Lloyd Lonergan
Writing
Biography
Born in Chicago, Lloyd F. Lonergan was one of five children of Thomas Lonergan, a newspaper publisher. His mother was a writer for various newspapers, and eventually all of his siblings became newspaper writers too. Lonergan attended the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD. He later went to work for the William Randolph Hearst organization as a newspaper and magazine writer and worked on a number of newspapers, including the New York Evening Journal and the New York Evening World. He was eventually hired by the newly formed Thanhouser Company as a scriptwriter, and penned the company's first picture, The Actor's Children (1910). He later married Molly Homan, the sister of Thanhouser founder Edwin Thanhouser's wife. He left Thanhouser in 1915 after company executive (and his close friend) Charles J. Hite was killed in an auto accident and founder Edwin Thanhouser sold the company to an investor syndicate. Lonergan went to work for Universal Pictures as a scriptwriter. However, Thanhouser returned and bought the company back not long afterwards —the new owners had no idea how to run a film studio and were losing a fortune— and Lonergan also returned, staying for the next two years. In 1917, as the studio's fortunes declined and it was on its last legs, Lonergan left for good. He retired for a while, but came back in late 1917 to edit the serial The Million Dollar Mystery (1914) into a feature to be re-released by Arrow Film Corp. He later returned to scriptwriting also, although mostly for low-budget independents, and wrote such films as A Common Level (1920) for Transatlantic Films, Why Women Sin (1920) for Wisteria Productions and My Lady's Garter (1920) for Maurice Tourneur Productions. He died in New York City on April 6, 1937, after a long illness.
Known For
In the days long ago when knights were brave and venturesome, enchanted forests grew and mythical creatures lived among us.
Undine
A good example of the clever light comedy Thanhouser produced for its Falstaff label, while other studios cranked out broad slapstick comedies. Harry Benham and Mignon Anderson were versatile and popular Thanhouser stars, here showing considerable skill in light comedy, a genre that invites plenty of satirical social observation such as the burgeoning beauty-salon industry here. Cinema technique shows much more intricate editing and freer use of closeups than just a year or two earlier.
Madam Blanche, Beauty Doctor
Society miss Sally Raeburn is left penniless and is helped out by an older woman. The woman makes it clear that to repay her, Sally must marry wealth, so when the very well-heeled Lester comes to her village, Sally goes after him. Lester has been traveling incognito in the hopes that no one will discover him, so when Sally wins him she feels guilty and confesses that she knew who he was all along.
The Highest Bidder
A royal love triangle leads to heartbreak for all until 25 years hence all is made right for their descendants.
Lucile
This twenty-three episode serial told the story of a secret society called The Black Hundred and its attempts to gain control of a lost million dollars.
The Million Dollar Mystery
Zudora, not knowing she's an heiress to a $20 million fortune, lives with her uncle, a mystic and detective, who covets her inheritance. She wants to marry John Storm but her uncle is against it. However, the uncle makes a bargain; if Zudora can solve the next twenty mysteries brought to him, she can marry as she chooses. Episodes 1,2 and 8, plus another unidentified chapter, survive. The rest is believed to be lost.
Zudora
A rich man who finds that there is nothing in life worth living for, is worse off than is a poor man in similar circumstances, for the poor man may he stricken with ambition, and in a last effort to attain fame and fortune, redeems himself. But what is a man to do if he has wealth, health, all the fame he desires, and yet looks at life through blue spectacles?
Rejuvenation
Robin Hood and his followers aid the poor and oppressed from their hideout in Sherwood Forest, pursued by the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Robin Hood
A truncated version of Wilkie Collins' popular mystery story.
The Woman in White
A young Russian woman escapes persecution in her country and makes her way to the United States. Shortly after her arrival she meets an American millionaire, John Colton.
Under False Colors
A recreation of the Thanhouser Studio fire of 13 January 1913, it includes the rescue of a small child from the flaming building.
When the Studio Burned
Film realization of the Biblical story of Joseph, played here by future director James Cruze.
Joseph in the Land of Egypt
Released under Thanhouser's "Falstaff" comedy brand, in this film two rival lovers face off at croquet. One wins out because of his honesty, or rather, Clarence gets it wrong because he cheats at croquet.
Clarence Cheats at Croquet
A society woman who lives in the suburbs near the sea had laid her plans to insure the marriage of her daughter to a wealthy young banker.
Peggy's Invitation
Sicilian king Leontes jealously accuses his wife Hermione of infidelity with his best friend, and while imprisoned, she delivers a child. Sent away, the child is raised by Bohemian shepherds. The Winter's Tale was the first of six Shakespeare adaptations from Thanhouser, and was the 13th or 14th title from the studio in its first nine weeks of releases.
The Winter's Tale
Lord Trevor and his ward, Nan Tremain are prominent figures in London society, as well as clandestine agents of the government. With the help of wealthy East Indian, Abdul, who posed as Trevor’s body servant, Nan dressed as a foreign noblewoman, recovers the plans of certain coast fortifications which had fallen into the hands of double agent, Col. Pfaff and would have been of irredeemable loss to her country had they reached another country.
A Debut in the Secret Service
Convicted in a revolutionary conspiracy, a man rashly states that he wishes never again to hear the name of the United States of America. The judge grants him his wish, sentencing him to life aboard a ship always at sea, aboard with sailors under orders never to let him hear of his homeland in any way. The punishment nearly destroys him, while changing him thoroughly.
The Man Without a Country
A French woman has to marry a Russian to preserve the reputation of her society mother. However she is in love with someone else.
Moths
The lead Florence La Badie plays dual roles. Clever editing is used for the scene where her two characters meet. La Badie, however, does appear twice within a scene via superimposition, but that's in a flashback-within-a-mirror scene. There are a couple such scenes where La Badie's reflection in the mirror reflects her reflective melancholy mood.
The Woman in White
The ghost of a selfish, inconsiderate woman must make up for her past transgressions by making sure that her descendant marries the man who is right for her.