The Portrait in the Attic - Production & Contact Info

The Portrait in the Attic (1915)
Short | 11 min | Short, Drama

Primary photo for The Portrait in the Attic

The Portrait in the Attic (1915)

Short | 11 min | Short, Drama

Thelma, Mr. Chadwick's little daughter, is not at all agreeably surprised when her father returns from his honeymoon with his second wife. With undue frigidity, Thelma meets her new mother, and then recoils, as if wholly displeased with ...See moreThelma, Mr. Chadwick's little daughter, is not at all agreeably surprised when her father returns from his honeymoon with his second wife. With undue frigidity, Thelma meets her new mother, and then recoils, as if wholly displeased with the selection. She is called into the next room by her father, given a scolding and told to go out and meet her stepmother as any nice little girl should. She goes reluctantly and stands looking at the new arrival doubtfully. As the days go by, Thelma's attitude toward her new mother remains unchanged, despite the fact that the latter has done practically everything in her power to alter the narrow perspective of the child's mind. Thelma and her dog, Jerry, played together and the girl took little or no notice of the sorrowful mother. Occasional trips were made to the attic by Thelma for the purpose of gazing at the portrait of her real mother which had been relegated to the heap of rubbish and antiques. One evening, after a birthday supper in Thelma's honor, she went to the attic to spend a few minutes with her real mother. Jerry followed her, but before he could get up through the trap door, it had slammed, breaking off the strap which was used to lift it. Thelma went to the old couch and took the picture. She soon fell asleep with the picture in her arms. She dreams that her real mother had come back to her and tells her to love her always, but to love the new mother for father's sake and as she deserves. In her dream, Thelma embraces her real mother. In the meantime, the others are frantic not finding her in bed, as expected. They search the house and finally hear Jerry barking upstairs. They go up and find him at the foot of the stairs to the attic. The dog rushes upstairs when he sees them, and soon they are at the couch where Thelma is asleep. The stepmother sits at the foot just where the real mother was in the dream, and when Thelma is awakened, she embraces her stepmother, thinking it is still the dream and that she is her real mother. Suddenly realizing, she recoils and then remembering what her real mother had said to her in the dream, throws her arms about her stepmother and forthwith calls her mother. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less

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Cast	+ Add Cast
7 cast members

Name	Known for
Viola Dana Thelma Thelma See fewer	Two Sisters (1929)
William Bechtel Franci, the Dancing Master Franci, the Dancing Master See fewer	The Three Musketeers: Part 1 (1911)
Miriam Nesbitt Thelma's Stepmother Thelma's Stepmother See fewer	The Declaration of Independence (I) (1911)
Robert Conness Thelma's Father Thelma's Father See fewer	Gladiola (1915)
Mrs. William Bechtel Thelma's Aunt Thelma's Aunt See fewer	The Birth of the Star Spangled Banner (1914)
Shirley Mason Actress Actress See fewer	Sally in Our Alley (1927)
Margaret Prussing Thelma's Mother Thelma's Mother See fewer	The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1914)