The Fast Mail's Danger

The Fast Mail's Danger

NR 1915 · 12 min · Thriller

Down and out, Bob, an engineer, drifts into town. His condition excites Helen's sympathy. Using her influence, the girl secures him a position with the railroad. Rankin, Dalmore and Dougherty escape from prison. The men attempt to enter the Hobart Tower, but Helen, seizing a revolver, baffles them.

Directed by J.P. McGowan · Written by Frank Howard Clark

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The Hazards of HelenSee all →

The Stolen EngineThe Stolen Engine · 1914
The Stolen Engine
1914
MovieThriller
A pair of crooks steal a valuable package, hold up the crew of a freight engine, and compel the engineer to aid their escape. Learning this, Helen climbs into the cab of a locomotive standing on a siding and takes up the chase.
Helen's SacrificeHelen's Sacrifice · 1914
Helen's Sacrifice
1914
MovieThriller
In the first entry in the popular Hazards of Helen series, Helen, the night telegraph operator at Lone Point, relieves Benton, the day operator, several hours ahead of time, because he is caring for his sick child. Receiving an order to sidetrack a freight until the fast mail passes, Helen mounts a horse, takes a short cut, leaps from a fifty foot cliff into a river
The Plot at the Railroad CutThe Plot at the Railroad Cut · 1914
The Plot at the Railroad Cut
1914
MovieThriller
In the second entry of the popular Hazards of Helen series, Helen, is temporarily assigned as a telegraph operator at Quarry Depot; bad blood springs up between two men who are seeking Helen's favor, but to whom she has remained impartial.
The Girl at the ThrottleThe Girl at the Throttle · 1914
The Girl at the Throttle
1914
MovieThriller
Helen, the telegrapher at Downing Junction, receives word that an engineer has been accidentally shot by a partridge hunter, and the runaway train will collide with the Eastbound Express. Helen jumps onto a nearby standing locomotive, opens it up full throttle, catches up the Express, warns the engineer of the impending danger
The Flying Freight's CaptiveThe Flying Freight's Captive · 1914
The Flying Freight's Captive
1914
MovieThriller
Helen receives a cypher message about a jewel robbery and trails the yeggmen to their lair. Discovered, Helen is bound and gagged and thrown into a box car, but gets loose, and leaps to the ground from the speeding train. The crooks are captured, Helen's pluck wins Billy's heart, but, as usual, she refuses, with an eye on next week's adventure.
The Black Diamond ExpressThe Black Diamond Express · 1914
The Black Diamond Express
1914
MovieThriller
When Dick, an aeronaut is wrongly accused of shooting Dan, a trouble-making, quarrelsome cowboy, Helen aids his escape on the outgoing Black Diamond Express.
The Escape on the LimitedThe Escape on the Limited · 1914
The Escape on the Limited
1914
MovieThriller
Brandt, a defaulting cashier, hiding in Lone Point in his effort to throw detectives off his track, cuts the wires of Helen's telephone to prevent her from calling for help, binds and gags her, and boards the outgoing Limited. Freed by Detective Sheridan, the two of them get into a gasoline speeder standing on the sidetrack and pursue the Limited.
In Danger's PathIn Danger's Path · 1915
In Danger's Path
5.01915
MovieThriller
Helen is captured by two yeggmen who throw her into a refrigerator car; finding a meat hook, she chops her way into the ice chamber and reaches the top of the train in time to avert a collision of two trains.
The Hazards of Helen Ep26: The Wild EngineThe Hazards of Helen Ep26: The Wild Engine · 1915
The Hazards of Helen Ep26: The Wild Engine
6.01915
MovieThriller
Helen, informed of the danger which menaces an excursion train because another engine on the same track is running wild, mounts a motorcycle and speeds down the track to warn the passengers of their imminent peril. Nearing a river trestle under repair, she hurtles into the river; undaunted, she swims to the opposite bank and flags down the excursion train in the nick of time, causing the engineer to run his train onto a siding just a few moments before the runaway dashes by.
The Leap from the Water TowerThe Leap from the Water Tower · 1915
The Leap from the Water Tower
1915
MovieThriller
Rand, a vengeful discharged fireman, tampers with the airbrakes of a large freight locomotive making them useless on the long descent from the summit of Pine Hill to Lone Point the following day. Learning of the impending peril, Helen dashes to a water tower under which the train must pass, climbs out on the spout, leaps onto the roof of one of the cars, and warns the engineer in time. Helen's heroism wins her another offer of marriage, this time from Wadsworth, the freight engineer, but once again she opts for next weeks hazards instead.
The Hazards of Helen: Episode13, The Escape on the Fast FreightThe Hazards of Helen: Episode13, The Escape on the Fast Freight · 1915
The Hazards of Helen: Episode13, The Escape on the Fast Freight
5.81915
MovieThriller
Two tramps hold up small-town Ferndale's railway station night operator Helen, lock her in a closet, and escape. Later, standing on a bridge over the freight yards, Helen sees the two bandits aboard an outgoing freight and drops onto the roof of the car from above as it crosses underneath. A chase along the roofs of the speeding cars ensues.
The Pay TrainThe Pay Train · 1915
The Pay Train
5.31915
MovieThriller
Helen, overhearing Tony and his accomplices plotting to derail the pay train and steal its money, is thrown into a cattle car; grabbing a revolver which one of the men has dropped, she shoots the wire controlling the semaphore arm, which then swings up and flashes the danger flag, thus averting disaster in the nick of time.
The Wrong Train OrderThe Wrong Train Order · 1915
The Wrong Train Order
5.01915
MovieThriller
In this episode everything goes wrong. Helen ends up on the rear observation deck of a runaway express train with the door to the inside closed, with the air-brake of the engine damaged, the engine itself full of steam and inaccessible, and the train speeding ahead on the wrong track.
The Death TrainThe Death Train · 1915
The Death Train
1915
MovieThriller
The smashed corner of a trunk containing counterfeiting paraphernalia reveals to Helen that there is treachery afoot at Lone Point. Detectives capture two of the trio, but one of them gets away, pursued by Helen, across a high railroad trestle. Seventh of the "Hazards of Helen" Railroad Series.
