''The Altar Stairs'' is a 1922 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 ...
directed by
Lambert Hillyer
Lambert Harwood Hillyer (July 8, 1893 – July 5, 1969) was an American film director and screenwriter.
Biography
Lambert Harwood Hillyer was born July 8, 1893, in Tyner, Indiana. His mother was character actress Lydia Knott. A graduate of ...
and featuring Frank Mayo, Louise Lorraine, Lawrence Hughes and
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film '' Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established ...
in an early role.
The screenplay was written by Doris Schroeder, George Hively and George Randolph Chester, based on the novel of the same name by
G. B. Lancaster. It is considered today a
lost film
A lost film is a feature
Feature may refer to:
Computing
* Feature (CAD), could be a hole, pocket, or notch
* Feature (computer vision), could be an edge, corner or blob
* Feature (software design) is an intentional distinguishing char ...
.
Plot
Rod McLean (Mayo), a
South Seas
Today the term South Seas, or South Sea, is used in several contexts. Most commonly it refers to the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of the equator. In 1513, when Spanish conquistador Vasco Núñez de Balboa coined the term ''Mar del Sur'', ...
trader, saves derelict Tony Heritage (Hughes) from some natives, and Tony repays him by stealing his money and escaping to France. There he marries Joie (Lorraine), the daughter of Captain Jean Malet (Lanoe) who is scheduled to take a post in the South Seas. When the officer learns of Tony's past misdeeds, he repudiates his daughter's marriage and takes Joie with him to the South Seas. Tony then turns up there and Captain Malet, to keep him away from Joie, gives him a job helping Rod McLean establish a new trading post on another island. Rod has fallen in love with Joie, but after he discovers that she is married (although he does not know to whom), he rejects her as a flirt.
Back at the new post, Rod discovers that Tony has gotten the natives drunk and they are burning the island chapel. He finds out that Tony is Joie's husband, but is stopped by the minister from killing him. Tony uses Rod's boat to escape to a steamer. Rod goes after him, followed by the minister who wants to prevent any killing, while Joie stays behind and awaits the film's climax on the main island.
Cast
*
Frank Mayo as Rod McLean
*
Louise Lorraine
Louise Lorraine (born Louise Escovar; October 1, 1904 – February 2, 1981) was an American actress.
Life and career
Louise Lorraine was born Louise Escovar in San Francisco, California. One day, a photography salesman knocked on the door of t ...
as Joie Malet
* Lawrence Hughes as Tony Heritage
* J. Jiquel Lanoe as Captain Jean Malet (credited as J.J. Lanoe)
*
Harry De Vere
Harry De Vere (February 1, 1870, New York City – October 10, 1923, Los Angeles) was an American silent film actor. He was signed by the Thanhouser Company based in New Rochelle, New York in 1914 and starred in about 70 films until his d ...
as Blundell
*
Hugh Thompson as John Strickland
*
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film '' Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established ...
as Hugo
*
Dagmar Godowsky
Mercedes Dagmar Godowsky (November 24, 1897 – February 13, 1975) was an American silent film actress.
Biography
Mercedes Dagmar Godowsky was born in Chicago, Illinois, on November 24, 1897, the daughter of Polish-Jewish composer Leopold Godow ...
as Parete
*
Nick De Ruiz
Nicholas De Ruiz (February, 1871 – June 21, 1959) was an American actor. He appeared in 36 films between 1920 and 1938.
He was born in Santa Barbara, California and died in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángel ...
as Tulli
See also
*
List of American films of 1922
This is a list of American films released in 1922.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q–R
S
T
U
V
W
Y–Z
Serials
Shorts
See also
* 1922 in the United States
References
External link ...
*
Boris Karloff filmography
Boris may refer to:
People
* Boris (given name), a male given name
*:''See'': List of people with given name Boris
* Boris (surname)
* Boris I of Bulgaria (died 907), the first Christian ruler of the First Bulgarian Empire, canonized after his ...
References
External links
*
*
SouthSeasCinema a webpage devoted to Pacific Island themed films
{{DEFAULTSORT:Altar Stairs, The
1922 films
1922 drama films
Silent American drama films
American silent feature films
American black-and-white films
Films directed by Lambert Hillyer
Universal Pictures films
1920s American films