John Emerson

Writing

John Emerson

Born — Died

1874-05-29 — 1956-03-07

Place of birth

Sandusky, Ohio, USA

Known for

Writing

Credits

45 titles

John Emerson (born Clifton Paden; May 29, 1874 – March 7, 1956) was an American stage actor, playwright, producer, and director of silent films (many featuring Douglas Fairbanks). Emerson was married to Anita Loos from June 15, 1919, until his death, and prior to that the couple had worked together as a writing team for motion pictures. They would continue to be credited jointly, even as Loos pursued independent projects.

Known for

San Francisco poster
6.6

A beautiful singer and a battling priest try to reform a Barbary Coast saloon owner in the days before the great earthquake and subsequent fires in 1906.

San Francisco

1936

The Girl from Missouri poster
7.4

Leaving Missouri to find a wealthy husband in New York City, Eadie Chapman becomes a chorus girl and soon entertains at the lavish home of millionaire Frank Cousins. Cousins proposes to Eadie, only to then commit suicide due to bankruptcy. Fellow millionaire T. R. Paige defends Eadie when the police question her for having Cousins' jewelry -- but when she becomes enamored with his son, Tom, Paige declares Eadie a gold digger.

The Girl from Missouri

1934

His Picture in the Papers poster
4.6

Pete Prindle wins the affections of Christine Cadwalader, but her father demands that Pete shall get a half interest in his father's food product company before they can wed.

His Picture in the Papers

1916

Ex-Bad Boy poster
8.0

A man gets in trouble with his girlfriend when a beautiful movie star and her fiance come to his small town.

Ex-Bad Boy

1931

Polly of the Follies poster
7.0

A romantic comedy, focusing on the love triangle between Bob Jones, Alysia Potter and Polly Meachum. Originally engaged, Bob and Alysia elope to Bowling Green, Connecticut, where they meet Silas Meachum, a campaigner against motion pictures, and his daughter, Polly. The eloping couple’s family arrive, chasing them, and persuade them to wait to get married. Polly goes to New York to join the Ziegfeld Follies, but is ultimately replaced by Alysia. As Bob consoles Polly, Alysia breaks off the engagement, and Bob and Polly may now marry.

Polly of the Follies

1922

Mama Steps Out poster
7.3

A Fort Wayne, Indiana housewife (Alice Brady) drags her husband (Guy Kibbee) and daughter (Betty Furness) to Europe for culture.

Mama Steps Out

1937

Film credits

1910s · 5 titles

The Flying Torpedo poster
NR

In the future (1921), an alliance of several foreign countries plot to attack the US. American officials, coming to the realisation that the country is basically defenceless, offer $1,000,000 to anyone who can come up with a weapon to defeat the invaders. Winthrop Clavering, a writer and inventor, hears of the reward and tells his friend Bartholomew Thompson, a scientist and inventor who has been working on developing flying torpedo. However, enemy agents have also heard about Thompson's project, and set out to kill him and steal his plans. This film is now considered lost.

The Flying Torpedo

1916

The Bachelor's Romance poster
NR

David Holmes, a misogynist and recluse, becomes the guardian of ten-year-old Sylvia after her father's death. He initially sends her to live in the country, but she returns as a young woman, and David is captivated by her beauty. He finds himself falling in love with her as he accompanies her to social events, and they are united by their mutual love.

The Bachelor's Romance

1915

No artwork available
9.0

Tom Carson, a southerner, with his daughter, Grace, is the keeper of the Grey Sentinel Lighthouse. John Adams, the sweetheart of Grace, returns from West Point and joins the southern cause; he, however, spying for the Union Army. A fierce battle takes place between the Confederate and Union forces in which the former are victorious. Hal Peters, a southern officer and an admirer of Grace, is surprised to find among his captives. John Adams.

The Grey Sentinel

1913

The Failure poster
NR

Theatrical manager Isaac Shuman has a reputation for "taking advantage" of young girls who want to become stars on Broadway. Reporter Tom Warder investigates these stories and exposes Shuman in his newspaper.

