His Friend, the Undertaker (1913)
Mrs. Newlywed leaves to spend a week in the country. Mr. Newlywed promptly arranges for one of his club friends to make his home his temporary headquarters. In the midst of their mirth making a telegram announces a month's visit from the wife's father and mother, they not knowing the daughter was away on a visit. A smallpox sign is being placed on the house next door by the attending physician and Mr. Newlywed conceives the brilliant idea that to offset the pleasure of the parents' visit, he will change the sign to affect his own house, thus insuring peace and happiness. This is done. The police quarantine the house, and later, through the window, Mr. Newlywed and his friend have the pleasure of seeing the parents make hasty retreat on viewing the dreaded sign. Relief by this expedient, however, is rudely marred by the wife, who believes her husband is pining away in loneliness. She cuts short her visit and starts to return home to surprise her husband. Meanwhile, the boys decide on spending an evening at the theater, but run against a relentless barrier when, on attempting to leave the house, they are informed such a thing is impossible until the health department relieves them. Undaunted, they make many futile efforts to steal from the house, and it is then Mr. Newlywed becomes inspired with a scheme of having his friend, the undertaker, come to the house with a rough coffin and assist in effecting their escape under the pretense of death and the removal of the bodies. It is at this juncture, as the box is being reverentially placed in the wagon, that the wife appears. Horrified, she learns from the officers of the death (?) of two men in her house. Before she has an opportunity of fainting, the doctor arrives on the scene, having learned the sign as originally placed was tampered with. Mr. Newlywed, hearing his wife's voice, raises the lid and is detected as he is peering out. He and his companion are rudely withdrawn from the coffin and the doctor orders their arrest. Mr. Newlywed, without realizing the effect of his excuse, pleads to his wife to assist them, explaining the telegram from her parents. This incenses her and she permits the arrest. Later, as the two culprits are serving a 30-day sentence, Mrs. Newlywed compels her husband to personally write a letter to her parents to make them a six months' visit, and he is forced to smile as he later bids them welcome.
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| Filmmakers | Role |
|---|---|
| Al Christie | Director |
| David Horsley | Producer |
| Cast | Role |
|---|---|
| Eddie Lyons | |
| Lee Moran |