Nerves of SteelNerves of Steel · 1915
Nerves of Steel
1915
MovieThriller
Detective Strong is warned that an attempt will be made to free the crooks he is taking to the penitentiary. In spite of his vigilance, the prisoners escape when confederates start a gunfight on the train. Strong and his men scour the countryside for the fugitives.
A Railroader's BraveryA Railroader's Bravery · 1915
A Railroader's Bravery
1915
MovieThriller
When Helen learns that wiretappers have make a prisoner of Henry, the relief operator, she severs the wire being tapped, boards a freight train, uncouples the engine, and pursues the tappers, who are in a gasoline speeder. She eventually rescues Henry and captures Noyes, the head of the gang, who is then placed under arrest.
The Broken CircuitThe Broken Circuit · 1915
The Broken Circuit
1915
MovieThriller
Attempting to prevent an armed robbery in the paymaster's office, Helen is bound and gagged, and the thieves escape on a hand car. With her feet still bound by wire, Helen endeavors to pursue on foot, but stumbles and falls across the rails of the track of an oncoming train.
The Girl Telegrapher's PerilThe Girl Telegrapher's Peril · 1915
The Girl Telegrapher's Peril
1915
MovieThriller
Blake, a quarrelsome lineman, and a widower with two daughters, is in love with Helen, but she rejects his advances. Helen spies Myra, Blake's three year old daughter, who has ventured onto the tracks of the oncoming Elwood Express, and just in the nick of time, grasps the girl off the tracks, but in so doing, must leap off a trestle into a river thirty feet below
The Box Car TrapThe Box Car Trap · 1915
The Box Car Trap
1915
MovieThriller
Jim, determined to ruin a box car brake test, hides inside, removes the flooring, and ruins the brake apparatus. As a result, the box car runs wild, trapping him inside. Before Helen can sidetrack the runaway, it shoots off the track at Elbow curve, overturning as it topples down the embankment. Helen smashes a hole through the side, braves the flames, crawls into the car, rescues Jim and drags him to safety. But her heroism is too late; Jim dies in her arms.
A Race for a CrossingA Race for a Crossing · 1915
A Race for a Crossing
1915
MovieThriller
Sharky, a rival road agent, plots to spoil a trial run to be made on Helen's road that will win a mail contract. He opens a waste valve on the tank of the engine, and, when nearing Lone Point, the water tank runs dry. Helen comes to the rescue by mounting the new gasoline speeder and starting off with the mail for the end of the run.
The Girl EngineerThe Girl Engineer · 1915
The Girl Engineer
1915
MovieThriller
A crooked mine owner attempts to hijack his rival's shipment of ore, but Helen foils his plot by jumping onto the engine and pulling the throttle wide open, eventually exposing the unscrupulous villain.
The Girl on the TrestleThe Girl on the Trestle · 1915
The Girl on the Trestle
1915
MovieThriller
A wagon load of powder explodes, destroying the railroad trestle under which it is passing; Helen, knowing that a passenger train is due within a few minutes, climbs aboard a freight car which coasts down a steep grade near the trestle. As it nears the structure, she applies the brakes, leaps to the ground, crawls across the burning trestle
A Life in the BalanceA Life in the Balance · 1915
A Life in the Balance
1915
MovieThriller
King attempts to tighten the brake of a freight car standing near the summit of a steep grade at Lone Point. Suddenly, the brake chain snaps and the train commences to roll down hill. Helen sees King's peril, rides to a point just before a curve, crawls hand over hand across a rope which she has stretched across the track, and snatches King from the car moments before the car is dashed to pieces as it leaves the rails of the curve.
The Girl at Lone PointThe Girl at Lone Point · 1915
The Girl at Lone Point
1915
MovieThriller
Helen catches two yeggmen who have broken into a freight car which has been detached from a train because of a hot box and are attempting to rifle the safe. The yeggmen escape aboard a passing freight with Helen, who has leaped upon the caboose, in hot pursuit, along with the trainmen.
The Railroad Raiders of '62The Railroad Raiders of '62 · 1915
The Railroad Raiders of '62
1915
MovieThriller
Lockwood, the old, one-armed flagman at Lone Point, tells Helen and a young soldier of his experiences during the Civil War, and how he lost his arm. The Civil War flashback sequences consist of archive footage from Kalem's Railroad Raiders of '62 (1911), rather than newly filmed footage.
The Open DrawbridgeThe Open Drawbridge · 1915
The Open Drawbridge
1915
MovieThriller
Benton, railroad detective, is assigned to run down the crooks who have been breaking into freight cars near Hobart. Helen, the telegraph operator at Hobart, supplies Benton with his first clue. Later in the day, the two see Rand and his band of river pirates rifling a box car.
The Engineer's PerilThe Engineer's Peril · 1915
The Engineer's Peril
1915
MovieThriller
Helen, the operator at Hobart, warns her friend Anna, the operator at Montville, that Tim Hudson, a notorious swindler, is headed for Montville. Anna later brings about Hudson's arrest when the man, posing as a minister, attempts to swindle the people of the town.
The Red SignalThe Red Signal · 1915
The Red Signal
1915
MovieThriller
Brent, the night operator has been knocked unconscious by a piece of lumber projecting from a passing freight, and has been rendered temporarily insane. Meantime, a furious storm arises, a track walker discovers a washout and wires a warning to Helen, who sets the danger signal for the Limited which is due in ten minutes.
The Little EngineerThe Little Engineer · 1915
The Little Engineer
1915
MovieThriller
While Hastings, the engineer of Freight No. 3205 is at lunch- in the Lone Point station, Bobby Heywood, the son of an engineer, climbs into the cab of the engine. Having frequently observed his father start his locomotive, Bobby jerks the throttle open. Helen sees the freight speeding down the track. Remembering that Bobby has been playing about the station, the girl surmises what has occurred.
The Fiend at the ThrottleThe Fiend at the Throttle · 1915
The Fiend at the Throttle
1915
MovieThriller
Rita, a telegraph operator, informed that a freight train which is due to pass her station filled with high explosives is about to be overtaken by a passenger train on the same track with a madman at the controls, leaps onto a handcar, which she crashes into the passenger train and thus stops it; she jumps onto the cowcatcher, and into the cab of the engine, where, after a hard struggle with the fiend, she manages to overcome him and sidetrack the passenger train thus preventing disaster.
