Author Archive: Retro

Thieves decide to steal the money an old miser has hidden away. He refuses to open the safe for them, so they threaten to kill a girl who lives in his building.

Reliable authority states that nine million human lives were sacrificed through the zeal of fanatical reformers during the Christian epoch. Religious fanaticism was in most cases the cause, still there were many victimized to satisfy a personal grudge, and this Biograph subject shows how easily such a crime can be perpetrated. Play upon the minds of a superstitions people and you may lead them blindly to any end. In 1692 the agitation was so great in Salem, Mass., that many people lost their self-possession, some even believing themselves to be witches. On the other hand, a number of the inhabitants moved away fear of being accused of being witches. There are many relics of those days still in existence at Salem, and while conditions are such as to prevent our using the actual spots, yet many of the scenes of the picture are closely contiguous to them, our company of players making the trip there [...]

The most satisfying and pleasurable sensation experienced is “getting even,” especially where one has been held up to ridicule before a jeering mob. Such was the reguerdon of Bud, the Kid of the Mining Camp, after suffering gross humiliation at the hands of the other cowboys and miners. Miss Lucy, the belle of the camp, is introduced to the Kid, and makes an impression; the Kid becomes quite seriously inclined towards her. The boys, more in the spirit of jest than chagrin, poke fun at him; call him the baby, and end with Jim Blake spanking him. Needless to say the Kid is mortified and swears to get square. A masque ball is to be held that night, so Bud plans his revenge. All tog out in grotesque costumes, a high old time is imminent, for it is fair to assume that the society folk of the camp will be well represented. Bud, however, feigns [...]

Mary is coerced into helping with a burglary of a minister’s apartment. Later she repents and goes to the minister’s storefront mission to help.

Struggling with poverty and the declining health of a relative, a young woman struggles to find employment.

A young wife and her musician husband live in poverty in a New York City tenement. The husband’s job requires him to go away for for a number of days. On his return, he is robbed by the neighborhood gangster. Sometime later, an unrelated mob shoot-out ensues. The husband happens upon the melee, recognizing the crook who robbed him. Can the husband retrieve his money?

The story of the massacre of an Indian village, and the ensuing retaliation.

A father arrives home, greets his wife and daughter, and then goes inside with his wife. Though they are only inside for a brief time, their daughter wanders off, attracted by the music from a pair of gypsies performing in the street. When the gypsies move on, they take the young girl with her. As soon as the parents realize that their daughter is gone, they begin a frantic search, assisted by the family’s loyal dog.

In a little village there lived two families who were almost lifetime neighbors and friends. In the one family there was a boy, in the other, a girl. These two had been sweethearts from childhood and each found happiness in the other’s company. All was sunshine for Dave, the boy, until the day of the church lawn party, when the nephew of the minister arrived from college. His easy manners and good clothes make an impression on the unsophisticated girl, and it is with slight persuasion she consents to elope with him that evening. The result is the inevitable, for the man proves to be a scapegrace. Meanwhile, the girl, through pride, pretends in her letters home to be doing well. Dave, however, has his misgivings and decides to pay them a visit. The result of this visit is a startling revelation. Later the girl is made to realize faithful Dave’s true worth.