John Steppling

What connected Harry and Scarlet when the mysterious Cadillac appeared in the rearview mirror? A story straight out of the American dream.

A young French soldier in World War I is overcome with guilt when he kills a German soldier who, like himself, is a musically gifted conscript, each having attended the same musical conservatory in France. The fact that the incident occurred in war does not assuage his guilt. He travels to Germany to meet the man's family.

Mary is marrying Jimmie, from whom she has kept a secret; Mary remains in love with another man. Problems ensue, jeopardizing the tranquility of their relationship.

A shipping clerk falls under the spell of a socialite, but eventually returns to the girl from his own social class who really loves him.

Jane Goring, a ruthlessly ambitious actress, forsakes her life as a wife and mother for the stage. Returning home from a performance one night, Jane is disgusted to find her husband Robert McNaughton victimized by a tubercular cough and so banishes him and her young daughter to a sanitarium in Colorado. Years pass, finding Jane still estranged from her family. On the opening night of her new play, Jane finds herself upstaged and outperformed by Gloria Cromwell, a rising young actress, who, unknown to Jane, is her abandoned daughter. Returning home, Jane is haunted by visions of her husband and child and begins to sob. Looking up from her pillow, she is startled to see her husband with Gloria.

The story to this comedy-drama is based on the book by Emerson Hough, who was experiencing a surge of popularity because his book The Covered Wagon had recently been made into a hit film. Ranchman Colonel Wright sends his daughter Bonnie to an Eastern college to receive an education. She decides to stay in the city and sends for her father, who arrives with his foreman Curly. Even though they live in the midst of society, they are snubbed by the Easterners as uncouth.

A maid is forced to take the place of the lady of the house when she is temporarily incapacitated.

Percy Schwartz is the son of a rich trash-can manufacturer but forgoes joining the company business in order to write thriller movie stories about bigger-than-life heroes, which he also aspires to be. Percy is deeply in love with Ruth Rand, the niece of Dr. Rand. a world-exploring scientist who majors in the mysteries of the Orient. The latter, after hearing Percy read one of his blood-curdling scenarios to the awe-struck Ruth, decides to test Percy character. Percy goes to ask Dr. Rand for Ruth's hand-in-marriage and finds him in his study going through some Orienral artifacts with his giant Hindu servant, Kotah. Dr. Rand later informs Percy that Ruth has been abducted and he needs Percy to help rescue her.

Austin Starfield has his greedy eye on a steel mill belonging to Eve Burnside. He persuades an impoverished count, Leon Molnar to marry Eve so he can then gain control of her fortune.

A biographical film featuring the presidency and assassination of Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War.

While taking a morning workout, young prizefighter Danny Martin encounters Charlotte Hamilton in distress over her balky roadster. Martin wins his fight but is counted a loser by a crooked referee. Later, he is invited to a barbecue at Charlotte's home, but when John Hamilton, who strongly dislikes fighters, learns of Martin's profession, he shows him the door. Danny gives up his career for Charlotte and opens a health resort for obese millionaires. Hamilton and his prospective son-in-law, Penrod, arrive at the resort for treatment, and their indignation and disgust at the treatment provide comic complications. Learning that Danny and Charlotte have already eloped, Hamilton is at first furious, then resigns himself to their happiness.

Perryam is going through a round of bad luck; he is thrown out of school and loses at love. In search of a change, he heads for London, where he meets Audrey Nye, a former jazz baby who has gotten a responsible job on a newspaper. She helps Perryam get hired as a reporter.

The best man at an upcoming wedding goes to a jeweler to pick up the wedding ring and is also given a bracelet, on approval, worth $25,000. On his way home, a pigeon swoops down and snags the bracelet. The man must track down the pigeon and get the bracelet back so he won't have to pay for it--but that's easier said than done.

Unwilling to arrest Billy Carson, a crook who once befriended him, Officer Quinn forces him and Dan, his confederate, to spend a year in a small town.

