This week’s mystery movie was the March 18, 1910, Edison production of “Frankenstein,” directed by J. Searle Dawley, photographed by James White, with Augustus Phillips, Mary Fuller and Charles Ogle. Music scored and performed by Donald Sosin.
The Library of Congress released this historic version of “Frankenstein” earlier this month after restoration by the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center at the Library of Congress. More about the restoration is here.
Writing in the New York Times, Bosley Crowther said: “Wowsers! I won’t even have my first New York Times byline until 1932!”
Trying to identify the cast members in “Frankenstein” sent me down a deep rabbit hole. I’ll save most of it for later. But here are a few articles on the film. And as always, I remain hopeful that the Brain Trust will be recognize some of the unidentified actors.
March 5, 1910: Film Index announces the upcoming release of “Frankenstein.”
March 12, 1910: Film Index gives a summary of the plot.
March 19, 1910: Film Index publishes a review of “Frankenstein” with two stills.
Within two months of its release in the U.S., it was advertised in the Cine-Journal of May 14, 1910.
For Monday, we have two mystery guests.
Here’s a tighter crop.
Update: This is Mary Fuller and an unidentified actor.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery gent.
Update: This is the director J. Searle Dawley.
Brain Trust roll call: Sheila (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery actress), Dan Nather (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery actress and as yet unseen mystery leading man), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery actress and our as yet unseen mystery leading man) and James Curtis (mystery movie).
For Wednesday, we have a mysterious mad scientist and a mysterious bird over the door.
Here’s a tighter crop…
Update: This is Augustus Philips.
Is that a raven? No, it looks more like a pheasant. A turkey?
Uh-oh.
Brain Trust roll call: Mike Hawks (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery woman).
For Thursday … that’s “Fronk-en-steen!”
“Brain” Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie, mystery director, mystery cast and a nice article from The Film Index), Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery mad scientist), Tucson Barbara (mystery movie and mystery cast), Anne Papineau (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery woman, Tuesday’s mystery director and Wednesday’s mystery mad scientist), Sarah (mystery movie) and Dan Nather (Wednesday’s mystery mad scientist).
For Friday, the big guy himself.
Notice the mirror.
The monster sees itself in the mirror….
And poof! Now the monster only exists in the mirror. Double exposure? What a clever idea!
Update: This is Augustus Phillips and Charles Ogle as the monster.
“Brain” Trust roll call: Mike Hawks (foreseeing Friday’s mystery monster), Dan Nather (Tuesday’s mystery director and foreseeing Friday’s mystery monster), Beach Gal (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery woman, Tuesday’s mystery director, Wednesday’s mystery mad scientist and foreseeing Friday’s mystery monster).
ladailymirror.com 
Mary Fuller, ‘Frankenstein’ 1910
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Thomas Edison’s 1910 production of FRANKENSTEIN! The woman is Mary Fuller, but I don’t know the man — it doesn’t look like Augustus Phillips, who plays the title role, or Charles Ogle, who plays the monster.
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“Frankenstein,” 1910, by the Edison Manufacturing Company. Augustus Philips and Mary Fuller.
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Forrest Robinson?
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This film would seem to predate Forrest by a few years.
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Spottiswoode Aitken.
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Right era, but, alas, wrong studio.
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Mary Fuller in FRANKENSTEIN 1910.
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Augustus Phillips.
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The Fall of the House of Usher (1928)?
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Our mystery film is much earlier!
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This is the 1910 version of “Frankenstein,” starring Mary Fuller, Augustus Phillips, and Charles Ogle (as the monster)
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Augustus Phillips in Frankenstein (1910)
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On Tuesday, J. Searle Dawley
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This is the 1910 version of Frankenstein from Edison Studios.
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I have absolutely no idea, but the man in third photo from the top looks a bit like Larry Harnisch!
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And there’s Augustus Phillips today!
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Maybe I didn’t post my newest revelations properly yesterday but this looks to be the 1910 “Frankenstein.” The mystery gentleman on Tuesday may well be the director, J. Searle Dawley. Wednesday seems to be the creator of the monster, played by Augustus Phillips. Monday’s images are possibly Mary Fuller and Charles Stanton Ogle. Happy Thanksgiving!
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Mr. Charles Ogle will appear on friday.
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“Do you also say FRO-derick?”
Well, if Tuesday’s gent is the director, that’s J. Searle Dawley.
Expecting to ogle Charles Ogle in all his monstrous glory tomorrow . . .
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Monday’s actress is Mary Fuller. I don’t know who played her dad, but that’s who is the actor smoking the pipe.
Wed is our star, Augustus Phillips.
Our movie is Edison’s Frankenstein (1910)
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For Tues – we have our mystery director, J. Searle Dawley .
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Friday we should see The Monster played by Charles Ogle – who also did the makeup for the film.
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Charles Ogle today as the monster, and Augustus Phillips.
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Charles Ogle as the Monster.
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In keeping with what appears to be the theme of the now not too mysterious business of this film, I suggest that the bird above the doorway is a turkey vulture. Unfortunately the others are not so easily identifiable…at least to me.
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It just dawned on me after really looking at Monday’s photos – our mystery actor who plays the father is our director, J. Searle Dawley.
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I am embarrassed to admit this: I had forgotten that it is Thanksgiving; of course the bird IS a turkey vulture.
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