Betsy J. Green

The Smugglers

This five-reel silent comedy was released on July 6, 1916. Some scenes were filmed on California's Santa Catalina Island. A wealthy couple travels to Paris where they stop at a jewelry shop to buy an expensive pearl necklace. When his wife is not around, the husband buys an imitation pearl necklace and gives it to a chorus girl.

But, wouldn't you know it, he mistakenly gives the expensive pearls to the chorus girl. When he realizes his error, he doesn't want to admit his mistake to his wife, of course. But he also doesn't want to pay customs for the fake pearls, which is how the smuggling scenario comes about.

There is an existing copy of this film.

The Road to Mandalay with Lon Chaney

This silent movie was released on June 28, 1926 and starred Lon Chaney. A man who is unable to care for his young daughter, gives her to his brother in Singapore to raise. Twenty years later, he meets her, but his derelict appearance scares her, and she does not know he is her father. He attacks her boyfriend, and she kills him. The man dies in his brother's arms.

Some scenes were filmed on California's Santa Catalina Island. The biggest problem in filming the movie seemed to be uncooperative insects. "Mosquitos were caught to help lend the atmosphere of Singapore . . . But they didn't want to be photographed. They refused to appear before the camera. They whirred blithely away when released, despite the application of much attractive ointment." – Picture-Play, July 1927

Good news! There is an existing copy of this movie.

The Flame of Youth

This five-reel adventure drama was released in June 1917. Many scenes of this silent movie were filmed on Santa Cruz Island, off the coast of California. A young man from a wealthy family is sent to inspect the family's mine on a remote island. There he meets and falls in love with a local lass, even though he is already engaged to a society girl back home.
The mine superintendent has evil intentions – toward the mine, and toward the local lass. Someone is knocked overboard, someone dives off a cliff, someone is kidnapped – the regular stuff in an adventure flick.

This silent film drew mixed reviews from around the world.
"Drama of love and adventure with innumerable thrilling episodes that keep the interest of the adventure alive from beginning to end." – Evening Post (Wellington, New Zealand), November 19, 1917.
"An American film of a type with which we in this country never feel quite at home." – Guardian (London, England), December 7, 1917.

No copies are known to exist.

A Floating Japanese Summer House

I was very happy to be able to match up a scene from the "Flying A" silent film called Nancy's Husband with a photo of the floating Japanese summer house at the old estate in Montecito, California called Riso Rivo. (This estate no longer exists.)

The movie was released on June 9, 1914. It was only about 10 minutes long, but the location used for the movie was much admired by reviewers. "The scenes are most gorgeous and pleasing to look upon." – Motion Picture News, June 30, 1914

No copies of this film are known to exist.

Civilization on Santa Catalina Island

This anti-war movie was released on June 2, 1915 after World War I had begun, but before the United States joined the conflict. The leading character is a submarine captain who refuses an order to torpedo a defenseless passenger ship. His crew mutinies and he drowns.

But wait! It's not over yet. The captain ends up in the afterworld where Christ enters his body and then returns to the world to plead for peace. The mothers of the world ask the world leaders to end the war, and the movie ends with soldiers returning home.

Some scenes were filmed on Santa Catalina Island, immediately after the island's city of Avalon was largely destroyed by fire.

Good news! This movie is available on Youtube.

Do or Die

This 18-part serial, starring Eddie Polo, was released on May 30, 1921. Some scenes were filmed on California's Santa Catalina Island, although many of the scenes were said to be filmed in Cuba.

An American family lives in Cuba and owns a special ring that contains a map to buried pirate treasure. A guy named Satan is the bad guy. (What else could he be with a name like that?) Satan tries repeatedly to gain possession of the ring.

A member of the family from the United States goes to Cuba to help combat Satan. He finds it's not as easy as it sounds because it takes 18 hellish episodes to defeat the forces of evil, but Eddie Polo saves the day and the map. (I just love the image on this poster.)

The Battle of Hearts

This silent movie was released on May 21, 1916. It was filmed on California's Santa Cruz Island and Santa Catalina Island. It's the familiar triangle theme involving a young woman and two young men who are vying for her attention. One is a fisherman, and the other is the son of a lighthouse keeper. There are exciting situations on the water and the rocky coastline, as the two young men compete for the young woman's affection.

However, it sounds like the behind-the-scenes events were even more exciting. "The misfortunes encountered in the filming . . . include a hurricane on Catalina Island, which [razed] a fishing village of 18 houses . . . The company then lost the boat Ruby, a two-masted schooner, and its crew of three men. Barges used to carry props to Catalina Island encountered heavy seas, and the property men and stage carpenters were at sea for 36 hours without food or shelter." – Motion Picture News, May 6, 1916

No copies are known to exist.

Gondolas in Montecito, CA

Montecito was a stand-in for scenes in Europe in a silent movie about a wealthy young American man with plenty of time and money on his hands. He is ready for adventure – especially if it involves an attractive young woman. This "Flying A" film – The Lure of the Mask – was released on May 17, 1915.

Several locations in Montecito were used, including the Crocker-Sperry Ranch known as "Las Fuentes." The site of this ranch is now the Birnam Wood Golf Club.

"The reservoir at the Crocker-Sperry Ranch in Montecito will be used for a Venetian scene . . . A crew of workmen yesterday afternoon took out a bunch of specially prepared scenery and placed this in such a manner that the desired effect will be secured. Gondolas will also be employed to add the truer atmosphere." – Santa Barbara Morning Press, February 27, 1915

No copies are known to exist.

Dodo Newton is a Hit

The "Flying A" silent movie Soul Mates was released on May 8, 1916. It takes place on the East Coast, but was filmed at the Casa Buenaventura – one of the million-dollar estates in Montecito, California.

This movie should have been called Married, But Not to Each Other, or maybe Sour Mates. It's all about infidelity and suicide, and a six-year-old Santa Barbara girl had a part. Hopefully, they kept her in the dark about the film's theme.

"Little Dodo Newton, the clever girl who is well-known and loved by many in Santa Barbara, will please many of her friends by her work in "Soul Mates" . . . She plays a strong-boy part through the five reels." – Santa Barbara Daily News & Independent, July 24, 1916

Wife Wanted in Montecito

Miramar Beach on the coast at Montecito, California was the scene for Wife Wanted, a one-reel silent film released on April 28, 1915. (This is one of the few films made in this area that was not made in a million-dollar mansion.) Most of the scenes take place at this upscale beach resort.

He's a rich young guy in search of a wife. We know he's a rich guy because his last name is Fortune. That's easy to understand, but it's not clear why he needs to advertise for a wife. Naturally, he is flooded with replies and photos, including one from a mysterious young lady in a swimsuit who writes "Find Me."

He goes to Miramar Beach in Montecito where he dives off a pier and rescues a drowning woman in his spare time. In an amazing coincidence, Miramar is where the young lady is. (If you watch enough movies, you get used to amazing coincidences like this.)

This is another of the many films that are "lost."