Princess Triloff, an emigrée from Czarist Russia, escapes to America where she becomes a patron of the arts. She falls in love with the verses of impoverished poet Owen Carey and becomes his anonymous benefactor. When Owen inherits a fortune from his rich Uncle Krakerfeller, he assumes his uncle's identity and confers his own upon an impoverished friend, Frank Manners. At a resort, Owen meets the princess and falls in love with her, but is chagrined to discover that she is enamored with Manners. The princess finally discovers Owen's real identity and the two fall in love.

When a wealthy young lady loses her inheritance, she decides to apply for work in disguise. In prim and proper working girl attire she becomes the respectable companion of a woman looking to reform her wayward nephew.

After serving in the Great War, international crook Anthony Trent resolves to go straight. He wants to track down the English private who saved his life, and discovers his true identity is Arthur Grenvil, the son of the Earl of Rosecarrel. Trent falls in love with Grenvil's sister, Daphne, and sets out to win the Earl's approval. He discovers that the Earl is being blackmailed by Count Michael Temesvar, the prime minister of Croatia, over some documents.

Wealthy wastrel Neil Sparks devotes more attention to the pursuit of pleasure than to his inherited oil business. Neil's neglect allows two schemers, Craig and Abbott, to siphon the Sparks' Texas oil through the construction of an illegal pipeline. Upon receiving notification that his wells are running dry, and in an attempt to rid himself of the unwelcome attentions of his mercenary fiancée, Bess Kinloch, Neil ventures West to investigate, using an assumed name. Discovering the theft, Neil sends for his butler, and the two of them force the crooks to buy a parcel of land and deed the property to Myrtle Pratt, whose father had been swindled and murdered by the scoundrels. Justice served, Neil returns East to be followed by Myrtle and her five brothers, who arrive during his engagement party to Bess. Neil shocks his guests by announcing that the children are his, and he and Myrtle wed.

Lord Harrowby takes out an $100,000 insurance policy to be paid if his wedding to Cecilia Meyrick is cancelled. The insurance company sends Dick Minot to make sure the wedding takes place, but he falls in love with the bride.

Stratton's café is a popular place with the people of Cottonia, a wealthy cotton town on the banks of the Mississippi, installs flood-proof doors as a safeguard against an overflow of the river; when a flood comes, it appears that the entire town will be submerged. Trapped in Stratton's cafe, amongst others, are Billy Bear, a young broker, and Poppy, a chorus girl with whom he has been in love.

A poverty-stricken Cockney girl rises through incredible adventures to become the wife of a nobleman.

Millionaire Kent Whitney is warned by Bob Harkness, one of her rejected suitors, about the fickleness of his girlfriend, socialite Myra Hastings. Together they concoct a scheme to teach her a lesson. Kent invites Myra home to meet his family, and she goes, expecting to find an atmosphere of elegance and refinement. Instead, she is greeted by Kent's eccentric father, who affronts her with crude jokes; Kent's mother is introduced reclining on a couch, surrounded by yapping dogs and Myra flees. Upon discovering that the evening was a ruse, Myra decides to retaliate. She hires a fake minister, pretends to marry Kent and then deserts him, leaving behind a message explaining that the ceremony was a farce. Kent pursues Myra and persuades her that a real marriage is in order.

Eddie, a prim store salesman, gets locked in overnight and battles hoodlums.

Jeff Daggett, owner of a garage in Rockett, Arizona, neglects his business for work on a new type of automobile motor, while Johnny Fox, his assistant, handles the business. President Holtwood of a motor company and his daughter Nadine are driving to California when their car breaks down near Rockett.

Wealthy racing driver Tom Hayden loses his inheritance and his fiancé due to a wacky mishap on his wedding day.

Going Up (1923)

A novelist's success causes a rift between her and her rancher husband.

By Whose Hand? is a lost 1927 American silent crime drama film directed by Walter Lang and released by Columbia Pictures.

Sheriff Pat Halahan comes into an inheritance and travels to San Francisco to collect. Faith O’Day, a cat burglar armed with pistol and flashlight breaks into his hotel room and demands that Halahan cough up his dough. Halahan sees her threat and raises her a one-dollar bet that he can return a brooch she stole earlier the same evening before its loss is discovered. Pulling off his boots to slip on his own “soft shoes,” Halahan sets off to do a little second-story work, not realizing the trouble he’s in for.

