Released 100 Years Ago Today - 22 June 1914

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	Howell Hansel
Produced by	Edwin Thanhouser
Written by	Lloyd Lonergan, Harold McGrath
Starring	Florence La Badie, Marguerite Snow, James Cruze, Frank Farrington, Sidney Bracey, Lila Chester
Cinematography	George Webber
Distributed by	Thanhouser Film Corporation
Release date	June 22, 1914
Running time	23 chapters
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$125,000 approx.
Box office	$1,500,000

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
1.   The Airship in the Night	13. (Unknown)
2.   The False Friend	14. (Unknown)
3.   A Leap in the Dark	15. The Borrowed Hydroplane
4.   The Top Floor Flat	16. Drawn Into the Quicksand
5.   At the Bottom of the Sea	17. A Battle of Wits
6.   The Coaching Party of the Countess	18. (Unknown)
7.   The Doom of the Auto Bandits	19. (Unknown)
8.   The Wiles of a Woman	20. (Unknown)
9.   The Leap from an Ocean Liner	21. (Unknown)
10. (Unknown)	22. The Million Dollar Mystery
11. In the Path of the Fast Express	23. The Mystery Solved
12. (Unknown)