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The Understudy

  • 19121912
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • IMDbPro
Francis X. Bushman in The Understudy (1912)
  • Drama
  • Romance
  • Short
Understudy steps in for injured star and saves the show.Understudy steps in for injured star and saves the show.Understudy steps in for injured star and saves the show.
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Archer MacMackin
  • Stars
    • Francis X. Bushman
    • Beverly Bayne
    • Martha Russell
Top credits
  • Director
    • Archer MacMackin
  • Stars
    • Francis X. Bushman
    • Beverly Bayne
    • Martha Russell
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

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    Top cast

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    Francis X. Bushman
    Francis X. Bushman
    • Bradleyas Bradley
    Beverly Bayne
    Beverly Bayne
    • Mary - the Understudyas Mary - the Understudy
    Martha Russell
    Martha Russell
    • Pauline Raymondas Pauline Raymond
    Joseph Allen Sr.
    • Actoras Actor
    Frank Dayton
    Frank Dayton
    • Actoras Actor
    Howard Missimer
    Howard Missimer
    • Actoras Actor
    William Bailey
    William Bailey
    • Actoras Actor
    William Walters
    • Actoras Actor
    Charles Hitchcock
    • Actoras Actor
    • Director
      • Archer MacMackin
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    Storyline

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    Pauline Raymond, leading lady of a theatrical company, which is to open on Broadway with a new show, receives her part and goes to a small country place to study. Here she meets the daughter of the landlady and the two become fast friends. The little country girl is deeply interested in Pauline's part, and studies it every chance she gets. Seeing her enthusiasm, Pauline makes her sort of an understudy and Mary helps the actress greatly with her prompting. Two weeks pass and Pauline prepares to leave for the opening night. Quite by accident she forgets her part and leaves it behind at the cottage. Mary finds it and, although knowing it by heart, goes out into the woods to study the familiar lines. Meanwhile, Pauline's auto meets with a serious accident on the road and she is carried back to the cottage badly injured. Bradley, the theater manager, gets the wire, jumps into an auto and arrives at the little town the afternoon of the opening night of the show. Pauline's injury prevents her returning to the stage for weeks and Bradley is in despair. Failure of the show and ruin stare him in the face and he tramps away into the woods to fight it out with himself. Suddenly he hears a voice speaking aloud the lines of Miss Raymond's part and discovers Mary, who tells him she knows every line of it. Instantly Bradley whisks her into the auto and, after a wild dash, they arrive in the city in time to fit Mary out with a wardrobe and send her on the stage to play the star role. Mary makes a great hit and receives an ovation at the final curtain that insures her success and that of the play. Bradley instantly makes her leading lady of the road company. —Moving Picture World synopsis
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    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Romance
      • Short
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    Details

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    • Release date
      • July 23, 1912 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • None
      • English
    • Production company
      • The Essanay Film Manufacturing Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Silent
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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