''The Ne'er-Do-Well'' is a 1923 American

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...

directed by Alfred E. Green. The film stars

Thomas Meighan Thomas Meighan (April 9, 1879 – July 8, 1936) was an American actor of silent films and early talkies. He played several leading-man roles opposite popular actresses of the day, including Mary Pickford and Gloria Swanson. At one point he co ...

Lila Lee Lila Lee (born Augusta Wilhelmena Fredericka Appel; July 25, 1905 – November 13, 1973) was a prominent screen actress, primarily a leading lady, of the silent film and early sound film eras. Early life The daughter of Augusta Fredericka Appe ...

Gertrude Astor Gertrude Astor (born Gertrude Irene Eyster; November 9, 1887 – November 9, 1977) was an American motion picture character actress, who began her career playing trombone in a woman's band. Early years Gertrude Irene Eyster was born in Lake ...

John Miltern John Miltern (1870-1937) was an actor in theater and films in the United States. He was in the Broadway play '' Yellow Jack''. He was also in Channing Pollock's play ''Roads of Destiny''. Another of his stage performances was described as manly ...

, Gus Weinberg, and Sidney Smith. The screenplay by

Rex Beach Rex Ellingwood Beach (September 1, 1877 – December 7, 1949) was an American novelist, playwright, and Olympic water polo player. Early life Rex Beach was born in Atwood, Michigan, but moved to Tampa, Florida, with his family where his father ...

and Louis Stevens is based on

's 1911 novel of the same name. The film was released on April 29, 1923, by

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

. This film is now considered

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 previous version of the story was released in 1916.

Plot

Disgusted with his spendthrift son, Kirk Anthony's father has Kirk

shanghaied Shanghaied may refer to: *Shanghaiing, or forced conscription * ''Shanghaied'' (1915 film), a film starring Charlie Chaplin * ''Shanghaied'' (1927 film), a 1927 American silent film * ''Shanghaied'' (1934 film), an animated short film starring Mi ...

and taken to Panama, where he attracts the attention of Mrs. Edith Cortlandt and falls in love with Chiquita, the daughter of a Panamanian general. He is able to get a railroad job through Edith's husband Stephen Cortlandt and decides to make something of himself when he meets Allen Allan, a Negro soldier of fortune. When the sudden death of Stephen Cortlandt ensues, Kirk is blamed until Edith produces a suicide note and clears his name. He succeeds in his railroad position and returns to the United States with Chiquita and is finally able to earn his father's respect.

Cast

as Kirk Anthony *

as Chiquita *

as Edith Cortlandt *

as Stephen Cortlandt *

Gus Weinberg Gus C. Weinberg (c. 1865 – August 11, 1952) was an actor, writer, and composer who appears in early-twentieth-century American films. He also had theatrical roles during his career. Weinberg lived in Milwaukee but traveled widely, appearing in s ...

as Andres Garavel * Sidney Smith as Ramón Alfarez * George O'Brien as Clifford *

Jules Cowles Jules Cowles (October 18, 1877 – May 22, 1943) was an American film actor.Munden p.193 He was also billed as J. D. Cowles and Julius D. Cowles. Born in Farmington, Connecticut, Cowles attended Yale and was a writer in addition to being an actor ...

as Allen Allan *

Larry Wheat Laurence Wheat (October 10, 1876 – August 7, 1963) was an American character actor of the silent and sound film eras. Biography Born on October 20, 1876, in Wheeling, West Virginia, Wheat entered the film industry in 1921 with a supporti ...

as Runnels *

Cyril Ring Cyril Ring (December 5, 1892July 17, 1967) was an American film actor. He began his career in silent films in 1921. By the time of his final performance in 1951, he had appeared in over 350 films, nearly all of them in small and/or uncredited bit ...

References

External links

* * 1923 films 1920s English-language films Silent American comedy films 1923 comedy films Paramount Pictures films Films directed by Alfred E. Green American black-and-white films American silent feature films Lost American films Films based on works by Rex Beach Remakes of American films 1923 lost films Lost comedy films 1920s American films {{1920s-silent-comedy-film-stub

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links