the angry Ward makes sure his license is suspended and sells the three Darco racing cars. The Fargot company acquires two of them and disguises them as Fargots. The firm challenges Darco to a race and Ward puts up ten thousand dollars for a Los Angeles-to-San Francisco race. Walden buys the other old Darco, which the Fargot people assume is the one with the new motor. Ward still has it and he gets into the race himself when he hears that Ritz has been ordered to destroy Walden's car. Walden beats Ritz up and takes over the other Fargot car. Ward wins the race, with Walden coming in second. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Reginald Jay (Wallace Reid) has taken to his bed to avoid testifying in a divorce case. He decides that feigning illness isn't such a bad thing when he gets Bebe Daniels as a nurse. The court figures out that he's faking, so they send a doctor to check him out, but with the help of his nurse (she kisses him while his heart is being checked), he proves to be as ill as he claims to be. The battling couple (John Steppling and Winifred Greenwood) eventually resolve their differences, so Jay is able to rise from his sickbed and wed his nurse. This farce was based on a Broadway play by Ethel W. Mumford. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

In order to rescue his brother, society boy David Strong (Wallace Reid) has to travel through the underworld. He disguises himself as "the Colt Kid," who has just gotten out of prison. During his travels, Strong winds up in a cabaret where he meets singer Joan Gray (Anna Q. Nilsson). Joan is being pestered by coast-to-coast Taylor (Wallace Beery), who wants her as his mistress. Strong saves Joan from this situation and they fall in love. Only after going through some adventures together does she discover his real identity, and he finds out she is actually a writer who has been researching the criminal side of life. This film was based on the play One of Us by Jack Lait. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide