| ~The Hunchback of Notre Dame~ 1923 |
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| ~Lon Chaney & Patsy Ruth Miller~ |
| ~Plot Synopsis~ |
This second film version of the Victor Hugo novel Notre Dame de Paris (the first was a Theda Bara
vehicle, The Dancer of Paris) was a super-duper-spectacular as only Hollywood of the 1920s could make
them, but it is never so large that it dwarfs the contribution of its star, Lon Chaney. As the hunchbacked
bellringer Quasimodo, Chaney adorned himself with a special device that made his cheeks jut out
grotesquely; a contact lens that blanked out one of his eyes; and, most painfully, a huge rubber hump
covered with coarse animal fur and weighing anywhere from 30 to 50 pounds. While Quasimodo is but
one of many interconnecting characters in the original Hugo novel, he dominates the narrative of this
expensive Universal production. Set in the walled city of Paris in the 16th century, the story is set in
motion when the evil Jehan (Brandon Hurst), brother of saintly Notre Dame archdeacon Dom Claude
(Nigel De Brulier), orders the dog-like Quasimodo to attempt to kidnap gypsy girl Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth
Miller). Quasimodo is captured and flogged for his crime, whereupon Esmeralda shows him kindness by
offering him water. He reciprocates when Esmeralda, framed on a murder charge by the obsessed Jehan
(if he can't have her, no one can), is sentenced to be hanged. Quasimodo grabs a rope and swings down
from the towers of Notre Dame, rescues Esmeralda from the gallows, and carries her into the church,
shouting "Sanctuary! Sanctuary!" Through a series of convoluted plot twists, Clopin (Ernest Torrence), the
king of beggars, leads an army of the Parisian poor to storm the gates of the cathedral and reclaim
Esmeralda. Quasimodo defends both the girl and his church by tossing heavy objects and pouring molten
lead upon the invaders. This climactic scene was filmed at night, requiring the services of literally every
arc light in Hollywood. The Notre Dame set (which wasn't quite as large in real life as it seems on screen)
remained standing on the Universal back lot for years after this film was completed, doing background
service in the 1925 Lon Chaney starrer The Phantom of the Opera. With Hunchback of Notre Dame, Lon
Chaney rose from mere leading player to major star, which led him to even greater success at MGM,
where his reputation as "the man of a thousand faces" really got a workout. The story would be remade
by in 1939 with Charles Laughton, in 1955 with Anthony Quinn, in 1982 with Anthony Hopkins, and again
in 1996 as a sanitized Disney animated musical.
Plot Synopsis by Hal Erickson, AllMovie.com
vehicle, The Dancer of Paris) was a super-duper-spectacular as only Hollywood of the 1920s could make
them, but it is never so large that it dwarfs the contribution of its star, Lon Chaney. As the hunchbacked
bellringer Quasimodo, Chaney adorned himself with a special device that made his cheeks jut out
grotesquely; a contact lens that blanked out one of his eyes; and, most painfully, a huge rubber hump
covered with coarse animal fur and weighing anywhere from 30 to 50 pounds. While Quasimodo is but
one of many interconnecting characters in the original Hugo novel, he dominates the narrative of this
expensive Universal production. Set in the walled city of Paris in the 16th century, the story is set in
motion when the evil Jehan (Brandon Hurst), brother of saintly Notre Dame archdeacon Dom Claude
(Nigel De Brulier), orders the dog-like Quasimodo to attempt to kidnap gypsy girl Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth
Miller). Quasimodo is captured and flogged for his crime, whereupon Esmeralda shows him kindness by
offering him water. He reciprocates when Esmeralda, framed on a murder charge by the obsessed Jehan
(if he can't have her, no one can), is sentenced to be hanged. Quasimodo grabs a rope and swings down
from the towers of Notre Dame, rescues Esmeralda from the gallows, and carries her into the church,
shouting "Sanctuary! Sanctuary!" Through a series of convoluted plot twists, Clopin (Ernest Torrence), the
king of beggars, leads an army of the Parisian poor to storm the gates of the cathedral and reclaim
Esmeralda. Quasimodo defends both the girl and his church by tossing heavy objects and pouring molten
lead upon the invaders. This climactic scene was filmed at night, requiring the services of literally every
arc light in Hollywood. The Notre Dame set (which wasn't quite as large in real life as it seems on screen)
remained standing on the Universal back lot for years after this film was completed, doing background
service in the 1925 Lon Chaney starrer The Phantom of the Opera. With Hunchback of Notre Dame, Lon
Chaney rose from mere leading player to major star, which led him to even greater success at MGM,
where his reputation as "the man of a thousand faces" really got a workout. The story would be remade
by in 1939 with Charles Laughton, in 1955 with Anthony Quinn, in 1982 with Anthony Hopkins, and again
in 1996 as a sanitized Disney animated musical.
