''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' (1927) is a

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, 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) ...

directed by

Harry A. Pollard Harry A. Pollard (23 January 1879 – 6 July 1934) was an American silent film actor and director. His wife was silent screen star Margarita Fischer. Biography Harry A. Pollard was born in Republic, Kansas, and began his career on the stage. In ...

and released by

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

. The film is based on the 1852 novel ''

Uncle Tom's Cabin ''Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly'' is an anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Published in two volumes in 1852, the novel had a profound effect on attitudes toward African Americans and slavery in the U ...

'' by Harriet Beecher Stowe and was the last silent film version. A copy is preserved at 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 ...

. In this version of the film, all of the major slave roles, with the exception of Uncle Tom himself, were portrayed by white actors. Actress Mona Ray played the slave Topsy in blackface, while the slaves Eliza, George, Cassie and Harry were all presented as having very light skin coloring because of mixed-race heritage. This film was released on DVD in 1999 by Kino. The title role was originally played by the notable stage actor Charles Gilpin but he quit amid onset dissatisfaction with the depiction of the role and was replaced by James B. Lowe, reshooting the sections already filmed with Gilpin. The film was rereleased in 1958 with sound added and narration by Raymond Massey.Blacks in Films, Jim Pines

Cast

Margarita Fischer Margarita Fisher (née Fischer, February 12, 1886 – March 11, 1975) was an American actress in silent motion pictures and stage productions. Newspapers sometimes referred to her as "Babe" Fischer. Early life Margarita Fischer was born on Fe ...

as Eliza * James B. Lowe as Uncle Tom * Arthur Edmund Carewe as George Harris *

George Siegmann George A. Siegmann (also credited as George Seigmann; February 8, 1882 – June 22, 1928) was an American actor and film director in the silent film era. His work includes roles in notable productions such as ''The Birth of a Nation'' (1915), ' ...

as Simon Legree *

Eulalie Jensen Eulalie Jensen (December 24, 1884 – October 7, 1952) was an American actress on the New York stage and in silent films. Biography Born in St. Louis, Missouri, she was selected as one of six extra girls from the 200 applicants responding to a ...

as Cassie * Mona Ray as Topsy *

Virginia Grey Virginia Grey (March 22, 1917 – July 31, 2004) was an American actress who appeared in over 100 films and a number of radio and television shows from the 1930s to the early 1980s. Biography Grey was born on March 22, 1917, in Edendale, Calif ...

as Eva St. Clare *

Lassie Lou Ahern Lassie Lou Ahern (June 25, 1920 – February 15, 2018) was an American actress. Originally discovered by Will Rogers, she was best known for her role as Little Harry in the 1927 silent film ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' and also for her recurring appea ...

as Little Harry *

Lucien Littlefield Lucien Littlefield (August 16, 1895 – June 4, 1960) was an American actor who achieved a long career from silent films to the television era. He was noted for his versatility, playing a wide range of roles and already portraying old men befor ...

as Lawyer Marks *

Adolph Milar Adolph Milar (1895–1950) was a Swiss-born film actor. He appeared in character roles in around sixty American films from 1919 to 1945, playing characters of a variety of nationalities.Biskupski p.43 His name is sometimes written as Adolf Milar. ...

as Mr. Tom Haley *J. Gordon Russell as Tom Loker *

Gertrude Howard Gertrude Howard (October 13, 1892 – September 30, 1934) was an American actress of the silent and early sound film eras. Biography Born in 1892, Howard performed in the chorus of ''The Wife Hunters'' (1911) on Broadway. She broke into films ...

as Aunt Chloe, (Uncle Tom's wife) *

Jack Mower Jack Mower (September 5, 1890 – January 6, 1965) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 520 films between 1914 and 1965. He was born in Honolulu and died in Hollywood. After studying at Punahou College, in Honolulu, Mower moved ...

as Mr. Shelby *

Vivien Oakland Vivien Oakland (born Vivian Ruth Andersen; May 20, 1895 – August 1, 1958), was an American actress best known for her work in comedies in Hollywood in the 1920s and 1930s, most notably with the Hal Roach Studios. Oakland appeared in 157 film ...

as Mrs. Shelby * John Roche as Augustine St. Clare *

Aileen Manning Aileen Manning (January 20, 1886 – March 25, 1946) was an American film actress. Manning was in demand as a character actress in silent films. She was known for her roles in silent and early talkie films, including ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' (1927 ...

as Aunt Ophelia Unbilled * Tom Amardares – Quimbo *

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 Lakew ...

– Mrs. St. Clare *

Grace Carlyle Grace Carlyle (July 24, 1877 – September 20, 1953) was an American stage and film actress. Dietz p.242 Selected filmography * '' The Eagle's Wings'' (1916) * ''An International Marriage'' (1916) * '' The Place Beyond the Winds'' (1916) * ''Pl ...

– Mrs. Fletcher * Matthew Beard – Child *

Louise Beavers Louise Beavers (March 8, 1902 – October 26, 1962) was an American film and television actress. From the 1920s until 1960, she appeared in dozens of films and two hit television shows. She was most often cast in the roles of a maid, servant ...

– Slave at Wedding * William Dyer – G.M. Beard – Auctioneer * Francis Ford – Captain *

Eugene Jackson Eugene W. Jackson II (December 25, 1916 – October 26, 2001) was an American child actor who was a regular of the '' Our Gang'' short series during the silent Pathé era. Career When he joined the gang, Jackson replaced the series' firs ...

– Child * Carla Laemmle – Auction Spectator *

Jeanette Loff Jeanette Loff (born Janette Clarinda Lov; October 9, 1906 – August 4, 1942) was an American actress, musician, and singer who came to prominence for her appearances in several Pathé Exchange and Universal Pictures films in the 1920s. Born ...

– Auction Spectator *

Nelson McDowell Nelson McDowell (August 14, 1870 – November 3, 1947) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 170 films between 1917 and 1945. McDowell was born in Greenville, Missouri. His parents were N. B. McDowell and Anne Hampton. He attend ...

– Phineas Fletcher *

Rolfe Sedan Rolfe Sedan (born Edward Sedan; January 20, 1896 – September 15, 1982) was an American character actor, best known for appearing in bit parts, often uncredited, usually portraying clerks, train conductors, postmen, cooks, waiters, etc. Ea ...

– Adolph *

Madame Sul-Te-Wan Madame Sul-Te-Wan (born Nellie Crawford; March 7, 1873 – February 1, 1959) was the first black actress to sign a film contract and be a featured performer.Lowe, Denise. ''An Encyclopedic Dictionary of Women in Early American Films'', Hawo ...

– Slave at Wedding *

Dick Sutherland Dick Sutherland (born Archibald Thomas Johnson, December 23, 1881 – February 3, 1934) was an American film actor, active mostly during the silent film era. Born in Benton, Kentucky, in 1881, Sutherland appeared in more than 70 films betw ...

– Sambo * Clarence Wilson – Bidder at Eliza's Auction

References

External links

* * 1927 films American silent feature films American black-and-white films Films based on American novels Films based on works by Harriet Beecher Stowe Universal Pictures films Films about American slavery Films directed by Harry A. Pollard 1920s historical drama films American historical drama films Uncle Tom's Cabin Blackface minstrel shows and films 1927 drama films Surviving American silent films 1920s American films Silent American drama films 1920s English-language films {{1920s-silent-drama-film-stub

Cast

See also

References

External links