''The House of Fear'' was a 1915 American silent

mystery film A mystery film is a genre of film that revolves around the solution of a problem or a crime. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur Detective, sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of an issue by means ...

based on a story by

John T. McIntyre John Thomas McIntyre (26 November 1871 – 21 May 1951) was an American playwright, and novelist of mystery and crime fiction. Life McIntyre was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 26 November 1871 to Irish immigrants, Sarah Walker (184 ...

. It was the third and final film in the ''Ashton-Kirk, Investigator'' series, all directed by Ashley Miller and Arnold Daly and starring Daly. This film is presumed

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 ...

Synopsis

Grace Cramp (Jeanne Eagels) and her brother Charles (Sheldon Lewis), ask Ashton-Kirk to investigate strange events involving Mexicans that are occurring at their house. Ashton-Kirk learns from information provided by an agent in

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

that their father had been an engraver who made forged currency plates when in need of money. The siblings' father had forged currency plates for a thief (Charles Kraus) but had never delivered them. The thief's aunt, Miss Hohenlo (Ina Hammer), and her accomplices have been breaking into the father's house to try to find the engraving plates. Ashton-Kirk captures the intruders and destroys the forged plates.

Cast

Arnold Daly Arnold Daly (October 22, 1875 – January 13, 1927) was an American actor, playwright, and producer. He was the father of actress and Algonquin Round Table personality Blyth Daly. Biography He was born Peter Christopher Arnold Daly in Brook ...

as Ashton-Kirk *

Sheldon Lewis Sheldon Lewis (April 20, 1868 – May 7, 1958) was an American actor of the silent era best known for his antagonistic roles. He appeared in more than 90 films between 1914 and 1936. Lewis was married to actress Virginia Pearson, and they were ...

as Charles Cramp *

Jeanne Eagels Jeanne Eagels (born Eugenia Eagles; June 26, 1890 – October 3, 1929) was an American stage and film actress. A former Ziegfeld Girl, Eagels went on to greater fame on Broadway and in the emerging medium of sound films. She was posthumously no ...

as Grace Cramp *Ina Hammer as Miss Hohenlo *Charles Laite as Harry Pendleton *Charles Kraus as Alva *William Bechtel *Martin Sabine

Production

After his popular portrayal of detective Craig Kennedy in the

Pearl White Pearl Fay White (March 4, 1889 – August 4, 1938) was an American stage and film actress. She began her career on the stage at the age of six, and later moved on to silent films appearing in a number of popular serials. Dubbed the "Queen of ...

serial ''

The Exploits of Elaine ''The Exploits of Elaine'' is a 1914 American film serial in the damsel in distress genre of '' The Perils of Pauline'' (1914). ''The Exploits of Elaine'' tells the story of a young woman named Elaine who, with the help of a detective, tries to f ...

'', Pathé signed Arnold Daly to do his own series featuring Ashton-Kirk, a detective character created by

. ''The House of Fear'' was the third and last film in the series; the first was ''

An Affair of Three Nations ''An Affair of Three Nations'' is a 1915 American silent film directed by Arnold Daly and Ashley Miller, and produced by Pathé Frères Films. It is based on a story by John T. McIntyre. The film was the first in the "Ashton-Kirk, Investigator" se ...

'', followed by '' The Menace of the Mute''.

Release

''The House of Fear'' was released December 3, 1915. The film received a favorable review in ''

The Moving Picture World The ''Moving Picture World'' was an influential early trade journal for the American film industry, from 1907 to 1927. An industry powerhouse at its height, ''Moving Picture World'' frequently reiterated its independence from the film studios. I ...

'', which said that it was "... splendidly produced and has action every moment". The ''Motography'' reviewer was also positive and remarked on how it held the interest. The reviewer for the ''

New York Dramatic Mirror The ''New York Dramatic Mirror'' (1879–1922) was a prominent theatrical trade newspaper. History The paper was founded in January 1879 by Ernest Harvier as the ''New York Mirror''. In stating its purpose to cover the theater, it proclaimed t ...

'' judged the plot "none too strong", but was impressed by the camerawork: "Seldom has more perfect photography been seen in any picture." Hammer's performance as the aunt was also singled out as "very good".

References

External links