"The County Fair" begins with a nasty rich guy threatening to turn an old lady onto the street--unless her niece (who lives with her) marries this man's son. While she's dead set against it, the niece is a sweet thing and would do anything to help her aunt--even marry the rich jerk. However, a possible way out is presented. When a poor young man is taken in and fed, he turns out (naturally) to be a jockey and thinks he can win the $3000 prize at the fair and save the farm.

Freddy Wetherill and his bride, Hyla, quarrel at her mother's beach cottage, and Hyla sends her new husband home alone. Seeking distraction from his troubles, Freddy enters a vaudeville theater where Undine, "the diving Venus," and her trained seal, Bubbles, are performing. Outside the theater, Freddy meets Undine's fiancé, George Fitzgerald, and becomes involved in George's effort to hide Undine's seal from a bill collector armed with an order of attachment because of an unpaid hotel bill. Complications arise when Freddy Wetherill's dying rich uncle, Cato Dodd, notifies him that he wants Hyla to nurse him. To insure he stays in his uncle's will, Freddy substitutes Undine for Hyla and takes George along to act as his "valet." Naturally, Bubbles comes along, too. This movie is presumed to be lost.

Fred Rees proposes to Edith Shanlon, contingent on her mother's approval, which is initially denied due to the mother's desire for a wealthy match. A dream reveals the potential unhappiness of such a marriage when Edith's mother envisions Edith married to a wealthy man who neglects her. The dream, filled with infidelity and public humiliation, convinces the mother that a loveless, wealthy marriage is not worth it. Upon waking, she happily grants her consent to Fred and Edith's union.

A young girl, stifling on her father's backwoods farm, is reinvigorated by the arrival of an army regiment, come to train in the area.

Angelone, a poor Italian man, works hard in America to support his family back home and eventually bring them over. A mix-up leads to him having to serve time in prison. This film appears to be lost.

Steven Brooks, a young man who finds himself entangled in a complicated situation involving his wife, Mrs. Steven Brooks, and another woman named Nell. The relationships and events that unfold ultimately test Steven's resolve and character, leading to a dramatic conclusion.

John Steppling is Billy McGrath in this popular series directed by Archer McMackin, of which this is the only existing example. Billy wants to be a Broadway producer but finds is isn't so easy.

Although her husband and children want to continue living modestly after they acquire a fortune from munitions, Mrs. Tompkins has social aspirations and persuades them to move into an exclusive country neighborhood and send their son Dick to Yale. When Mrs. Tompkins mistakes Louise Allenby, the daughter of her aristocratic neighbors, for a maid, Louise in jest pretends to be the Allenby social secretary. Dick, returning home, hears some girls giggling about Louise's joke on the Tompkins family and for revenge he becomes a groom for the Allenbys, but he and Louise fall in love. During a party, swindler Cholly Van Dusen steals some of the Allenby jewels and blames Louise who is put under arrest until her parents return. Cholly is then caught, Louise and Dick with revealed identities announce their love, and the Tompkinses are accepted socially.

A maid in the politician's household is bribed to call on the young man late at night, for the purpose of establishing a scandal which he is to be forced to sell his paper in order to hush up. The arrangements, overheard by the daughter, are frustrated by her locking the maid in her closet, and impersonating her herself. The result is comical and satisfying.

Insurance adjuster John Smith leaves for a nearby town to adjust a loss. He tells Mrs. Smith that he will be home in a few days. Traveling salesman John Smith leaves for a short business trip. He also tells Mrs. Smith to expect him in a few days. Salesman John wires his wife that he will be held up until the next day. Adjuster John Smith wires his wife that he will be home on the midnight express and to have lunch ready for him. The messages get crossed and many comical misunderstandings results until all is happily resolved.

Tom Allen, a hardworking young miner. He cautions his wife, Beatrice, about the presence of a "worthless chap" named Joe Hills, who frequently loiters around their cabin. Hills subsequently steals Allen's gold, and Beatrice discovers him in the act.

