''Erstwhile Susan'' is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by John S. Robertson, produced and distributed by Realart Pictures. It is based on a 1914 novel ''Barnabetta'' by

Helen Reimensnyder Martin Helen Reimensnyder Martin (October 18, 1868 – June 29, 1939) was an American author. Early life and education Martin was born on October 18, 1868, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She was the fifth child born to Reverend Cornelius and Henrietta ...

and later Broadway play ''Erstwhile Susan'' by Marian De Forest.

Minnie Maddern Fiske Minnie Maddern Fiske (born Marie Augusta Davey; December 19, 1865 – February 15, 1932), but often billed simply as Mrs. Fiske, was one of the leading American actresses of the late 19th and early 20th century. She also spearheaded the fig ...

starred in the Broadway play in 1916. This film version stars

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 ...

and Constance Binney, then an up-and-coming young actress. This film version, once thought to be

lost Lost may refer to getting lost, or to: Geography *Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland * Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US History *Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...

, survives at the

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of ...

. ''Erstwhile Susan'' was the first film by Realart Films,

Adolph Zukor Adolph Zukor (; hu, Zukor Adolf; January 7, 1873 – June 10, 1976) was a Hungarian-American film producer best known as one of the three founders of Paramount Pictures.Obituary ''Variety Obituaries, Variety'' (June 16, 1976), p. 76. He produ ...

's offshoot affiliate of his Famous Players-Lasky enterprise.

Plot

As described in an adoption in the November 1919 issue of the film magazine ''Shadowland'', Barnabetta (Constance Binney) dreams of furthering her education, but her Mennonite father Jacob (

Bradley Barker Bradley Barker (January 18, 1883 – September 29, 1951) was an American actor and film director of the silent era. He also created sound effects for film and radio. Born in Long Island, New York, Barker was a vaudeville performer and an a ...

) disapproves. Jacob later marries Erstwhile Susan (

), who has money and changes the family relationships, and sends Barnabetta to college. After graduation, she helps David Jordan (Jere Austin) run for the Senate, who then professes his love for her.

Cast

* Constance Binney as Barnabetta Dreary *

Jere Austin Jere Austin (1876–1927) was an American silent film actor from Minnesota. He was born John Van Akin Austin and he began in films in 1914 and made his last appearance in Cecil B. DeMille's ''King of Kings'' (1927). Austin had entered films wi ...

as David Jordan *

Alfred Hickman Alfred Hickman (25 February 1873 – 9 April 1931) was an English actor. He was married to actress Nance O'Neil Gertrude Lamson (October 8, 1874 – February 7, 1965), known professionally as Nance O'Neil or Nancy O'Neil, was an American ...

as Dr. Edgar Barrett *

as Erstwhile Susan *

Anders Randolf Anders Randolf (December 18, 1870 – July 2, 1930) was a Danish American actor in American films from 1913 to 1930. Biography Anders was born in Viborg, Denmark, where he became a professional soldier in the Danish army and a world-class sw ...

as Barnaby Dreary *

Georges Renavent Georges Renavent (born Georges DeChaux, April 23, 1892 – January 2, 1969) was a French-American actor in film, Broadway plays and operator of American Grand Guignol. He was born in Paris, France. In 1914, he immigrated to the United Stat ...

as Emanuel Dreary *

as Jacob Dreary *Leslie Hunt as Albert Buchter *Clare Verdera (unidentified, uncredited role)

Preservation

A copy of the film survives at the Museum of Modern Art. ''Erstwhile Susan'' is the only Constance Binney film that survives in a complete form. All of her other work has been

except for a single reel from ''

First Love First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...

'' (1921).

References

External links

* * * Martin, Helen Reimensnyder,
Barnabetta
', New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1914 edition illustrated with scenes from the play ''Erstwhile Susan'' American silent feature films Silent American drama films 1919 films 1919 drama films Films based on American novels American films based on plays Paramount Pictures films Films directed by John S. Robertson American black-and-white films Films based on multiple works 1910s American films {{1910s-drama-film-stub