''Skinner's Dress Suit'' is a 1917 American silent

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Harry Beaumont Harry Beaumont (10 February 1888 – 22 December 1966) was an American film director, actor, and screenwriter. He worked for a variety of production companies including 20th Century Fox, Fox, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation, Goldwyn, Metro Pictur ...

and starring

Bryant Washburn Franklin Bryant Washburn III (April 28, 1889 – April 30, 1963) was an American actor who appeared in more than 370 films between 1911 and 1947. Washburn's parents were Franklin Bryant Washburn II and Metha Catherine Johnson Washburn. He attend ...

, Hazel Daly and

Harry Dunkinson Harry Dunkinson (December 16, 1876 – March 14, 1936) was an American film and stage actor. He appeared in more than 140 films between 1912 and 1935. He was born in New York City and died in California. Dunkinson began acting on stage when ...

. It is based on the short story ''Skinner's Dress Suit'' by Henry Irving Dodge, which was again adapted into a silent film of the same title in 1926.

Plot

William Skinner is afraid to ask his boss for a raise, but has promised his wife that he will get one. He gets cold feet at the last moment and fails to actually request the raise, and when he returns home, he lies and says that his pay has increased by 10 dollars a week, which he is secretly taking from his personal account. With his new "raise," she orders him to buy a new dress suit, which wipes out his whole account, and they enter a party attended by the wealthy. With his dress suit and apparent new high class status, he gets acquainted with the upper echelons of society and succeeds in a massive business deal for his firm. Skinner hurries off to the company's office to tell his boss the good news, and demands not only a raise but a partnership, and gains both.

Cast

as William Manning Skinner * Hazel Daly as Honey *

as Willard Jackson *

James C. Carroll James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince James ...

as McLaughlin * Ullrich Haupt as Perkins *

Florence Oberle Florence Oberle (c. 1869 – July 10, 1943) was a stage and film actress from Tarrytown, New York. Career Born in about 1869, Oberle appeared in Morosco Theatre and David Belasco productions. She was once billed as "the most beautiful woman on ...

as Mrs. J. Smith Crawford *

Frances Raymond Frances Raymond (1869–1961) was an American stage actress, stage and film actress.Goble p.193 An established character actress, she played in a number of supporting roles during the silent era. Later, during the sound era, she primarily played m ...

as Mrs. Jackson * Marian Skinner as Mrs. McLaughlin

Production

A train chartered from Chicago to Milwaukee was used for the coach interiors.

References

Bibliography

* Goble, Alan. ''The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film''. Walter de Gruyter, 1999.

External links

* 1917 films 1917 comedy films 1910s English-language films American silent feature films Silent American comedy films American black-and-white films Films directed by Harry Beaumont Essanay Studios films 1910s American films English-language comedy films {{1910s-US-film-stub