The Cheerful Fraud

Broken Blossoms

May 1919 •English

The love story of an abused English girl and a Chinese Buddhist in a time when London was a brutal and harsh place to live.

City Lights

February 1931 •English

A tramp falls in love with a beautiful blind flower girl. His on-and-off friendship with a wealthy man allows him to be the girl's benefactor and suitor.

Pandora's Box

January 1929 •German

Lulu is a young woman so beautiful and alluring that few can resist her siren charms. The men drawn into her web include respectable newspaper publisher Dr. Ludwig Schön, his musical producer son Alwa, circus performer Rodrigo Quast, and seedy old Schigolch. When Lulu's charms inevitably lead to tragedy, the downward spiral encompasses them all.

The General

December 1926 •English

During America’s Civil War, Union spies steal engineer Johnny Gray's beloved locomotive, 'The General'—with Johnnie's lady love aboard an attached boxcar—and he single-handedly must do all in his power to both get The General back and to rescue Annabelle.

The Gold Rush

July 1925 •English

A gold prospector in Alaska struggles to survive the elements and win the heart of a dance hall girl.

A Fool and His Money

January 1912 •English

Sam the white-washer pines for the affluent Lindy, but she has dumped him in favor of another. Sam finds a large sum of money, and goes to New York to enjoy a shopping spree, buying new clothes, jewelry and a car with a driver. Back home, Lindy flips for Sam and his newfound wealth, and dumps the rival. Sam throws an engagement party where he indulges in a friendly game of cards with his former rival and another man, who unbeknownst to Sam, is a card shark.

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans

November 1927 •English

A married farmer falls under the spell of a slatternly woman from the city, who tries to convince him to drown his wife.

My Wife, the Movie Star

January 1919 •German

While making a movie in the Alps, the female star falls in love with a nobleman.

The Girl from Gay Paree

October 1927 •English

Mary Davis, alone and destitute in New York City, pilfers a meal from a restaurant and eludes the police by ducking into the Cafe Royale, where she is shuffled along a line of aspiring chorines awaiting job interviews. In desperation, Mary agrees to impersonate Mademoiselle Fanchon, formerly of the Folies-Bergère, who has walked out on her contract. Reporter Kenneth Ward interviews Mary, believing her to be the notorious Frenchwoman, and due to a misunderstanding, she rushes wildly into his arms. When Robert Ryan, a bachelor friend of the real Fanchon, investigates Mary’s deception, she violently repels his advances and believes she has killed him. Later, the real Fanchon threatens to kill Robert. Following a series of amusing complications, Mary finds love with Kenneth.

Seven Sinners

November 1925 •

Six burglars separately break into the Vickers mansion on Long Island to loot the safe but catch each other in the act. They all pretend to be members of the household when locked in by a well meaning police officer.

Snowbound

May 1927 •English

Assuming he is marrying a wealthy girl, Peter Foley passes a fraudulent check. To save him from jail, Julia Barry poses as his wife. Peter is actually in love with Alice Blake. He encounters complications with motorcycle cop Bull, who is engaged to Julia. A friend of Alice adds to the mix-up. All wind up snowbound together in a mountain lodge.

Broadway Nights

May 1927 •English

Fannie joins Johnny to perform a music-hall act which becomes a success, until two Broadway producers catch the act and offer Fannie a job on their latest show; however, they have no place for Johnny, so Fannie turns down the offer. (Film considered lost.)

The Last Dragon

March 1985 •English

A young man searches for the "master" to obtain the final level of martial arts mastery known as the glow. Along the way he must fight an evil martial arts expert and rescue a beautiful singer from an obsessed music promoter.

Two Old Tars

October 1913 •English

Two old tars, retired from service, live alone in a cottage by the sea. They sail along on an even keel, until a buxom and comely widow projects herself on the scene when one old tar breaks one of their unwritten laws and falls in love with her. The other old fellow objects strenuously.

Mickey's Battle

December 1927 •English

A bantamweight boxer has moved to Toonerville with his sissy-looking but well-trained son. When he gets into a dispute with Mickey Maguire, nothing will settle the matter but a meeting in the squared ring.

He Loved the Ladies

September 1914 •English

Underground

July 1928 •English

A working-class love story set in and around the London Underground of the 1920s. Two men – gentle Bill and brash Bert – meet and are attracted to the same woman on the same day at the same Underground station. But the lady chooses Bill, and Bert isn't the type to take rejection lightly...

Behind the Door

December 1919 •English

Oscar Krug is looked upon with suspicion by his neighbors because of his German name. When the US is drawn into the war with Germany, he enlists and travels the seas with his wife, Alice Morse. During a submarine attack Alice is snatched from Krug's side by a German officer. Krug now lives to have his revenge, and when the opportunity presents itself, he will have it.

The Bright Shawl

April 1923 •English

Charles Abbott is implicated in the death of his friend Escobar, brother to the woman he loves.

The Secret of the Submarine

May 1915 •English

An American adventure film serial comprised of fifteen episodes of two reels (24 min) each. All chapters are presumed lost.