''The Countess Charming'' is a lost 1917 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

Gelett Burgess Frank Gelett Burgess (January 30, 1866 – September 18, 1951) was an American artist, art critic, poet, author and humorist. He was an important figure in the San Francisco Bay Area literary renaissance of the 1890s, particularly through his ico ...

Carolyn Wells Carolyn Wells (June 18, 1862 — March 26, 1942) was an American mystery author and poet. Life and career Born in Rahway, New Jersey, she was the daughter of William Edmund and Anna Potter Wells (née Woodruff). After finishing school, she wo ...

, and Gardner Hunting. The film stars

Julian Eltinge Julian Eltinge (May 14, 1881 – March 7, 1941), born William Julian Dalton, was an American Stage (theatre), stage and film actor and female impersonator. After appearing in the Boston Cadets Revue at the age of ten in feminine garb, Elting ...

Florence Vidor Florence Vidor (née Cobb, later Arto; July 23, 1895 – November 3, 1977) was an American silent film actress. Early life Vidor was born in Houston on July 23, 1895, to John and Ida Cobb. Her parents had married in Houston on March 3, 1894, bu ...

Tully Marshall Tully Marshall (born William Phillips; April 10, 1864 – March 10, 1943) was an American character actor. He had nearly a quarter century of theatrical experience before his debut film appearance in 1914 which led to a film career spanning alm ...

George Kuwa George Kuwa (born Keichii Kuwahara) was a Japanese and American Issei (Japanese immigrant) film actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1916 and 1931. He was the first actor to portray Charlie Chan on-screen in the 192 ...

Edythe Chapman Edythe Chapman (October 8, 1863 – October 15, 1948) was an American stage and silent film actress. Career Born in Rochester, New York, Chapman began her stage career as early as 1898 when she appeared in New York City in ''The Charity Ball''. ...

, and

Mabel Van Buren Mabel Van Buren (born Mabel Brown Southard; July 17, 1878 – November 4, 1947) was an American stage and screen actress. Biography As a theatrical performer she played the leading lady in both ''The Virginian'' and ''The Squaw Man'' (190 ...

. The film was released on September 16, 1917, 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, upon insulting the Vandergrafts, leaders of the North Shore Club, Stanley Jordan (Eltinge) is forced out of society. Determined to be near his sweetheart Betty (Vidor), he becomes the Countess Raffelski. He takes the North Shore colony by storm. At many of the social functions valuables have been stolen and the guilty person cannot be found. Suspicion is thrown upon the countess and, to escape all, Stanley spreads the rumor that the countess is dead. He wins Betty and with the money from the stolen jewels he is able to make a large contribution to the

Red Cross The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 16million volunteering, volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ...

fund.

Cast

as Stanley Jordan / Countess Raffelski *

as Betty Lovering *

as Dr. John Cavendish *

as Soto *

as Mrs. Lovering *

as Mrs. Vandergraft *

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 Jacob Vandergraft *

William Elmer William Elmer (April 25, 1869 – February 24, 1945) was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1913 and 1942. He was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa and died in Hollywood, California. Elmer acted in ...

as Detective Boyle *Mrs. George Kuwa as The Maid

Reception

Like many American films of the time, ''The Countess Charming'' was subject to cuts by city and state film censorship boards. The Chicago Board of Censors required cuts in scenes showing the theft of a pin from a tie and of a purse, and taking a wallet from a pocket.

References

External links

* 1917 films 1910s English-language films Silent American comedy films 1917 comedy films Paramount Pictures films Films directed by Donald Crisp American black-and-white films American silent feature films 1910s American films English-language comedy films {{1910s-comedy-film-stub