Old Dutch
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Frank Crane
Lew Fields
Vivian Martin
George Hassell
Marie Empress
Charles Judels
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Ludwig Streussand, a poor inventor known as "Old Dutch," develops the teloptophone, which, when attached to a telephone, transmits an image of the speaker. After capitalist John Rockmorgan gives him a $5,000 check for backing, Old Dutch takes his daughter Violet to an expensive Palm Beach hotel, where, to avoid publicity, they register under assumed names. Rockmorgan's son Harold follows, and he and Violet fall in love. Meanwhile, the unemployed vaudeville team of Bennett and Bennett come to the hotel to obtain money from some gullible millionaire. Harry Bennett finds Old Dutch's pocketbook containing his check and registers as Streussand. When their bill comes due, Old Dutch and Violet are put to work in the hotel, where Old Dutch creates havoc as a bootblack, porter, waiter, barber, soda jerk and stable man. After Harold convinces his father to come and vouch for Old Dutch by threatening to tell his mother about the secretary on Rockmorgan's lap that Harold sees through the teloptophone, Harold and Violet plan to marry.
Director
Frank Crane
Cast
Lew Fields
Vivian Martin
George Hassell
Marie Empress
Charles Judels
W. J. Ferguson
Chester Barnett
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Helen Hayes made her Broadway debut as a miming child in this play, which also starred Vernon Castle. There was a pre-release showing of the film in Chicago on February 3, 1915. This was Lew Fields's first film. In the film, all the characters are introduced descending on an escalator, except for Lew Fields, who is shown receding. According to a news item, director Frank Crane sent his assistants to the studios of famous American artists to get models to appear in the Palm Beach scenes. Models who were filmed included Helen Hawley, the model for Howard Chandler Christy; Peggy O'Neil, the model for Hamilton King; Dorothy Goodrich, the model for Haskell Coffin; Mary Smith, the model for James Montgomery Flagg; Dorothy Robbins, the model for Harrison Fisher; Eve Frere, the model for Henry Hutt; Katherine Lane, the model for Charles Dana Gibson; and Anita Wood, the model for Pennyn Stanslaw.
