Million Dollar Mystery
The Million Dollar Mystery is a twenty three
chapter film serial. It was directed by Howell Hansel, and starred Florence La
Badie. It was produced by Thanhouser Film Corporation and filmed in New Rochelle , New
York . The film serial was the company's biggest
success, largely due to the popularity of La Badie who performed her owns
stunts. Publicity gimmicks, including a prize for the member of the public who
sent in the best idea for a conclusion to the serial, were used to boost the
serial's success. The film is presumed to be lost.
Directed by
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Howell Hansel
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Produced by
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Edwin Thanhouser
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Written by
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Lloyd Lonergan, Harold McGrath
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Starring
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Cinematography
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George Webber
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Distributed by
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Thanhouser Film Corporation
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Release date
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June 22, 1914
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Running time
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23 chapters
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Country
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Language
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English
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Budget
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$125,000 approx.
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Box office
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Synopsis
The serial follows a secret society called "The Black Hundred" as they go on a trek in an attempt to obtain a lost one million dollars.Theatrical
The serial was highly successful and the stockholders received a return of 700% on their investment, receiving $1.5M at the box office for a cost of $125,000 "or so." As a result, another serial already in production was changed to become a sequel to The Million Dollar Mystery. Zudora was renamed The Twenty Million Dollar Mystery and changes were made to the plot half way through its release. It was not, however, as successful as its predecessor. In June 1918, The Million Dollar Mystery was re-edited to six reels and released as a feature film through Arrow Film Corporation. In 1927 it was remade as a feature silent film starring James Kirkwood.
Chapter
titles
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1. The
Airship in the Night
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13. (Unknown)
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2. The False
Friend
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14. (Unknown)
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3. A Leap in the
Dark
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15. The Borrowed Hydroplane
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4. The Top Floor
Flat
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16. Drawn Into the Quicksand
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5. At the Bottom
of the Sea
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17. A
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6. The Coaching
Party of the Countess
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18. (Unknown)
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7. The Doom of the
Auto Bandits
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19. (Unknown)
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8. The Wiles of a
Woman
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20. (Unknown)
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9. The Leap from
an Ocean Liner
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21. (Unknown)
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10. (Unknown)
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22. The Million Dollar Mystery
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11. In the Path of the Fast Express
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23. The Mystery Solved
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12. (Unknown)
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