The Night Operator at BuxtonThe Night Operator at Buxton · 1915
The Night Operator at Buxton
1915
MovieThriller
Bob's daughter is sick, so Helen volunteers to take his place on the night run, unaware that the Blackhall gang intends to rob the train which carries a valuable gold shipment. Learning of Helen's peril, Bob and Tracy pursue the train by automobile, arriving just as the hijackers are about to explode a charge of dynamite under the rails.
A Wild RideA Wild Ride · 1915
A Wild Ride
1915
MovieThriller
The bad blood existing between Reardon and Haley results in a fight in which Reardon is worsted. Reardon, vowing vengeance, climbs back aboard his engine while Haley resumes his station. The fight is witnessed by a number of railroad men. In climbing back to the water tank, Haley stumbles and falls between the cars.
The Midnight LimitedThe Midnight Limited · 1915
The Midnight Limited
1915
MovieThriller
Under the influence of liquor, Griffin foolishly displays a roll of bills. Wheeler and Walter, yeggmen, see the money and trail the traveler to the station. The men learn the berth he is to occupy. Hastening to a bridge under which the train must pass, they drop to the roof of one of the cars when it appears. Helen, transferred to Burnett, is a passenger on the train. By mistake, Griffin gets into her berth. Because of the man's condition, Helen consents to allow him to keep her berth. The girl takes the one which Griffin's ticket calls for. An hour later, Helen is awakened by a peculiar noise outside the car. Hastily dressing, she sees the window being raised. Wheeler's face appears at the window. The man foils Helen's attempt to shoot him, disarms her and then climbs back to the roof of the car.
Near EternityNear Eternity · 1915
Near Eternity
1915
MovieThriller
A quarryman, dismissed because of intoxication, blames Billy, the mail clerk, and seeks revenge. He steals several sticks of dynamite, climbs to the top of the mail crane and ties to the explosives to the mail bag. Helen sees what is taking place, climbs to the arm and unties the dynamite. With the passenger train a short distance away, she hurls the explosive away just as the train approaches.
The Human ChainThe Human Chain · 1915
The Human Chain
1915
MovieThriller
Deering and his gang rifle the station safe and gain possession of some valuable gems; Helen seizes the package and throws it into the river. In order to recover the package, a human chain is formed by the railroad men, which Helen climbs down and attempts to catch the package with her feet. Meanwhile, Deering and his men have boarded a launch, and succeed in grabbing both Helen and the package. Morton takes over a freight train, captures the crooks, and rescues Helen and the gems.
The Broken TrainThe Broken Train · 1915
The Broken Train
1915
MovieThriller
Helen spotting two jewel robbers sever the telegraph wires and hop onto a passing freight, jumps into a racing auto and takes off in pursuit. In the meantime, the freight's brakes fail, and the train breaks in two. Helen, on a road parallel to the tracks, leaps onto a flat car, runs forward, informs the train crew what has happened, and captures the crooks.
A Deed of DaringA Deed of Daring · 1915
A Deed of Daring
1915
MovieThriller
Upon learning that a gang of smugglers are using freight cars to bring Chinamen across the border, the railroad officials order all employees to keep a strict watch for traffic of this nature.
The Girl on the EngineThe Girl on the Engine · 1915
The Girl on the Engine
1915
MovieThriller
When informed by Helen that the rival railroad proposes to cross the Salt Lake's tracks, McKay, Division Superintendent, rushes a guard of men to Lone Point. This temporarily blocks the rival road's plan, but only until its force of men has been strengthened.
The Fate of Number OneThe Fate of Number One · 1915
The Fate of Number One
1915
MovieThriller
Their demand for money having gone unheeded, Garibaldi and his gang wreck Number One. Howard, who attempts to interfere, is battered into insensibility. The criminals then place a note in the man's pocket warning the railroad officials to heed their demands in the future.
The Substitute FiremanThe Substitute Fireman · 1915
The Substitute Fireman
1915
MovieThriller
A warm friendship springs up between Quirkly and Helen, when the fireman saves the girl's life. In his desire to be near Helen, Quirkly obtains a room in the house where the girl telegrapher boards. Badger, a crook, stopping in the same house, learns that Quirkly is in the habit of carrying his savings in a bag suspended from his neck. Entering the room with a confederate, Badger chloroforms the fireman and steals the money. Helen hears the noise of the struggle, but comes too late to apprehend the crooks.
The Limited's PerilThe Limited's Peril · 1915
The Limited's Peril
1915
MovieThriller
Wharton, trailing Red Leary and his gang, learns that the men intend to wreck the Limited. Curley, a fireman, is implicated. The crooks become aware of Wharton's presence and attack him. Helen comes to the detective's rescue with a revolver and captures one of the men.
A Boy at the ThrottleA Boy at the Throttle · 1915
A Boy at the Throttle
1915
MovieThriller
Climbing into a cab of a freight engine, Bobbie Layson, the son of a station pulls the throttle open. The alarm goes out and Helen, stationed at Lone Point, is ordered to derail the runaway and thus prevent it from running head-on into the approaching passenger train. Fearing for his son's life, Layson phones Helen
Crossed WiresCrossed Wires · 1915
Crossed Wires
1915
MovieThriller
Crossed telephone wires enable Helen to overhear a plot between Joe and Bill, escaped convicts, to join a number of Chinese who are being smuggled into the country in a freight train.
The Tramp TelegrapherThe Tramp Telegrapher · 1915
The Tramp Telegrapher
1915
MovieThriller
Beaten by Dun and Corson, Trent is hurled unconscious to the tracks. Helen, who witnesses the attack, drags Trent from the rails just in time to save him from death beneath the wheels of an oncoming train. When the tramp revives, he accompanies his rescuer back to the station.
The Dynamite TrainThe Dynamite Train · 1915
The Dynamite Train
1915
MovieThriller
The shifting of the dynamite contained in a boxcar causes the latter to be cut from the freight and set out as unsafe. While this is being done, the Jones gang waylays Emerick, a cattleman who has just sold a herd of stock. Detectives are sent after the thieves.
The Girl on the BridgeThe Girl on the Bridge · 1915
The Girl on the Bridge
1915
MovieThriller
Communicating with his pals outside, Daly informs them as to the date upon which he is to be taken from the jail to State's prison. Kling, the head of the gang, arranges to hold up the train carrying Daly and effect the man's rescue.