Plot Synopsis by Hal Erickson, AllMovie.com
| Directed by: Wallace Worsley Written by: Perley Poore Sheehan - adaptation Edward T. Lowe Jr. - scenario Based on the novel Notre-Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) by Victor Hugo (Paris, 1831). |
| ~Cast~ Lon Chaney ... Quasimodo Patsy Ruth Miller ... Esmeralda Norman Kerry ... Phoebus de Chateaupers Kate Lester ... Madame de Condelaurier Winifred Bryson ... Fleur de Lys Nigel De Brulier ... Don Claudio Brandon Hurst ... Jehan Ernest Torrence ... Clopin Tully Marshall ... El Rey Luis XI Harry von Meter ... Mons. Neufchatel Raymond Hatton ... Gringoire Nick De Ruiz ... Mons. Le Torteru Eulalie Jensen ... Marie Roy Laidlaw ... Charmolu Ray Myers ... Charmolu's Assistant William Parke ... Josephus Gladys Brockwell ... Sister Gudule John Cossar ... Judge of the Court Edwin Wallock ... King's Chamberlain Fred Behrle ... Undetermined Role (uncredited) Joe Bonomo ... (uncredited) Earl Gordon Bostwick ... Bit Part (uncredited) Helen Broneau ... (uncredited) C.E. Collins ... Undetermined Role (uncredited) Jim Collins ... Undetermined Role (uncredited) Harry De Vere ... (uncredited) Charles Farrell ... (uncredited) Al Ferguson ... (uncredited) John George ... (uncredited) John Gough ... Prisoner in Torture Chamber (uncredited) Cesare Gravina ... (uncredited) Charles Haefeli ... Undetermined Role (uncredited) Fred Herzog ... Undetermined Role (uncredited) Alfred Hollingsworth ... Undetermined Role (uncredited) Harry Holman ... Fat Man (uncredited) Al Hoxie ... Soldier (uncredited) Jay Hunt ... (uncredited) Arthur Hurni ... (uncredited) John Impolito ... Undetermined Role (uncredited) Gladys Johnston ... (uncredited) Bob Kortman ... Hook-Hand (uncredited) Ethan Laidlaw ... (uncredited) Louise La Planche ... Baby Esmeralda (uncredited) Eva Lewis ... (uncredited) Elmo Lincoln ... (uncredited) Albert MacQuarrie ... (uncredited) George MacQuarrie ... (uncredited) Harry Mann ... Undetermined Role (uncredited) Alex Manuel ... (uncredited) Louis Miller ... Undetermined Role (uncredited) Russ Powell ... Undetermined Role (uncredited) Albert Prisco ... Undetermined Role (uncredited) Mabel Richardson ... (uncredited) Walter Rodgers ... Undetermined Role (uncredited) Gilbert Roland ... Extra (uncredited) Gene Roth ... (uncredited) Lou Salter ... Undetermined Role (uncredited) Rolfe Sedan ... Undetermined Role (uncredited) Nick Shaid ... Undetermined Role (uncredited) Jane Sherman ... (uncredited) Lydia Yeamans Titus ... (uncredited) Rene Traveletti ... (uncredited) Pearl Tupper ... (uncredited) Clarence Wilson ... Undetermined Role (uncredited) |
| ~Remaining Credits~ Produced & Released by: Universal Pictures Produced by: Carl Laemmle & Irving Thalberg Cinematography by: Robert Newhard, Tony Kornman, Virgil Miller, Stephen S. Norton & Charles J. Stumar Film Editing by: Edward Curtiss, Maurice Pivar & Sydney Singerman Casting by: Fred A. Datig Art Direction by: Elmer Sheeley & Sidney Ullman Set Decoration by: Hans Dreier Makeup Department: Lon Chaney Unit Manager: William Koenig George M. Stallings .... production manager (uncredited) Assistant Directors: James Dugan, Jack Sullivan, Robert Wyler & William Wyler Art Department Sculptor: Finn Froelich Scuptures: Charles Gemora Assistant Art Director: Stephen Goosson Assistant Art Director: Charles D. Hall Photographic Effects by: Friend Baker & Phil Whitman Stunts Lon Chaney Stunt Double: Joe Bonomo Other Stunts: Harvey Parry Camera and Electrical Department Bud Barner .... lighting technician Eddie Barry .... lighting technician Harry D. Brown .... lighting effects Henry Freulich .... still photographer Jack Freulich .... still photographer Karl Gotham .... lighting technician Soldier Graham .... lighting technician Bert Kohler .... lighting technician George Merhoff .... lighting technician Earl Miller .... lighting effects Fred Sealock .... lighting technician Arthur E. Shadur .... electrical engineer Cliff Shirpser .... assistant camera Eric van Miessel .... lighting technician Wayne West .... lighting technician Costume Supervisor: Gordon Magee Presenter: Carl Laemmle Production Assistant: Albert Conti Technical Director: Archie Hall Production Assistant: Edgar Stein Continuity: Charlotte Woods Length: 12 Reels Runtime: 133 Minutes Released: September 6, 1923 Premiere: New York, September 2, 1923 |
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| ~Lon Chaney Sr. and Patsy Ruth Miller~ |