Ella Cinders is a 1926 film adaptation of the comic strip Ella CInders

Ella Cinders

Ella Cinders was a syndicated comic strip created by writer Bill Conselman and artist Charles Plumb. Distributed by United Feature Syndicate, the daily version was launched June 1, 1925, and a Sunday page followed two years later...

, starring Colleen Moore

Colleen Moore

Colleen Moore was an American film actress, and one of the most fashionable stars of the silent film era.-Early life:...

 and her most popular co-star, Lloyd Hughes

Lloyd Hughes

Lloyd Hughes was an American silent film actor.-Life and career:Born in Bisbee, Arizona, Hughes received his education at the Los Angeles Polytechnic School. He sought a career as an actor early in life, and his clean-cut appearance and ability soon gained him recognition...

.

Story

The prolific Alfred E. Green directed the film adaptation, Ella Cinders, produced by John McCormick and released by First National on June 6, 1926. In the house of late father, Ella Cinders (Colleen Moore) works for her stepmother and two stepsisters, Prissy Pill (Emily Gerdes) and Lotta Pill (Doris Baker), finding support from the local iceman, Waite Lifter (Lloyd Hughes). The Gem Film Company has a contest in which the winner gets an all-expense paid trip to Hollywood and a movie role. A photograph is needed to enter, so Ella spends three nights babysitting to raise $3 for the photo session. However, the photographer unwittingly take a picture of her looking cross-eyed at a fly on her nose which turns out to be the photo entered in the contest. Entrants must go to a Town Hall ball, but Ella's stepmother and stepsisters won't allow her to go. Waite sees her crying on the front steps and tells her he will take her to the ball. She says she has nothing to wear, so he convinces her to use one of her stepsisters' dresses. At the judges' table, her stepsisters react violently when they see the dress. The embarrassed Ella flees the ball, losing one of her slippers. Later, the judges come to the house and tell Ella that she is the winner because they were amused by the cross-eyed photo. Ella heads for Hollywood, where she is disappointed to discover the contest was a fraud. She nevertheless manages to land a movie contract. Waite turns out to be football hero George Waite, and the two are reunited.

Cast

• Colleen Moore
  Colleen Moore
  Colleen Moore was an American film actress, and one of the most fashionable stars of the silent film era.-Early life:...
  
   - Ella Cinders
• Lloyd Hughes
  Lloyd Hughes
  Lloyd Hughes was an American silent film actor.-Life and career:Born in Bisbee, Arizona, Hughes received his education at the Los Angeles Polytechnic School. He sought a career as an actor early in life, and his clean-cut appearance and ability soon gained him recognition...
  
   - Waite Lifter
• Vera Lewis
  Vera Lewis
  Vera Lewis was an American film and stage actress, beginning in the silent film era. She appeared in 183 films between 1915 and 1947....
  
   - Ma Cinders
• Doris Baker - Lotta Pill
• Emily Gerdes - Prissy Pill
• Mike Donlin
  Mike Donlin
  Michael Joseph Donlin was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the St. Louis Perfectos/Cardinals , Baltimore Orioles , Cincinnati Reds , New York Giants , Boston Rustlers , and Pittsburgh Pirates...
  
   - Film Studio Gateman
• Jed Prouty - Mayor
• Jack Duffy
  Jack Duffy
  Jack Duffy was a Canadian singer, comedian and actor.-Biography:Born in Montreal, Duffy grew up in Toronto, dropping out of Central Technical School to become a singer...
  
   - Fire Chief
• Harry Allen
  Harry Allen
  Harry Bernard Allen was one of the United Kingdom's last official executioners, officiating between 1941 and 1964. He was chief executioner at 29 executions and acted as assistant executioner at 53 others at prisons in London, Manchester and Leeds. He was for 14 years an assistant executioner,...
  
   - Photographer
• Alfred E. Green - Director
• D'Arcy Corrigan
  D'Arcy Corrigan
  D'Arcy Corrigan was an Irish-born lawyer who became a character actor, playing some 49 film roles, typically very brief but impressive, such as his ominously silent, darkly shrouded Ghost of Christmas Future in the popular 1938 version of the film A Christmas Carol...
  
   - Editor
• E.H. Calvert - Studio Actor (uncredited)
• Russell Hopton
  Russell Hopton
  Russell Hopton was an American film actor. He appeared in 110 films between 1926 and 1945.He was born in New York, New York and died of an overdose of sleeping pills in North Hollywood, California....
  
   - Studio Actor (uncredited)
• Harry Langdon
  Harry Langdon
  Harry Philmore Langdon was an American comedian who appeared in vaudeville, silent films , and talkies. He was briefly partnered with Oliver Hardy.-Life and career:...
  
   - Harry Langdon (uncredited)
• Chief Yowlachie
  Chief Yowlachie
  Chief Yowlachie was a Native American actor from the Yakama tribe in the state of Washington, known for playing supporting roles and bit parts in numerous films....
  
   - Indian (uncredited)

Background

Portions of the film take place on the sets of a movie studio, and so many regulars at First National studios appear in te film. For example, the director of Ella CInders

Ella Cinders

Ella Cinders was a syndicated comic strip created by writer Bill Conselman and artist Charles Plumb. Distributed by United Feature Syndicate, the daily version was launched June 1, 1925, and a Sunday page followed two years later...

, Alfed E. Green, appears in the film as the director of the film being shot as Ella runs through the studio. Famous film comedian Harry Langdon

Harry Langdon

Harry Philmore Langdon was an American comedian who appeared in vaudeville, silent films , and talkies. He was briefly partnered with Oliver Hardy.-Life and career:...

appears in the film as a famous fim comedian.