Paradise Garden (film)

Paradise Garden is a 1917 American silent comedy romance film starring Harold Lockwood and directed by Fred J. Balshofer. The film is based on a novel, Paradise Garden, by George Gibbs and has a feature role for Virginia Rappe, who would soon be more famous for her death under mysterious circumstances that were sensationalized by the media. Metro Pictures distributed the film.^[1][2]

Paradise Garden
Newspaper advertisement.
Directed by	Fred J. Balshofer
Written by	Fred Balshofer (scenario)
Based on	Paradise Garden by George Gibbs
Starring	Harold Lockwood Vera Sisson Virginia Rappe
Cinematography	Tony Gaudio
Production company	Yorke Film Corporation
Distributed by	Metro Pictures
Release date	October 1, 1917 (1917-10-01)
Running time	6 reels
Country	United States
Language	Silent (English intertitles)

Cast

• Harold Lockwood as Jerry Benham
• Vera Sisson as Una Habberton
• Virginia Rappe as Marcia Van Wyck
• William Clifford as Roger Canby
• Lester Cuneo as Jack Ballard
• G. Sprotte as Henry Ballard
• Catherine Henry as Miss Gore
• George Hupp as Jerry Benham, as child (credited as Little George Hupp)
• Olive Bruce (undetermined role)
• Harry DeRoy (undetermined role)

Reception

Like many American films of the time, Paradise Garden was subject to cuts by city and state film censorship boards. The Chicago Board of Censors required cuts of two scenes of a couple standing before a nude painting in background and of the closeup of the girl's back after her gown was torn from her shoulder.^[3]

Preservation

It is unknown whether the film survives as none of copies were able to locate, likely presumed lost.^[4]