The Girl and the SpecialThe Girl and the Special · 1915
The Girl and the Special
1915
MovieThriller
Disguised as baggage man, Burgess and Whelan board the train to which is coupled the special carrying Nina Mallotte and her theatrical troupe. The thieves plan to steal the actress' gems.
Danger Ahead!Danger Ahead! · 1915
Danger Ahead!
1915
MovieThriller
Sterling and Ella steal a jewelry salesman's sample bag and make their getaway by boarding a passenger train. Word is flashed ahead to Helen, who in turn notifies Bowring, a railroad detective. The train is flagged.
The Rescue of the Brakeman's ChildrenThe Rescue of the Brakeman's Children · 1915
The Rescue of the Brakeman's Children
1915
MovieThriller
Discharged for drinking, Coleman attempts to get even by releasing the brakes on an empty boxcar, to which is coupled a flatcar, allowing them to run wild down the main line on which he knows the president's special is coming. Coleman does not know that his children, Helen and Paul, are playing on the flat car.
A Mile a MinuteA Mile a Minute · 1915
A Mile a Minute
1915
MovieThriller
Hume and Frintz, while riding in a boxcar, see a trunk in the unguarded baggage car of a passenger train. By a daring leap from the freight to the passenger, Hume steals the trunk, throws it into one of the boxcars, and then leaps back. The trunk is missed and the loss reported from Helen's station.
A Test of CourageA Test of Courage · 1915
A Test of Courage
1915
MovieThriller
Confronting Helen at the Lone Point Switch Tower, Denning and his pal imprison the girl in a clothes closet and then steal everything of value. In making their getaway, the crooks accidentally upset a lantern and set the tower afire. Helen, by picking the lock in the door with a hairpin, barely escapes death in the flames.
The Watertank PlotThe Watertank Plot · 1915
The Watertank Plot
1915
MovieThriller
Fearing lest Cameron's horse beat the pony he has plunged on, Tony Dorgan orders one of his men to bribe the stableman to drug the animal. Saratoga Johnny tries to carry out Tony's order, but receives a beating at the hands of the irate Cameron employee.
The Runaway BoxcarThe Runaway Boxcar · 1915
The Runaway Boxcar
1915
MovieThriller
Disguised as car repairmen, Mealius and Denney get aboard the express car, overpower the express messenger and steal a valuable package being forwarded to Arlington. Helen sees the crooks jumping from the car when it stops for water at Lone Point and gives the alarm.
A Matter of SecondsA Matter of Seconds · 1915
A Matter of Seconds
1915
MovieThriller
Dawson, a newcomer to the division, meets Helen while the girl is riding in the freight engine with Star, his engineer. Helen ignores the fireman's offensive stares, knowing that trouble would instantly result, if she reported the matter to Star. The following day, Dawson approaches the girl telegrapher and, seizing her in his arms, kisses her.
A Girl's GritA Girl's Grit · 1915
A Girl's Grit
1915
MovieThriller
After robbing the bank at Orlock, Cherry and Newton make their getaway. When on the outskirts of Lone Point, the men cut the telephone wires. Helen, however, learns of the robbery. Never suspecting that the crooks are headed for the station, the girl is taken by surprise when Newton and his pal hold her up.
The Broken RailThe Broken Rail · 1915
The Broken Rail
1915
MovieThriller
Spang, a tramp telegrapher, is knocked down by a freight car while walking up the siding near Lone Point. Helen witnesses the accident and by quick work saves him from being run over. The girl is later transferred to the shop's office and, due to her influence.
Train Order Number Forty-FiveTrain Order Number Forty-Five · 1915
Train Order Number Forty-Five
1915
MovieThriller
Borden, who nurses a secret grievance against Helen, awaits an opportunity for revenge. The girl telegrapher receives a message which informs her that the freight of which Easton is conductor, is to wait at Workman until the Fast Mail passes.
A Perilous ChanceA Perilous Chance · 1915
A Perilous Chance
1915
MovieThriller
Bull, Reno and Red make a getaway after holding up the Limited. Helen later sees the men and summons the detectives. The convicts escape from the trap and board a passing freight. Helen also succeeds in getting aboard. The train crew discovers the fugitives. Reno, in charge of the valise containing the loot, throws it into the boxcar ahead.
The Open TrackThe Open Track · 1916
The Open Track
5.51916
MovieThriller
"The Open Track" is a short action film from the action series of short films "The Hazards of Helen". This is episode 63 from a total of 119 weekly one reel films produced by Kalem. Helen's cleverness exposes a band of counterfeiters who later succeed in turning the tables on the railroad detectives and tying the two men to the cowcatcher of a train which they then start off down the grade. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2010.
The Capture of Red StanleyThe Capture of Red Stanley · 1916
The Capture of Red Stanley
1916
MovieThriller
Red Stanley's band has successfully robbed the express car and the members are making good their escape when they come upon Helen and her girl chum riding in the woods. The girls are set upon but they succeed by desperate riding in making their escape temporarily and, when danger seems near again, are saved by the approaching railroad detectives searching for the Stanley band. A running fight results in the capture of one of the band, but Stanley and his chief aide escape. Under cover of darkness, as Helen is working alone in the desolate station, the two enter and bind and gag her.
The Treasure TrainThe Treasure Train · 1916
The Treasure Train
1916
MovieThriller
"Red" Byrd and his aides succeed in learning that a large treasure is being shipped on a certain freight car under special guard. They overpower the relief operator at Helen's station and tamper with the signals so that the treasure train stops, while the crew runs ahead to investigate, leaving Spencer alone to guard the treasure.
The Mysterious CipherThe Mysterious Cipher · 1916
The Mysterious Cipher
1916
MovieThriller
Chilton, a crooked dealer in antiques, decides on a daring scheme to recoup his finances by defrauding the railroad. A car-load of cheap furniture is shipped with a valuation of $40,000 on it. Blanding, the tool of Chilton and his partner, awaits at Lone Point a telegram giving the number of the car.