The Failure

1915

The Conspiracy poster
NR

Winthrop Clavering a mystery writer, is continually ridiculed for the fiction of the crimes he depicts, so he decides to solve a case himself. To that end, he determines to find the slayer of Pedro Alvarez, who whispered before dying that his assailant was a woman. At the City Refuge for Homeless Girls, Clavering obtains the assistance of Margaret Holt, the sister of Victor Holt, the district attorney. Margaret, it is revealed, was abducted by Juanita, a member of a gang of white slavers led by Alvarez. After escaping from a brothel, Margaret became Alvarez' stenographer, hoping to gather secret information on his gang. While searching for evidence, Margaret was surprised by Alvarez, whom she killed. Finally, Clavering captures the gang, clears Margaret, and encourages her romance with cub reporter Jack Howell. This film is presumably lost.

The Conspiracy

1914

Behind the camera

San Francisco poster
6.6

A beautiful singer and a battling priest try to reform a Barbary Coast saloon owner in the days before the great earthquake and subsequent fires in 1906.

San Francisco

1936

The Girl from Missouri poster
7.4

Leaving Missouri to find a wealthy husband in New York City, Eadie Chapman becomes a chorus girl and soon entertains at the lavish home of millionaire Frank Cousins. Cousins proposes to Eadie, only to then commit suicide due to bankruptcy. Fellow millionaire T. R. Paige defends Eadie when the police question her for having Cousins' jewelry -- but when she becomes enamored with his son, Tom, Paige declares Eadie a gold digger.

The Girl from Missouri

1934

His Picture in the Papers poster
4.6

Pete Prindle wins the affections of Christine Cadwalader, but her father demands that Pete shall get a half interest in his father's food product company before they can wed.

His Picture in the Papers

1916

His Picture in the Papers poster
4.6

Pete Prindle wins the affections of Christine Cadwalader, but her father demands that Pete shall get a half interest in his father's food product company before they can wed.

His Picture in the Papers

1916

Ex-Bad Boy poster
8.0

A man gets in trouble with his girlfriend when a beautiful movie star and her fiance come to his small town.

Ex-Bad Boy

1931

Polly of the Follies poster
7.0

A romantic comedy, focusing on the love triangle between Bob Jones, Alysia Potter and Polly Meachum. Originally engaged, Bob and Alysia elope to Bowling Green, Connecticut, where they meet Silas Meachum, a campaigner against motion pictures, and his daughter, Polly. The eloping couple’s family arrive, chasing them, and persuade them to wait to get married. Polly goes to New York to join the Ziegfeld Follies, but is ultimately replaced by Alysia. As Bob consoles Polly, Alysia breaks off the engagement, and Bob and Polly may now marry.

Polly of the Follies

1922

Polly of the Follies poster
7.0

A romantic comedy, focusing on the love triangle between Bob Jones, Alysia Potter and Polly Meachum. Originally engaged, Bob and Alysia elope to Bowling Green, Connecticut, where they meet Silas Meachum, a campaigner against motion pictures, and his daughter, Polly. The eloping couple’s family arrive, chasing them, and persuade them to wait to get married. Polly goes to New York to join the Ziegfeld Follies, but is ultimately replaced by Alysia. As Bob consoles Polly, Alysia breaks off the engagement, and Bob and Polly may now marry.

Polly of the Follies

1922

Mama Steps Out poster
7.3

A Fort Wayne, Indiana housewife (Alice Brady) drags her husband (Guy Kibbee) and daughter (Betty Furness) to Europe for culture.

Mama Steps Out

1937

The Mystery of the Leaping Fish poster
5.9

Scientific detective Coke Ennyday comes to the rescue of a damsel in distress, known only as 'The Little Fish Blower', when a drug smuggler plots to force her to marry him.

The Mystery of the Leaping Fish

1916

Down to Earth poster
6.0

A healthy outdoors-type follows the girl he loves to a resort for wealthy hypochondriacs. In order to prove to her and the other patients that their "illnesses" are all in their minds, he hatches a scheme to take them on a boat ride, then get them stranded in the wilderness, where he can show them that they can live without their pills, doctors and "cures".

Down to Earth

1917

Down to Earth poster
6.0

A healthy outdoors-type follows the girl he loves to a resort for wealthy hypochondriacs. In order to prove to her and the other patients that their "illnesses" are all in their minds, he hatches a scheme to take them on a boat ride, then get them stranded in the wilderness, where he can show them that they can live without their pills, doctors and "cures".

Down to Earth

1917

The Americano poster
5.8

American mining engineer Blaze Derringer travels to the fictional South American country of Paragonia to reopen local mines. Upon arrival, he finds his company's office ransacked and the country's leader, President Valdez, overthrown and imprisoned following a coup.

