''The Amazing Impostor'' is a 1919 American silent comedy film starring

Mary Miles Minter Mary Miles Minter (born Juliet Reilly; April 25, 1902Louisiana Birth Certificate, Caddo Parish, No. 119, Book A, Page 97, Birth Date: April 25, 1902, Name: Mary M. Reilly ic – Original Caddo birth record was recorded as "J.H. Riley's Child" ...

and directed by

Lloyd Ingraham Lloyd Chauncey Ingraham (November 30, 1874 – April 4, 1956) was an American film actor and director. Biography Born in Rochelle, Illinois, Ingraham appeared in more than 280 films between 1912 and 1950, as well as directing more than 100 f ...

. As with many of Minter's features, it is thought to be a

lost film A lost film is a feature or short film that no longer exists in any studio archive, private collection, public archive or the U.S. Library of Congress. Conditions During most of the 20th century, U.S. copyright law required at least one copy o ...

.The Library of Congress/FIAF American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: ''The Amazing Impostor''
/ref>

Plot

As described in various

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 ...

reviews, Joan Hope (Minter) is the daughter of the "Chewing Gum King" (Periolat), who longs for adventure and romance. When her father is away on business, she seizes the opportunity to do a little travelling of her own. On the train, she meets the "Countess of Crex" (Shelby) who proposes that, being of similar appearance and dress, she and Joan should swap identities for a week. Joan agrees eagerly, unaware that the "Countess" is in fact a crook in possession of stolen diamonds, who proposes the swap in the hope of avoiding the detective on her trail. While Joan and the "Countess" are swapping personal effects, their packages are also swapped by mistake, leaving the "Countess" with a box of chewing gum, and Joan with the stolen diamonds. Quite unaware of this, Joan checks into a hotel under the name of the "Countess of Crex," trailed by Detective Kent Standish (Forrest), who is convinced that she is the real thief. For a time, Joan enjoys the attention that comes with being a Countess, along with the attentions of Standish, who is attracted to her despite the fact that he believes her to be a married criminal. However, the appeal of her new identity begins to wane when she is threatened firstly by some Russians demanding papers, and then by crooks demanding the diamonds. At this point Joan's father, having returned home to find his daughter gone, arrives at the hotel, along with the original fake Countess, who is seeking to exchange the box of chewing gum for the diamonds. The truth is revealed, the crooks are arrested, and Detective Standish is pleased to discover that Joan is neither a criminal nor married.

Cast

- Joan Hope *Edward Jobson - Plinius Plumm Plunket * Margaret Shelby - Countess of Crex *

Carl Stockdale Carl Stockdale also known as Carlton Stockdale (February 19, 1874 – March 15, 1953) was one of the longest-working Hollywood veteran actors, with a career dating from the early 1910s. He also made the difficult transition from silent fi ...

- Robert La Rue *

Allan Forrest Allan Forrest Fisher (September 1, 1885 – July 25, 1941) was an American silent film actor. Life and career Allan Forrest Fisher starred in 119 films, mostly silent, between 1913 and 1932. He appeared in films such as '' The Torch Bearer'', ...

- Kent Standish *Henry A. Barrows - Herbert Thornton *

George Periolat George Periolat (February 5, 1874 – February 20, 1940) was an American actor. Biography Born in Chicago, Illinois, George Periolat began his career as a Broadway actor. Making his film debut with the Essanay Studios in Chicago, he moved to H ...

- Henry Hope *Demetrius Mitsoras - Mike *John Gough - Ike

References

External links

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lantern slide
Wayback Machine) 1919 films American silent feature films Lost American comedy films Films directed by Lloyd Ingraham American black-and-white films 1919 comedy films American Film Company films Silent American comedy films 1919 lost films Films with screenplays by Joseph F. Poland 1910s American films 1910s English-language films English-language comedy films {{1910s-comedy-film-stub