The Lottery Man

• Release Year: 1916

Plot

After he graduates from college, Jack Wright (Thurlow Bergen) discovers that his mother (Lottie Alter) has lost her property. He's determined to help her out, and he knows that his minuscule salary as a newspaper reporter won't be of much help. So he convinces the paper to have a lottery with himself as the prize -- the woman who wins gets to marry him, or if she refuses, they split the hundred thousand dollar prize. As soon as it's all in the works, Wright falls in love with Helen, his friend's cousin (Elsie Esmond). The three of them try to buy up as many papers as they can in the hopes of getting the winning number. Even his friend's servants help out. In the end, the kitchen maid gets the winning number and, after thinking it over, she decides to take the fifty thousand dollars and marry the butler, while Wright quickly weds the girl of his choice. This picture was based on a stage play by Rida Johnson Young and was remade in 1919 with Wallace Reid. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide