Paramount and Artcraft Press Books (1918)

CAST AND STORY OF “BRANDING BROADWAY” For Use of Exhibitors in Their House Organs or for General Publicity in the Exploitation of William S. Hart’s New Photoplay. An Artcraft Picture. William S. Hart^s Latest Artcraft Photoplay, ^^Branding Broadway^ ^ Presents Popular Star in New and Novel Role Story Deals With Cowboy Who Undertakes to Keep Son of Railroad Magnate Out of’ Mischief and Who Introduces Wild West Methods to the Great White Way. A BAND of cowboys headed by Bob Sands gallop into Whetstone, Ariz., and make straight for the only saloon the town boasts of. They are determined to spend every cent they have on a hilarious holiday. They take possession of the saloon which seems, somehow, sadly changed, with signs of unfamiliar beverages plastered on the walls and a bartender in the last stages of melancholia. Arizona has gone dry. When this painful fact has impressed itself on the crowd they proceed to smash everything in sight and the law and order league descends upon them. After a freefor-all fight the cowboys, who are in the minority, are defeated and their ringleader. Bob, is . securely bound hand and foot and thrown into the baggage car of a train headed for the East. When Bob recovers he picks up a paper and sees an advertisement inserted by a well known railroad magnate, offering a good position to anyone who has sufficient physical and mental power to keep his only son from getting into mischief. Bob decides to continue his journey to New York and nail the job. Arriving at the Empire City, Bob applies to Harrington for the position, explaining fully his many achievements in taming men and horses. The father introduces him to his son, Larry Harrington, and Bob starts in to make good. Larry is of the wild type of man about town and the terror of the White Y’ay and its sojourners. “BRANDING BROADWAY” The Cast Robert Sands, a Cowboy, William S. Hart Mary Lee, a Waitress, Seena Owen Larry Harrington, a Wild Youth Arthur Shirley Dick Horn, a Detective, Lewis W. Short Harrington, Sr., a Magnate Andrew Robeson Bob is introduced to the night life of Broadway and after demonstrating his ability to lick the bunch, including the young millionaire, gains a sort of ascendency over his charge. In keeping watch over his son it has come to the father’s knowledge that certain incriminating love letters have passed between Larry and the little proprietress of an uptown restaurant. Larry and his friends are in the habit of dropping in there to chat with the girl and are quite well aware that she has no use for any of them. I'he father is determined to recover the notes from Mary, and Bob is deputized to undertake the delicate mission. Unfortunately, Bob falls in love with Larry’s supposed sweetheart. This is painful to him as a sense of duty impels him to act loyally toward his employer and to further the suit in any way possible. While thinking how he can force Larry to marry the girl, he conceives the idea to kidnap Larry, tie him up in his (Bob’s) room and hold him there until he is prepared to go through with the marriage ceremony. This undertaking is successfully accomplished and Bob soon has the enraged Larry under lock and key in his room, which overlooks Mary’s restaurant. In the meantime, Harrington, Sr., has put the matter in the hands of a private detective — one Horn, of unsavory reputation. One night he steals into her room in search of the letters. He finds the letter in a desk, when Mary enters and a desperate struggle ensues. Bob manages to reach Mary’s room in time to rescue her and throw Horn to the bottom of the stairway. In a hurried interview with Mary Bob discovers that Horn has escaped with the letters. An exciting chase takes place, with Horn speeding in a taxi and Bob in hot pursuit on the back of a horse he has annexed without permission from a mounted policeman. Bob recovers the letters and after releasing Larry, the two appear before Mary. An explanation follows. Larry has his letters and will be able to reconcile his father, and Bob and Mary plan to start soon for Arizona, where Bob owns a nice little ranch, and he and Mary can “raise a lot of cows an’ geese n’everything.” 5