The Actor and the Rube

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The Actor and the Rube is a 1915 American silent short film from the Thanhouser Company, released under the Falstaff brand. It was the first Falstaff release, written by Philip Lonergan and directed by Arthur Ellery, with Edwin Thanhouser supervising the production at the New Rochelle studios.

The story centers on Hi Jenkins, a cranky farmer who is disliked by his town and can’t win the heart of the spinster he likes. After losing at poker, he goes to New York City to forget his troubles. An actor there decides to impersonate Jenkins and returns to the village, where he wins the people’s favor and the spinster’s affection. He also does well at poker. When he returns to tell Jenkins to stay quiet, Jenkins discovers he is now well-liked, marries the spinster, and leaves his cranky ways behind.

This one-reel comedy runs about 1,015 feet and was released on April 16, 1915. It was distributed by Mutual Film and later released in the United Kingdom as The Actor and the Bumpkin on September 30, 1915. The film features Thanhouser actors such as Riley Chamberlin and Boyd Marshall.

Reviews were generally positive, praising the acting and the originality of the plot. Motography called it a wholesome comedy, while the New York Dramatic Mirror, The Moving Picture World, the New York Clipper, and Motion Picture News all gave favorable notes about the production. One critic, Peter Milne, said the story wasn’t highly original but that Riley Chamberlain’s performance was strong.

Today, The Actor and the Rube is considered a lost film.