Reel Life (1916-1917)

THE ADVENTURES OF “SHORTY” Shorty gets mixed up in a thrilling and mysterious diamond theft THE tall grass atmosphere of the cow ranch, with herds of long-horns, rat-tailed cayuses, lariats, revolvers, chaps and sombreros, with “Shorty” Hamilton as the central figure in a series of tremendously thrilling episodes, constitute the picture background of “Shorty Goes to College,” No. 3 in the series of the “Adventures of Shorty Hamilton,” produced by Mono¬ gram Films and released by the Mutual Film Corporation. The beauty of these plays is their wild western flavor — the scent of the wide ranges that blows off the screen as soon as “Shorty” makes his appearance in chaps and spurs, followed by his faithful pony whose intelligence is such as to endear him to every lover of animals. The adventures of “Shorty” on the Arrowhead ranch are just such adventures as might be expected to develop in such a locale — the dance in the bunkhouse, the keg of beer in the saddle house, the row that starts over nothing in particular and the spectacular fight that develops out of so insignificant a beginning. Anita Keller, “Shorty’s” sweetheart, who is determined to win him away from the rough life of the frontier, is as usual much in evidence, and it is to assuage her grief at his rough associations that he goes to college and as is to be expected, tries for the football team. That “Shorty” makes the team but registers zero in his studies is also to be expected, but the unexpected develops when the trans¬ planted cowpuncher falls in love with the dean’s daughter, Ruth Estey, and Professor Wade, who is devoted to the college girl, plots to ruin him. Given this for a basis the plot moves along with extraor¬ dinary speed, ’’Shorty” playing half-back on the football team and living the strenuous life generally with Anita on his trail determined to overcome the obsession of her hero for the professor’s daughter. The arrest of “Shorty” charged with stealing uncut diamonds, the property of Wade, professor of mineralogy, is brought about through a combination of their grievances “Shorty” Hamilton in a scene from “ Shorty Goes to College.” by Wade and Anita, and this treatment of their star half¬ back causes the football men to run Wade off his feet and duck him in a horse trough. In fact “Shorty Goes to College” is a succession of as exciting episodes as can well be imagined in one motion picture play. The fact that “Ruth,” the pretty college girl, turns out to be a somnambulist and is really responsible for the dis¬ appearance of the diamonds, adds to the complication. Synopsis of “STICKY FINGERS” Two Reels. Vogue Comedy Featuring Paddy McQuire. The Boys... Paddy McQuire, Billy Mason The Girl . Lillian Hamilton The Boy’s Fathers . . Larry Bowes, Harfy Huckins The Detectives. .Geo. Monberg, Glenn Gano Two college boys, finding their funds low meet a young lady and manage to “borrow” fifty dollars from her purse, without her knowing it. The theft is reported and the next day the boys write their fathers asking them for money. The boys borrow fifty dollars from a pawnbroker and manage to slip it back into the girl’s purse. The boys’ fathers arrive and are arrested as the thieves. The girl however gets the real thieves and they all meet at the police sta¬ tion. Here the girl finds her money is all intact and the matter is thought to be cleared up when the pawnbroker comes on the scene and demands his fifty. A most exciting chase follows and the boys are finally caught. * * * Synopsis of "JERRY AND HIS PAL” Cub Comedy, featuring George Ovey. Terry is fond of animals and wins the friendship of the Zoo elephant by the copious use of peanuts. He is discovered feeding his pet, and the keeper runs him off the lot. In the hall of his tenement, Jerry hears a girl crying. He enters the room and finds that the girl’s father is a drunkard, and spends all of his money in the saloon. Jerry asks the girl to accom¬ pany him to the saloon to get her father, but she has no one to leave with the baby. Jerry remembers his pachyderm pal, and brings him from the Zoo. The elephant tends the baby while Jerry and the girl tr'" to persuade her father to come home. Thev have no success, for Jerry is thrown out. Jerry then goes to the house, gets the elephant, and proceeds to wreck the saloon. The sight is too much for Mary’s father, who reforms and all ends happily. Synopsis of “NATURE’S CALLING” One Reel. American Drama Featuring J. Warren Kerrigan. Jack . J. Warren Kerrigan His Mother . Louise Lester His Sweetheart . Pauline Bush Jack, a young easterner, goes west for his health. Here he and his mother get to love the country and the boy sends for his sweetheart to come out and visit them. At first the girl is wrapped up in the country and has great times exploring the surrounding mountains with Jack. He pro¬ poses to her and she accepts him. The west begins to pall on the girl and she longs for society and New York. Finally, unable to stand it any longer she tells Jack that she must go home and begs him to return to civilization with her. Jack refuses however and, feeling the call of nature, sends the girl home and remains with his mother to enjoy the western country. REEL LIFE — Page Five