Sunshine Dad (1916) - Turner Classic Movies

Sunshine Dad


1916

Film Details

Also Known As
A Knight of the Garter
Release Date
Apr 23, 1916
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Fine Arts Film Co.
Distribution Company
Triangle Film Corp.
Country
United States

Synopsis

An international crook, masquerading as Count Kottschkoiff, steals sacred jewels from a Hindu shrine and is hunted by mystics who investigate theft. Kottschkoiff gives the jewels to the widow Marrimore, whom he has been courting. While she attends a dance at which she is wearing the jewels as a garter, they fall off and are recovered by Alfred Evergreen, a down-and-out actor who is also courting the widow. Alfred reads Mrs. Marrimore's reward advertisement and decides to return the jewels. Wrapping the jewels in an affectionate note for Mrs. Marrimore, Alfred leaves them on his desk. Charlotte, the fiancée of Alfred's son Fred, drops her shopping parcels on the desk and then later retrieves all the bundles, including the jewels. Alfred discovers his loss, realizes the mistake and pursues Charlotte. Hastily reading the note, she thinks that Fred was unfaithful and mails the jewels to the return address just before Alfred finds her. By this time the priests have traced Mrs. Marrimore to her apartment. Not finding the jewels, the mystics take Mrs. Marrimore to the shrine and tie her to a stake near a lion's cage. They raise the cage gate slowly and the lion approaches, but Alfred rescues Mrs. Marrimore. Just in time, the jewels are returned, and the count is captured.

Film Details

Also Known As
A Knight of the Garter
Release Date
Apr 23, 1916
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Fine Arts Film Co.
Distribution Company
Triangle Film Corp.
Country
United States

Quotes

Trivia

Notes

The film's working title was A Knight of the Garter. This film marked the famous stage star De Wolf Hopper's second film appearance, and his only film with his infant son, William De Hopper, Jr. Sunshine Dad marked the feature film debut of Hopper, Jr. (1915-1970), whose mother was the well-known actress and gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. Hopper, Jr. appeared in numerous films and television programs as an adult, variously as DeWolf or De Wolfe Hopper, and later as William Hopper. Under the name William Hopper, he was best known for his recurring role in the popular 1950s television series Perry Mason.
       Contemporary sources differ from existing prints of the film in calling Hopper Sr.'s character Alonso Evergreen, Withey's character Count Ketchkoff and Carmen's character Minerva. Several contemporary sources credit Browning and Withey with both the film's scenario and story, but the copyright holdings credit Withey and Pierson with the scenario and list them as the film's authors. A pre-production news item places Julia Faye and Bobbie Fuehrer in the cast, but it is not clear whether they appeared in the film.