Cordelia Callahan Movies
The son of a New York City police lieutenant, Bertram Millhauser inaugurated his screenwriting career at the old Pathe studios, specializing in the company's popular serials. It was Millhauser's contention that the villain was the key to any story's success: thus, he'd start each script by developing the "bad guy" characters, then moved on to such inconsequentials as heroes and heroines. During his Pathe stay, he tried his hand at directing with The Phantom Foe (1920) and The Yellow Arm (1921); in the early talkie era, he briefly moved into the producer's chair with Trent's Last Case (1929) and Girl of the Port (1930). Millhauser is most closely associated with the "Sherlock Holmes" films of the 1930s and 1940s; he scripted the 1932 Clive Brook starrer Sherlock Holmes, and later penned five of the Basil Rathbone-Nigel Bruce "Holmes" entries for Universal. In addition to his movie activities, Bertram Millhauser wrote several novels (Ever in My Heart, They Made Me a Criminal) and plays (Life of Jimmy Dolan), many of which were later adapted for the screen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1924
This epic covers all of Lincoln's life. His birth in a blizzard; his boyhood (depicted by Danny Hey as young Lincoln); his romance with the ill-fated Anne Rutledge (Ruth Clifford) and courtship of Mary Todd (Nell Craig), who he married; his debates with Stephen Douglas (William Humphreys); and his rise to the presidency. The Civil War is covered, including the surrender of Lee (James Welch), then Lincoln's assassination by John Wilkes Booth (William Moran). Playing Lincoln as an adult is George A. Billings, an uncanny lookalike. Because of its scope, the film seems a bit sketchy at times, but its sincerity is always obvious. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Irene Hunt
- 1922
If the character Cullen Landis plays in this action-packed comedy seems to have a touch of Charles Ray's spirit, it's because Ray's longtime scenarist, Julien Josephson, wrote the story. Elmer Slocum (Landis) has a passion for fast driving. As soon as he completes a jail term for speeding, he's at it again, rushing a doctor to an emergency call at a hair-raising 85 miles an hour (cars really weren't built for that kind of speed in those days, so it really was hair-raising!). He winds up wrecking his car and knocking down a policeman who has pursued him. He thinks he has killed the cop, so he flees. A group of tramps steal his clothes, and in this sorry state -- and even sorrier bum's outfit -- he lands in a small midwestern town. He falls in love with Margaret Andrews (Patsy Ruth Miller, who would be voted a WAMPAS baby star later in 1922), the daughter of the town's richest man (George Pierce). Naturally, neither Mr. Andrews nor Margaret's other suitor, Lon Kimball (Raymond Cannon), think much of Slocum. A detective arrives and captures Slocum, just as he has admitted to Margaret that he killed a policeman. But the detective was sent by Slocum's father (John Cossar), who was looking for him. It turns out that the cop is not only alive, he went back to work the next day. After that it is easy enough for Slocum to put Kimball to route and win his girl's hand. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cullen Landis, Patsy Ruth Miller, (more)
- 1922
Everybody at Mack Sennett's Keystone studios was expected to do a little bit of everything, which is why bassett-faced comedian Hank Mann both directed and co-starred in the 2-reel laughfest The Village Blacksmith. Burly Tom Kennedy plays the title character, while gawky Polly Moran is cast as the Smithy's sweetie, a laundress. A refined young lady (Vivien Edwards) becomes fascinated by the Smithy's remarkable feats of strength, including his ability to pound nails with his knuckles. The girl succeeds in stealing Kennedy away from Moran, which of course precipitates a climactic confrontation between the two females. Though The Village Blacksmith contained more plot than was usual for Keystone, sight gags and slapstick still predominate. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Walling, Virginia True Boardman, (more)
- 1921
It is said that every actor wants to play Shakespeare. Will Rogers would seem a likely exception to that rule, but here he is in this silent, taking a stab (albeit comic) at Romeo. Slim (Rogers), of course, begins as a cowpuncher but his boss switches from cattle to sheep, throwing him out of work. In addition his sweetheart, Lulu (Sylvia Breamer), says he should learn to be a real lover, like Douglas Fairbanks. So Slim decides to go work in motion pictures to discover how film folk make love. After he doubles for villains and heroes alike, Lulu changes her mind -- now she thinks Romeo and Juliet is the yardstick by which all lovers should be measured. So Slim obligingly gets his hands on a copy of the play and tries to read it. Naturally he falls asleep, but he dreams the story with himself and his girl in the title roles. When he awakes, however, he throws all technique out the window, grabs Lulu away from his rival (Raymond Hatton) and drags her off to the preache r. His show of force is what she wanted after all and the film ends happily. This was the final picture of Rogers' contract with the Goldwyn Studios. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Will Rogers, Sylvia Breamer, (more)
- 1921
Peep O'Day (Will Rogers) is the illiterate pauper of a small Southern town. When he gets the news from Judge Priest (Edward Kimball) that he has inherited a fortune from a relative back in Ireland, Peep's life changes overnight. He decides to use his money to experience the childhood he never got to have, and spends all his time having fun with the boys of the neighborhood. Meanwhile, the widow Hunter (Cordelia Callahan) has him pegged as husband material and is trying to catch him. The scheming Cassius Sublette (Sydney Ainsworth) wants to get his hands on Peep's fortune, so he tries to have him declared incompetent. His accomplice is a girl from Cincinnati who poses as Peep's "niece," who will be more than happy to handle his money. Judge Priest sees through scam, the accomplice has a change of heart, and the case is dismissed. Peep returns to his young pals, leaving a broken-hearted widow Hunter in his wake. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Will Rogers, Irene Rich, (more)
