''The Lad from Old Ireland'', also called ''A Lad from Old Ireland'', is a one-reel 1910

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

motion picture directed by and starring

Sidney Olcott Sidney Olcott (born John Sidney Allcott; September 20, 1872 – December 16, 1949) was a Canadian-born film producer, director, actor and screenwriter. Biography Born John Sidney Allcott in Toronto, he became one of the first great dire ...

and written by and co-starring

Gene Gauntier Gene Gauntier (born Genevieve Gauntier Liggett, August 26, 1885 – December 18, 1966) was an American screenwriter and actress who was one of the pioneers of the motion picture industry. A writer, director, and actress in films from mid 1906 t ...

. It was the first film appearance of prolific actor/director J.P. McGowan.

Production background

The film was the first ever production by an American

movie studio A film studio (also known as movie studio or simply studio) is a major entertainment company that makes films. Today, studios are mostly financing and distribution entities. In addition, they may have their own studio facility or facilities; howe ...

to be filmed on location outside of the United States. Filming took place around

Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...

and

Killarney Killarney ( ; , meaning 'church of sloes') is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is on the northeastern shore of Lough Leane, part of Killarney National Park, and is home to St Mary's Cathedral, Killar ...

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

, and in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. In August 1910, the

Kalem Company The Kalem Company was an early American film studio founded in New York City in 1907. It was one of the first companies to make films abroad and to set up winter production facilities, first in Florida and then in California. Kalem was sold to V ...

of New York City sent director Sidney Olcott and a film crew to film in Europe. In Ireland, Olcott made ''The Lad From Old Ireland'' from a script written by Gene Gauntier. Shot by

cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the recording of a film, television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera ...

George K. Hollister, the film was described in the publicity releases for its November premiere as "Kalem’s Great Trans-Atlantic Drama." Laurene Santley doubles the Irish grandmother in the indoor sequence shot in the Kalem New York studio. During that trip in Ireland Olcott shot a second film : ''

The Irish Honeymoon ''The Irish Honeymoon'' is a 1911 American silent film produced by Kalem Company and distributed by General Film. It was directed by Sidney Olcott with himself and Gene Gauntier in the leading roles. Cast * Gene Gauntier - Maggie McClusky * Sidn ...

''.

Plot

An Irish boy (Olcott) emigrates to America to escape the desperate poverty of Ireland. After finding work in construction, he finds success in politics. He returns to Ireland after receiving a letter from his sweetheart (Gauntier) just as her destitute family is being forced off their land.

Cast

as Terry O'Connor *

as Aileene *

Agnes Mapes Agnes Mapes was an American actress who appeared in vaudeville performances and silent films throughout the 1900s and 1910s. Originally a part of the Crescent Theatre Stock Company, she was highly praised for her role in the 1907 production of '' ...

as Aileene's mother *Thomas O'Connor as The landlord *

Arthur Donaldson Arthur William Donaldson (13 December 1901 – 18 January 1993) was a Scottish journalist and Scottish National Party (SNP) politician. He was leader of the Scottish National Party from 1960 to 1969. Early years Donaldson was born in Dundee, t ...

as Parish priest * J.P. McGowan as Election agent *

Robert G. Vignola Robert G. Vignola (born Rocco Giuseppe Vignola, August 7, 1882 – October 25, 1953) was an Italian-American actor, screenwriter, and film director. A former stage actor, he appeared in many motion pictures produced by Kalem Company and later mov ...

as Election agent *

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 Society woman * Laurene Santley doubles the Irish grandmother

Reception

The film was a critical and popular success, particularly with

Irish immigrants The Irish diaspora () refers to ethnic Irish people and their descendants who live outside the island of Ireland. The phenomenon of migration from Ireland is recorded since the Early Middle Ages,Flechner, Roy; Meeder, Sven (2017). The Irish ...

in America. Unlike other films of the time, the Irish characters were not cartoonish caricatures, and the story was a familiar and hopeful one for immigrants. William Wright, Kalem's treasurer, recalled "Of that subject we sold in London alone 160 prints – a record-breaking achievement for a thousand-foot picture."Michel Derrien, ''Aux origines du cinéma irlandais: Sidney Olcott, le premier oeil'', p. 12. The success prompted Kalem to send a larger company under the direction of Olcott the next year in 1911, which produced 18 films that summer. ''

The Moving Picture World The ''Moving Picture World'' was an influential early trade journal for the American film industry, from 1907 to 1927. An industry powerhouse at its height, ''Moving Picture World'' frequently reiterated its independence from the film studios. ...

'' noted that the film was "quite a success", but complained that the audience was not informed of and thus unable to appreciate "the important characteristics of the picture", referring to the authentic portrayal of Irish rural life.

References

External links

*
''The Lad From Old Ireland''
sur Irish Film & TV Research Online
Kalem Company filming in Ireland

website dedicated to Sidney Olcott
Restored film
by

Trinity College, Dublin Trinity College Dublin (), officially titled The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, and legally incorporated as Trinity College, the University of Dublin (TCD), is the sole constituent college of the Univ ...

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lad From Old Ireland, The 1910 films 1910 drama films 1910 short films 1910s American films 1910s English-language films American black-and-white films English-language drama short films Irish black-and-white films Irish drama short films Kalem Company films Short films directed by Sidney Olcott Silent American drama short films Surviving American silent films