''The Eagle's Eye'' is a 1918 American

serial film A serial film, film serial (or just serial), movie serial, or chapter play, is a motion picture form popular during the first half of the 20th century, consisting of a series of short subjects exhibited in consecutive order at one theater, gene ...

consisting of 20 episodes that dramatizes

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

espionage in the United States during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. The stories are based on the experiences of William J. Flynn during his career as chief of the

United States Secret Service The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security tasked with conducting criminal investigations and providing protection to American political leaders, thei ...

from 1912–1917. It features

King Baggot William King Baggot (November 7, 1879 – July 11, 1948) was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. He was an internationally famous movie star of the silent film era. The first individually publicized leading man in America, Baggo ...

as the president of the Criminology Club and

Marguerite Snow Marguerite Snow (September 9, 1889 – February 17, 1958) was an American silent film and stage actress. In her early films she was billed as Margaret Snow. Early life Snow was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her father, Billy Snow, was a comedi ...

as a Secret Service agent who investigate spies. Among the events depicted are the sending of the Zimmermann Telegram,

Franz von Rintelen Captain Franz Dagobert Johannes von Rintelen (19 August 1878 – 30 May 1949) was a member of the German nobility and a veteran field agent in the intelligence wing of the German Imperial Navy who operated covertly in the still-neutral United ...

's attempts to sabotage cargo loading in San Francisco Harbor, and the capture of the German espionage plans. It was directed by

George Lessey George Lessey (June 8, 1879 – June 3, 1947) was an American actor and director of the silent era. He appeared in more than 120 films between 1910 and 1946. He also directed more than 70 films between 1913 and 1922. Lessey was born in Amh ...

Wellington A. Playter Wellington A. Playter (9 December 1879 – 15 July 1937) was an English actor. He appeared in 43 films between 1913 and 1921. Selected filmography ''(Note:* means that he was credited as Wellington Playter)'' * '' The Daughter of the Hills' ...

Leopold Wharton Leopold Wharton (September 1, 1870 – September 27, 1927) was an American film director, producer and writer. He directed 37 films between 1911 and 1922, including the 1915 film '' The New Adventures of J. Rufus Wallingford'', which featu ...

, and

Theodore Wharton Theodore Wharton (1875–1931) was an American film director, producer and writer. He directed 48 films in the 1910s and 1920s, including the 1915 '' The New Adventures of J. Rufus Wallingford'' featuring Oliver Hardy. Biography Wharton was bo ...

, and produced by the Whartons Studio. The serial is now considered lost. Because this serial was a commercial failure, it was the last one made by Whartons due to the studio being forced to declare bankruptcy.

Background

After Flynn's retirement from the Secret Service his work investigating sabotage during the war were interwoven with fictitious characters and events by Courtney Ryley Cooper into a 20-part

spy thriller Spy fiction is a genre of literature involving espionage as an important context or plot device. It emerged in the early twentieth century, inspired by rivalries and intrigues between the major powers, and the establishment of modern intelli ...

. These were also published as weekly installments in ''The Atlanta Constitution'''s magazine section during 1918 under the title ''The Eagle's Eye: A True Story of the Imperial German Government's Spies and Intrigues in America''. Fifteen of the episodes were republished as chapters in a book the following year.

Cast

as Harrison Grant *

as Dixie Mason * William Bailey as Heinrich von Lertz * Florence Short as Madame Augusta Stephan *

Bertram Marburgh Bertram Marburgh (May 17, 1875 – August 22, 1956) was an American stage and film actor. Rainey p.67 He appeared as a character actor in around thirty five films between 1915 and 1945. Selected filmography * ''After Dark'' (1915) * ''The Stolen ...

as Count Johann von Bernstorff * as Captain

Franz von Papen Franz Joseph Hermann Michael Maria von Papen, (; 29 October 18792 May 1969) was a German politician, diplomat, Prussian nobleman and army officer. A national conservative, he served as Chancellor of Germany in 1932, and then as Vice-Chancell ...

* John P. Wade as Captain Karl Boy-Ed * Fred C. Jones as Dr.

Heinrich Albert Heinrich Friedrich Albert (12 February 1874 – 1 November 1960) was a German civil servant, diplomat, politician, businessman and lawyer who served as minister for reconstruction and the Treasury in the government of Wilhelm Cuno in 1922/1923 ...

* Louise Hotaling * Louis C. Bement as Uncle Sam * Allan Murnane * F.W. Stewart * Robin H. Townley * Bessie Wharton as Mrs. Blank

Chapter titles

# Hidden Death # The Naval Ball Conspiracy # The Plot Against the Fleet # Von Rintelen, the Destroyer # The Strike Breeders # The Plot Against Organized Labor # Brown Port Folio # The Kaiser's Death Messenger # The Munitions Campaign # The Invasion of Canada # The Burning of Hopewell # The Canal Conspirators # The Reign of Terror # The Infantile Paralysis Epidemic # The Campaign Against Cotton # The Raid of the U-53 # Germany's U-Base in America # The Great Hindu Conspiracy # The Menace of the I.W.W. # The Great Decision

References

External links

* 1918 films 1918 lost films 1910s American films 1910s English-language films 1910s spy films American black-and-white films American silent serial films American spy films Cultural depictions of Franz von Papen English-language spy films Film serials Films directed by George Lessey Films set in San Francisco Lost silent American films Lost war films Silent American war films World War I spy films {{WWI-film-stub

Background

Cast

Chapter titles

See also

References

External links