''The Telephone Girl and the Lady'' is a 1913 American silent

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by D. W. Griffith.

Plot

A telephone operator is walking out with a handsome police sergeant; her father insists that the husband for her is a plump, comfortable grocery store owner. The Lady picks up her jewels from the jewellery and brings them home, followed by a jewel thief on a stolen bicycle. She puts them in her safe, and goes to give the telephone girl a present of a necklace in thanks for her work. As the Lady answers the telephone and accepts the Telephone Girl's effusive thanks, the door creaks open – it is the masked thief! She tells the girl on the other end of the line that she's being robbed. While the thief grills the lady, the telephone girl calls the police, but there's a riot and calls about that prevent her getting through. She runs out of the exchange and spots the sergeant conveniently riding by. He lifts her onto his horse and they gallop to the rescue. Meanwhile, with an implicit rape threat the thief has forced the lady to reveal the safe concealed behind a picture. Just in time, the sergeant bursts in as the thief escapes with the jewels. After a rousing fight, helped by the feisty telephone girl and neighbours including a lady in a huge hat, the sergeant drags away the thief. The lady rewards the sergeant and the lovers fall into each other's arms.

Cast

Mae Marsh Mae Marsh (born Mary Wayne Marsh; November 9, 1894U.S. Census records for 1900, El Paso, Texas, Sheet No. 6 – February 13, 1968) was an American film actress with a career spanning over 50 years. Early life Mae Marsh was born Mary Wayne M ...

as The Telephone Girl *

Claire McDowell Claire McDowell ( MacDowell; November 2, 1877 – October 23, 1966) was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in 350 films between 1908 and 1945. Early years Claire MacDowell was born in New York City on November 2, 1877, the ...

as The Lady * Alfred Paget as The Telephone Girl's Sweetheart * Walter P. Lewis as The Father *

Harry Carey Harry Carey may refer to: *Harry Carey (actor) (1878–1947), American actor * Harry Carey Jr. (1921–2012), American actor * Harry Carey (footballer) (1916–1991), Australian rules footballer See also * Henry Carey (disambiguation) * Harry Car ...

as The Thief * John T. Dillon as The Grocery Man *

Madge Kirby Madge Kirby (born Madge Whitehead; April 12, 1884 – July 11, 1956) was an actress in silent film comedies. She co-starred in ''Dunces and Dangers'' and had roles in D.W. Griffith films. She also starred opposite Hank Mann in various comedies. ...

as The Telephone Operator * Joseph McDermott as The Jewelry Salesman *

Kate Bruce Kate Bruce (February 17, 1860 – April 2, 1946) was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in more than 280 films between 1908 and 1931. She was born in Columbus, Indiana and died in New York City. In 1885, Bruce left Boone, I ...

as The Lady's Friend *

Gertrude Bambrick Gertrude Bambrick (August 24, 1897 – January 10, 1974) was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in 60 films between 1912 and 1916. Biography Bambrick was married twice. Her first marriage to early film director Marshall Ne ...

as The Maid * Lionel Barrymore as The Desk Sergeant *

Charles Hill Mailes Charles Hill Mailes (25 May 1870 – 17 February 1937) was a Canadian actor of the silent era. Biography Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1870, Mailes appeared in 290 films between 1909 and 1935. He married the actress Claire McDowell ...

Production

The film was prepared by Griffith and shot by his assistant,

Tony O'Sullivan Anthony "Tony" O'Sullivan (born 7 January 1963) is an Irish retired hurler and Gaelic footballer who played as a right wing-forward for the Cork senior hurling team. Born in Farranree, Cork, O'Sullivan first played competitive Gaelic games ...

. Film historian

William K. Everson Keith William Everson (8 April 1929 – 14 April 1996) was an English- American archivist, author, critic, educator, collector, and film historian. He also discovered several lost films. Everson's given first names were Keith William, but he r ...

noted that the film made use of a moving camera in "some extremely good running inserts" and a "well-done fight between Paget and villain Harry Carey at the climax", but offered that the film did not have a good flow due to its awkward cuts and overuse of devices intended to prolong suspense.

References

External links

*
''The Telephone Girl and the Lady''
available for free download a
Internet Archive
{{DEFAULTSORT:Telephone Girl And The Lady 1913 films 1913 drama films 1913 short films Films directed by D. W. Griffith Silent American drama films American silent short films American black-and-white films Biograph Company films Films with screenplays by Anita Loos 1910s American films