''Less Than Kin'' is a lost 1918 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 ...

directed by

Donald Crisp Donald William Crisp (27 July 188225 May 1974) was an English people, English film actor as well as an early producer, director and screenwriter. His career lasted from the early silent film era into the 1960s. He won an Academy Award for Best S ...

and written by

Marion Fairfax Marion Fairfax (born Marion Neiswanger; October 24, 1875 – October 2, 1970) was an American screenwriter, playwright, actress, and producer. Early career Fairfax first started her career as a stage actress, just like many other women did in ...

and

Alice Duer Miller Alice Duer Miller (July 28, 1874 – August 22, 1942) was an American writer whose poetry actively influenced political opinion. Her feminist verses influenced political opinion during the Women's suffrage in the United States, American suffrage ...

. The film stars

Wallace Reid William Wallace Halleck Reid (April 15, 1891 – January 18, 1923) was an American actor in silent film, referred to as "the screen's most perfect lover". He also had a brief career as a racing driver. Early life Reid was born in St. Lou ...

Ann Little Ann Little (born Mary Hankins Brooks; February 7, 1891 – May 21, 1984), also known as Anna Little, was an American film actress whose career was most prolific during the silent film era of the early 1910s through the early 1920s. Today, mos ...

Raymond Hatton Raymond William Hatton (July 7, 1887 – October 21, 1971) was an American film actor who appeared in almost 500 motion pictures. Biography Hatton was born in Red Oak, Iowa. His physician father steered him toward a career in medicine. Howe ...

, Noah Beery, Sr., James Neill and Charles Ogle. The film was released on July 21, 1918, by

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

Plot

As described in a

film magazine Film periodicals combine discussion of individual films, genres and directors with in-depth considerations of the medium and the conditions of its production and reception. Their articles contrast with film reviewing in newspapers and magazines whi ...

, Lewis Vickers (Reid), a young American languishing in South America because he is "wanted" for a crime which was the result of an accident, comes across another American Hobart Lee (Reid) who greatly resembles him. That man dies and Vickers, to get back to the United States, decides to impersonate him. He is taken to the family group upon his arrival in New York City and soon finds himself possessed of the encumbrances and debts left by the former youth, which include a wife and three children. He is left a fortune, but discloses his identity and flees to Canada. En route he marries the ward of his benefactor, who had helped him escape and had hid in his automobile. Eventually he is cleared of all guilt and has a happy ending.

Cast

as Hobart Lee / Lewis Vickers *

as Nellie Reid *

as James Emmons * Noah Beery, Sr. as Senor Cortez * James Neill as Dr. Nunez * Charles Ogle as Overton *

Jane Wolfe Sarah Jane Wolfe (March 21, 1875 – March 29, 1958) was an American silent film character actress who is considered an important female figure in Thelema. She was a friend and a colleague of Aleister Crowley and a founding member of Agape Lod ...

as Maria (credited as Jane Wolff) *

James Cruze James Cruze (born Jens Cruz Bosen;Sadoul, Georges (1972). Dictionary of Films'. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. p. 53. . See also: * Parish, James Robert; Pitts, Michael R. (1974). Film Directors: A Guide to Their American Fi ...

as Jinx *

Guy Oliver George Guy Oliver (September 25, 1878 – September 1, 1932) was an American actor. He appeared in at least 189 silent film era motion pictures and 32 talkies in character roles between 1911 and 1931. His obituary gives him credit for at least ...

as Peters *Calvert Carter as Plimpton *Jack Herbert as Sheriff (credited as J. Herbert) *

Gustav von Seyffertitz Gustav von Seyffertitz (4 August 1862 – 25 December 1943) was a German film actor and director. He settled in the United States. He was born in Haimhausen, Bavaria, and died in Los Angeles, California, aged 81. Biography Gustav von Seyfferti ...

as Endicott Lee

References

External links

* 1918 films 1910s English-language films Silent American comedy films 1918 comedy films Paramount Pictures films Films directed by Donald Crisp American black-and-white films American silent feature films Lost American comedy films Films about identity theft 1918 lost films English-language comedy films 1910s American films Films based on works by Alice Duer Miller {{1910s-comedy-film-stub