Mr. Buttles is an English butler, with an eye to the main chance. His titled master is broke. The butler gets the nobleman to fill his house with invited guests, agreeing to give "Me Lud" half the tips which he (the butler) receives. The gentleman agrees, runs over to Paris, leaving his double, a London newspaper man. to play host. An American heiress is the heroine. The newspaper chap wins her, in spite of not being a lord. A large number of minor characters halt the action and interfere with the unfolding of the story. The staging is adequate. Richard C. Travers doubles the lord and newspaper man with skill. (Three reels.) - The Moving Picture World, March 27, 1915
2 Reviews
Mr. Buttles Is Missing
wes-connors4 January 2011
This three-reel comedy is an adaptation of writer Frederic Arnold Kummer's three act play, which was reportedly a 1908 stage success, despite a mixed reception two years later in New York City. The titular English butler Harry Dunkinson (as Mr. Buttles) presides over the estate of noble employer Richard Travers (as the Earl of Everdun). Because the Earl has no money, Mr. Dunkinson and the servants get by on tips received from guests attending social events. A crisis occurs when Mr. Travers decides to stop entertaining. Travers also appears as chauffeur "Huggins" - thus, playing two parts of a romantic triangle with gold-digging mother Helen Dunbar's fetching young daughter Edna Mayo (as Sallie).
The Essanay production was "one of the most amusing comedies produced in many a day," according to Tarleton Winchester, in "Motion Picture Magazine" (May 1915), "When it is known that Buttles, who serves in the capacity of butler for the Everdun family and pays the impecunious lord two pounds a week for the privilege, forms a company called Buttles, Ltd., for the purpose of making as much possible out of the guests, it is not hard to imagine the fun that follows...
An American girl, her millionaire father and her mother appear on the scene and disturb the landscape and the Lord's peace of mind considerably, but in the end everything turns out right. There is a great deal of amusing business and clever double exposure in the film. Richard C. Travers plays Lord Everdun and his own chauffeur, whom he leaves in charge of the Towers and who proceeds to fall desperately in love with the American girl, whom his employer wants for himself. Edna Mayo, Helen Dunbar, Thomas Commerford and Mae Edwards give fine support."
***** Mr. Buttles (3/12/15) Joseph Byron Totten ~ Harry Dunkinson, Richard Travers, Edna Mayo, Helen Dunbar
The Essanay production was "one of the most amusing comedies produced in many a day," according to Tarleton Winchester, in "Motion Picture Magazine" (May 1915), "When it is known that Buttles, who serves in the capacity of butler for the Everdun family and pays the impecunious lord two pounds a week for the privilege, forms a company called Buttles, Ltd., for the purpose of making as much possible out of the guests, it is not hard to imagine the fun that follows...
An American girl, her millionaire father and her mother appear on the scene and disturb the landscape and the Lord's peace of mind considerably, but in the end everything turns out right. There is a great deal of amusing business and clever double exposure in the film. Richard C. Travers plays Lord Everdun and his own chauffeur, whom he leaves in charge of the Towers and who proceeds to fall desperately in love with the American girl, whom his employer wants for himself. Edna Mayo, Helen Dunbar, Thomas Commerford and Mae Edwards give fine support."
***** Mr. Buttles (3/12/15) Joseph Byron Totten ~ Harry Dunkinson, Richard Travers, Edna Mayo, Helen Dunbar
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