The Detective's PerilThe Detective's Peril · 1916
The Detective's Peril
1916
MovieThriller
Hanging from a rope over the track, the detective seems certain to plunge to death when the oncoming train splits the knot of the rope which has been tied to a rail and slung over the bridge girder. Helen's presence of mind and nerve in swinging out over the river on the other end of the rope and thus balancing the detective until the train has passed prevents the terrible catastrophe. Later, when pursuing the culprits, Helen once more takes her life in her hands by throwing a lasso from the hand car on which they are pursuing the freight over the brake beam, and then crawling hand over hand to the top of the car.
The Trapping of 'Peeler' WhiteThe Trapping of 'Peeler' White · 1916
The Trapping of 'Peeler' White
1916
MovieThriller
Dick Benton is making a game attempt to start life all over again, after escaping from prison where he was confined for a crime he did not commit. "Peeler" White, who was really guilty, and who aided Benton to escape without telling the reason for his interest, stumbles across the young man who is now an express messenger. "Peeler" threatens to disclose his knowledge unless Benton aids him in a fake hold-up. The young man pretends to be a willing victim, but really warns the railroad detectives and "Peeler" and his companion find themselves in a trap on the train the following day.
The Record RunThe Record Run · 1916
The Record Run
1916
MovieThriller
The story is built around the rivalry of two railroads, and the record run that is to decide the awarding of large mail contracts.
The Race for a SidingThe Race for a Siding · 1916
The Race for a Siding
1916
MovieThriller
Through an accomplice the band of conspirators preying on railroads succeed in having the boxcar loaded with auto tires sidetracked at Lone Point instead of being taken on to its rightful destination. They are getting away with the valuable shipment when Helen takes a hand in the affair. While each of the trio carries a load of tires back to the autos which are in a sheltered spot, Helen hurriedly climbs the side of the boxcar and releasing the brakes the car, with its heavy load, starts down grade at great speed.
The Governor's SpecialThe Governor's Special · 1916
The Governor's Special
1916
MovieThriller
The film is directed by James Davis from a story by Edward T. Matlack. In this episode Helen Gibson performs one absolutely breathtaking stunt, which just shows how dangerous it was to act for silent film pioneers, especially for stuntmen and stuntwomen. There is a twist to the plot, and Helen Gibson not only has to save her governor from mortal danger, but also the life of somebody close to her, who has been sentenced to die without guilt.
The Human TelegramThe Human Telegram · 1916
The Human Telegram
1916
MovieThriller
To prevent a three mile journey around the mountain the telegraph wires at the construction camp have been strung over the precipice from the station on the mountain top. The operator is discharged when the superintendent suspects him of treachery and Helen is transferred to the station. Later, after the former operator has enlisted the aid of crooked brokers to use his knowledge in ruining the value of the road's stock, he receives an opportunity to get revenge on the superintendent.
The Bridge of DangerThe Bridge of Danger · 1916
The Bridge of Danger
1916
MovieThriller
The new superintendent's first order on taking the post eliminates the men whom he terms old, which costs "Pop" Bates his job as Helen's relief operator. His next declaration is that active railroad work is no place for women, and Helen is also dropped from the service. While Helen is breaking the news to Bob Bates, the new superintendent is hustling about the road yard speeding up the work. "Put more snap into your switching," he tells the men. A minute later, while he is making an inspection inside a boxcar with defective air brakes, a switching engine rams the car. The force of the impact, heightened by the recent orders, throws the superintendent to the floor stunned, and starts the car on the down grade. In the few moments it is speeding along the road and there is consternation among the men for a washout down the road means that it is headed to certain destruction.
One Chance in a HundredOne Chance in a Hundred · 1916
One Chance in a Hundred
1916
MovieThriller
Billy Warren, timekeeper on the construction job, arouses the enmity of Brent and Easton when he resents their bullying of the other men. Pay day finds the men celebrating in riotous fashion, and Brent in a crazed moment breaks into the station and attacks Helen. Her cries bring Warren, who trounces the bully.
The Engineer's HonorThe Engineer's Honor · 1916
The Engineer's Honor
1916
MovieThriller
Circumstances make Helen think that Jack, the engineer and son of the road's auditor, is guilty of the theft of $50 that comes to light through a shortage in her accounts. Gypsy Joe, the real thief, gathers his followers to seek vengeance on the train crew for having thrown him off the train.
The Spiked SwitchThe Spiked Switch · 1916
The Spiked Switch
1916
MovieThriller
Trent returns to the throttle too soon after his recovery from illness. On the following day Ruth, his daughter, and Hume plan to elope. Trent, with a new fireman, is suddenly taken with a weak spell and when the fireman becomes panic-stricken there is a scuffle which ends with the fireman thrown to the ground while the fast freight speeds on.
The Trail of DangerThe Trail of Danger · 1916
The Trail of Danger
1916
MovieThriller
Following the wreck of the pay-car, it is rifled by a band of conspirators. All but one of the band later succeed in making their escape from the town by automobile, but this one is forced to jump aboard a freight train to which is attached the wreck train and huge crane.
The Girl Who DaredThe Girl Who Dared · 1916
The Girl Who Dared
1916
MovieThriller
The smugglers seem in a fair way to escape on a stolen engine when Helen, unhitching a team from a nearby wagon, races down the road towards the railroad bridge from which a rope is hanging directly over the track. Standing astride the two speeding horses Helen leaps to the rope, and swaying in mid-air makes a perilous drop to the stolen engine as it dashes past.
A Race for a LifeA Race for a Life · 1916
A Race for a Life
1916
MovieThriller
A college boy's prank imperils the life of the railroad president's son who has worked his way up to engineer in his course that starts "from the bottom." Tied to the engine, the son is speeding on a runaway engine toward the Flicker Creek bridge which has been swept away by the floods.
The Girl Telegrapher's NerveThe Girl Telegrapher's Nerve · 1916
The Girl Telegrapher's Nerve
1916
MovieThriller
Steve Nelson, a clever crook, arrives at the little station where Helen is operator. He lives quietly at the village's little boarding house preparing for a coup when Helen receives instructions that lead her to suspect Steve.
The Switchman's StoryThe Switchman's Story · 1916
The Switchman's Story
1916
MovieThriller
Number 68 in the Hazards of Helen series.
The Perilous SwingThe Perilous Swing · 1916
The Perilous Swing
1916
MovieThriller
Helen is enjoying a ride on her horse, "Hazard," after her day's work, when news comes that "Red" Purdy and his aides are escaping after making a big haul. When the automobile in which they are escaping breaks down they take to a handcar. Helen pursues them down the track while the Sheriff and his posse set out to head them off on a short cut.
