''Josselyn's Wife'' is a 1919 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. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

based on a novel by

Kathleen Norris Kathleen Thompson Norris (July 16, 1880 – January 18, 1966) was an American novelist and newspaper columnist. She was one of the most widely read and highest paid female writers in the United States for nearly fifty years, from 1911 to 1959. No ...

. It was directed by

Howard C. Hickman Howard Close Hickman (February 9, 1880 – December 31, 1949) was an American actor, director and writer. He was an accomplished stage leading man, who entered films through the auspices of producer Thomas H. Ince. Career In 1900, Hickman debu ...

and starred

Bessie Barriscale Bessie Barriscale (born Elizabeth Mary Barriscale; June 9, 1884 – June 30, 1965) was an American actress who gained fame on the stage and in silent films. Early life Barriscale was born in New York City to Samuel Barriscale, an England-born ...

Nigel Barrie Nigel Barrie (5 February 1889, in Calcutta, British India – 8 October 1971, in South Africa) was an Indian-born British actor. Biography Barrie's background as a dancer and actor on legitimate stages and in vaudeville in both Great Britain an ...

, and Joseph J. Dowling. The novel was adapted to film again in 1926 with

Pauline Frederick Pauline Frederick (born Pauline Beatrice Libbey; August 12, 1883 – September 19, 1938) was an American stage and film actress. Early life Frederick was born Pauline Beatrice Libbey (later changed to Libby) in Boston in 1883 (some sources stat ...

Plot

As described in a

film magazine Film periodicals combine discussion of individual films, genres and directors with in-depth considerations of the medium and the conditions of its production and reception. Their articles contrast with film reviewing in newspapers and magazines whi ...

, Ellen Latimer Josselyn (Barriscale), after the birth of her son, influences her husband Gibbs (Barrie) to forget the quarrel he had with his father (Dowling) at the time his father took a much younger woman for his wife. A happy reunion follows and Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs Josselyn go to make their home his father and stepmother. Lillian, the young stepmother, has grown tired of her society friends and sets out to make Gibbs fall in love with her. A strange coincidence leads the younger Mrs. Josselyn and older Mr. Josselyn to believe Lillian and Gibbs have been untrue to them. A violent quarrel between Gibbs and his father follows. On the next morning the elder Josselyn is found dead from a bullet wound and Gibbs is arrested. After the trial has dragged several months, Tommy (Alexander), the little grandson, tells of how he was playing "spy" on his grandfather in the early morning hours and "the gun exploded and grandfather went to sleep." The story clears Gibbs and opens up a new and happier life for the parents and son.

Cast

as Ellen Latimer Josselyn *

as Gibbs Josselyn *

Kathleen Kirkham Kathleen Kirkham Woodruff (April 15, 1895 – November 7, 1961) was an American actress on stage and in silent films. Career Kathleen Kirkham was born on April 15, 1895, to Mrs. L.B. Kirkham, who was a stage actress prior to her marriage. Kirk ...

as Lillian Josselyn * Joseph J. Dowling as Grandpa Latimer * Ben Alexander as Tommy Josselyn *Leslie Stuart as Lindsay Pepper *

Marguerite De La Motte Marguerite De La Motte (June 22, 1902 – March 10, 1950) was an American film actress, most notably of the silent film era. Early years Born in Duluth, Minnesota, De La Motte was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph De La Motte. She was a ...

as Lizzie *

Josephine Crowell Josephine Bonaparte CrowellSlide, Anthony (1973). The Griffith Actresses'. South Brunswick: A.S. Barnes. pp. 22, 24. . (January 11, 1859– July 27, 1932) was a Canadian film actress of the silent era. She appeared in more than 90 fil ...

as Aunt Elsie *

George Hackathorne George Hackathorne (February 13, 1896 – June 25, 1940) was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1916 and 1939. Hackathorne was born and educated in Pendleton, Oregon. Despite his mother's wishes that ...

as Joe Latimer *

Helen Dunbar Helen Dunbar (born Katheryn Burke Lackey; October 10, 1863 – August 28, 1933) was an American theatrical performer and silent film actress. Career Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dunbar first appeared with the Weber & Fields Stock Co ...

as Mrs. Rose *

Tom Guise Tom Guise (1857–1930) was an American male actor on stage and screen. He appeared in numerous films in the decade spanning 1917 to 1927. He was one of the popular stars in the film adaptation of the controversial book '' Black Oxen''. His perfo ...

as Thomas Josselyn

Preservation

With no prints of ''Josselyn's Wife'' located in any film archives, it is considered a

lost film A lost film is a feature film, feature or short film in which the original negative or copies are not known to exist in any studio archive, private collection, or public archive. Films can be wholly or partially lost for a number of reasons. ...

References

External links

* *Norris, Kathleen Thompson (1918),
Josselyn's Wife
', New York: Grosset & Dunlap, on the Internet Archive 1919 films American silent feature films Lost American drama films Films directed by Howard C. Hickman 1919 drama films Silent American drama films American black-and-white films Film Booking Offices of America films 1919 lost films 1910s American films 1910s English-language films English-language drama films {{1910s-drama-film-stub