George Stanley (1914) 🇺🇸
The latest addition to the big corps of expert production directors of the Universal Company is George Stanley, formerly with the Pathé, the Vitagraph and the Lubin companies, and for the past twenty-five years prominently identified with dramatic, operatic and musical comedy productions of the country. Mr. Stanley has taken over the Universal-Powers company, of which Miss Edna Maison is leading woman and Ray Gallagher the leading man.
In point of experience Mr. Stanley rates as one of the veterans of the motion picture business. In addition to being a producing director of unusual abilities, he also is a player of much experience and diversified talents. For the present at least, he will confine himself to directing only, working on the basis that the viewpoint of the onlooker and expert critic is primarily essential to the success of motion picture plays.
Mr. Stanley started out in life twenty-five years ago in San Francisco as a boy choirister. Possessed of an unusually good tenor voice, he soon won recognition. His first theatrical engagement was as a soloist in the old Haverley’s minstrel troupe.
Mr. Stanley’s connection with the film producing world commenced seven years ago when he became leading man for the Vitagraph Company. Within a year he was assigned the task of playing leading roles and directing his own company. He remained with the Vitagraph Company for three years and then became director and leading man for the Pathé company. The Lubin company next claimed his services. Air. Stanley officiating as head production director and playing leads for that concern for a little over a year. He then went back to the Vitagraph Company as director and leading man. He comes from the Vitagraph Company to the Universal.
Apropos of his plans with the Universal Company and the capable galaxy of Powers brand players over whom he will have supervision, Mr. Stanley says: “I intend to produce high-class scripts only. If I cannot get the right kind of plays — plays with real punch to them — I will keep my company idle until I can get such a play. In Miss Edna Maison I think I have one of the most talented of leading women, while other members of my company also are high class players. With them as an asset, the Powers [Pat Powers] company will produce some real Universal features.”
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“The Staircase of Death.”
The Gaumont Company shows a three-part crook picture containing thrilling situations.
Reviewed by George Blaisdell.
The Gaumont Company released on April the 25th a three-part story of a crook-murderer masquerading in good society. “The Staircase of Death” has as a sensational factor a staircase that upon the pulling of a cord swings upon a pivot, plunging a victim into the depths below and to probable death. It is not a love story, although one young woman of charming personality portrayed a character that for some considerable period labored under the delusion that it was. Sybil is a niece of Admiral Trent, retired; the two are spending a few weeks at a Paris hotel. Jack Burgess, an adventurer, in league with Sybil’s companion, contrives the detention of Sybil for shoplifting and then secures her release without arrest. Sybil falls in love with the good-looking man who has been so kind to her and meets him clandestinely as well as openly.
Burgess, through Sybil, invites to his house Mr. Pascal, an art collector. The visitor is dropped down the staircase and killed. Sybil is told that Pascal has departed in a hurry. When next day the girl reads of the finding of Pascal’s body in the Seine she is suspicious. Her fears are confirmed when she receives a note from Burgess for her to let him into her house late that night. When he appears he demands the keys to the admiral’s safe, threatening Sybil with exposure to her uncle. Sybil yields and Burgess robs the safe and escapes. Parker, a detective called into the case, rinds a clue that leads straight to Sybil. When he receives a note from Burgess the detective follows her, shows his detective badge to a chauffeur, and changes cap and coat with the driver. Parker forces an entrance into the house of Burgess, and when he attempts to save Sybil from the thief, who has received from her a thousand dollars on the promise of returning her letters, Parker is dropped down the oubliette. His coat catches and saves him from the straight fall. With his knife he gets loose and goes to the bottom, shaken but not seriously hurt. He escapes by jumping into the river alongside.
The detective awaits the appearance of the crook. In his room he rigs a dummy, sitting at a table. When Burgess enters the room after climbing the drain pipe he swings a blackjack on the figure. As he does so the detective captures him and turns him over to the police. Sybil has her compromising letters returned to her, and the detective assures her that she will not appear in the case, and furthermore that her uncle will be none the wiser. Just how Parker will secure the conviction of Burgess without the testimony of Sybil does not appear.
The picture is well made and there is an excellent cast. It interests and in the final part will thrill. The young woman who portrays Sybil is a new-comer apparently and her name is not known in the New York office of the Gaumont Company, but we may be sure that she will be heard of again. She photographs splendidly; she has more than her share of good looks and, what is better, she also possesses acting sense.
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Scene from The Staircase of Death (Gaumont).
[Transcriber’s Note: The Staircase of Death was released in the US by Gaumont in April 1914. The movie was filmed in France, but the original French title and names of cast/crew are not available]
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Getting ready to take a recent Kalem picture in the Far West. Carrying cameras across the Mojave Desert.
Collection: Moving Picture World, May 1914
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Collection: Moving Picture World, April 1914