The Peril of the RailsThe Peril of the Rails · 1916
The Peril of the Rails
1916
MovieThriller
Apparent carelessness causes Conductor Lawton and his train crew to be laid off for thirty days. A gang of car thieves, pursued by police, jump aboard a freight, and after a stiff combat, succeed in throwing the crew off the speeding train to the ground.
The Broken WireThe Broken Wire · 1916
The Broken Wire
1916
MovieThriller
When the Limited is forced to stop because of an obstruction on the tracks, the passengers alight for a stroll. In the excitement of boarding again one of the passengers loses a handbag containing her jewels and money. Two crooks aboard the train hear of this and at Helen's station they alight.
Tapped WiresTapped Wires · 1916
Tapped Wires
1916
MovieThriller
After binding Helen to prevent her from stopping the express train to have it await an armed guard, crooks board the train, disable the messenger and dynamite the safe. Helen later takes a short cut in an auto and overtakes the train, but the crooks leap from the speeding train into her car before she can warn the engineer and train crew.
The Haunted StationThe Haunted Station · 1916
The Haunted Station
1916
MovieThriller
A fall from a semaphore weakens Wood's mind and when he later disappears circumstances point to suicide. His ghostly appearances make the post known as the "Haunted Station," and Helen is appointed as a last resort after many others have quit.
When Seconds CountWhen Seconds Count · 1916
When Seconds Count
1916
MovieThriller
#61 in the Hazards of Helen series
At the Risk of Her LifeAt the Risk of Her Life · 1916
At the Risk of Her Life
10.01916
MovieThriller
Tony, a half-breed Mexican is kicked from pillar to post, but he grasps a chance for revenge on society when he peers through the station window and sees Helen, the operator at Lone Point, opening the express company bag containing a valuable shipment to a local rancher.
A Plunge from the SkyA Plunge from the Sky · 1916
A Plunge from the Sky
1916
MovieThrillerAction
Agents of a foreign power are seeking to get possession of the plans of a new aeroplane motor invented by Dick Benton. Under cover of darkness they succeed in their scheme and are escaping in their automobile when it plunges over an embankment near Lone Point.
In Death's PathwayIn Death's Pathway · 1916
In Death's Pathway
1916
MovieThriller
Burkett, superintendent of the Western Railway, opposes his daughter's friendship for Dick Benton, one of the company's lawyers, favoring the latter's fellow-worker, Guy Warren. Warren succeeds in putting through a scheme which results in Dick's discharge. The lovers plan to elope and enlist the aid of Helen. But Eleanor's father learns of the move and wires ahead to police officials to board her train and arrest her while he follows in his special. By a daring leap from a handcar to the train Helen succeeds in warning Eleanor of her peril, but is too late, and Helen and Dick are forced to stand idly by while Burkett starts on the return trip in his special, carefully guarding Eleanor.
The Broken BrakeThe Broken Brake · 1916
The Broken Brake
1916
MovieThriller
In a scuffle between the assistant foreman and a discharged employee at the mountain construction camp the latter's revolver is fired, bringing about a dynamite explosion that severely injures many of the men.
To Save the RoadTo Save the Road · 1916
To Save the Road
1916
MovieThriller
The vote stands a tie on the railroad bill that will mean ruin to the Western line should it pass the State Legislature. By getting Senator Brown, who is aboard a liner quarantined in the bay, to the Capitol the day will be saved. The road superintendent takes a daring chance and aboard a motorboat succeeds in smuggling the Senator ashore and to a Western special which speeds off towards the Capitol of the neighboring State.
A Race Through the AirA Race Through the Air · 1916
A Race Through the Air
1916
MovieThriller
The 84th film in the Hazards of Helen series
The Blocked TrackThe Blocked Track · 1916
The Blocked Track
1916
MovieThriller
On a visit to the State Prison with Superintendent Melvin of the construction camp near Lone Point. Helen gains the friendship of Butler, a former telegrapher who had been wrongfully convicted on circumstantial evidence. Butler is soon to be released and Helen promises to aid him.
The Death SwingThe Death Swing · 1916
The Death Swing
1916
MovieThriller
Stallings' plot to spoil the demonstration of Dick Benton's newly invented safety stop for trains seems certain of success when the locomotive is sent running wild down the tracks. Helen saves the day by climbing out on a wire stretching across the tracks and dropping to the speeding engine.
Defying DeathDefying Death · 1916
Defying Death
1916
MovieThriller
Dick Benton, a young attorney of the railroad, is on his way to the Capitol to deliver evidence involving Riggs in a conspiracy arising out of a fight with the railroad over a franchise. At Lone Point he learns that by leaving the package to be picked up by the express it will reach the Governor sooner than he can bring it on the local.
The Hoodoo of Division BThe Hoodoo of Division B · 1916
The Hoodoo of Division B
1916
MovieThriller
The new superintendent scoffs at the men's fear of Engine 3615, and declares that it must be put into service at once. Engineer Kent, a veteran of the road, refuses to take the throttle and is discharged. Dick Benton, a young engineer, is induced to take the engine out and "kill this talk of a hoodoo."
Ablaze on the RailsAblaze on the Rails · 1916
Ablaze on the Rails
1916
MovieThriller
Helen, by a courageous leap from a motorcycle, reaches the burning boxcar in which the detectives are imprisoned and succeeds in applying the brakes in time to bring it to a stop and save them from almost certain death.
The Secret of the Box CarThe Secret of the Box Car · 1916
The Secret of the Box Car
1916
MovieThriller
Escaping after an early morning bank robbery, Gentleman Joe and his pal succeed in boarding a freight train headed toward Lone Point. Fearing rightly that a warning has been sent down the line, they secrete their loot in a box car, and, after noting its number, alight and seek cover until after the pursuit has cooled.
At Danger's CallAt Danger's Call · 1916
At Danger's Call
1916
MovieThriller
Helen, discharged by the superintendent without justification, comes to the rescue when a flat car, loaded with dynamite, is tearing to certain destruction down the grade, bearing the mischievous son of the superintendent.
