Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
H. Entwhistle
Beatriz Michelena
Blanche Chapman
Andrew Robson
House Peters
La Belle Carmen
Film Details
Synopsis
When his son Jack marries a circus performer, Colonel Vanderhurst disinherits him. Jack and his wife die, leaving their daughter, fourteen-year-old Lovey Mary, with Jack's sister, the wife of abusive circus owner King. After Hiram Wiggs and his wife resign as Vanderhurst's servants, Wiggs works at a plant and is befriended by Bob, the stepson of owner Murphy. Learning of Bob's sympathies with the striking workers, Stephen, Murphy's nephew, has him fired. Wiggs leaves his wife and five children and joins King's circus, marries bareback rider Cordelia, and they have a son, Tommy. After Vanderhurst names Mary as his heir, King substitutes his own daughter for her. Mary flees with Tommy, first seeking shelter with Bob, now junior partner to the Vanderhurst executor, and later in Mrs. Wiggs's cabbage patch. After King abducts Mary, Mrs. Wiggs opens Mary's locket and, recognizing the Vanderhurst portraits, notifies Bob, who rescues Mary. Although Bob is accused of killing Murphy, Stephen is proven guilty. When Cordelia dies while performing, Wiggs returns to his first wife. Mary plans to marry Bob, adopt Tommy, and keep Wiggs's bigamy secret.
Director
H. Entwhistle
Cast
Beatriz Michelena
Blanche Chapman
Andrew Robson
House Peters
La Belle Carmen
La Savillas
The Bensings
The Three Bones
Komic Kemp
Belle Bennett
William Pike
Film Details
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Author Alice Hegan Rice was instrumental in securing Blanche Chapman, who played Mrs. Wiggs on stage, for the film. La Belle Carmen was a wire walker formerly with Barnum and Bailey. La Savillas were European tumblers. The film was originally to be released by the Alco Film Corp. on November 30, 1914, but because of Alco's financial difficulties it was not released until December 31, 1914, when World Film Corp. handled it. Paramount Pictures Corp. released a film based on the same source in 1919 (see below). In October 1934, Paramount Productions released a new version from the same source, produced by Douglas MacLean, directed by Norman Taurog, and starring Pauline Lord, W. C. Fields, ZaSu Pitts, Evelyn Venable and Kent Taylor. In October 1942, Paramount released another version from the same source, produced and directed by Ralph Murphy and starring Fay Bainter.
