''The Prisoner of Zenda'' is a 1913 silent film adaptation of a play by Edward E. Rice, which was in turn based on the 1894

Anthony Hope Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins, better known as Anthony Hope (9 February 1863 – 8 July 1933), was a British novelist and playwright. He was a prolific writer, especially of adventure novels but he is remembered predominantly for only two books: ''Th ...

novel of the same name. It was directed by

Edwin S. Porter Edwin Stanton Porter (April 21, 1870 – April 30, 1941) was an American film pioneer, most famous as a producer, director, studio manager and cinematographer with the Edison Manufacturing Company and the Famous Players Film Company. Of over ...

and Hugh Ford, and starred stage actor

James K. Hackett James Keteltas Hackett (September 6, 1869 – November 8, 1926) was an American actor and manager. Life James K. Hackett was the son of Clara C. and James Henry Hackett, a comedian and celebrated Falstaff. He was born on Wolfe Island, Onta ...

, Beatrice Beckley and David Torrence. In 1913,

Adolph Zukor Adolph Zukor (; hu, Zukor Adolf; January 7, 1873 – June 10, 1976) was a Hungarian-American film producer best known as one of the three founders of Paramount Pictures.Obituary ''Variety Obituaries, Variety'' (June 16, 1976), p. 76. He produ ...

lured Hackett from the stage to star in a role which Hackett had played in the theater numerous times. Since feature films were in their infancy, Hackett was at first reluctant to take the part, so Zukor tried to convince Hackett in person; as

Neal Gabler Neal Gabler (born 1950) is an American journalist, writer and film critic. Gabler graduated from Lane Tech High School in Chicago, Illinois, class of 1967, and was inducted into the National Honor Society. He graduated '' summa cum laude'' from ...

writes, "When Hackett came to visit Zukor, he was the very picture of the faded matinee idol. He wore a fur-collared coat with frayed sleeves and carried a gold-headed cane". According to silentera.com, 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 ...

possesses two paper positive prints, and the International Museum of Photography and Film at

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 ...

also has a partial positive print.

Plot summary

Cast

as Rudolf Rassendyll / King Rudolf of Ruritania * Beatrice Beckley as Princess Flavia * David Torrence as Michael, Duke of Strelsau * Fraser Coalter as Colonel Sapt (as Frazer Coulter) * William R. Randall as Fritz von Tarlenheim (as C. R. Randall) * Walter Hale as Rupert of Hentzau *

Frank Shannon Francis Connolly Shannon (27 July 1874 – 1 February 1959) was an Irish people, Irish actor and writer. Career A Stage (theatre), stage actor and silent film pioneer, Shannon made his screen debut in 1913's ''The Artist's Joke''. He la ...

as Detchard *

Minna Gale Minna Gale (September 26, 1869 – March 4, 1944), also credited as Minna K. Gale and Minna Gale Haynes, was an American actress. Early life Minna Kathalina Gale was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, the daughter of C. K. Gale; after her father's ...

as Antoinette de Mauban (as Mina Gale Haines) * Charles Green as Johann * Tom Callahan as Josef * Sidney Barrington as Marshal Strakencz

Plot summary

Cast

See also

References

External links