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Toodles, Tom and Trouble
(1915) United States of America
B&W : One reel / 309 metres
Directed by (unknown)
Cast: Baby Gerrity (Baby Marie Gereghty) [Toodles], Colin Campbell [Tom], Trouble Lady the dog [Trouble]
Thanhouser Film Corporation production; distributed by Mutual Film Corporation. / Scenario by Lloyd F. Lonergan. / Released 23 December 1915. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Toodles was a very attractive baby who was idolized by all its relatives, particularly his mother, his grandmother, and last but not least, his youthful aunt. The young aunt was worshiped in turn by Tom, an energetic young businessman who hoped soon to make her his wife. An unusually attractive bargain sale tempted the women folks of Toodles’ family, and they left their home, leaving the baby in Tom’s charge. The young man was anxious to please his sweetheart, and so he took the baby to the park as its fond mother had directed, and there the trouble began. Tom met a young man in the park that he knew, and leaving the baby fast asleep on a bench strolled off for a short distance, and during his absence an officious individual took charge of the infant and set out in search of its parents. A little girl placed her doll on the bench that had been occupied by the baby and promptly deserted it. A frolicsome dog saw the doll, seized it in his mouth and ran off with it, but not before Tom saw him, and at once came to the conclusion that the baby was being borne off by a ferocious canine. A furious pursuit took place, for Tom realized that if anything happened to the child that his sweetheart would never forgive him. The dog with his “precious burden” ran directly in front of a swiftly speeding automobile and escaped death by a miracle, but the animal ran blithely on, dodging a trolley car, which almost ended the career of Tom, the mad pursuer. A coal scoop raised the doll high in air, and as the young man climbed up to rescue “the baby” the scoop opened and dropped the doll to the coal beneath, where it was promptly seized by the dog, who ran off again. These were only a few of the adventures which befell the dog, the doll and Tom, but a great explosion in a quarry finally ended the career of the doll and the dog, and all that Tom could find of the remains was the dog’s tail and a lock of the doll’s hair. He grieved greatly, for he felt that he was responsible for the baby’s death. He did not know that the baby was very much alive, and that the officious individual who bad taken charge of it was having the time of his life trying to get someone to take it off his hands. Tom sadly returned to the park, and his grief turned to joy when Toodles was restored to him, but he wasn’t a bit happier than the officious person, who had bad visions of landing in a prison cell for kidnapping the infant. Tom was warmly thanked for his care of the infant, and he took the praise with becoming modesty, but he was mighty glad of one thing, and that was that. Toodles was too young to talk, for if Toodles could have told of his experiences.
Survival status: Print exists.
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 3 July 2025.
References: Website-IMDb.
Home video: DVD.
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