With the Aid of the WreckerWith the Aid of the Wrecker · 1916
With the Aid of the Wrecker
1916
MovieThriller
Greggs, returning from abroad with a large consignment of precious stones, thwarts the first attempt of Gentleman Joe and his accomplice to rob him at his hotel, but they follow him aboard the train the when he is alone on the observation platform they attack him, and a struggle ensues in which Greggs is finally thrown to the ground from the speeding train. Helen, riding through the hills in an auto, comes upon him before Joe and his pal can alight from the train, Greggs gives her the diamonds and tells her to speed away and rush help back to take care of his injuries.
Hurled Through the DrawbridgeHurled Through the Drawbridge · 1916
Hurled Through the Drawbridge
1916
MovieThriller
Learning that the driver of the Comet car has been disabled on the eve of the big race, Sinton, a gambler, bets heavily on its rival. But his plans go awry when Gordon, the owner of the Comet car, meets Naroche, a celebrated French driver, and engages him to pilot the racer.
A Mystery of the RailsA Mystery of the Rails · 1916
A Mystery of the Rails
1916
MovieThriller
Jud Hendricks, foreman of the construction camp, is being blackmailed by Gypsy Joe, who knows of a dark page in the Hendricks' past. Hendricks and Tom Rasom are rivals for the favor of Helen, with Tom in the lead. The latter, an engineer, is about to take his train out when he finds Gypsy Joe hiding in a boxcar.
The Midnight ExpressThe Midnight Express · 1916
The Midnight Express
1916
MovieThriller
Film #110 in the Hazards of Helen series.
The Lineman's PerilThe Lineman's Peril · 1916
The Lineman's Peril
1916
MovieThriller
Film #109 in the Hazards of Helen series
The Trial RunThe Trial Run · 1916
The Trial Run
1916
MovieThriller
Film 108 in the Hazards of Helen series
The Forgotten Train OrderThe Forgotten Train Order · 1916
The Forgotten Train Order
1916
MovieThriller
107th film in the Hazards of Helen series
The Runaway SleeperThe Runaway Sleeper · 1916
The Runaway Sleeper
1916
MovieThriller
Film 106 in the Hazards of Helen series
The Lone Point MysteryThe Lone Point Mystery · 1916
The Lone Point Mystery
1916
MovieThriller
Film 105 in the Hazards of Helen series
The Gate of DeathThe Gate of Death · 1916
The Gate of Death
1916
MovieThriller
Film 104 in the Hazards of Helen series
A Daring ChanceA Daring Chance · 1916
A Daring Chance
1916
MovieThriller
Film 102 in the Hazards of Helen series.
To Save the SpecialTo Save the Special · 1916
To Save the Special
1916
MovieThriller
Film 101 in the Hazards of Helen series
The Lost MessengerThe Lost Messenger · 1916
The Lost Messenger
1916
MovieThriller
Film 103 in the Hazards of Helen series
A Race with DeathA Race with Death · 1916
A Race with Death
1916
MovieThriller
Film #112 in the Hazards of Helen series.
The Vanishing Box CarThe Vanishing Box Car · 1916
The Vanishing Box Car
1916
MovieThriller
Film 111 of the Hazards of Helen film series
The Hazards of HelenThe Hazards of Helen · 1917
The Hazards of Helen
1917
MovieAction
The Hazards of Helen is an American melodramatic adventure film serial of 119 twelve-minute episodes released between November 7, 1914 and February 24, 1917. Most episodes of this serial are presumed lost.
The Wrecked StationThe Wrecked Station · 1917
The Wrecked Station
1917
MovieThriller
Helen, the telegraph operator at Lone Point, receives a telegram for Sydney Wayne, superintendent of the Graham Gravel plant, advising him that the plant has changed ownership and that Stanton Grey accompanied by his daughter Edith, is on his way to Lone Point to inspect the property. Wayne is startled because he has gambled away the company's money and realizes that his books will not balance. Fortune appears to favor him when Grey is carried into the station unconscious as the result of an automobile accident. He extracts Grey's wallet from his pocket but Cole, the gambler, who has trailed Wayne gets a photograph of him in the act. With the photographic evidence, the gambler tries to blackmail Wayne.
The Fireman's NemesisThe Fireman's Nemesis · 1917
The Fireman's Nemesis
1917
MovieThriller
Joe, the Wop, employed in the roundhouse near Lone Point is notified that he has been promoted and will take his place that night as a fireman on the local freight. On his way home he stops at the station to tell Helen, the operator, of his good fortune. As Joe starts down the track towards home, Scarlotta, a member of a notorious vendetta that has marked Joe for death, shoots him from ambush. Helen sees Joe fall in the middle of the track and barely succeeds in dragging him to safety out of the path of the limited. Joe's wound is not serious and that night he takes his place as fireman on the freight. Determined to "get" Joe, Scarlotta visits the station where Helen is still at her key and after binding her and locking her in a closet, throws the switch so that the freight will collide with the cars on the siding.
The Mogul Mountain MysteryThe Mogul Mountain Mystery · 1917
The Mogul Mountain Mystery
1917
MovieThriller
Bert Morgan and "Squint" Booth are freight agents for rival railroads concerned in getting the contract for hauling the gold ore produced by the Mogul Mountain mine. The contract finally falls to the road employing Morgan upon his promise to have cars in operation over an abandoned spur track within three weeks' time.
The Sidetracked SleeperThe Sidetracked Sleeper · 1917
The Sidetracked Sleeper
1917
MovieThriller
Rupert Winslow, traffic superintendent of the railroad that employs Helen as operator at Lone Point, receives a telegram stating that his wife, who is ill, will be on the midnight express. He calls in Summers, a veteran brakeman on the passenger run and instructs him to watch over Mrs. Winslow and to sidetrack her sleeper if she requires medical attention.
The Prima Donna's SpecialThe Prima Donna's Special · 1917
The Prima Donna's Special
1917
MovieThriller
Helen, station agent and telegraph operator at Lone Point, is in despair over a broken sounder when Morley, who has dropped off a passing freight, offers to fix it for her. Recognizing in him a man whose skill points back to happier days, Helen encourages him to tell her his story, promising to get him the position of relief operator if he cares to accept it. Morley's story takes him back several years to the time when he gave up his position as an operator following the death of his wife. He has never seen his little daughter since turning her over to the care of a rich brother.
