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Edward José and Theda Bara.
Photograph: Silent Era image collection.
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A Fool There Was
(1915) United States of America
B&W : Six reels
Produced (directed) by Frank Powell
Cast: Theda Bara [the vampire], Edward José [John Schuyler, the husband], Mabel Frenyear [Kate Schuyler, the wife], Runa Hodges [the child], May Allison [the wife’s sister], Clifford Bruce [Tom, the family friend], Victor Benoit [Reginal Parmalee, the vampire’s victim], Frank Powell [the doctor], Minna Gale [the doctor’s wife]; Creighton Hale
William Fox Vaudeville Company production; distributed by Box Office Attractions Company [Box Office Productions Extraordinary]. / Produced by William Fox. Picturized (scenario) by Roy L. McCardell, from the adaptation by Frank Powell of the play A Fool There Was by Porter Emerson Browne inspired by the poem “The Vampire” by Rudyard Kipling. Cinematography by George Schneiderman. Presented by William Fox. / © 14 January 1915 by William Fox [LP5970]. Premiered 12 January 1915 in New York, New York. Released January 1915. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / Working title: The Vampire. Bara’s film debut, at age 25. The film was rereleased at five reels, under a different title (reedited by Hettie Gray Baker), by Fox Film Corporation in June 1918.
Drama.
Synopsis: Synopsis available in AFI-F1 n. F1.1412.
Survival status: Prints exist in the Museum of Modern Art film archive; in the film holdings of Worldview Entertainment (Paul Killiam collection); in the film holdings of EmGee Film Library [16mm reduction positive]; and in private film collections [16mm reduction positives].
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Affairs - Self-destruction - Vamps
Listing updated: 24 June 2009.
References: Film credits, film viewing : AFI-F1 n. F1.1412; Ball-Shakespeare pp. 239, 386; Barry-Griffith p. 14; Bohn-Light pp. 42, 110, 111; Brownlow-Parade p. 78; Everson-American pp. 198, 369; Higashi-Virgins pp. 55, 57-60, 74, 78; Leish-Cinema p. 29; Limbacher-Feature p. 84; McCaffrey-Guide p. 10; Shipman-Cinema pp. 55, 56; Sinyard-Silent p. 79; Sklar-Movie p. 92; Tarbox-Lost p. 219; Vermilye-Twenties p. 131 : Website-NFPF.
Home video: DVD.
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