HER DREAMS OF YESTERDAY (1913) Excelsior Drama

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Richard M Roberts
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HER DREAMS OF YESTERDAY (1913) Excelsior Drama

Postby Richard M Roberts » Thu Oct 22, 2015 4:17 am

Here's both a rarity and an obscurity, a Dramatic short from the short-lived Excelsior Film Company, a Chicago-based outfit that was one of the producers of product for the also short-lived Film Supply Company ran by the Aitken Brothers when they broke away from Carl Laemmle and the Motion Picture Distributing and Sales Company in 1912. Excelsior didn't last a year, but here's one of their films, originally titled HER DREAMS OF YESTERDAY, released March 17, 1913:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9345yV7m96E&list

Anyone recognize anyone? This print was a Fun Films Home Movie reissue that apparently ended up in the Mogull Film Library in New York, it is nicely ironic at the end of this heavy drama, with all in tears and traumatized for life, to cut from the fade out to the end title that reads "A Fun Films Release"!


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David Denton
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Re: HER DREAMS OF YESTERDAY (1913) Excelsior Drama

Postby David Denton » Fri Oct 23, 2015 12:17 am

I'm going to guess that the leads are Arthur Finn and Alice Inward (or Inwood). Along with director Charles Weston [Inward's husband], Fred Saums, Herbert Rice (the midget), Lord Lilford and Virgininia Westbrook, they were with the Punch film Co. players who sailed to Jacksonville in January 1913. Many of the Punch players transferred to Excelsior. Below are two pages from Lantern from A CADET'S HONOR, which seems to be the first Excelsior release, and starred Finn and Inward. The first photo shows the male lead from HER DREAMS OF YESTERDAY along with the actor who played the girl's father (I think).

http://ia601000.us.archive.org/BookRead ... e_0359.jp2

The second photo has the same lead and the gent in the middle played the bartender in HDOY

http://ia601000.us.archive.org/BookRead ... e_0307.jp2

The third photo is from ROMANCE OF A FISHER BOY, another Excelsior release. This shows the same actress from HDOY, but no cast is mentioned.

http://ia601000.us.archive.org/BookRead ... e_0417.jp2

A wilder guess would be that the second/shorter African-American is Herbert Rice. The tall one is not in blackface, but the 'child?' is, so maybe....

Richard M Roberts
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Re: HER DREAMS OF YESTERDAY (1913) Excelsior Drama

Postby Richard M Roberts » Fri Oct 23, 2015 12:56 am

Atta Boy David! Thanks for digging that info up.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

Richard M Roberts
Godfather
Posts: 2895
Joined: Sun May 31, 2009 6:30 pm

Re: HER DREAMS OF YESTERDAY (1913) Excelsior Drama

Postby Richard M Roberts » Sat Oct 24, 2015 5:05 pm

David Denton said:

The second photo has the same lead and the gent in the middle played the bartender in HDOY

http://ia601000.us.archive.org/BookRead ... e_0307.jp2



You know, that gent in the middle sure looks like a young Walter Hiers.


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