Writing

Edward T. Matlack

Known for

Writing

Credits

13 titles

Known for

The Hazards of Helen: Episode13, The Escape on the Fast Freight poster
5.8

Two tramps hold up small-town Ferndale's railway station night operator Helen, lock her in a closet, and escape. Later, standing on a bridge over the freight yards, Helen sees the two bandits aboard an outgoing freight and drops onto the roof of the car from above as it crosses underneath. A chase along the roofs of the speeding cars ensues.

The Hazards of Helen: Episode13, The Escape on the Fast Freight

1915

A Test of Courage poster
NR

Confronting Helen at the Lone Point Switch Tower, Denning and his pal imprison the girl in a clothes closet and then steal everything of value. In making their getaway, the crooks accidentally upset a lantern and set the tower afire. Helen, by picking the lock in the door with a hairpin, barely escapes death in the flames.

A Test of Courage

1915

The Forgotten Train Order poster
NR

107th film in the Hazards of Helen series

The Forgotten Train Order

1916

The Death Train poster
NR

The smashed corner of a trunk containing counterfeiting paraphernalia reveals to Helen that there is treachery afoot at Lone Point. Detectives capture two of the trio, but one of them gets away, pursued by Helen, across a high railroad trestle. Seventh of the "Hazards of Helen" Railroad Series.

The Death Train

1915

The Fast Mail's Danger poster
NR

Down and out, Bob, an engineer, drifts into town. His condition excites Helen's sympathy. Using her influence, the girl secures him a position with the railroad. Rankin, Dalmore and Dougherty escape from prison. The men attempt to enter the Hobart Tower, but Helen, seizing a revolver, baffles them.

The Fast Mail's Danger

1915

The Secret of the Box Car poster
NR

Escaping after an early morning bank robbery, Gentleman Joe and his pal succeed in boarding a freight train headed toward Lone Point. Fearing rightly that a warning has been sent down the line, they secrete their loot in a box car, and, after noting its number, alight and seek cover until after the pursuit has cooled.

The Secret of the Box Car

1916

Behind the camera

The Hazards of Helen: Episode13, The Escape on the Fast Freight poster
5.8

Two tramps hold up small-town Ferndale's railway station night operator Helen, lock her in a closet, and escape. Later, standing on a bridge over the freight yards, Helen sees the two bandits aboard an outgoing freight and drops onto the roof of the car from above as it crosses underneath. A chase along the roofs of the speeding cars ensues.

The Hazards of Helen: Episode13, The Escape on the Fast Freight

1915

A Test of Courage poster
NR

Confronting Helen at the Lone Point Switch Tower, Denning and his pal imprison the girl in a clothes closet and then steal everything of value. In making their getaway, the crooks accidentally upset a lantern and set the tower afire. Helen, by picking the lock in the door with a hairpin, barely escapes death in the flames.

A Test of Courage

1915

The Forgotten Train Order poster
NR

107th film in the Hazards of Helen series

The Forgotten Train Order

1916

The Death Train poster
NR

The smashed corner of a trunk containing counterfeiting paraphernalia reveals to Helen that there is treachery afoot at Lone Point. Detectives capture two of the trio, but one of them gets away, pursued by Helen, across a high railroad trestle. Seventh of the "Hazards of Helen" Railroad Series.

The Death Train

1915

The Fast Mail's Danger poster
NR

Down and out, Bob, an engineer, drifts into town. His condition excites Helen's sympathy. Using her influence, the girl secures him a position with the railroad. Rankin, Dalmore and Dougherty escape from prison. The men attempt to enter the Hobart Tower, but Helen, seizing a revolver, baffles them.

The Fast Mail's Danger

1915

The Secret of the Box Car poster
NR

Escaping after an early morning bank robbery, Gentleman Joe and his pal succeed in boarding a freight train headed toward Lone Point. Fearing rightly that a warning has been sent down the line, they secrete their loot in a box car, and, after noting its number, alight and seek cover until after the pursuit has cooled.

The Secret of the Box Car

1916

A Railroader's Bravery poster
NR

When Helen learns that wiretappers have make a prisoner of Henry, the relief operator, she severs the wire being tapped, boards a freight train, uncouples the engine, and pursues the tappers, who are in a gasoline speeder. She eventually rescues Henry and captures Noyes, the head of the gang, who is then placed under arrest.

A Railroader's Bravery

1915

The Governor's Special poster
NR

The film is directed by James Davis from a story by Edward T. Matlack. In this episode Helen Gibson performs one absolutely breathtaking stunt, which just shows how dangerous it was to act for silent film pioneers, especially for stuntmen and stuntwomen. There is a twist to the plot, and Helen Gibson not only has to save her governor from mortal danger, but also the life of somebody close to her, who has been sentenced to die without guilt.

The Governor's Special

1916

The Sidetracked Sleeper poster
NR

Rupert Winslow, traffic superintendent of the railroad that employs Helen as operator at Lone Point, receives a telegram stating that his wife, who is ill, will be on the midnight express. He calls in Summers, a veteran brakeman on the passenger run and instructs him to watch over Mrs. Winslow and to sidetrack her sleeper if she requires medical attention.

The Sidetracked Sleeper

1917

The Runaway Boxcar poster
NR

Disguised as car repairmen, Mealius and Denney get aboard the express car, overpower the express messenger and steal a valuable package being forwarded to Arlington. Helen sees the crooks jumping from the car when it stops for water at Lone Point and gives the alarm.

The Runaway Boxcar

1915

The Open Drawbridge poster
NR

Benton, railroad detective, is assigned to run down the crooks who have been breaking into freight cars near Hobart. Helen, the telegraph operator at Hobart, supplies Benton with his first clue. Later in the day, the two see Rand and his band of river pirates rifling a box car.

The Open Drawbridge

1915

The Blocked Track poster
NR

On a visit to the State Prison with Superintendent Melvin of the construction camp near Lone Point. Helen gains the friendship of Butler, a former telegrapher who had been wrongfully convicted on circumstantial evidence. Butler is soon to be released and Helen promises to aid him.

The Blocked Track

1916

The Little Engineer poster
NR

While Hastings, the engineer of Freight No. 3205 is at lunch- in the Lone Point station, Bobby Heywood, the son of an engineer, climbs into the cab of the engine. Having frequently observed his father start his locomotive, Bobby jerks the throttle open. Helen sees the freight speeding down the track. Remembering that Bobby has been playing about the station, the girl surmises what has occurred.

The Little Engineer

1915