Second Fiddle (1923 film)

Second Fiddle
Second Fiddle
	1923 theatrical poster
Directed by	Frank Tuttle
Story by	James Ashmore Creelman; Frank Tuttle
Produced by	Fred Waller
Starring	Glenn Hunter; Mary Astor
Cinematography	Fred Waller
Production; company	Tuttle Waller-Film Guild
Distributed by	W. W. Hodkinson Corporation
Release date	January 14, 1923;
Running time	6 reels
Country	United States
Language	Silent (English intertitles)

Second Fiddle is a 1923 American silent comedy-drama film directed by Frank Tuttle and distributed by W. W. Hodkinson. It stars Glenn Hunter and has an early appearance in a lead role by actress Mary Astor.

Plot

As described in a film magazine,^[1] George Bradley (Stowe) and his wife (Foy) are very proud of their eldest son Herbert (Martin), who has just come home from college. He is lionized by his parents as well as by the New England town of Spell's River. Younger brother Jim (Hunter) plays "second fiddle" to the wonderful Herbert. Jim is regulated to the background as Herbert monopolizes Jim's room, his room, and finally his girlfriend Polly Crawford (Astor). Cragg (Nally), a brute, murders his daughter (Adamowska) and comes to the Bradley home at night. Herbert goes for help, leaving Jim alone with an empty gun to protect Polly and Mrs. Bradley. Jim holds Cragg at bay until he faints and is overpowered by Cragg. Herbert returns with help and infers that Jim is a coward. Cragg escapes from jail and goes to his home to get some money. Polly takes refuge there during a storm and is attacked by Cragg. Not knowing that Cragg is there, Herbert enters the house but runs away after being attacked by Cragg, leaving Polly to his mercy. Jim arrives in the nick of time and, after a terrific struggle in which Cragg is killed, saves Polly and proves he is the better man.

Cast

Glenn Hunter as Jim Bradley
Mary Astor as Polly Crawford
Townsend Martin as Herbert Bradley
William Nally as Cragg
Leslie Stowe as George Bradley
Mary Foy as Mrs. Bradley
Helena Adamowska as Cragg's Daughter
Otto Lang as Dr. Crawford
Osgood Perkins

Preservation

A copy of Second Fiddle is in the Stanford Theatre Foundation collection of the UCLA Film and Television Archive.^[2]^[3]

References

^ "Second Fiddle: A Tuttle Waller Production Released Through Hodkinson". Exhibitor's Trade Review. 13 (8). East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania: Exhibitor's Trade Review, Inc.: 421 January 20, 1923.
^ Progressive Silent Film List: Second Fiddle at silentera.com
^ The American Film Institute Catalog Feature 1921-30 by The American Film Institute, c. 1971

External links

Second Fiddle at IMDb
Synopsis at AllMovie

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[ETR-1] "Second Fiddle: A Tuttle Waller Production Released Through Hodkinson". Exhibitor's Trade Review. 13 (8). East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania: Exhibitor's Trade Review, Inc.: 421 January 20, 1923.

[2] Progressive Silent Film List: Second Fiddle at silentera.com

[3] The American Film Institute Catalog Feature 1921-30 by The American Film Institute, c. 1971

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