Hidden Genre Gems for Fans of Peggy Does Her Darndest: Cult Guide

Dir: George D. Baker

Col. Jessup of Mayville does not waste any affection on his young wife, who finally runs away with a theatrical company, taking her son with her, but leaving her baby daughter. Later, she dies, and the boy, Byron Bennett, known as Buddy, is leading man for a theatrical company playing one-night stands, but this season has been disastrous and the company is about to disband when they receive word that the house is sold out for the performance at Mayville, so they hang on. However, the manager collects the receipts for the performance and takes the first train, leaving the company stranded. Buddy secures a position as Instructor for the Jessup Volunteer Hose Company which is to give an amateur theatrical performance. He persuades Grace Jessup's father to allow her to take the leading part in order to out-do Hose Company No. 1, which also plans a performance. Grace becomes interested in traveling salesman Percy Pennington. He tries to persuade her to elope, but she refuses until he makes a definite promise of marriage. He boasts to Buddy and his friend Skinny and intimates that the promise will not be carried out. Soon after, he starts out riding with Grace. Buddy is suspicious and follows on a bicycle, but is outdistanced. At last, however, he sees the horse tied by the roadside, and hears Grace scream. Rushing to her assistance he overcomes Percy, and carries a wilting Grace home.Col. Jessup, thinking Bud is the culprit, fires at him twice. One bullet lodges in the shoulder; the other is stopped by Buddy's watch in which he carries a picture of his mother. Grace regains consciousness and explains matters, and Jessup is amazed to find that the picture in the watch is that of his wife. The doctor advises that Buddy will recover, and there is a reconciliation among father, son, and daughter.

Dir: George D. Baker

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of A Regiment of Two perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Ira Wilton and his son-in-law Harry Bennett resort to the subterfuge of telling their wives that they are members of the Thirteenth Regiment, to be sure of having a night off each week, Friday night, for the regiment drills. They substantiate their deception by bringing into their little game Ira's daughter Laura and her fiancé Jack Brent, a genuine member of the Thirteenth. Their deception runs along nicely until one Friday night when the men have gone to the club, their wives find the invitation, and are just about to start out when they discover that the water pipe has burst. Laura informs the men by telephone what is discovered, and warns them to hurry home. They arrive and find that the kitchen and dining room are flooded, and, after all has been given a good soaking, Lord Dudley, an admirer of Laura, manages to stop the flow of water. Just as the trouble concerning the flood has subsided, Jack Brent arrives home and tells the men that the Thirteenth has been ordered to the front. The husbands, seeing a good chance to take a little vacation, purchase soldiers' clothing and fall in behind the Thirteenth Regiment as it passes their wives, but slip out as soon as it is out of sight. They then go to the barn, where they substitute their soldiers' habiliments for civilian clothes and then make all possible haste to the lake, where they intend to spend a little vacation. But their vacation is short-lived, for one day they see in the newspapers that the entire Thirteenth regiment has been wiped out. They hurry home to the old barn, where they get into their regimentals as quickly as possible--not forgetting to add a few rents here and there, to make it appear as if they have had a terrible struggle at the front and in escaping. When they arrive home they observe that Mrs. Wilton's brother has returned from the West and promised to take care of the "widows." In reply to Lena's (the fat cook), question concerning her lover Conrad, they were just about to tell her that he died with her name on his lips, when in come Harry and Conrad with the news that the newspaper report was all wrong. Ira and Harry fix it up with Conrad, and Jack, desiring to keep on the right side of the old man, tells the women that the men had a terrible fight, and brother Tom forgets about asking questions when a couple of good cigars are shoved into his mitt.

Dir: George D. Baker

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: George D. Baker

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Wager perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Jim Lassells travels to Africa to obtain proof that his cousin Harold Brooks is dead as rumored, and learns that an Algerian sultan killed the rich American. Since it is assumed that Brooks was childless, Jim inherits his cousin's fortune. At a slave market he buys a young girl named Perdita and sends her to a convent in Corsica to be educated. Years later, Jim meets Perdita again while traveling through Corsica with the impecunious Duchess of Westgate and her daughter, Lady Lilah Grey. When the party stops at an inn, Jim discovers that Perdita is not only a Persian princess, but also the long-lost daughter of Brooks, and therefore the rightful heir to Brooks' fortune. Perdita, who has fallen in love with Jim, engages the romantic Count Theodore de Seramo to abduct the duchess and her daughter, and later the count and Lady Lilah become engaged. Jim offers to turn over his wealth to Perdita, but she declares her love for him and they wed.

Dir: George D. Baker

An imperious Egyptian princess awakens from a 3000-year trance and wreaks comic havoc in the modern world, but it all turns out to be the dream of a young man, inspired by a mummy left in his care overnight.

