''Rags to Riches'' is a 1922 American silent
comedy film
A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...
directed by
Wallace Worsley
Wallace A. Worsley, Sr. (December 8, 1878 – March 26, 1944) was an American stage actor who became a film director in the silent era. During his career, Worsley directed 29 films and acted in 7 films. He directed several motion pictures sta ...
and written by
Walter DeLeon
Walter DeLeon (May 3, 1884 – August 1, 1947) was an American screenwriter and playwright.
Biography
Walter DeLeon was born on May 3, 1884 in Oakland, California. DeLeon made his playwright debut at Idora Park in Oakland. He wrote for 6 ...
and
William Nigh
William Nigh (October 12, 1881 – November 27, 1955) was an American film director, writer, and actor. His film work sometimes lists him as either "Will Nigh" or "William Nye".
Biography
Nigh was born Emil Kreuske''Silent Film Necrology'', ...
. The film stars
Wesley Barry
Wesley Barry (August 10, 1907 – April 11, 1994) was an American actor, director, and producer. Barry began his career as a child actor in silent motion pictures and later became a producer and director of both film and television. As a direc ...
,
Niles Welch
Niles Eugene Welch (July 29, 1888 – November 21, 1976) was an American performer on Broadway, and a leading man in a number of silent and early talking motion pictures from the early 1910s through the 1930s.
Early life
A native of Hartfor ...
, Ruth Renick,
Russell Simpson, Minna Redman, and
Richard Tucker
Richard Tucker (August 28, 1913January 8, 1975) was an American operatic tenor and cantor. Long associated with the Metropolitan Opera, Tucker's career was primarily centered in the United States.
Early life
Tucker was born Rivn (Rubin) Ticker ...
. The film was released by
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
on September 24, 1922.
Plot
Marmaduke Clyde, a wealthy boy in search of adventure, leaves home to join a gang of crooks. He and Dumbbell strike out by themselves and find work on a farm. Dumbbell falls in love with Mary Wilde, but they incur the wrath of the Purist's League delegation, the sheriff, the Clarkes, detectives hired by Mr Clarke, and the gang of crooks intent on kidnapping Marmaduke, Dumbbell, and Mary all meet up together, Dumbbell reveals himself to be Ralph Connor, Secret Service agent, and turns the gang over to the sheriff.
Cast
*
Wesley Barry
Wesley Barry (August 10, 1907 – April 11, 1994) was an American actor, director, and producer. Barry began his career as a child actor in silent motion pictures and later became a producer and director of both film and television. As a direc ...
as Marmaduke Clarke
*
Niles Welch
Niles Eugene Welch (July 29, 1888 – November 21, 1976) was an American performer on Broadway, and a leading man in a number of silent and early talking motion pictures from the early 1910s through the 1930s.
Early life
A native of Hartfor ...
as Dumbbell
*
Ruth Renick
Ruth Renick (born Ruth Griffin; September 23, 1893 - May 7, 1984) was an American actress on stage and in films. She made her debut in film in 1919, in a silent film. Her career spanned the shift to "talkies", and Renick had her last role in a ...
as Mary Warde
*
Russell Simpson as The Sheriff
*Minna Redman as Sheriff's wife
*
Richard Tucker
Richard Tucker (August 28, 1913January 8, 1975) was an American operatic tenor and cantor. Long associated with the Metropolitan Opera, Tucker's career was primarily centered in the United States.
Early life
Tucker was born Rivn (Rubin) Ticker ...
as Blackwell Clarke
*
Eulalie Jensen
Eulalie Jensen (December 24, 1884 – October 7, 1952) was an American actress on the New York stage and in silent films.
Biography
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, she was selected as one of six extra girls from the 200 applicants responding to a ...
as Mrs. Blackwell Clarke
*
Jane Keckley
Jane Keckley (September 10, 1876 – August 14, 1963) was an American actress of the silent and sound film eras.
Biography
Keckley was born in Charleston, South Carolina, and went to school there and in Georgia.
Before she acted in films, Kec ...
as Marmaduke's Governess
*Sam Kaufman as Tony
*
Dick Sutherland
Dick Sutherland (born Archibald Thomas Johnson, December 23, 1881 – February 3, 1934) was an American film actor, active mostly during the silent film era. Born in Benton, Kentucky, in 1881, Sutherland appeared in more than 70 films betwe ...
as Bull
*James Quinn as Louis
*
Snitz Edwards
Snitz Edwards (born Edward Neumann, 1 January 1868 – 1 May 1937) was a stage and character actor of the early years of the silent film era into the 1930s.
Biography
Born into a Jewish household on New Year's Day 1868 in Budapest, Hungary ( ...
as Purist League member
*
Aileen Manning
Aileen Manning (January 20, 1886 – March 25, 1946) was an American film actress.
Manning was in demand as a character actress in silent films. She was known for her roles in silent and early talkie films, including ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' (1927) ...
as Purist League member
Box office
According to Warner Bros records, the film earned $418,000 domestically and $29,000 foreign.
References
External links
*
*
Lobby cardsat silenthollywood.com
1922 films
American comedy-drama films
1922 comedy-drama films
Warner Bros. films
Films directed by Wallace Worsley
American silent feature films
American black-and-white films
1920s English-language films
1920s American films
Silent comedy-drama films
Silent American drama films
Silent American comedy films
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