The Adventures of Kathlyn
Encyclopedia
The Adventures of Kathlyn (1913
) is an American
motion picture serial
released on December 29, 1913 by the Selig Polyscope Company
. An adventure serial
filmed in Chicago, Illinois, its thirteen episodes were directed by Francis J. Grandon
from a story by Harold MacGrath
and Gilson Willets and starred Kathlyn Williams
as the heroine. Harold MacGrath's novel of the same title was released a few days later in January 1914 so as to be in book stores at the same time as the serial was playing in theatres.
The Adventures of Kathlyn was only the second serial ever made by an American film studio and considered the first of the cliffhanger
serials that became enormously popular during the next decade.
The success of the serial spawned a 1916 feature-length film of the same title with basically the same crew and cast.
that forced the Chicago Tribune
to use more sensationalism. William Selig
, noting the popularity of serial fiction in newspapers and magazines, took the idea of a film serial to the newspaper. Despite the Tribune being in favour of abolishing nickelodeons only 5 years previously, Tribune editor James Keeley agreed and the serial was released as a promotional project. The chapters of the film were released biweekly and the story was also printed as a newspaper serial in the Tribune.
Although the first American film serial was What Happened to Mary?
, The Adventures of Kathlyn is a more important piece of film history. It was the first serial to use cliffhangers as the ending of its chapters and so became the first recognisable film serial.
Frank Leon Smith, in a letter to "Films in Review" (February 1958), wrote that the cliffhanger ending of chapter one "was a 'situation' ending, but other episodes wound up with sensational action or stunts, broken for holdover suspense...gave the serial both the key to its success and the assurance of its doom."
It used animals from the Selig Zoo and had more action than What Happened to Mary?
The Tribune announced a 10% increase in circulation as a result of the film serial's success.
The film is now considered to be a lost film
.
1913 in film
The year 1913 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* The Squaw Man, the first Hollywood feature film, is made.* December 29, Charlie Chaplin signs a contract with Mack Sennett to begin making films at Keystone Studios.* D. W...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
motion picture serial
Serial (film)
Serials, more specifically known as Movie serials, Film serials or Chapter plays, were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film. They were related to pulp magazine serialized fiction...
released on December 29, 1913 by the Selig Polyscope Company
Selig Polyscope Company
The Selig Polyscope Company was an American motion picture company founded in 1896 by William Selig in Chicago, Illinois. Selig Polyscope is noted for establishing Southern California's first permanent movie studio, in the historic Edendale district of Los Angeles...
. An adventure serial
Adventure film
Adventure films are a genre of film.Unlike pure, low-budget action films they often use their action scenes preferably to display and explore exotic locations in an energetic way....
filmed in Chicago, Illinois, its thirteen episodes were directed by Francis J. Grandon
Francis J. Grandon
Francis J. Grandon was an American silent film actor and director who acted in almost 100 films and directed over 100.-Selected filmography:...
from a story by Harold MacGrath
Harold MacGrath
Harold MacGrath was a bestselling American novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter.Also known occasionally as Harold McGrath, he was born in Syracuse, New York...
and Gilson Willets and starred Kathlyn Williams
Kathlyn Williams
Kathlyn Williams was an American actress, known for her blonde beauty and daring antics, who performed on stage as well as in early silent film.-Early life and career:...
as the heroine. Harold MacGrath's novel of the same title was released a few days later in January 1914 so as to be in book stores at the same time as the serial was playing in theatres.
The Adventures of Kathlyn was only the second serial ever made by an American film studio and considered the first of the cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
serials that became enormously popular during the next decade.
The success of the serial spawned a 1916 feature-length film of the same title with basically the same crew and cast.
Production
The serial came about due to a newspaper circulation war in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
that forced the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
to use more sensationalism. William Selig
William Selig
William Nicholas Selig was a pioneer of the American motion picture industry.-Biography:Selig was raised in Chicago. He worked as a vaudeville performer and produced a traveling minstrel show in San Francisco while still in his late teens. One of the actors was Bert Williams, who went on to become...
, noting the popularity of serial fiction in newspapers and magazines, took the idea of a film serial to the newspaper. Despite the Tribune being in favour of abolishing nickelodeons only 5 years previously, Tribune editor James Keeley agreed and the serial was released as a promotional project. The chapters of the film were released biweekly and the story was also printed as a newspaper serial in the Tribune.
Although the first American film serial was What Happened to Mary?
What Happened to Mary?
What Happened to Mary is the first motion picture serial made in the United States...
, The Adventures of Kathlyn is a more important piece of film history. It was the first serial to use cliffhangers as the ending of its chapters and so became the first recognisable film serial.
Frank Leon Smith, in a letter to "Films in Review" (February 1958), wrote that the cliffhanger ending of chapter one "was a 'situation' ending, but other episodes wound up with sensational action or stunts, broken for holdover suspense...gave the serial both the key to its success and the assurance of its doom."
It used animals from the Selig Zoo and had more action than What Happened to Mary?
The Tribune announced a 10% increase in circulation as a result of the film serial's success.
The film is now considered to be a lost film
Lost film
A lost film is a feature film or short film that is no longer known to exist in studio archives, private collections or public archives such as the Library of Congress, where at least one copy of all American films are deposited and catalogued for copyright reasons...
.
Chapter titles
- The Adventures of Kathlyn
- The Two Orphans
- The Temple of the Lion
- A Royal Slave
- A Colonel in Chains
- Three Bags of Silver
- The Garden of Brides
- The Cruel Crown
- The Spellbound Multitude
- A Warrior Maid
- The Forged Parchment
- The King's Will
- The Court of Death