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| Moving Picture World, 06-February-1915 |
The Million Dollar Mystery was a Thanhouser production made in association with the
Chicago Tribune, which ran the weekly stories in printed form. The 23-chapter serial starred Florence La Badie, a popular Thanhouser actress who died in 1917 in a car wreck. Her leading man was James Cruze, who later became a director. His most famous production was
The Covered Wagon.
We saw back in November that production had stopped after the 22nd episode so that fans could submit their proposed solutions to the mystery and the winning entry would be produced:
http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/2014/11/1-million-dollar-mystery-ends-november.html
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| Motography, 06-February-1915 |
"the most successful photoplay serial ever brought out."
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| Motography, 06-February-1915 |
Three of the stars, Sidney Bracy, Marguerite Snow and Florence Labadie, pretend to dig through the great pile of submissions received in the mail. The lucky winner would get $10,000 and appear in the 23rd episode.
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| Moving Picture World, 06-February-1915 |
Moving Picture World had a photo of the actual judges, Harold MacGrath, who wrote the story, May Tinee of the Chicago Tribune, and Howell Hansell of Thanhouser.
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| Motography, 13-February-1915 |
And the final episode ends in a clinch.
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| Moving Picture World, 20-February-1915 |
The final episode will announce the name of the winner and show a photo of her or him.
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| Moving Picture World, 06-February-1915 |
The Million Dollar Mystery was such a success that Thanhouser began converting its next serial,
Zudora, which was already in production and distribution, into a sequel. The title became
The Twenty Million Dollar Mystery (inflation) and in episode 8, James Cruze switched from being a villain to being the hero. Sidney Bracy and Frank Farrington, who had been in
The Million Dollar Mystery , also joined the cast of
Zudora.
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| Motography, 06-February-1915 |
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| Motography, 06-February-1915 |
"The conspirators lay their plans."
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| Motography, 06-February-1915 |
"The diamond cutter works over the smuggled jewels."
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| Motography, 06-February-1915 |
"Madame Duval gives Zudora a fright."
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| Moving Picture World, 13-February-1915 |
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| Motography, 13-February-1915 |
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| Motography, 13-February-1915 |
"The loss of the gems is discovered."
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| Motography, 13-February-1915 |
"The jewels are hidden away."
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| Motography, 13-February-1915 |
"The Zudora diamond mine." Keep in mind that this was being shot during the winter in New Jersey. These poor men must have gotten cold.
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| Moving Picture World, 20-February-1915 |
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| Motography, 20-February-1915 |
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| Motography, 20-February-1915 |
"Baird learns of the diamonds to be found in the mine."
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| Motography, 20-February-1915 |
"The conspirators force Zudora to tell what she knows of the diamonds."
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| Motography, 20-February-1915 |
"The death of Howard."
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| Moving Picture World, 20-February-1915 |
"The Photoplay Serial that is Packing Houses."
