''Brown of Harvard'' is a 1926 American silent

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by Jack Conway, and starring

William Haines Charles William Haines (January 2, 1900 – December 26, 1973) was an American actor and interior designer. Haines was discovered by a talent scout and signed with Goldwyn Pictures in 1922. His career gained momentum when he received favo ...

Jack Pickford John Charles Smith (August 18, 1896 – January 3, 1933), known professionally as Jack Pickford, was a Canadian-American actor, film director and producer. He was the younger brother of actresses Mary and Lottie Pickford. After their father d ...

and

Mary Brian Mary Brian (born Louise Byrdie Dantzler, February 17, 1906 – December 30, 2002) was an American actress who made the transition from silent films to sound films. Early life Brian was born in Corsicana, Texas, the daughter of Taurrence J. ...

. Released by

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

, the film is based on the successful 1906 Broadway play ''Brown of Harvard'' by

Rida Johnson Young Rida Johnson Young (February 28, 1875 – May 8, 1926) was an American playwright, songwriter and librettist.IBDBRida Johnson Young Retrieved November 21, 2007 In her career, Young wrote over thirty plays and musicals, and over 500 songs. She ...

, who also co-wrote the popular music for the play along with Melvin Ellis. The film is best known of the three ''Brown of Harvard'' films. It was

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Gol ...

's film debut. Uncredited, Wayne played a Yale football player.

Grady Sutton Grady Harwell Sutton (April 5, 1906 – September 17, 1995) was an American film and television character actor from the 1920s to the 1970s. He appeared in more than 180 films. Early years Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sutton was raised ...

and Robert Livingston, both of whom went on to long and successful careers, also appear uncredited. The 1918 film included future

Boston Redskins The Washington Commanders, an American football team belonging to the National Football League (NFL), have also played as the Boston Braves, Boston Redskins, Washington Redskins, and Washington Football Team. Founded in 1932, the team has won five ...

coach William "Lone Star" Dietz and the only Washington State University football team to win a Rose Bowl.

Plot

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

student Tom Brown is a handsome, athletic, and carefree young man who has a reputation as a Don Juan among the ladies. Although he is popular on campus, he finds himself at odds with Bob McAndrew, a studious, reserved boy who becomes his chief rival for the affections of beautiful Mary Abbott, a professor's daughter. Tom rooms with Jim Doolittle, an awkward weakling but goodhearted backwoods youth who idolizes him. The brash and cocky Brown easily wins over his dormitory mates, but refuses to let them ostracize Jim. One night at a party, Tom forcibly kisses Mary, which initiates a fight with Bob. Afterwards, Tom challenges Bob to a rowing competition; Bob is stroker on the college rowing team. Tom ends up losing. When he forces a confession of love from Mary, he begins to drink in shame. When he replaces Bob in a match against

Yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...

, Tom collapses and is disgraced. He is persuaded by his father to go out for football. To save his friend's reputation, the sickly Jim goes out and takes his place in the rain and is soon hospitalized. Tom plays in the game against Yale and at a crucial point gives Bob a chance to score for the team. After the game, Tom goes to the hospital to tell Jim of the victory, but Jim dies shortly afterward. Tom is acclaimed a school hero and is happily united with Mary.

Cast

as Tom Brown *

as Jim Doolittle *

as Mary Abbott * Francis X. Bushman Jr. as Bob McAndrew *

Mary Alden Mary Maguire Alden (June 18, 1883 – July 2, 1946) was an American motion picture and stage actress. She was one of the first Broadway actresses to work in Hollywood. Life Alden was born in New York City on June 18, 1883. She performed on Br ...

as Mrs. Brown * David Torrence as Mr. Brown *

Edward Connelly Edward Connelly (December 30, 1859 – November 21, 1928) was an American stage and film actor of the silent era. Biography Connelly had a Broadway theater career going back to the Victorian era. His Broadway credits include ''The Wild Du ...

as Professor Abbott *

Guinn Williams Guinn Terrell Williams (April 22, 1871 – January 9, 1948) was an American banker and politician. A Democrat, he served in the Texas State Senate, and is most notable for his service in the U.S. representative from Texas. His son was the actor ...

as Hal Walters * Donald Reed as Reggie Smythe * Richard Alexander as Football Fan (uncredited) * Robert Livingston as Harvard Student / Yale Cheering Section / Harvard Spectator (uncredited) *

Doris Lloyd Hessy Doris Lloyd (3 July 1891 – 21 May 1968) was an English–American film and stage actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles in ''The Time Machine'' (1960) and ''The Sound of Music'' (1965). Lloyd appeared in two Academy Award w ...

as Nurse (uncredited) *

as One of the Dickeys (uncredited) * Daniel G. Tomlinson as Football Trainer (uncredited) *

as a

College football player (uncredited)

References

External links

* * *
Full film on YouTube
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown Of Harvard (1926 Film) 1926 films 1926 drama films 1920s sports drama films American sports drama films American football films American films based on plays American silent feature films American black-and-white films Films directed by Jack Conway Films produced by Harry Rapf Films set in Harvard University Films with screenplays by Donald Ogden Stewart Harvard Crimson football Harvard Crimson rowing Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films 1920s American films Silent American drama films 1920s English-language films