Ethel Dunne and Jack Blakeney are sweethearts, despite the objections of Ethel's father. Mr. Dunne has just admonished the young couple when he is entrapped by a flirtatious gypsy beauty. When an innocent but comprising, situation occurs the gypsy’s husband Tony appears and demands $1,000 in a designated spot to escape an Italian bomb. Ethel and Jack find the note so when Dunne leaves the money, Jack arrests Tony and banks the money to Ethel's credit. Arriving home Father Norton tells of his great bravery in foiling the designing gypsy, but Jack and Ethel reveal their part in the little comedy.

Roy Norman and Marie Thompson are betrothed. However, a friend of Roy's, Allan Boyd, arrives and he and Marie are mutually attracted to each other. This attraction leads Marie to return the engagement ring to Roy. One evening, Marie pretends to have a headache to stay home from the opera with her parents, dismissing her maid, expecting a visit from Allan. Instead, Roy arrives, sees Marie with Boyd, and discovers their relationship. Later, Allan's brother, Dr. Boyd, informs Roy that Marie has been in an eastern hospital and has given birth to a baby. He shares a statement from Marie naming the father. A year later, Allan marries, having seemingly forgotten Marie.

John Stuart Webster, mining engineer, having accumulated a fortune in Death Valley, Calif., starts for Denver. On the train is Dolores Ruey, a beautiful Spanish girl reared in the United States. Webster thrashes a travelling salesman who has been forcing his attentions on Dolores and thereby gains her admiration. Upon his arrival in Denver he leaves for Sobrante, Central America, to finance a mine found by his former protege, Billy Geary. Dolores is also bound for Sobrante. Her father, Don Ricardo Ruey, had been President of the Republic, until he was killed by revolutionists. They board the same train but Webster is seized with ptomaine poisoning and is removed to a hospital. Dolores is met by Billy Geary, who falls desperately in love with her. When he arrives. Webster does everything to give Geary a clear field, but after he has put Dolores' brother in the place his father held, he finds he has not only won a revolution, but a wife.

Discovering the day before her marriage that her fiancé is already married Violet Day has a breakdown. To recover her physician, Dr. King advises her to spend several months in the mountains. After some time there she meets young mountaineer Tom Sexton. The couple are smitten both thinking the other is a native of the area. Tom had also been sent to the region by Dr. King and when the doctor arrives for a vacation the pair both swear him to secrecy, much to his amusement.

Country girl Annabel Lee has big dreams of being a famous artist. Her widowed mother encourages her to go to the city so she can study. Annabel works hard, but she sells only one painting. She discovers that a renowned artist is spending the summer at a nearby resort, so she sends him her best work for a critique. A friend recommends that she see him in person, so Annabel pawns a piece of jewelry and heads for the resort. The artist informs her that she doesn't have enough talent to achieve much.

Bright young novelist Mabel Vere is engaged to Gerald Wantage, a prig who angrily objects when she advertises for a husband in order to elicit ideas for her new book. Mabel's roommate, Maud Bray, a physical culture expert, frightens away the less desirable suitors, while the writer responds to the more interesting letters, and soon becomes embroiled in a number of adventures.

The gases left in the wake of a comet that passed by earth have the effect of making everyone on the planet lazy and lethargic, and actually stops time.

A lost film. A wealthy young man's marriage to a mountain girl he meets while hunting is disastrous until she abandons him and later reappears incognito as a tutored and sophisticated woman.

Young, introverted New York attorney Jimmie Pendleton is notoriously shy around women. Instead, he spends much of his time embarking on wild escapades with his friend, Herbert Austin. To fund these adventures, Jimmie frequently wires his eccentric Uncle Tobias in Kansabraska (a fictionalized Midwestern location) for emergency cash. Chaos ensues when Jimmie becomes engaged to Herbert’s sister, Mary. Following the engagement, Uncle Tobias unexpectedly arrives from the West. Jimmie is forced into a frantic, comical scramble to maintain appearances and conceal his true, wilder lifestyle—along with his careless spending habits—from his visiting uncle and his new in-laws.

