Three Wise Fools (1923 film)

Three Wise Fools
Directed by	King Vidor
Written by	June Mathis (scenario) John McDermott (adaptation) James O'Hanlon (adaptation) Winchell Smith (play) Austin Strong (play) King Vidor (scenario)
Starring	Claude Gillingwater
Cinematography	Charles Van Enger
Distributed by	Goldwyn Pictures
Release dates	August 19, 1923
Running time	70 minutes
Country	United States
Language	Silent (English intertitles)

Three Wise Fools is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by King Vidor.^[1] A print of the film exists at the Cinematheque Royale de Belgique.^[2]

Three Wise Fools is notable as an early high-profile role for the then-up and coming William Haines. Haines would later recall that he felt distracted by the top hat he wears in the film and, as a result, felt that his performance was terrible. However, his performance received positive notices in contemporary reviews, and Haines was offered a choice of four new film roles after the film's success.^[3] Claude Gillingwater was the only cast member from the original 1918 Broadway play.

Cast

• Claude Gillingwater as Theodore Findley
• Eleanor Boardman as Rena Fairchild / Sydney Fairfield
• William H. Crane as Hon. James Trumbull
• Alec B. Francis as Dr. Richard Gaunt
• John St. Polis as John Crawshay (as John Sainpolis)
• William Haines as Gordon Schuyler
• Lucien Littlefield as Douglas
• ZaSu Pitts as Mickey
• Martha Mattox as Saunders
• Creighton Hale as Young Trumbull
• Raymond Hatton as Young Gaunt

References

1. "Progressive Silent Film List: Three Wise Fools". Silent Era. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
2. "Three Wise Fools". American Silent Feature Film Survival Database. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
3. Mann, William J.; Wisecracker: the Life and Times of William Haines, Hollywood's First Openly Gay Star; Viking, New York, 1998; p. 67

External links

• Three Wise Fools at the Internet Movie Database
• Film still at silenthollywood.com