Hands Up!
“An Old Fashioned Young Man” was followed two weeks later by the release of “Hands Up!” with Monte Blue, an extra and stuntman in “Intolerance” whose star as a character actor had begun to rise. While her part in "An Old Fashioned Young man" had been as another sophisticated city girl, “Hands Up!” was Colleen’s first real western, and one with a pedigree. It was based upon a story by Al Jennings, a desperado whose "Jennings Gang" robbed trains and general stores in the late 1890s until he was wounded and captured by authorities in 1897. He did a stretch in the clink, a life sentence, but got off o a technicality and later received a presidential pardon.
To get her part, Colleen had told the director she could ride a horse... maybe thinking "how hard could it be?" It proved very difficult. Monte Blue noticed Colleen's troubles mounting her horse and knew in an instant she could not ride. He gave her a quick lesson and suggested she take real lessons as soon as possible. She did.
The film had Colleen as the innocent daughter who takes a romantic interest in an outlaw, to realize the trouble she’s in. She got to scream her head off in the film. The May 3rd Chicago Daily Tribune’s review included a mention of her: “Colleen Moore contributes some remarkable bits of acting. She is very sweet as she goes trustingly to her bandit hero, and, O, so pitiful, when finally realizing the character of the man, she goes into an hysteria of terror, and, shrieking ‘Daddy, Daddy, | Colleen as photographed by Witzel of L.A. From Jeff Codori Collection. |
Daddy!’ beats futilely on a bolted door, a panic stricken little human animal, who had not know before that there was aught but kindness in the world.”
Universal Bluebird
By March 1917 Grace Kingsly’s “Frivols” column of March 12 stated: “D.W. Griffith, the master picture producer, has severed his connections with the Fine Arts Film Company and with the Triangle. This announcement has been expected for some time, but it was not until yesterday that the definite news was received.” Though expected back in town soon, he instead headed off to Europe. Colleen would learn about this after standing in line with the other studio employees to pick up her paycheck in its yellow envelope. Right away she noticed the regular yellow paycheck had been replaced by a blue one. Inside was a letter: “We regret to have to dispense with your artistic services,” the letter started, and for a moment Colleen felt elation. Her work had been recognized. It took a moment before she realized that the studio regretted dispensing with them… she was getting the boot. In "Silent Star" she wrote that she was given walking papers after "An Old Fashioned Young Man” because the studio had closed down, though they still honored her six month contract. In fact, her contract was renewed for another six months. However, there was little work for her with Griffith gone. Griffith had sent for many of his people from France, but Colleen was not among those called. Colleen's grandmother told her to stick it out... Grandmother Mary had begun to like the climate in California and was not anxious to return east so soon.
It would be three months before Colleen was before the cameras again, and to do so she had to get a temporary release from her contract and go off the Triangle patroll for seeral weeks. It was off to Universal Bluebird for Colleen. "Colleen Moore, Bluebirder," it said on page 1512 of the September 8th issue of "The Moving Picture World." "Colleen Moore has been added to the galaxy of youthful beauties of the Bluebird West Coast studios.... Miss Moore was assigned by Production Manager McRae to the Rupert Julian Company, and she has gone to Seven Oaks... where Director Julian has started production upon a new Bluebird Photoplay entitled 'Julio Sandoval'...." The film was re-titled "The Savage". It turned out she was only needed for two weeks and spent the next few 
weeks chasing after Griffith's studio manager for three weeks worth of missing pay.
Selig Polyscope
After “The Savage,” Colleen scrambled for her next break. She would not get the money from Triangle she was owed until December. She pounded the pavement, making the rounds of the studios with a reel under her arm. It's been written that Colin Campbell was impressed with her big scene from “Hands Up!” wherein she played the terrorized girl that so impressed the Chicago Daily Tribune. He arranged a contract for her with Selig Polyscope. “The Savage” was not released until November 17th, 1917.
Like Triangle, Selig Polyscope was having problems by the time Colleen went to work for them. The war had bitten into the audiences, and the outbreak of Spanish Flu had caused people to stay away from the sorts of crowds one found in movie theaters. Many studios found themselves with a backlog of product but nobody to watch.
“A Hoosier Romance” was based on the poem by James Whitcomb Riley, directed by Colin Campbell, and it found Colleen playing the put-upon daughter of an oppressive farmer who, upon learning of her love for a hired hand, fires the employee and decides to marry her off to a rich old widower. All turns out well in the end: an escape is faked and while the father and widower and father search for Colleen, she marries her true love. However the role, along with her previous roles, acts to cement her in the popular imagination as the lady in distress.
