''The Lonedale Operator'' is a 1911 short American

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 D. W. Griffith, starring

Blanche Sweet Sarah Blanche Sweet (June 18, 1896 – September 6, 1986) was an American silent film actress who began her career in the earliest days of the Hollywood motion picture film industry. Early life Born Sarah Blanche Sweet (though her first na ...

and written by

Mack Sennett Mack Sennett (born Michael Sinnott; January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was a Canadian-American film actor, director, and producer, and studio head, known as the 'King of Comedy'. Born in Danville, Quebec, in 1880, he started in films in the ...

for the

Biograph Company The Biograph Company, also known as the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, was a motion picture company founded in 1895 and active until 1916. It was the first company in the United States devoted entirely to film production and exhibition ...

. The plot of the film involves a girl who takes over a telegraph station after her father takes ill. After the payroll for the town's mine is delivered, two drifters try to steal the money. Their robbery is foiled because the girl is able to telegraph for help and then hold the would-be robbers off until help arrives. ''The Lonedale Operator'' includes "elements of romance, drama, suspense, Western, and even a bit of comedy near the end." Unlike most films at the time which had a simple plot line set in one location, ''The Lonedale Operator'' "intercuts three primary spaces—the telegraph office interior, the criminals outside, and the rescue train." Although audiences in 1911 were not used to such editing, as there were more than 100 shots in the film, the use of the telegraph helped them understand the crosscutting between scenes in such a way that they could follow the plot. The film is also significant for Griffith's use of a

close-up A close-up or closeup in filmmaking, television production, still photography, and the comic strip medium is a type of shot that tightly frames a person or object. Close-ups are one of the standard shots used regularly with medium and long s ...

of a wrench, which the girl had pretended was a gun. At the time of the film's release, close-ups were still uncommon. ''The Lonedale Operator'' illustrates Griffith's growing mastery of the medium. A print of the film survives in the film archive of the

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

Cast

Verner Clarges Verner Clarges (January 9, 1846 – August 11, 1911) was a stage actor who later appeared in silent films. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1909 and 1911. Clarges was born in Bath, Somerset, England, and came to America in 1883 as ...

as In Payroll Office *

Guy Hedlund Guy Elmer Hedlund (August 21, 1884 – December 29, 1964) was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 120 films between 1906 and 1947. Born in Portland, Connecticut, on August 21, 1884, worked with newspapers, on a c ...

as On Train *

Jeanie MacPherson Abbie Jean MacPherson (May 18, 1886 – August 26, 1946) was an American silent actress, writer, and director. MacPherson worked as a theater and film actress before becoming a screenwriter for Cecil B. DeMille. She was a pioneer for women in th ...

as In Payroll Office * W. C. Robinson as In Payroll Office * Edward Dillon as Telegrapher (uncredited) *

Francis J. Grandon Francis J. Grandon (1879 – July 11, 1929) was an American silent film actor and director who acted in almost 100 films and directed over 100. Frank Grandon's obituary, printed in newspapers from coast-to- coast, called him "the father of mov ...

as The Engineer (uncredited) *

Joseph Graybill Joseph Graybill (April 17, 1887 – August 3, 1913) was an American silent film actor. He appeared in several films directed by D.W. Griffith. Graybill joined the Biograph Company around 1909 in New York City. By 1910 Griffith was the main direc ...

as A Tramp (uncredited) *

Dell Henderson George Delbert "Dell" Henderson (July 5, 1877 – December 2, 1956) was a Canadian-American actor, director, and writer. He began his long and prolific film career in the early days of silent film. Biography Born in the Southwestern Ontario city ...

as A Tramp (uncredited) *

Wilfred Lucas Wilfred Van Norman Lucas (January 30, 1871 – December 13, 1940) was a Canadian American stage actor who found success in film as an actor, director, and screenwriter. Early life Lucas was born in Norfolk County, Ontario on January 30, 1871,US ...

as The Fireman (uncredited) *

W. Chrystie Miller William Chrystie Miller (August 10, 1843 – September 23, 1922) was an American silent film actor. He appeared in 139 films between 1908 and 1914. Miller frequently appeared in films directed by D.W. Griffith and was known to film audienc ...

as In Station Lobby (uncredited) * George Nichols as The Lonedale Operator (uncredited) *

as Daughter of the Lonedale Operator (uncredited) * Charles West as Company Agent (uncredited)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lonedale Operator, The 1911 films 1911 drama films 1911 short films Silent American drama films American silent short films American black-and-white films Biograph Company films Films directed by D. W. Griffith Articles containing video clips 1910s English-language films 1910s American films

Cast

See also

References

External links