A growing source of silent era film information. This listing is from The Progressive Silent Film List by Carl Bennett. Copyright © 1999-2025 by Carl Bennett and the Silent Era Company. All Rights Reserved.

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The First Degree
(1923) United States of America
B&W : Five reels / 4395 feet
Directed by Edward Sedgwick

Cast: Frank Mayo [Sam Bass], Sylvia Breamer [Mary], Philo McCullough [Will Bass], George A. Williams [the sheriff], Harry Carter [the district attorney], F.F. Guenste [a townsman]

Universal Pictures Corporation production; distributed by Universal Pictures Corporation. / Scenario by George Randolph Chester, from the short story “The Summons” by George Parullo. Cinematography by Benjamin Kline. Presented by Carl Laemmle. / © 24 January 1923 by Universal Pictures Corporation [LP18617]. Premiered 30 January 1923 in New York, New York. Released 5 February 1923. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.

Drama: Rural.

Survival status: Print exists in the Chicago Film Archives film archive.

Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].

Listing updated: 29 April 2025.

References: Hirschhorn-Universal p. 43; Sherwood-Best pp. 164-165 : Website-AFI; Website-IMDb.