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Charles Cummings (left), Ollie Kirby, Marin Sais and Thomas G. Lingham.
Photograph: Silent Era image collection.
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The Mysteries of
the Grand Hotel
(1915) United States of America
B&W : Serial / 12 chapters / 24 reels
Directed by James W. Horne
Cast: William H. West [Don Louis Gonzolez, a wealthy Spaniard (chapter 1) / C.W. Fulton, a western millionaire (chapter 2)], Thomas Lingham (Tom Lingham) [Valdez, a cigarmaker (chapter 1)], Ollie Kirkby (Ollie Kirby) [Renee Valdez, his daughter (chapter 1) / Mrs. Fulton, C.W.’s wife (chapter 2)], Marin Sais [Frances Ballou, the house detective (chapters 1 and 2)], Charles Cummings [Jack Hilton, her assistant (chapters 1 and 2)], True Boardman [Jack Hilton, her assistant (chapters 3-8 & 11)], Frank Jonasson [‘Dude’ Duncan, a human wolf (chapter 2), Paul C. Hurst [Buck, Dude’s pal (chapter 2)], Muriel Ruth
Kalem Company, Incorporated, production; distributed by The General Film Company, Incorporated. / Scenario by Hamilton Smith. / 12 chapters (two reels each): [1] “The Strangler’s Cord,” released 21 July 1915; [2] “The Disappearing Necklace,” released 28 July 1915; [3] “The Secret Code,” released 4 August 1915; [4] “The Riddle of the Rings,” released 11 August 1915; [5] “The Substitute Jewel,” released 18 August 1915; [6] “A Double Identity,” released 25 August 1915; [7] “The False Clue,” released 1 September 1915; [8] “When Thieves Fall Out,” released 8 September 1915; [9] “Under Oath,” released 15 September 1915; [10] “The Wolf’s Prey,” released 22 September 1915; [11] “The Man on Watch,” released 29 September 1915; [12] “The Man in Irons,” released 6 October 1915. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama: Mystery.
Synopsis: [Episode 1] A series of remarkable attempts are made upon the life of Don Louis, who is stopping at the Grand Hotel. About the retire, he finds a cobra coiled in his bed. Later, a strangler’s cord swishes through the air and encircles the Spaniard’s neck. The man escapes death by a miracle. The third attempt occurs when a huge chandelier suspended directly above the table at which Don Louis sits, crashes down. / Unnerved, the Spaniard begs Hilton, one of the hotel detectives, to spend the night with him. A few hours later, Hilton is found bound and gagged. He tells of a mysterious visitors who overpowered him and kidnapped Don Louis. No trace of the culprit and his victim can be found. / Renee, daughter of Valdez, the cigarmaker who supplies the hotel with his wares, informs Hilton that her father has disappeared. The sympathetic detective accompanies the girl home. The two hear strange noises in the curing house back of the cottage. Investigating, Hilton comes upon Valdez and Don Louis. The latter is buried neck deep in the ground. / Hilton, attempting to interfere, is overpowered by Valdez, who appears to be insane. The man informs him that years before, Don Louis had him kidnapped, after which the scoundrel stole his wife. The woman later died in want. From the hour he learned the truth, the wronged man lived only for revenge. / His story told, Valdez kneels beside the don’s head and slowly shoves a cobra toward the man’s face. Frances Ballou, summoned by Renee, arrives just in time to save the don’s life. Hilton tells her the story while liberating Don Louis. The terrible ordeal has revealed to the latter the depths of his infamy and he slinks away. Her heart touched, Frances resolved to keep the matter from the police. / [Episode 2] In his native haunts, Duncan throws off the mask and appears as the drug addict and criminal that he is. To the attaches of the Grand Hotel, he seems a man of wealth and refinement. / Fulton and his wife arrives from the West and register at the Grand Hotel. Duncan, ingratiating himself into Fulton’s favor, learns that the latter’s wife possesses some very valuable jewels. Attacking a window-cleaner, Duncan knocks the man unconscious, robs him of his uniform and locks his victim in a tool shed. / Climbing up the fire escapes, the crook locates the room occupied by the Fultons. Mrs. Fulton is alone at the time. Holding her up, Duncan steals her gems, among which is a diamond necklace. The husband’s return, however, leads to Duncan’s capture. All the gems save the necklace are recovered. That has mysteriously disappeared. / Knowing that it would be hopeless to expect the man to confess the hiding place of the necklace, Frances Ballou and Hilton, the house detectives, allow him to go free. Hilton trails the man to a den in the slums of the city. A moment’s carelessness, however, and the sleuth finds himself a prisoner in the hands of the crook’s accomplices. / Duncan then mockingly informs his prisoner that he had slipped the necklace into the vacuum cleaner tube of the Fulton room and that he now intends to return and recover the gems from the dirt tank in the cellar of the hotel. Shortly after the man departs, Hilton makes his escape after a sensational fight. ’Phoning to Frances, he informs her of the necklace’s hiding place. Duncan is captured just as he recovers the jewel.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Hotels - Serials
Listing updated: 25 February 2019.
References: Tarbox-Lost p. 237 : Website-IMDb.
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