The Americano

1916

The Americano poster
5.8

American mining engineer Blaze Derringer travels to the fictional South American country of Paragonia to reopen local mines. Upon arrival, he finds his company's office ransacked and the country's leader, President Valdez, overthrown and imprisoned following a coup.

The Americano

1916

Wild and Woolly poster
6.3

A rich Easterner who has always wanted to live in "the Wild West" plans to move to a Western town. Unknown to him, the town's "wild" days are long gone and it is an orderly and civilized place now. The townsmen, not wanting to lose a rich potential resident, contrive to make over the town to suit the young man's fantasy.

Wild and Woolly

1917

Less Than the Dust poster
3.0

Young Hindu woman Radha, becomes best friends with Captain Raymond Townsend during his service in India, but he soon goes back to England to tend to the estate of an uncle who has just died. Then, Ramlan, the sword maker who raised Radha, is arrested for taking part in an anti-British uprising, and before he goes to jail, he decides to tell Radha the story of her birth, her real father, Captain Brooke, died of a drug overdose, and her destitute mother then entrusted her to Ramlan. After learning about her background, Radha goes to England to claim her rightful inheritance from the estate of her late grandfather, who is also Raymond's uncle. Raymond is delighted to discover that his Hindu friend is really a white woman, and after dividing the estate with Radha, he brings the fortune back together by marrying her.

Less Than the Dust

1916

Hit-the-Trail Holliday poster
NR

Bartender Billy Holliday loses his job for refusing to supply drinks to minors at the behest of his employer. In the little country town he wanders into looking for work he finds two elements, the wets and the drys. When he meets the daughter of the leader of the drys, he casts in his lot with them, and when the leader of the wet faction threatens vengeance, Billy is instantly on the job. At a meeting of prohibitionists, which the brewery element seeks to disrupt by the introduction of a number of roughnecks, Holliday takes the platform and nullifies their efforts with a fiery speech. He finally succeeds in putting the wet element out of business--and in winning the love of Edith Jason.

Hit-the-Trail Holliday

1918

The Love Expert poster
5.9

After neglecting her studies in favor of romantic experiments, Babs Hardcastle is thrown out of boarding school. In hopes of ceasing her romance studies, Babs’s father sends her to Boston to stay with her aunt. Boston, however, proves to be the perfect place for Babs’s matchmaking. When Babs falls in love with Jim Winthrop, she learns that he must find suitable men for his two sisters, Dorcas and Matilda, and his elderly aunt Cornelia, before he can marry. Babs, determined to marry Jim, takes it upon herself to find them all husbands.

The Love Expert

1920

The Love Expert poster
5.9

After neglecting her studies in favor of romantic experiments, Babs Hardcastle is thrown out of boarding school. In hopes of ceasing her romance studies, Babs’s father sends her to Boston to stay with her aunt. Boston, however, proves to be the perfect place for Babs’s matchmaking. When Babs falls in love with Jim Winthrop, she learns that he must find suitable men for his two sisters, Dorcas and Matilda, and his elderly aunt Cornelia, before he can marry. Babs, determined to marry Jim, takes it upon herself to find them all husbands.

The Love Expert

1920

Let's Get a Divorce poster
NR

A bit too immature for marriage, Cyprienne allows her pretty head to be turned by an egotistical fop. The girl demands that her husband Prunelles grant her a divorce, but he devises a scheme to bring her back into the matrimonial fold.

Let's Get a Divorce

1918

Reaching for the Moon poster
5.8

A button factory worker has always dreamed that he was meant for better things, to be rich and famous and in "the company of kings". One day he discovers that he is indeed the only heir to the throne of a small European kingdom. However, there are forces at work who don't want him to survive to take the throne.

Reaching for the Moon

1917

Reaching for the Moon poster
5.8

A button factory worker has always dreamed that he was meant for better things, to be rich and famous and in "the company of kings". One day he discovers that he is indeed the only heir to the throne of a small European kingdom. However, there are forces at work who don't want him to survive to take the throne.

Reaching for the Moon

1917

In Again, Out Again poster
NR

A young man drowns his sorrows in strong drink when jilted by his girl. His drunkenness gets him thrown in jail, where he falls in love with the jailer's daughter. When released, the young man tries everything to get back into the jail - though when he is mistaken for an anarchist bomber, he finds himself facing not just jail, but execution.

