A Romance at Orlando

On December 9, 1913, an article appeared in The Daily Sentinel, indicating that streets and talent of Orlando would be appearing in a motion picture. This picture was filmed by Charles H. Buck and J. E. Burgert of Tampa’s Civic Motion Picture Company.

Mentions of the company are limited: a few days before filming A Romance at Orlando, the same company had filmed a similarly described film in St. Petersburg, Florida, per reports in the St. Petersburg Times.

Clipping from the January 7, 1914, Daily Reporter-Star.
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Filming appeared to start on December 10, 1913, per another report in The Daily Sentinel. The first scenes filmed were completed at the First Presbyterian Church. Following the filming at the church, the crew filmed four scenes at Col. Thomas J. Watkins’ home on Lake Lucerne. Other scenes of note included a political rally and a “fire scene” which took place at the Braxton Beacham home.

A Romance in Orlando premiered at the Grand Theatre on January 13 and 14, 1914. It played continuously from 3:30PM until close and was supported by the vaudeville troupe Hodges Brothers & Ross, as well as Selig-Polyscope’s As a Father Spareth His Son, Lubin’s The Drummer’s Narrow Escape and Going Home to Mother and an unnamed Biograph short.

An advertisement from The Daily Sentinel, January 14, 1914.
This ad appears to incorrectly suggest that A Romance at Orlando would be held over the following day.
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The following day, A Romance at Orlando was supported by Hodges Brothers and Ross, Vitagraph’s The Outlaw and perhaps the Kalem Company’s The Pursuit of the Smugglers, though it’s unclear if this film was shown. According to a January 15, 1914, Orlando Sentinel article, there were more than three thousand paid admissions over the two day period.

Newspaper reports from the Ocala Evening Star suggest that following the filming of A Romance at Orlando, the Civic Motion Picture Company continued to film the same script in other cities using local talent.

A similarly titled A Romance at Quincy was located in an attic in Quincy, Massachusetts in 2016. It is unclear if the Civic Motion Picture Company was involved in that filming that film as well, or if the two companies are related, but reports appear to suggest a very similar scenario.

Filming Locations

Filming Locations for A Romance at Orlando
_{The addresses listed below and the locations marked on the map are approximations based on information from the Orlando City Directories and historical maps. To see full size of the 1916 map, here. To see approximate 2026 locations, click here.}

The Beacham Home, from the March 1923 issue of Orlando Magazine.

1). Beacham Residence – 109 N. Orange Ave (1913 Orlando City Directory)
2). Evans Jewelry Store – S. Orange Ave (1913 Orlando City Directory), 124 S. Orange Ave (1915-1916 Orlando City Directory)
3). “At the Offices of Carl Dann” – Hand Building, S. Orange Ave (1913 City Directory), 116 S. Orange Ave (1915-1916 Orlando City Directory)

First Presbyterian Church, from the August 1922 issue of Orlando Magazine.

4). First Presbyterian Church – Cor. Main and Church Sts. (1913 City Directory), current address 106 E Church St.
5). “Col. T. J. Watkins home on Lake Lucerne” – 2 Lucerne Circle (1913 Orlando City Directory)
6). St. Charles Hotel – N. Orange Ave., Corner of Washington St. (1913 Orlando City Directory)
7). Howard’s Studio – 15 S. Orange Ave (1913 Orlando City Directory)

The Dann Home, from the May 1924 issue of Orlando Magazine.

8). Dann Residence – 519 Orange Ave (1913 Orlando City Directory)
9). “Offices of Braxton Beacham” – 2 N. Orange Ave (1913 Orlando City Directory).
_{This location is listed in blue because the 1915-1916 Orlando City Directory states that 2-10 N. Orange Avenue was the location of the San Juan Hotel, which was built in 1885, suggesting that Braxton Beacham had an office there.}

Cast

Mary Rock – Mabel Mitchell
Jenkins Dolive – Jack Strong
Joe Cheney – Bob Logan
Donald Cheney – Minister at Wedding
George C. Keller – Mayor
Mr. and Mrs. George C. Keller, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Yearby, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Dolive, Miss Glenn Cheney and Mr. Montcalm Broward, Jr., Miss Thornton and Mr. Voorhis, Miss Ruby Platt, Mr. William “Billy” Beardall – Bridal Party
Edwin Beeman – The Chauffeur
A large crowd including: T. E. F. Hoskins, Chief Wm. Dean, W. P. Watson, Charlie Thompson, “and numbers of other citizens.”