Dir: George D. Baker

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Demon perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

The disgrace and suicide of her father drives Eleanore Marston from her comfortable existence into a life as a department store clerk in New York. There she meets wealthy Powers Fiske, who offers her a life of luxury if she will consent to an operation on her brain which would deprive her of her memory. Eleanore agrees, and after the operation, Fiske is horrified to learn he has robbed her of her individuality and that she has become cruel, selfish and remorseless. Dr. Trow, a friend of Fiske, hypnotizes Eleanore to learn of her previous incarnations. Eleanore first remembers herself as a heartless Viking woman, then progresses to a Borgian princess, ending as a woman persecuted as a witch in Salem. Continuing to exercise his power over her, Trow draws Eleanore to the edge of a cliff. They are followed by Henry Johnson, one of Eleanore's compatriots from the department store, who traced the girl to Fiske's house. At Eleanore's plea for help, Johnson leaps upon Trow and the two plunge to their death over the cliff. Fiske arrives just in time to lead Eleanore back to the house. He appeals to a great scientist who restores her memory by means of a second operation, and Eleanore then becomes Fiske's bride.

Dir: George D. Baker

Although Earle Courtney has married factory girl Annie Leigh, his millionaire father, Major James Courtney, is determined that Earle will marry the wealthy Ethel Ainsworth. Courtney kidnaps his son and sends a message to Annie requesting an annulment, to which he signs Earle's name. All records of the marriage are then destroyed and Earle is led to believe that his wife has perished in a factory fire. Meanwhile, Annie goes to the city looking for her husband and there her child is born. While in the hospital, she reads an announcement of the wedding of Earle and Ethel. Obtaining employment in a film studio, Annie soon soars to stardom. When Mexican investments result in financial disaster for the Courtneys, Annie takes over the mortgage on their estate and produces a picture based on the story of her betrayal. When Earle views it, he learns of his father's treachery and the major, overcome with remorse, begs Annie's forgiveness. Nothing can undo Earle's unhappy marriage, though, until Ethel elopes with artist Paul Roubais, thus removing all obstacles in the path of Annie and Earle's reconciliation.

Dir: George D. Baker

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Dust of Egypt perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A grandmother has an adventure for the first time in her life when she decides to have a night out.

Dir: George D. Baker

Peter is smitten with Winifred, a model, whom he met on board the steamer returning from Europe, but is discouraged by his sister, Ena, who is more ambitious for him. Peter is the son of Peter Rolls, the wealthy New Yorker. Ena tells Winifred that Peter is engaged to Eileen, sister of Lord Ravglan and that he is just trifling with her. Winifred believes her and refuses to speak to him. Before disembarking, Ena gives Winifred a stylish gown which she bought in New York. Winifred is working in a stylish modiste's shop. One of the best customers insults her and she slaps his face. Mme. Nadine, the modiste, sees her action, and fearful of losing the customer, discharges her. She tries to get a position in the other shops, but in each case finds herself blacklisted by Madame Nadine. In sore straits, she moves to cheaper quarters. She meets Lily, a salesgirl in Roll's department store, and the former takes her to Megeison, the store manager to get her a position. The manager, at first says he has no opening, but when he sees what a handsome girl Winifred is, he employs her. Ena Rolls comes to the store to do some shopping, and sees Winifred against whom she harbors a dislike. She makes various remarks calculated to arouse Win's anger, and when Win resents them she complains to Megeison, who pretends to discharge her. When Ena leaves, he tells her that she may remain and transfers her to another department. Megeison arranges a party for that night at which Winifred, Lily, a floorwalker and himself are to be present. Megeison tells the floorwalker to escort the girls to the party, but to keep them ignorant of the fact that it is to be held at his house. Winifred dons the dress Ena gave her, the only decent gown she possesses. They start off, but when Winifred sees that she is being taken to his apartment she tries to back out, but she is persuaded to continue by Lily. Meanwhile, Peter in his hunt for Winifred, gets a clue which leads him to the department store. Here he learns that she has been discharged and is told that Megeison could give him her address. In Megeison's apartment, all drink except Winifred and after a while, she feels sheepish and drinks with them. She catches Megeison trying to "dope" her drink and denounces him. He catches her and tries to kiss her and a struggle follows in which her dress is badly torn, the pieces falling on the floor. She manages to elude him and escapes to another room where she locks herself in. Peter enters and asks for information about Winifred, but Megeison tells him that he knows nothing about her. Then the pieces of Winifred's dress catch his eye and he demands to know the truth. Megeison's valet, who went through another room to admit him, opens the door and Peter sees Winifred within. Winifred shrinks from Peter, thinking he is in league with Megeison, but when she realizes that he really loves her and has come to claim her for his own, she leaves misery behind, and goes with Peter, her suffering relieved in the knowledge of his devotion.

Dir: George D. Baker

To prevent Ben Farraday from exposing the whereabouts of her brother, an escapee from prison, Nan Kennedy agrees to steal important papers from Farraday's enemy, John Lawson. Nan is caught and Lawson agrees to let her go free on the condition that she do his bidding for a year. After arranging a wedding between Nan and Billy Bond, the son of a man whom he blames for stealing his wife, Lawson shocks everyone during the wedding reception by announcing that Nan is a thief. Billy runs away and turns to drink and Nan's only thought is to seek vengeance against Lawson. Knowing that his one weakness is his belief in spiritualism, Nan poses as a medium and advises him to sell certain stocks. The next day, Lawson finds himself ruined. Meanwhile, Billy vows to kill Lawson, leaving a note to inform his father of the deed. Discovering the note, the elder Bond rushes to Lawson's house and announces that Billy is actually Lawson's son. Overcome, Billy's nerves break and he cries for Nan. Lawson, repentant, finds her and a happy reunion takes place.