Known for Acting
Any movie that starts Jewish entertainer George Jessel as an Italian accordionist named Luigi can't be all bad. In love with the beautiful Margharita (Lila Lee), Luigi lands a job in the music store owned by the girl's uncle. Ultimately, however, our hero does the Pagliacci act when Margharita evinces a preference for handsome Pasquale (David Rollins). The film's best scene takes place in a nursery full of talented tots, a sequence that undoubtedly reminded Jessel of his days with Gus Edwards' "Schoolroom" act. Exercising his droit du seigneur, Georgie Jessel sings the title tune.
Oklahoma mechanic Pike Peters finds himself part owner of an oil field. His wife Idy, hitherto content, decides the family must go to Paris to get "culture" and meet "the right kind of people." Pike and his grown son and daughter soon have flirtatious French admirers; Idy rents a chateau from an impoverished aristocrat; while Pike responds to each new development with homespun wit. In the inevitable clash, will pretentiousness and sophistication or common sense triumph?
A western settlement of pioneer descendants is threatened with the loss of its water supply through the encroachments of nearby townspeople.
Young Edmond Durand (Conrad Nagel) has been reared under the autocratic influence of his aunt (Marcia Manon), who directs a large silk mill in southern France. He revolts against a stifling career planned for him and leaves home with Marcelle, a Gypsy girl (Renée Adorée). They roam the countryside with a Gypsy caravan in romantic bliss; they are inadvertently separated but at the outbreak of war are reunited. When peace is restored, the lovers find happiness together.
Fanny von Berg's engagement to Count Maxim von Hurtig is suddenly broken off and she is denounced by her family for a suspected indiscretion. When they are reduced to starvation by the war, the family members accept her earnings without acknowledging the source. As the hostess of a Viennese night club, Fanny becomes the mistress of a rich war profiteer. The Count, loving her still, prevents her from making further sacrifices for her or his people, and they find ultimate happiness in the prospect of a new life together. A lost film.
Russian Jews Nathan & Esther Levinsky, along with son, David, escape to the U.S. Nathan’s life as a peddler is hard, and Esther leaves him for Max Levy allowing David to be adopted by the wealthy Danvers family. In time Nathan prospers on a small California ranch, which abuts the larger ranch of the bigoted John Comstock. When Comstock’s daughter Helen, falls in love with the Danvers' adopted son, Jimmy, who Nathan secretly recognizes as David. Fire destroys his farm and Nathan goes to San Francisco to begin again with the contrite Esther. Jimmy follows after learning the truth to search for Nathan with Helen and Comstock in pursuit. Nathan saves Helen from the lecherous Max Levy and Comstock gives his blessing to Helen and Jimmy’s marriage.
The plot concerns a war hero who returns home determined to give up his old ways as a crook. Bud Doyle (Milton Sills) is still being hounded by the cops, and both his wife (Marcia Nanon) and a former associate, a dishonest politician, want to do him in.
John Loder looks exactly like his cousin, John Chilcote, who is a member of Parliament. Because of his dissolute ways, Chilcote collapses, and Loder is called in to take his place so that the family honor can remain unsullied. Loder's masquerade is so successful that no one suspects him of being an impostor, not even Chilcote's estranged wife, Eve. Loder distinguishes himself with his actions, both in public and private, while the real Chilcote sinks further into the gutter until he finally dies. Loder decides to remain as John Chilcote, and marries Eve, who, up until Loder reveals his true identity, has believed she was falling in love with her husband all over again.
Schooled by her wealthy brother-in-law William Hollins, Christine Bleeker plans to marry Ralph Lincourt when he is divorced. He, however, is equally pursued by Nancy Barron, whom Christine dislikes. Ned Klegg loves social secretary Barbara, and resents the attention paid her by Barron, Nancy's elderly husband. Nell Martin, a servant in the Hollins home, is in love with the gardener but is persecuted by the butler. Aviator Mulvain and his mechanic Le Prim arrive, and Le Prim absconds with Nancy in an auto, pursued by Mulvain and Christine, who force him to release her. Christine announces her engagement to Mulvain, who declares he is a poor man. In the resulting commotion, it transpires that Nell, threatened with exposure, has drowned herself. The shock brings a change of emotion: Barbara rejects Barron and accepts Klegg, and Christine accepts Mulvain, content to share his poverty. Considered a lost film.
While golfing, Natalie Marshall meets and falls in love with Bobby Cameron, and after a brief courtship they are married. Just as they are about to embark on their honeymoon, Vera, a young vamp with designs on Bobby, presents Natalie with a bracelet and an accompanying note and inscription that arouse the wife's jealousy and cause an immediate break between the couple.
Puritanical Abel Blake is planning to marry the domestically oriented Joan when she is called away to a neighboring fishing village to care for her sick uncle. In her absence, Abel falls under the corrupting influence of some friends who take him to Ryan's, a notorious dance hall, where he meets seductress Glory Prada. Glory determines to make a conquest of Abel, who gradually falls under her spell and finally marries her. After learning of the news, Abel's mother dies of grief and Joan marries Dave, a fisherman.
Socially prominent but penniless Stephen De Koven marries Muriel Chester, a woman whose loveliness he admires but whose money he really desires. Discovering this on her wedding night, Mrs. De Koven, because of her love for her husband and her wounded pride, elects to live her life alone, seeing her husband only when formalities demand.