In Again, Out Again

1917

The Social Secretary poster
5.6

An attractive young girl struggles to hold a job as she deals with unwanted romantic advances from her boss.

The Social Secretary

1916

The Social Secretary poster
5.6

An attractive young girl struggles to hold a job as she deals with unwanted romantic advances from her boss.

The Social Secretary

1916

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes poster
10.0

Gold digging blonde Lorelei and her brunette friend Dorothy are searching for rich husbands. This film is believed lost.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

1928

Dulcy poster
7.0

Dulcy, a devoted but scatterbrained bride, tries to improve her absent husband's finances by inviting two of his business prospects to dinner. Though at first thoroughly confusing the deal, she does get her husband a bigger share than he bargained for.The film is now considered to be lost.

Dulcy

1923

Mama's Affair poster
9.0

Eve Orrin is at the mercy of her possessive mother, who has a case of "nerves" every time her daughter tries to show a mind of her own. Mrs. Orrin and her friend, Mrs. Marchant, have determined that Eve will marry Mrs. Marchant's milquetoast son, Henry, and Eve is willing to go along with it just to placate her mother. But Eve herself finally has an attack of nerves, and she falls in love with Doctor Harmon, the physician called in to care for her.

Mama's Affair

1921

Getting Mary Married poster
5.2

A young woman must resist the charms of a handsome stranger and stay single if she wants to inherit a fortune.

Getting Mary Married

1919

The Isle of Conquest poster
9.0

A 1919 film directed by Edward José.

The Isle of Conquest

1919

Red Hot Romance poster
10.0

After his father's death, Roland Stone learns that his will stipulates that he must go to the South American country of Bunkonia and sell life insurance.

Red Hot Romance

1922

Macbeth poster
NR

Shakespeare's tragedy of the Scots nobleman whose ambition leads him to betrayal, murder, and damnation.

Macbeth

1916

Macbeth poster
NR

Shakespeare's tragedy of the Scots nobleman whose ambition leads him to betrayal, murder, and damnation.

Macbeth

1916

No artwork available
10.0

Lieutenant Parker reports for duty to Major Wilkins, commanding Ft. Sill, where Geronimo is a prisoner. Parker quickly wins the love of Pauline, the major's daughter, and the undying hatred of Captain Gray. The captain plans to release Geronimo in the dead of the night, throwing the blame on Parker.

Geronimo’s Last Raid

1912

No artwork available
10.0

Lieutenant Parker reports for duty to Major Wilkins, commanding Ft. Sill, where Geronimo is a prisoner. Parker quickly wins the love of Pauline, the major's daughter, and the undying hatred of Captain Gray. The captain plans to release Geronimo in the dead of the night, throwing the blame on Parker.

Geronimo’s Last Raid

1912

The Perfect Woman poster
10.0

Mary Blake can charm any man, young or old, with her winning ways -- except for the one she really wants. James Stanhope is a misogynist who won't give her the time of day.

The Perfect Woman

1920

Two Weeks poster
7.0

No synopsis available yet.

Two Weeks

1920

Come on In poster
NR

A patriotic but short American man tries without luck to qualify for the Army, but can't get in until a knock on the head raises a lump high enough for him to pass the height requirement. Meanwhile, his lady friend decides to become a Secret Service agent, though she is unable to keep the fact a secret, even from the German spies she hopes to apprehend.

Come on In

1918

Come on In poster
NR

A patriotic but short American man tries without luck to qualify for the Army, but can't get in until a knock on the head raises a lump high enough for him to pass the height requirement. Meanwhile, his lady friend decides to become a Secret Service agent, though she is unable to keep the fact a secret, even from the German spies she hopes to apprehend.

Come on In

1918

Woman's Place poster
8.0

The Women's Political League decides to find a female candidate for mayor and their choice is Kay Gerson who, they figure, will win votes from the men because of her looks. But the town's political boss, Jim Bradley, counters with his own good-looking candidate, Freddy Bleeker, who he thinks will get the women's vote.

Woman's Place

1921

A Virtuous Vamp poster
6.6

A flirtatious young woman takes a job in a busy office, where her presence is terribly disruptive. None of the men in the office can concentrate on their jobs while her charms are on display. Of course, she sets her eye on the one man who seems oblivious to her.

A Virtuous Vamp

1919