The Man Life Passed By

When oil is discovered just outside a small New England town, the residents go wild at the prospect of newfound wealth, and they invest their money with the head of the venture, a young man named Bruce Merlin.

To relieve the burden placed on their mother, Alice Sturgis (Wanda Hawley) marries and has several children, while her independent sister, Jeanette (Mae Busch), goes to work as a stenographer. Eventually, she is forced to marry a persistent salesman to avoid a scandal. Becoming disillusioned with married life, Jeanette leaves the salesman, but after 3 years' separation she realizes her need for a family and returns to him.

Hoping to gain favor with the people of Moravia and destroy evidence of the rightful prince's claim to the throne, Prince Ferdinand makes plans to marry Countess Nadia. She thwarts Ferdinand's efforts, running off with Gustav Kenski, only to marry Gene, a soldier who she meets on the road. Ferdinand has her found and abducted, but Gene rescues her, and it is revealed that he is the rightful prince of Moravia.

André Frey, a bohemian artist, woos and wins a rustic Swiss maid, promising to return to her after a visit to the city. The girl, Vroni, finds herself pregnant and is forced by her father to marry Poldi Moser, the mayor of the small Swiss town. Moser and Vroni are happy together, and two sons are born to them. André returns to the village periodically and finally asks Vroni to go away with him. She refuses, and he writes her an angry note. That evening, Vroni and André are involved in a toboggan accident; Vroni is killed outright, and André is fatally injured. Moser finds André's note and goes to him, demanding of the dying man to know which of the boys is in fact André's child. Thinking to protect his own son, André informs Moser that Moser's own son is his (André's) son. Moser swears vengeance on the child but relents when he realizes that he loves both boys equally.

A young woman trying to make it in Hollywood decides that the only way she can attain stardom is to go the "vamp" route, although in her private life she's nothing like her on-screen character. She gets the recognition she wants, but for the wrong reason--she finds herself in the middle of a notorious society scandal.

Jim Bowen, a cashier in a prosperous insurance firm, lives happily with his wife Mary and son Frankie until Alan Perry, the profligate son of Jim's employer, frames Jim for forgery.

Ambitious Rosemary Merton ( Olive Borden ), agrees to pose in the studio of Larry Kane ( Ben Bard ), a depraved artist, but she refuses to do so in the nude. However, Kane makes it appear in the portrait that she posed in that manner, and she is disgraced when local newspapers print the picture. She is eventually exonerated by the intervention of Sloan Whitney ( Clifford Holland ), her wealthy young sweetheart; and Rosemary makes the sacrifice of ambition for love.

A gambler discovers an old flame while in Argentina, but she's married to his new boss.

A society woman wrongly -- and very publicly -- accused of infidelity is dropped by her friends, spurned by her husband, and faced with the loss of her child.

Shy sailor Casey Kirby suddenly becomes known as a sea wolf when his picture is taken with a famous actress. Things get complicated when bets are placed on his prowess with the ladies.

Extravagant-living Helen Douglas and her wealthy husband, broker Alan Douglas, live beyond their means. Alan's friend, Billy Braden, tries to convince them to join him in leaving New York for the more peaceful West, but they refuse.

Traveling saleswoman Mary Marbury thrashes a masher on a train when he tries to kiss a young girl in a tunnel.

In a small Japanese town, Ko-Ko is appointed to the unenviable position of executioner. Knowing he must successfully perform before the appearance of the Mikado in a month's time, Ko-Ko finds a suitable victim in Nanki-Poo, who is distraught over his unrequited love for the maiden Yum-Yum. Nanki-Poo agrees to sacrifice his life if he is allowed to spend his remaining days with Yum-Yum, who is betrothed to Ko-Ko.

The queen of mythical Sylvania marries a courtier, who finds his new life unsatisfying.

New York chorus girl Cindy Lou Bethany becomes frustrated when she prepares for an audition for a Broadway musical, but the auditions close and her roommate, Gwen Abbott, is hired to be secretary to Top Rumson, the show's financial backer. Gwen tells Cindy that the director, Lloyd Lloyd, and composer, Dick Rayburn, have been sent to the South on a talent search for a classic Southern belle type to star in the show, although their shows usually feature Myra Stanhope, an actress whose style is hopelessly inappropriate for this show. Desperate for work, Cindy returns to her aunt Lily Lou and uncle Jefferson Davis Bethany's home in the South and schemes to get Lloyd and Rayburn to audition her.

Two playboys try to forget previous romances in Singapore – until they meet a beautiful dancer.