''The Prince Chap'' is a 1920 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 ...

directed by

William C. deMille William Churchill deMille (July 25, 1878 – March 5, 1955), also spelled de Mille or De Mille, was an American screenwriter and film director from the silent film era through the early 1930s. He was also a noted playwright prior to moving into ...

and written by

Olga Printzlau Olga Printzlau (December 13, 1891 – July 8, 1962) was an American screenwriter. She wrote for more than 60 films between 1915 and 1933. She also wrote a play, ''Window Panes,'' which was staged in Los Angeles in 1928, and won praise from t ...

based upon the play of the same name by

Edward Peple Edward Henry Peple (August 10, 1869 – July 28, 1924) was an American playwright known for his comedies and farces. He was perhaps best remembered for the plays ''The Prince Chap,'' ''The Littlest Rebel'' and ''A Pair of Sixes.'' Biography Born ...

. 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 comm ...

, Charles Ogle,

Kathlyn Williams Kathlyn Williams (born Kathleen Mabel Williams, May 31, 1879 – September 23, 1960) was an American actress, known for her blonde beauty and daring antics, who performed on stage as well as in early silent film. She began her career onstage in ...

Casson Ferguson Casson Ferguson (May 29, 1891 – February 12, 1929) was an American film actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1917 and 1928. His father was John J. Ferguson, a jeweler in Alexandria, Louisiana. Early in his ...

Ann Forrest Ann Forrest (known also by her birth name Anna Kromann and as Ann Kroman or Ann Kornan; 14 April 1895 – 25 October 1985) was a Danish-born American actress of Hollywood's silent films. Biography Forrest was born 14 April 1895 in Sønderho ...

Peaches Jackson Peaches Jackson (October 9, 1913 – February 23, 2002) was an American film actress. Her sister, Mary Ann Jackson also became a child actor, and appeared in many of the Little Rascals short films for Hal Roach. Peaches (Charlotte) stoppe ...

, and

Mae Giraci Mae Georgia Giraci (January 22, 1910 – January 10, 2006), also known as May Giraci, May Garcia, May Geraci, May Giracci, May Giracia and Tina Rossi, was an American child actress who appeared in silent films between 1915 and 1929. Giraci was ...

. The film was released in August 1920, 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 ...

Plot

As described in a

film magazine Film periodicals combine discussion of individual films, genres and directors with in-depth considerations of the medium and the conditions of its production and reception. Their articles contrast with film reviewing in newspapers and magazines whi ...

, William Peyton (Meighan), an artist occupying a poor apartment in the Latin quarter of London with his servant Runion (Ogle), is prevailed by a poor artists' model (Hart) to take her child and keep it upon her death. William agrees and raises Claudia as if she was his own daughter. His fiancée Alice Travers (Williams), hearing Claudia call him "pappa", misunderstands the situation and breaks their engagement. After several years, William has become prosperous and Claudia grows into womanhood. Jack, the Earl of Huntington (Ferguson), a fellow artist and friend of William, falls in love with Claudia (Lee) and asks for her hand in marriage. She refuses him. Alice, now a widow, returns to renew their friendship, but William's love for her is dead. He loves only Claudia and finds that his love is reciprocated.

Cast

as William Peyton * Charles Ogle as Runion *

as Alice Travers *

as Jack, Earl of Huntington *

as Phoebe Puckers *

as Claudia (age 4) *

as Claudia (age 8) *

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 ...

as Claudia (age 18) *

Lillian Leighton Lillianne Brown Leighton (May 17, 1874 – March 19, 1956), known professionally as Lillian Leighton, was an American silent film actress. Leighton started her career in Chicago. Leighton was born in Auroraville, Wisconsin, on May 17, 187 ...

as Aunt *Bertram Johns as Ballington *Florence Hart as Claudia's Mother *

Theodore Kosloff Theodore Kosloff (born Fyodor Mikhailovich Kozlov, russian: Фёдор Михайлович Козлов; January 22, 1882 – November 22, 1956) was a Russian-born ballet dancer, choreographer, and film and stage actor. He was occasionally c ...

as Yadder *

Clarence Geldart Clarence Geldart (June 9, 1867 – May 13, 1935) was an American film actor. He appeared in 127 films between 1915 and 1936. He was sometimes credited as C.H. Geldart or Charles H. Geldart. He was born in New Brunswick, Canada, and died i ...

as Helmer *

Yvonne Gardelle Yvonne Gardelle (October 7, 1897 – July 21, 1979), born Alice Yvonne Clark, also known as Alice Y. Gardner, Yvonne Chappelle, or Yvonne Riddle, was an American actress in silent films, a dancer and an artist's model. Early life Alice Yvonne ...

Preservation status

It is not known whether the film currently survives.Progressive Silent Film List: ''The Prince Chap''
at silentera.com

References

External links

* *Peple, Edward (1904),
The Prince Chap, a Comedy in Three Acts
', New York: Samuel French, Publishers, on the Internet Archive 1920 films 1920s English-language films Silent American drama films 1920 drama films Paramount Pictures films Films directed by William C. deMille American black-and-white films American silent feature films 1920s American films {{1920s-US-film-stub