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The Grand Theatre’s 1914 ad in the Sentinel for the movie, “Romance at Orlando.” (Orlando Sentinel file)<\/p>\nThere have been many movies filmed in Orlando over the years \u2013 from award-winners like \u201cParenthood\u201d in 1989 and \u201cThe Florida Project\u201d in 2017, to kitschy titles like \u201cErnest Saves Christmas\u201d in 1988 and \u201cSharknado 3: Oh Hell No!\u201d in 2015.<\/p>\n
But Orlando had its first big-screen starring role in a 1914 silent movie that was shot around town and starred local residents. We know for certain it involved romance and Orlando, but we can\u2019t quite pin down the movie\u2019s title.<\/p>\n
In various reports over the years in the Sentinel\u2019s archives and ads, the movie has been called \u201cRomance at Orlando,\u201d \u201cRomance in Orlando\u201d and \u201cRomance of Orlando.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whatever its name, it was a big hit with its hometown audience when it played at the still new Grand Theatre.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore than 3,000 paid admissions at the Grand witnessed the production of the picture play, \u2018Romance at Orlando\u2019 Tuesday and Wednesday nights and Wednesday matinee,\u201d the Sentinel reported on Jan. 15, 1914. \u201cIt was a pleasing picture made popular by the appearance of local characters.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite the lack of a rave review, the novelty of seeing Orlando and some of its residents on the big screen was quite a draw.<\/p>\n
When the movie was shot here in December 1913, the Sentinel provided daily front-page updates on its production.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe representatives of the Civic Motion Picture company, of Tampa, who are in Orlando to make a picture play, made the first scenes at the Presbyterian church yesterday afternoon.\u201d the newspaper reported on Dec. 10. \u201cThe title of the picture is \u2018Romance at Orlando,\u2019 and the principals in the cast are Miss Mary Rock, who takes the leading role as Mabel Mitchell, Jenkins Dolive playing opposite her as Jack Strong, and Joe Cheney as Bob Logan, one of Mabel\u2019s suitors.<\/p>\n
\u201cA number of scenes of the plot will be taken on the business streets this morning, and at two o\u2019clock this afternoon Joe Cheney and Jenkins Dolive will deliver political speeches at the band stand,\u201d the Sentinel said, adding, \u201cIt is designed and desired that this feature shall draw a crowd of men. Thursday the Orlando fire department will make a run for the occasion and a fire scene will be enacted.\u201d<\/p>\n
When the big fire scene of the movie was filmed the next day, the Sentinel provided some more info on the movie\u2019s leading man. The newspaper knew him pretty well.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe hero, dear reader, was Mr. Jenkins Dolive, of the Sentinel staff, who had just enacted the part of rescuing his sweetheart Mabel Desmond, who in real life is Miss Mary Rock, also of Orlando, from Mr. Beacham\u2019s residence, which had a smudge built beneath one of the windows for the sole purpose of making a heavy smoke,\u201d the Sentinel noted. \u201cThe run of the fire department and the smoke fooled many people, and this added to the realism of the picture, much to the delight of the representatives of the Civic Motion Picture company.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Grand Theatre’s 1914 ad in the Sentinel for the movie, “Romance at Orlando.” (Orlando Sentinel file)<\/p>\n
As for the \u201cromance\u201d part of the film, it ended in a big wedding of course and featured many prominent Orlando residents.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe wedding scene was enacted true to life, and Mr. Donald Cheney played well the part of the minister who performed the ceremony,\u201d the Sentinel account said. \u201cThe bridal party was composed of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. C. Keller, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Yearby, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Dolive, Miss Glenn Cheney and Mr. Montcalm Broward, Jr., Miss Thornton and Mr. Voorhis, Miss Ruby Platt and Mr. Billy Beardall. The party filed out of the church and the bride and groom departed for their honeymoon in a large new automobile waiting at the curb. Edwin Beeman was the chauffeur at the wheel and lost no time in speeding away.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite only being shown here for a couple of days, folks couldn\u2019t get enough of the movie. On Jan. 15, 2014, the Grand issued an apology in an advertisement for its next feature. \u201cSorry we couldn\u2019t accommodate all the people who wanted to see the local moving picture, \u201cRomance in Orlando.\u201d\u2018<\/p>\n
But that wasn\u2019t the end of the film. It came back to town for another showing months later at a different theater, sort of a pre-TV summer rerun.<\/p>\n
It was shown at the Lucerne Theatre on Monday, July 6, 1914. The theater\u2019s ad noted, \u201c\u2018The Romance of Orlando\u2019, a local film made here last December with local people. The film will be repeated for the benefit of those who did not see it last winter and those who wish to see it again.\u201d<\/p>\n
No \u201cats,\u201d \u201cins\u201d or \u201cofs\u201d about it, Orlando found romance with the big screen.<\/p>\n