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Ida Price has been cheated out of her share in her father's estate by her cousin Charles. She puts the appeal of the case in the hands of Judge Clark and his assistant Robert Graham. Charles tries to compromise with Ida, but she stands firm. He resorts to attempting to get the judge tipsy and delay the verdict. He fails, the former decision is reversed with Ida receiving her fair share and incidentally a husband in Robert Graham.

Mary, a farmer's daughter in New England. The summer boarders who had been staying at her family's farm have departed, but two of them, Lloyd Norman and his cousin Edgar, remain in Mary's thoughts. Mary is concerned about a promise that was made to her earlier, and awaits a summons that would bring her happiness, but it never arrives.

Within earshot of her fiancé Leo Holmes and his friend Bruce Morgan Louise Wilke says she could never marry a man who was a drunkard. Morgan, secretly in love with Louise, gets Leo intoxicated and sends him to her home. Louise breaks off the engagement and Bruce pursues her. Undecided, she slips into a dream where she is mired in a life of misery with Morgan, who has become a worse drunkard than Holmes as well as selfish and brutal. In trying to defend herself from Bruce she kills him with a pair of shears. Holmes, a poor derelict, hears her scream, rushes to her rescue. Louise awakens and sends for Leo.

Young Mary Lehner is deceived and abandoned by Ralph Moore, a manipulative social climber. Mary, daughter of a blacksmith, falls for Moore while he's taking advantage of her father's hospitality. After Moore leaves her pregnant and heartbroken, she flees to the city, faces hardship, and eventually gives birth to their child. Meanwhile, Moore, now engaged to a wealthy woman, experiences a night of drunken debauchery and insults, ultimately leading him to a deserted house where he encounters Mary again. Seeing her and learning of her suffering, Moore finally recognizes his obligation to her and their child. They reconcile and Mary returns to a respectable social standing.

Andy is searching for a woman whose photo he found in an envelope with the challenge "Find me." Meanwhile, J.D.P. Moore and his daughter, Ruth, are also at Miramar Beach. Ruth is looking for a heroic husband, and her father tries to make the Count Raphio seem heroic by staging an attack on her that the Count is supposed to stop. However, the Count's plan fails, and Andy ends up rescuing Ruth from the attack, recognizing her as the woman from the photo.

After Outlaw Slippery Joe robs a miner and his daughter, a sheriff pursues him. While on the outlaw’s trail, the sheriff finds the miner's horse, abandoned by the outlaw, and notices the resemblance between Slippery Joe and Mr. Bond, a man he had encountered earlier who was searching for his twin brother. The miner and his daughter arrive at the ranger's cabin, recognizing Bond as the robber.

All of the navy men in a California port town have fallen in love with Jackie Holbrook, except for Captain Robert Crowne. As a result, roused by the challenge, Jackie decides that she must add Robert to her list of conquests. Disguising herself as a sailor, she leaves port on Robert's ship, which is headed for the island of Vergania to quell a native uprising. On the island, Robert is taken captive by the natives, and just as they prepare to sacrifice him, Jackie leads a successful rescue mission. Then, Jackie reveals herself to be a woman, and Robert, impressed with her beauty and bravery, instantly falls in love, and makes plans with her for an immediate marriage.

After her mother dies, a young girl is sent with her little sister to live with their aunt and uncle, who treat her terribly. The aunt and uncle run a show at the Panama exposition and turn her into a human butterfly.

After accidentally injuring a friend in a wrestling match and swearing off violence of any kind, Dr. Hart becomes the physician at Big Creek Mines. While most of the miners respect him one bully taunts both he and the young schoolteacher he has taken a fancy to. Mindful of his eschewing violence he ignores him but when diphtheria breaks out in camp, the physician proves himself a hero and his greater strength stands by him in many ways. The first to fall ill is the bully's little child and the man becomes frantic at the thought of losing her. Thinking the doctor will allow his daughter to die to get even with him he tries to prevent the use of a serum needle, but the doctor uses his great strength to quickly overpower and bind the father saving the child with the shot.

A peasant girl sent to make a claim on her family's ancestral home in England's Wessex is seduced and left with child by its current owner.