''On The Broad Stairway'', from

Edison Studios Edison Studios was an American film production organization, owned by companies controlled by inventor and entrepreneur, Thomas Edison. The studio made close to 1,200 films, as part of the Edison Manufacturing Company (1894–1911) and then Tho ...

, was a 1913 American silent film (short) written and directed by

J. Searle Dawley James Searle Dawley (October 4, 1877 – March 30, 1949) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, stage actor, and playwright. Between 1907 and the mid-1920s, while working for Edison, Rex Motion Picture Company, Famous Playe ...

.Catalog of Copyright Entries. Part 4. Works of Art, Etc. New Series By Library of Congress. Copyright Office – 1913 pg. 277 The film was the second of three "Kate Kirby's Cases" detective tales produced in 1913 before Dawley and actress Laura Sawyer left Edison to continue the series later that year with the

Famous Players Film Company The Famous Players Film Company was a film company founded in New York City in 1912 by Adolph Zukor in partnership with the Frohman brothers, powerful theatre owners and producers there. History Discussions to form the company were held at Th ...

. ''On The Broad Stairway'' was released in the United States on July 19, 1913.The Moving Picture World, Volume 18, Issues 1-7 – 1913, pg. 360The Moving Picture World, Volume 17, Issues 1-6, 1913, pg.537

Plot

Described as "being another of 'Kate Kirby's Cases', a series of detective stories", the plot summary in ''The Edison Kinetogram'' was:

Cast

Source: * May Abbey as Marguerite Osborn, the bride's older sister * Robert Brewer as Inspector Dalton *

Bigelow Cooper Jackson Bigelow Cooper (December 21, 1867 – 1953) was an American stage and screen character actor prominent in the silent film era. Biography Born in Springfield, Ohio in 1867, Cooper's early acting experience came in stock theater, including ...

as Philip Morton, the groom * Bessie Learn as Alice Osborn, the bride * Charles Ogle as Kate's father, an ex-detective *

Laura Sawyer Laura Sawyer (February 3, 1885 – September 7, 1970) was an American film actress on stage and in silent films. Early life Sawyer was born in Iron County, Missouri, the daughter of Alvah Hayden and Laurette Sawyer.Corpus Christi Times (Cor ...

as Detective Kate Kirby

Review

The Moving Picture World

Kate Kirby's cases

* ''

The Diamond Crown ''The Diamond Crown'', from Edison Studios, was a 1913 American silent film (short) written and directed by J. Searle Dawley. It was the first of three "Kate Kirby's Cases" detective stories made in 1913 for Edison before Dawley and actress Laura ...

''. (Edison – 1913) * ''On the Broad Stairway''. (Edison – 1913) * ''

The Substitute Stenographer ''The Substitute Stenographer'', from Edison Studios, was a 1913 American silent film (short) directed by Walter Edwin The film was the third of three "Kate Kirby's Cases" detective tales produced with Edison in 1913 before actress Laura Sawyer ...

''. (Edison – 1913) * ''

Chelsea 7750 ''Chelsea 7750'' is a surviving 1913 American silent crime drama film directed by J. Searle Dawley and starring Henry E. Dixey (from the stage), Laura Sawyer, and House Peters. It was the fourth of six "Kate Kirby's Cases" detective stories mad ...

''. (Famous Players - 1913) * ''

An Hour Before Dawn ''An Hour Before Dawn'' is a lost 1913 silent film detective drama directed by J. Searle Dawley and starring Laura Sawyer and House Peters. It was the fifth of six "Kate Kirby's Cases" detective stories made in 1913, the second produced by the F ...

''. (Famous Players - 1913) * ''

The Port of Doom ''The Port of Doom'' is a lost 1913 silent film detective drama directed by J. Searle Dawley and featuring Laura Sawyer and House Peters. It was the last of six "Kate Kirby's Cases" detective stories made in 1913, the third produced by the Famou ...

''. (Famous Players - 1913)

Sources

External links

* {{J. Searle Dawley American silent short films American black-and-white films 1913 films Films directed by J. Searle Dawley 1910s English-language films 1910s American films