''Salvation Nell'' is a 1921 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 ...

produced by

Whitman Bennett Whitman Bennett (1883–1968) was an American film producer and director of the silent era.Munden p.34 Selected filmography * ''The Truth About Husbands'' (1920) * ''The Devil's Garden'' (1920) * '' The Master Mind'' (1920) * '' Salvation Nell'' ...

and distributed by Associated First National Pictures, later

First National Pictures First National Pictures was an American motion picture production and distribution company. It was founded in 1917 as First National Exhibitors' Circuit, Inc., an association of independent theatre owners in the United States, and became the count ...

. It was directed by Kenneth Webb and stars

Pauline Starke Pauline Starke (January 10, 1901Some sources say she was born in 1900. – February 3, 1977) was an American silent-film actress. Early years Pauline Starke was born on January 10, 1901, in Joplin, Missouri, the daughter of George W. Starke ...

. The film is based on a successful 1908 Broadway play by

Edward Sheldon Edward Brewster Sheldon (Chicago, Illinois, February 4, 1886 – April 1, 1946, New York City) was an American dramatist. His plays include ''Salvation Nell'' (1908) and ''Romance'' (1913), which was made into a motion picture with Greta Garbo. ...

that starred

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 ...

. This film survives in the

George Eastman House The George Eastman Museum, also referred to as ''George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography and Film'', the world's oldest museum dedicated to photography and one of the world's oldest film archives, opened to the public in 1949 in ...

and the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...

collections.The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: ''Salvation Nell''
/ref> An earlier 1915 version with

Beatriz Michelena Beatriz Michelena (February 22, 1890 – October 10, 1942) was a Venezuelan American actress and singer during the silent film era, known at the time for her operatic soprano voice and appearances in musical theatre. She was one of the few La ...

is now

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 ...

. A 1931 talkie version made by

Tiffany Pictures Tiffany Pictures, which also became Tiffany-Stahl Productions for a time, was a Hollywood motion picture studio in operation from 1921 until 1932. It is considered a Poverty Row studio, whose films had lower budgets, lesser-known stars, and overal ...

survives.

Cast

as Nell Saunders * Joe King as Jim Platt (credited as Joseph King) *

Gypsy O'Brien Gypsy O'Brien (1889–1975) was a theater and film actress. Her theater performances included a role in '' Cheating Cheaters''. She also appeared in ''Bunny'' at the Hudson Theatre. Her performance as the persecuted heroine was described as pret ...

as Myrtle Hawes *

Edward Langford Edward Langford was an actor in American films and theater productions. He was paired in films with Alice Brady. In the 1910s, Langford acted with a company headed by Eleanor Gordon. Filmography *''The Leopardess'' (1923) *'' The Crimson Cross ...

as Major Williams *Evelyn Carter Carrington as Hallelujah (credited as Evelyn C. Carrington) *Maggie *Charles McDonald as Sid McGovern *

Matthew Betz Matthew Betz (September 13, 1881 – January 26, 1938) was an American film actor. Betz was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1881. Following an extended career in the U.S. Cavalry, Betz spent eight years in Vaudeville. His first stage play w ...

as Al McGovern *Marie Haynes as Hash House Sal *Arthur Earle as Giffen (credited as A. Earl) *William Nally as Callahan *Lawrence Johnson as Jimmie

References

External links

* * 1921 films American silent feature films Films based on works by Edward Sheldon Films directed by Kenneth Webb First National Pictures films 1921 drama films Silent American drama films American black-and-white films 1920s American films {{1920s-silent-drama-film-stub