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The Understudy
(1912) United States of America
B&W : One reel
Directed by Archer MacMackin
Cast: Francis X. Bushman [Bradley], Beverly Bayne [Mary, the understudy], Martha Russell [Pauline Raymond], Joseph Allen (Joseph Allen Sr.) [an actor], Frank Dayton [an actor], Howard Missimer [an actor], William Bailey [an actor], William Walters [an actor], Charles Hitchcock [an actor]
Essanay Film Manufacturing Company production; distributed by The General Film Company, Incorporated. / Released 23 July 1912. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Pauline Raymond, leading lady of a theatrical company, which is to open on Broadway with a new show, receives her part and goes to a small country place to study. Here she meets the daughter of the landlady and the two become fast friends. The little country girl is deeply interested in Pauline’s part, and studies it every chance she gets. Seeing her enthusiasm, Pauline makes her sort of an understudy and Mary helps the actress greatly with her prompting. Two weeks pass and Pauline prepares to leave for the opening night. Quite by accident she forgets her part and leaves it behind at the cottage. Mary finds it and, although knowing it by heart, goes out into the woods to study the familiar lines. Meanwhile, Pauline’s auto meets with a serious accident on the road and she is carried back to the cottage badly injured. Bradley, the theater manager, gets the wire, jumps into an auto and arrives at the little town the afternoon of the opening night of the show. Pauline’s injury prevents her returning to the stage for weeks and Bradley is in despair. Failure of the show and ruin stare him in the face and he tramps away into the woods to fight it out with himself. Suddenly he hears a voice speaking aloud the lines of Miss Raymond’s part and discovers Mary, who tells him she knows every line of it. Instantly Bradley whisks her into the auto and, after a wild dash, they arrive in the city in time to fit Mary out with a wardrobe and send her on the stage to play the star role. Mary makes a great hit and receives an ovation at the final curtain that insures her success and that of the play. Bradley instantly makes her leading lady of the road company.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 5 October 2023.
References: Pratt-Spellbound p. ? : Website-IMDb.
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