What Happened to Mary?

What Happened to Mary (sometimes erroneously referred to as What Happened to Mary?) is the first serial film made in the United States. Produced by Edison Studios, with screenplays by Horace G. Plympton, and directed by Charles Brabin, the action films starred Mary Fuller. Twelve one-reel episodes were released monthly beginning July 1912, coinciding with the literary serial of the same name published in McClure's The Ladies' World magazine. In addition to the motion pictures and regular magazine installments, What Happened to Mary was also adapted as a stage play, followed by a novelization, making it an early example of the multimedia franchise. Cast Mary Fuller as Mary Marc McDermott as Lieutenant Strakey Charles Ogle as Richard Craig, Mary's uncle Herbert Yost as Henry, Craig's son Miriam Nesbitt as Madame Jolatsy, a spy Bliss Milford as Daisy Bigelow Cooper as Mr. Foster, the Lawyer William Wadsworth as Billy Peart Harold M. Shaw as Rev. Cooper Harry Eytinge as Secretary, Occidental Trust Company Walter Edwin as Manager of the Society Queen Yale Benner as John Chase James Smith as Stage Manager Carey Lee as Leading Lady Arthur Housman as Principal Comedian Production This serial came to be after the editor of The Ladies' World, Charles Dwyer, met Horace G. Plympton, manager of Thomas Edison's New York motion picture studio on Decatur Avenue and Oliver Place in the Bronx. He was interested in the concept of the story and the plan for an installment published in each issue. A few days after the meeting he suggested making a film version of each installment: the parallel release of magazine and movie episodes supporting each other.