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The Universal Boy
(1914) United States of America
B&W : One reel
Directed by Frank Crane (Frank Hall Crane)
Cast: Matty Roubert [Little Matty], King Baggot [himself], William E. Shay [himself], Frank Crane (Frank Hall Crane) [himself], Annette Kellerman [herself], John J. McGraw [himself, manager of the New York Giants baseball club], Christy Mathewson [himself], Jimmy Ford [himself, the New York Giants baseball club mascot]
Independent Moving Pictures Company, Incorporated [IMP] production; distributed by The Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Incorporated. / Released 16 July 1914. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / The first film in “The Universal Boy” series.
Comedy.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? In this piece, Matty Roubert is introduced to us while he is still in bed of a morning. After going through his usual morning exercises, eating his breakfast and receiving his lessons from the private tutor, he departs for the Imp studio. For Matty is an actor. At the studio he is greeted by all the famous Imp stars, King Baggot. William Shay and Frank Crane Then Matty makes up in one of his familiar characters for us and we see him rehearsing a scene. Finished at the studio, Matty telephones his father, asking to be taken to the ball game. Father consents. Matty climbs into a big automobile and later joined by his father, finds his way to the first row in a box at the Polo Grounds. Here the Giants are “warming up.” Matty, always anxious to be on the inside, climbs over the box into the field and presents himself before the renowned John McGraw, the Giants’ manager. In a close-up scene we see Matty talking with the famous manager and asking him all sorts of boyish questions. Then Matty makes friends with Jimmy Ford, mascot of the New York Giants and plays ball with him. Leaving the ball grounds, Matty visits the N.Y. Globe Theatre and is introduced to Annette Kellerman, heroine of “Neptune’s Daughter.” The picture finishes with Matty and his father in a theater where Matty is to see himself upon the screen.
Survival status: The film is presumed lost.
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 4 January 2025.
References: Website-IMDb : with additional information provided by Mary Cade.
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