Law student Bob Ward, short on money, takes a job as a "dancing companion" at a roadhouse, where most of his clients are women looking for a little excitement outside their marriage. He falls in love with Sallie Smith, a cigarette girl at the roadhouse, but wealthy young wastrel Tom Mannion also has his eyes on Sallie. Tom persuades her to attend a party on his yacht, and since Sallie has had a fight with Bob over his job, she accepts. Complications ensue.
May McAvoySallie Smith
Malcolm McGregorBob Ward
Hedda HopperMrs. Aldrich
Margaret SeddonMrs. Smith
Richard TuckerTom Mannion
Cissy FitzgeraldMadame Leonine
William DemarestMan About TownJean LeffertyMaizie BlossomOtie Otis forgets his own marriage and then stumbles through the honeymoon, constantly forgetting one thing or another. But when he makes a big mistake by entering the wrong room, what can he do to make it all right?
As Wanda bicycles down the street, she finds herself at the center of a series of adventures and mishaps involving fire trucks, a construction site, a cop, a policeman, a honky tonk but it all ends happily in the arms of a dreamy engineer.
At his father’s insistence Billy Drake heads to the family’s South American ammunition company as an emissary. Before leaving, however, the movie-struck Billy spots a beautiful woman standing in front of a theater and imagines that she is a film star. To his delight, he finds the woman on board his ship, as well as political agitator Count Von Nuttenburg who has stolen a movie camera, thinking that it is a new brand of machine gun. Von Nuttenburg shows the camera to Billy. Thinking the Count is a director, and the ship a set for a movie melodrama when the boat lands at a port torn by revolution, Billy insists that the guns and soldiers are part of the show. Not until he and the girl are seized by the rebels and threatened with death, does he admit his error. By a clever ruse, he escapes from his captors and with the help of Federal troops defeats the Count and wins the heart of his pretty shipmate.
Hezekiah Dill is a meek clerk in a store in a small town. One day a pair of criminals robs the store safe, but Hezekiah manages to lock them in the safe, and begins to pick up their intended loot. He suddenly realizes that all this money would enable him to become the "Broadway Sport" he's always wanted to be, so he goes for it. Complications ensue.
Charles, Joseph and Sir Benjamin are in love with Maria and Lady Sneerwell is in love with Charles.
Abby Hopkins, the eldest of a small-town newspaper-owner's five daughters, is urged by her family to marry the wealthy, twice-widowed J.B. Hanks. Abby leaves Hank on the night of the wedding and goes to New York, where she supports herself as a waitress and shares an apartment with a co-worker. At the restaurant, Abby meets J. Booth Hunter, a heavy-drinking "ham" actor, and tries to convince him to give up liquor. Hanks shows up one day and during a battle with his estranged wife, Hunter comes to Abby's rescue. Abby finally gets a divorce from Hanks, Hunter conquers his drinking habit, and Abby marries him.
A man tries to burgle his own safe on the same night that a professional criminal attempts it.
Mrs. Letitia Summers, owner and principal of an exclusive boarding school, decides to give her two nieces an education while deciding which will be her heir unbeknownst to them. She writes each a letter, stating that a lady of means has provided for their education at Mrs. Summers' seminary. Edith and May are both delighted with the news, but while Edith leaves with her modest belongings May immediately demands a lot of new things to satisfy her vanity and desire to make a great impression. May attracts considerable attention upon her arrival but Edith, in her modest wardrobe, is received with disparaging remarks. Both do well in their studies but on graduation day Mrs. Summers calls the two girls into her private office and tells them that she is their aunt, and she has chosen Edith as her heir in recognition of her kindness and thoughtfulness towards others, particularly towards her poor mother.
Bill Grimm, a taxicab driver, falls in love with Barbara Baxter, from Lyons, New York, the minute she steps off the train, and has him take her to Mrs. Whipple's boarding house, in spite of the interference by Jack Fairfax, Bill's rival. Boarders at Mrs. Whipple's include a prizefighter named "Butch,", his manager O'Brien, and Pansy the maid. This first entry in the series introduces the leading characters in the future films, and a few comical interludes.
Small brothers are the bane of love affairs. The inimitable Cutey, reporter on a country paper, is courting Ethel Clark, the editor's daughter, and having a lively time with her small brother Tommy. The editor declares that unless Cutey brings in some live news he will be fired--and forbidden to call on Ethel anymore. So Cutey takes matters into his own hands and creates a sensation!
Housemaid Belinda finds a pin on the doorstep, taking it as a sign of good luck, just before a young man arrives looking for a room. The landlady, Ophelia, falls for the boarder at first sight. A policeman finds a fortune-teller's card, which Belinda takes to Ophelia. The two women visit Madam Miriam, who tells Ophelia a young blond man will fall in love with her. Both Ophelia and Belinda assume this refers to their new boarder, Sidney. Sidney, short on cash, tries to stay in Ophelia's good graces by taking her out for ice cream. While they are out, Belinda searches his room and finds a photograph of Sidney's wife, who is none other than the fortune-teller, Madam Miriam. Belinda is shocked by the discovery, revealing that the "omens and oracles" that fueled Ophelia's romantic hopes were part of a deception orchestrated by the boarder and his wife.
Alice takes her little siblings Billy and Kitty to a matinee. They immediately become imbued with the wonderful idea that they are actors. They set up a miniature stage of their own in the summer house on the grounds. They spy upon their sister and her sweetheart Bob, and reproduce their affairs. A quarrel furnishes material for an interesting production, which is a revelation and a lesson to Bob. He goes and makes amends, acting upon the suggestions of the performance.
The story centers on Flapjack Ike (played by John Bunny), a dominant local figure or "autocrat" in the titular town. Ike faces off against Edith, the Widow (played by Flora Finch), who challenges his authority.
We all remember the boy who cried wolf so often that when the wolf really did come the people did not believe it. Little Billy must never have heard this, or had forgotten it. His sisters Martha and Jane are very fearful of burglars entering their room, and their little brother decides to play a joke on them.
“This hilarious bit of foolishness has for its theme the gradual rise of a hard-working plumber and his wife, who, after years of struggle, find themselves with a lovely home. The wife who has social aspirations and a desire to entertain people of wealth and note, invites a millionaire couple to dinner. She hires a caterer to help her with the serving and they send a butler who turns out to be a truck driver with whom her husband has had a collision, a short time before, which resulted in a street fight. What these two do when they recognize each other and what happened to the millionaire couple has to be seen to be appreciated.”
A hard-core socialite turns over a new leaf after spending time with a less fortunate family.
Katie Abbott, despairing of being a wallflower, is about to attempt suicide in the village pond when she is rescued by a young stranger.
Heeding the pleas of Bobbie Brown, Jimmie Jones packs his trunk full of liquor to present to his desperate friend and hops on a train. Upon his arrival, Jones discovers that his cargo has been purloined in transit, and while attempting to replenish his supplies by bargaining with the local bootlegger, is detected by the local sheriff.
Hector, who was reared by a maiden aunt, decides to leave his sheltered life and become a reporter. At the newspaper where he has works, Hector becomes friendly with a young female reporter, who uses the byline "Firefly" for a series of articles intended to expose a notorious café. At the same time, Hector's aunt, head of the local Purity League, gives a stirring speech to the membership about ridding their community of the café. The young woman enlists Hector's aid and together they gain enough evidence to close the café.