|
Baby’s First Tooth
(1910) United States of America
B&W : Split-reel / 385 feet
Directed by Thomas Ricketts (Tom Ricketts)
Cast: J.H. Gilmour [Mr. Lighthead, the father], Martha Russell [Mrs. Lighthead, the mother]
Essanay Film Manufacturing Company production; distributed by Essanay Film Manufacturing Company. / No copyright registration. Released 16 February 1910; in a split-reel with Aviation at Los Angeles, Calif. (1910). / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Comedy.
Synopsis: [The Moving Picture World, 19 February 1910, page ?] Mr. Lighthead rises from the breakfast table one morning, hustles into his overcoat and hat, kisses his wife good-bye and hurries out to catch the next downtown car. Mrs. Lighthead waves him good-bye and then returns to the baby. The little one has been in a bad mood ever since it has waked up, and Mrs. Lighthead, after having tried all means to soothe it, is in a quandary what to do. Suddenly she makes the important discovery that baby is cutting her first tooth! The little woman is elated and hurriedly runs to the ’phone to tell her husband about it. Mr. Lighthead is in his office going through his morning’s mail when the telephone jangles violently. He hurries to answer it and recognizes his wife's voice. ‘Come home quick! Hurry, please hurry! Baby—‘ but the connection is suddenly broken and the excited Lighthead jumps for his hat, conjuring up all sorts of terrible accidents which may have happened to his wife and baby. A vivid picture of his house in flames spurs him to greater speed as he runs down the street in the direction of his home. A man in a sleigh volunteers to drive him home, but in rounding a corner the sleigh is overturned and Lighthead is ducked into a snowdrift. He runs for a passing car, which is already crowded to more than its capacity, and in an effort to scramble aboard is pushed off into a mud puddle. He hails a passing taxicab, but immediately he seats himself within it the engine breaks down and later, in endeavoring to fix it, the engine explodes and tears his clothes to remnants. After other adventures Lighthead resolves to finish his journey afoot. But two policemen stop him and he is released only when he is identified by the family physician. Lighthead explains and, followed by the policemen and the surgeon, he finishes the disastrous journey when he runs panting up his front steps. Mrs. Lighthead greets her husband, smiling delightedly. ‘O, dear,’ she exclaims, ‘I’m so glad you came. Baby is cutting her first tooth, poor thing!’ And Lighthead falls fainting into the arms of the law.
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 26 February 1910, page ?] Always there is consternation, or something else disturbing in a household when the baby’s first tooth protrudes itself upon the scene. And in the instance here illustrated the interruption of the telephone service at the critical time added to the difficulties by creating the impression upon Mr. Lighthead that some terrible calamity had befallen his family. His feelings may be imagined when he arrives at home, disheveled and torn, by reason of numerous moving incidents by flood and field, only to learn that ‘baby has a tooth.’ The veil of charity may be drawn over the scene that followed.
Survival status: Print exists in the George Eastman Museum film archive [35mm positive (incomplete, 321 feet)].
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 15 February 2024.
References: Website-AFI; Website-Essanay; Website-GEM; Website-IMDb.
|
