Backbone (1923 film)

Backbone
Backbone
	Film still from the French episode with Alfred Lunt and Edith Roberts
Directed by	Edward Sloman
Written by	Clarence Budington Kelland (story); Charles E. Whittaker
Starring	Edith Roberts; Alfred Lunt
Cinematography	Harry Fischbeck
Production; company	Distinctive Pictures
Distributed by	Goldwyn Pictures
Release date	April 30, 1923;
Running time	70 minutes; 7 reels
Country	United States
Language	Silent (English intertitles)

Backbone is a 1923 American silent drama film produced by George Arliss (through his Distinctive Pictures company), released by Goldwyn Pictures and directed by Edward Sloman. Broadway actor Alfred Lunt stars in his film debut.^[1]^[2] The film has a locale in a New England lumber camp with the exception of an episode taking place in France.^[3]

Cast

Edith Roberts - Yvonne de Mersay/Yvonne de Chausson
Alfred Lunt - John Thorne/Andre de Mersay
William B. Mack - Anthony Bracken
Frankie Evans - Doc Roper
James D. Doyle - Colonel Tip
L. Emile La Croix - Andre de Mersay
Charles Fang - The Chinaman
Marion Abbott - Mrs. Whidden
Frank Hagney - The Indian
Sam J. Ryan - Paddy
George MacQuarrie - The Constable of France
William Walcott - Count de Chausson
Jack W. Johnston - Captain of the Guards (*as J.W. Johnston)
Adolph Milar - The Mailer
Hugh Huntley - King

Production

Backbone was adapted from a popular short story of the same name written by Clarence Budington Kelland for The Saturday Evening Post^[4].

Preservation

With no prints of Backbone located in any film archives, it is considered a lost film.^[5]^[1]

References

1 2 Progressive Silent Film List: Backbone at silentera.com
↑ "The AFI Catalog of Feature Films: Backbone". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
↑ "Back Bone". Exhibitor's Trade Review. 13 (4). East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania: Exhibitor's Trade Review, Inc.: 174 December 23, 1922. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
↑ ""Backbone" at the Theatres" (PDF). The Courier-Gazette. November 29, 1923. p. 3.
↑ "The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: Backbone". memory.loc.gov. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2026.

External links

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[SilentEra-1] 1 2 Progressive Silent Film List: Backbone at silentera.com

[2] "The AFI Catalog of Feature Films: Backbone". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 21, 2026.

[3] "Back Bone". Exhibitor's Trade Review. 13 (4). East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania: Exhibitor's Trade Review, Inc.: 174 December 23, 1922. Retrieved April 24, 2014.

[Courier1923-4] ""Backbone" at the Theatres" (PDF). The Courier-Gazette. November 29, 1923. p. 3.

[5] "The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: Backbone". memory.loc.gov. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2026.

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