The Railroad Claim IntrigueThe Railroad Claim Intrigue · 1917
The Railroad Claim Intrigue
1917
MovieThriller
Barstow, a crook, conceives the idea of buying old automobiles, staging "accidents" with them, and settling with the railroad. At the Lone Point crossing one of his machines is hit by the train and the flagman is discharged because it appears that he has been negligent. Helen, the telegraph operatic, gets a day off and starts for the hills on horseback. She meets Duncan, a railroad detective sent to investigate the increasing number of crossing accidents.
The Death SidingThe Death Siding · 1917
The Death Siding
1917
MovieThriller
Helen, the telegraph operator at the Lone Point Station, shields Miguel, a greaser, under suspicion of having stolen some horses, until the real thieves are caught.

More from J.P. McGowanSee all →

Gun GospelGun Gospel · 1927
Gun Gospel
10.01927
MovieWestern
From Death Valley in the Mojave Desert to Mount Whittier, the outlaw gangs are wreaking havoc on the gold and money shipments from the mines and ranches. Wells Fargo organizes an express service that will insure the shipments and ensure a guaranteed delivery. Granger Hume is hired to help Wells-Fargo deliver on their promise.
Captain CowboyCaptain Cowboy · 1929
Captain Cowboy
10.01929
MovieWestern
Story of a Cowboy who met challenges with action! He matched his fists against another man's diabolical brain!
His NemesisHis Nemesis · 1914
His Nemesis
10.01914
MovieDrama
With ruin staring him in the face, Manning, of Manning and Company, commits a theft which averts the crash. The scoundrel cleverly contrives to throw suspicion upon Reynolds, an old and faithful employee. Reynolds receives a three-year sentence. Beatrice, the daughter of Manning's victim, believes in her father's innocence. Led to believe Manning the real cause of her father's tribulations, Beatrice vows to wreak vengeance upon the scoundrel.
Captain KiddCaptain Kidd · 1922
Captain Kidd
10.01922
MovieAdventure
Swashbuckling serial starring Eddie Polo. Chapter titles: 1. Shanghaied 2. The Pirate's Slave 3. Hidden Treasure 4. The Lost Fortune 5. The Missing Plans 6. Trapped 7. The Secret Passage 8. Outwitted 9. The Third Degree 10. Double-Crossed 11. [unknown] 12. A Fight for a Fortune 13. [unknown] 14. A Fight in Mid-Air 15. Victory and Happiness.
SilverspursSilverspurs · 1936
Silverspurs
10.01936
MovieWestern
Janet Allison witnesses Art Holden and his gang hold up the Station Agent. When she identifies Holden to the Sheriff, the Sheriff gives Holden an alibi. Janet and Jim Fentriss then find Holden's secret hideout. When Janet returns the next day to meet Jim, Holden makes her a prisoner and waits in ambush for Jim to arrive.
Stormy SeasStormy Seas · 1923
Stormy Seas
8.01923
MovieDrama
Two men in love with the same girl race to save her when she is trapped aboard a ship on fire in storm-swept seas.
BaffledBaffled · 1924
Baffled
8.01924
MovieWestern
Mystery ValleyMystery Valley · 1928
Mystery Valley
8.01928
MovieDramaWestern
Mystery Valley is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by J.P. McGowan and starring Buddy Roosevelt.
CourageCourage · 1924
Courage
8.01924
MovieDramaWestern
Allen Jennings, whose father was murdered and his gold mine claim jumped, has been seeking the murderers for years. One day, a mine owner and rancher named John Sanderson hires Allen to evict neighboring ranchers Grace and Tom Henden, children of Jim Henden. Unknown to Jennings, Henden and Sanderson, whose real name is John Jasper, were once partners, and it was they who jumped Allen's father's claim.
DupedDuped · 1925
Duped
8.01925
MovieDramaWestern
New Yorker John Holmes, who has made a fortune on Wall Street, receives an urgent message to go West because a California gold mine in which he has invested may be lost due to the larceny of his foreman. Once in California, he meets Dolores Verdiego, who became an innocent victim of the foreman and his gang when she was coerced into making a false ownership claim on the mine from an old charter.
The Red RaidersThe Red Raiders · 1927
The Red Raiders
8.01927
MovieWestern
Lone wolf, who is stirring up the Indians against the wishes of his elders, gets the job of scout at the fort. When he hears of the approval of the new reservation, he sends his men to trap Scott and his troop before they can deliver the information.
Headin' for TroubleHeadin' for Trouble · 1931
Headin' for Trouble
8.01931
MovieWestern
Cyclone arrives in town just in time to see Slade cheat Courtney at poker. Cyclone takes Courtney's IOU and returns it to him. But Courtney is a compulsive gambler and Slade lures him back for another game, this time winning his ranch. Cyclone once again returns the note but is captured by Slade's men. Slade then heads out to force Courtney to sign over the deed.
StagecoachStagecoach · 1939
Stagecoach
7.61939
MovieWestern
A group of people traveling on a stagecoach find their journey complicated by the threat of Geronimo, and learn something about each other in the process.
Les MisérablesLes Misérables · 1935
Les Misérables
7.11935
MovieDramaHistory
In 19th century France, Jean Valjean, a man imprisoned for stealing bread, must flee a relentless policeman named Javert. The pursuit consumes both men's lives, and soon Valjean finds himself in the midst of the student revolutions in France.
Señor AmericanoSeñor Americano · 1929
Señor Americano
7.01929
MovieWestern
A U.S. soldier goes after bandits in California, although it is still owned by Mexico.
The Vanishing DaggerThe Vanishing Dagger · 1920
The Vanishing Dagger
7.01920
MovieAdventure
Adventure serial starring Eddie Polo in 18 chapters. 1. The Scarlet Confession; 2. The Night of Terror; 3. In Death's Clutches; 4. On the Trail of the Dagger; 5. The End of the Rustlers; 6. A Terrible Calamity; 7. Plunged to His Doom; 8. In Unmerciful Hands; 9. THe Lights of Liverpool (aka Ferocious Foes): 10. When London Sleeps; 11. A Race to Scotland; 12. An Evil Plot; 13. Spears of Death; 14. Walls of Doom; 15. The Great Pendulum; 16. Beneath the Sea; 17. Beasts of the Jungle; 18. The Vanishing Dagger (aka Silver Linings).

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