Sunday, 14 May 2017

J. Searle Dawley - Bab's Diary (1917) [Lost Film]


Bab's Diary (1917)
Directed by J. Searle Dawley
Cinematography by Lewis W. Physioc

Cast:

Marguerite Clark...Bab Archibald

Nigel Barrie...Carter Brooks

[No photo available]
Leone Morgan...Jane Gray

Frank Losee...Mr. Archibald

[No photo available]
Isabel O'Madigan...Mrs. Archibald


Richard Barthelmess...Tommy Gray

[No photo available]
Helen Greene...Leila Archibald


Guy Coombs...Harry


John B. O'Brien...Harold Valentine

[No photo available]
George Odell...The Butler

Marguerite Clark plays Bab Archibald, a young girl home from boarding school for the Christmas holidays. The family is preoccupied with Bab's older sister Leila's (Helen Greene) impending wedding to Carter Brooks (Nigel Barrie). Feeling left out, Bab's uses a photograph of matinée idol, Harold Valentine (John B. O'Brien) claiming he is her boyfriend. Carter recognises the photo and persuades the actor to present himself to Bab as Harold Valentine. He appears at her door during a party for Babs, the bewildered and frightened girl decides that her sole means of deliverance lies in the recovery of her letters from the actor's apartment. Leaving the party, Bab bungles into his apartment, setting off the burglar alarm and is arrested. She is taken home and after learning her lesson, is promptly sent back to boarding school.

The intertitles for the film are excerpts from Bab's diary which added to its amusement.


The film's scenario was written by Martha D. Foster, based on the screen story "Her Diary" by Mary Roberts Rinehart.

Produced by Famous Players Film Company and distributed by Paramount Pictures this cute comedy starring Marguerite Clark was the first in a trilogy of Babs films, all starring Clark. Unfortunately all three films are now considered lost.


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