Cold Hearts and Hot Flames (1916)

Mr. Rockabilt has been living on good prospects for the last six years, and owes about three thousand dollars for his board during that time to the proprietor of the hotel where he has been living. The proprietor tries to collect the debt and Billie gives him a bad cheek. When the man finds that it is bad, he says that Billie has a couple of hours to make good or out he goes. But the proprietor has a comely daughter, and Billie has a plan. He sends himself a telegram stating that he has been left a fortune of a million dollars, and shows it to the proprietor. The latter at once offers his daughter's hand, and all arrangements are made for the wedding. But Billie has not paid for the telegram he sent himself, and just as the ceremony is about to be performed the boy comes in and asks for the money. This of course gives the whole thing away and the proprietor is angry, to say the least. He decides that as he needs money he will burn the hotel to get the insurance. So he arranges to have the furnace filled with gasoline and stuffs the janitor in the fire so he cannot squeal. At last the fire is started and all the guests are excited. But when the proprietor goes to look for the policy he cannot find it, as the rats have eaten it. The old man is frantic and rushes for the fire department to put out the fire. In the meanwhile the daughter has been caught in a top room of the house and is yelling for help. Billie is the only one who is brave enough to go to the rescue. He climbs up the side of the house, but when he gets up he is at a loss to know what to do. Downstairs the firemen are helpless, and there seems to be no hope, when the gasoline explodes and the whole house ascends to the upper regions. Billie and his sweetheart and a minister all meet in the air and the delayed marriage ceremony is performed then and there.

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Summary Details
GenresComedy Short
FilmmakersRole
John G. Blystone Director
Henry Lehrman Producer
CastRole
Billie Ritchie
The Layabout
Vin Moore
The Hotel Manager
Gladys Tennyson
The Hotel Manager's Daughter
Joe Murphy
Bald Man in Hotel Lobby