''A Midnight Bell'' is a 1921 American silent

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

. The film was directed and produced by its star, Charles Ray. His brother, Albert, is thought to have co-directed some scenes. The film is believed to be lost.Soister, John T. ''American Silent Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Feature Films, 1913-1929''. McFarland. p. 389. Web. Accessed June 24, 2015 The film is based on a play by the same name written by Charles Hale Hoyt that premiered on Broadway in 1889 with

Maude Adams Maude Ewing Adams Kiskadden (November 11, 1872 – July 17, 1953), known professionally as Maude Adams, was an American actress and stage designer who achieved her greatest success as the character Peter Pan, first playing the role in the 190 ...

in a leading role and starred Eugene Canfield as Martin Tripp. Director Charles Ray went on to lose his entire fortune in 1923 when he produced ''The Courtship of Miles Standish'', which was a terrible flop at the box office. He later died in 1943 from a severe tooth infection.

Plot

Martin Tripp is a traveling salesman who turns a struggling small-town store into a successful business. He becomes involved in a mystery involving an old church that is supposed to be haunted. Tripp is challenged to spend a night in the old building. A group of criminals, pretending to manifest supernatural phenomena, are exposed by Tripp in the end.''A Midnight Bell''
at TCM.com

Cast

* Charles Ray as Martin Tripp * Donald MacDonald as Stephen Labaree *

Van Dyke Brooke Van Dyke Brooke, ''né'' Stewart McKerrow (22 June 1859–17 September 1921) was an early American actor, screenwriter and film director, whose works include ''The Reprieve: An Episode in the Life of Abraham Lincoln'' (1908) and ''Lights of New Yo ...

as Abner Grey *

Doris Pawn Doris Pawn (born Doris Alice Pahn; December 29, 1894 – March 30, 1988) was an American silent era film actress. Early life Born and raised in Norfolk, Nebraska, Pawn spent her vacations on the ranch of an uncle. There, she learned to ri ...

as Annie Grey * Clyde McCoy as Mac *Jess Herring as Spike *S.J. Bingham as 'Bull' Barton *Bert Offord as 'Slick' Sweeney *

Monte Collins Monte Collins (also credited as Monty Collins; December 3, 1898 – June 1, 1951) was an American film actor and screenwriter. He appeared in more than 160 films between 1920 and 1948. He also wrote for 32 films between 1930 and 1951. Caree ...

(bit part, uncredited)

References

External links

* * 1921 films 1921 comedy films American black-and-white films Silent American comedy films American silent feature films Lost American comedy films First National Pictures films 1921 lost films English-language comedy films Films directed by Charles Ray 1920s American films 1920s English-language films Lost silent American films {{1920s-silent-comedy-film-stub