Volume III: Biographies

MC CARDELL, Roy

Scenario writer and editor (1914)

Thanhouser Career Synopsis: Roy McCardell was at the Thanhouser studio in the spring of 1914 reviewing and editing scripts. He wrote the scenario for The Cooked Goose.

Biographical Notes: Roy L. McCardell was a well known author, librettist, and photoplaywright. Well known was his Mr. and Mrs. Jarr newspaper series, ideas from which were used in several Vitagraph films in 1915. He was a frequent visitor to the Thanhouser studio, and one of his stories, The Cooked Goose, was made into a Thanhouser film. From at least 1910 through 1918 he lived in New Rochelle at 140 Pelham Road. Roy L. McCardell claimed to be the first person ever hired in America to write a film scenario. The time was 1897 and the company was the American Mutoscope & Biograph Company. He soon left his staff position on the New York Morning Telegraph and went into script writing full time.

McCardell was a prolific writer on the subject of motion pictures, and many journals carried his accounts of how movies were made, aspects of film making, and other timely topics. His technique as a scenario writer was discussed in an article, "Writing Plays for the Movies," by Hugh C. Weir, in the December 1913 issue of Green Book magazine. In the same periodical, issue of February 1914, one of McCardell's own stories, "Making the Movies," discussed the art and, in passing, mentioned New Rochelle as an important film center. When the American Film Manufacturing Company and The Chicago Tribune posted a $10,000 prize for the best scenario for a serial, McCardell claimed the award with The Diamond From the Sky, which went on to great success on the screen. News of McCardell's accomplishment was plastered across the front page of the May 2, 1915 Tribune: "HE WON $10,000 WITH AN IDEA." Film historian Terry Ramsaye said that of the thousands of ideas submitted, McCardell's was the only one worth reading. Over a long span of years hundreds of scenarios, plays, and articles bore his byline.

A 1915 Sketch: The New Rochelle Pioneer printed the following in its issue of February 6, 1915: "Seated in a comfortable easy chair smoking a big black cigar, with his feet safely ensconced in a pair of carpet slippers, Roy L. McCardell, erstwhile journalist, humorist and literary genius, told a reporter the other evening in his home, 140 Pelham Road, how he became one of the foremost of America's moving picture scenario writers. The 'author-humorist' was in the best of spirits for he had just completed what he considers his best effort, The Money Mill, which has already been accepted by the Vitagraph Company and will be released for the public in April. He gave a brief sketch of his first step in the moving picture world and stated that he was one of the first writers to be paid a regular salary for this kind of work.

"Mr. McCardell between puffs of his cigar told how he did it. 'As you no doubt know, scenario writers have a fraternal feeling for each other, and many people are anxious to know something of the pioneers of constructing photoplays. At the time the Mutoscope (that is the little penny peep machine) was used, it frequently occurred to me that no scenarios of the plays were written. The director of his actors evolved a story during their conferences, it was acted scene by scene and a short reel became the result. One of the ambitious manufacturers then decided to hire an author to write scenarios, as it facilitated the work of production and improved the photoplays. In casting about for an efficient playwright he heard of me together with a score of others. At that time I was coming to the front rapidly as a special writer, and after a number of consultations I was selected as one of the first authors to work out dramas and comedies for the moving pictures.'

"Roy McCardell was born at Hagerstown, Md., June 30, 1870. He was the son of Captain Thomas, F. McCardell, a famous Maryland editor, a gallant Confederate officer, Indian fighter and Texas ranger. He began his career as a writer when at the age of 13 he contributed to Puck, Harper's and other periodicals of national circulation. His first actual newspaper work was on the Birmingham Age-Herald (Alabama) in 1889. Many of his humorous poems and sketches in the Age-Herald were copied in the New York papers, and this with his constant contributions to Puck attracted the attention of Arthur Brisbane, then editor of the Evening Sun, and at the invitation of Mr. Brisbane young McCardell came to New York and joined the brilliant Evening Sun staff.

"From the Evening Sun he went to the editorial staff of Puck, leaving Puck in 1896 to start the first colored supplement ever published with a newspaper - the Sunday World - in conjunction with Morell Goddard, then Sunday editor of the World, and R.F. Outcault, since famous as the creator of the 'Yellow Kids' and 'Buster Brown.' Mr. McCardell is accused of being the inventor of the colored comic supplement but refuses to either affirm or deny the accusation. From 1896 on, Mr. McCardell became well known as a magazine writer and a contributor of signed articles and the originator of many humorous serials in the New York World and other publications. These serials include his famous 'Chorus Girl Sketches,' 'Old Dr. Lemensky,' 'Uncle Tommyrot,' 'The Old Jokes' Home,' 'Mr. and Mrs. Nagg,' 'The Jarr Family,' etc. He is the author of many books and plays, comic operas and vaudeville sketches, some produced and others for which he has hopes.

"It is as a prize winner that Mr. McCardell has been especially notable. In addition to his winning of the Sunday Telegraph Chartered Theatres Corporation comedy scenario contest with his satirical photofarce, 'A Jay in Peacock Alley.' Mr. McCardell has many successes of this sort to his credit. In October, 1911, he won the famous 'Leaders of the World' advertising contest of $2,000 cash and a silver trophy valued at $1,000 from over 10,000 contestants. Two years before he won the new model Cadillac automobile offered by the Cadillac Company to the Cadillac owner who could write the best advertisement of the famous car. From time to time there have been prizes offered for the best articles and suggestions written or made by members of the staff of the New York World. When such prizes were offered Mr. McCardell has always been very fortunate, winning first prize on several occasions and second and third on others.

"As a prelude to his winning the great Chartered Theatres Corporation Comedy Scenario, $1,000 first prize. Mr. McCardell won the Puck prize on October 10, 1914, for the best humorous sketch. He has been connected with moving picture scenario writing since 1900 and is the author of over 1,000 photodramas and comedies that have been filmed in that time. He is generally admitted to have been the first salaried scenario writer, having been with the Biograph Company for a year from 1900-1901, writing and producing Mutoscope and Biograph photoplays. Something which will be of interest to those who have followed Mr. McCardell's writings in the New York World for years is the fact that he has just arranged with the Vitagraph Company of America to produce in motion pictures his famous 'Jarr Family' sketches in one reel releases. He has also finished for an early showing C. Hadden Chambers' famous play The Idler. This will be shown the coming spring at the numerous picture houses throughout the country.

"Mr. McCardell is strictly a home man. His best works have always been produced at home. He has in his library one of the greatest collections of cartoons, photos and letters from people prominent in social, literary and political life from all over the world. He has a family of grownup children, there being three girls and one boy. Mrs. McCardell is well known in society both in New York and New Rochelle. In touching on New Rochelle the humorist registered a violent kick against the trolley service and also the poor condition of the terminal. He thought it was the worst in beautiful Westchester County. 'This county,' said Mr. McCardell, 'is one of the finest in the world for the moving picture man and compares in every way with California, which is conceded by many to be the best spot for this work in the world. In Westchester we can get beautiful river scenes, mountain trails, beach scenes, farms, colonial residences and in fact everything essential to the make up of a good picture. The change of scenery in Westchester is something wonderful and that is why there are so many of the best companies here.'"

Thanhouser Filmography:

1914: The Cooked Goose (7-5-1914)

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