Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford (1916 film)

Two swindlers, Blackie Daw (Henry Carson Clarke) and J. Rufus Wallingford (Fred Niblo), arrive in Battlesburg, Iowa, and con the local townsfolk that they are wealthy businessmen. They use the town's money to establish plans for a factory to produce covered carpet tacks and set off a major real estate boom. They are about to leave town with their money when they receive a genuine order for a large supply of tacks. They decide to marry local girls and settle down in Battlesburg. ==Cast==

• Fred Niblo as J. Rufus Wallingford • Henry Carson Clarke as Blackie Daw • Enid Bennett as Fanny • Eddie Lamb • Pirie Bush • Sydney Stirling • Charles Clary • Kathryn Williams ==Original play==

Williamsons often imported American plays and American actors to star in them. Fred Niblo came out to Australia in 1912 with his wife Josephine Cohan, sister of George M. Cohan, and stayed for three years, appearing in a number of plays. One of these was Get-Rich-Quick-Wallingford, by Cohan, which proved enormously popular with Australian audiences. In the American production, Hale Hamilton played Wallingford, and Edward Ellis played Daws. The play opened at the Gaiety in September 1910 was a huge hit and had 424 performances in New York, 198 shows in London, and a translation in Paris. ==Production==

W. J. Lincoln adapted the play into a script in March 1915 and shooting began the following month. Filming took place at the J. C. Williamsons Studio, opposite Her Majesty's Theatre in Melbourne, and on location, in particular at the Junction Hotel in St Kilda. While filming, Niblo was also rehearsing a play in the morning and appearing in Seven Keys to Baldpate at night. He would have likely been heavily assisted by his stage manager Maurice Dudley and assistant stage manager Dick Shortland, as well as cinematographer Maurice Bertel. ==Reception==

The film was not a success at the box office, with critics noting in particular the absence of the play's wisecracking dialogue. Punch said that "it is not always that a popular stage favourite is able to make a success upon the screen. Mr. Niblo's extraordinary personality has assisted him greatly, and the film version is in many respects superior to the stage representation." The Moving Picture World called the movie "very poor". This contributed to the decision of J.C. Williamson to wind up their filmmaking arm. ==References==