Internet Shakespeare Editions

Shakespeare in Performance: Film

King Lear (1909, William Ranous)

TitleKing Lear
Year1909
Release LocationsUSA
DirectorWilliam Ranous
MediumVideo
Length10 mins
Play ConnectionsKing Lear (abridgment)

Description

Another of the famous Vitagraph one-reelers, made in New York City under the general supervision of J. Stuart Blackton. The print entitled Koenig Lear at the NFA may possibly be this film. Its German title cards notwithstanding, it seems to fit Professor Ball's description, based on his examination of the paper film strips in the Library of Congress. For one thing, it contains the Gloucester subplot, which is egregiously missing in the 1910 Italian Film d'arte King Lear directed by De Liguoro

Description from Shakespeare on Screen : an International Filmography and Videography by Kenneth S. Rothwell and Annabelle Henkin Melzer. ©1990 Kenneth S. Rothwell. Cited by permission. — Added 2008-11-14

Cast Overview

King LearWilliam Ranous
Goneril Or ReganFlorence Turner
CordeliaJulia Swayne Gordon
CastFlorence Auer

Production Team and Crew Overview

DirectorWilliam Ranous

Production information courtesy of: Kenneth Rothwell