The Sleeping Lion

The Sleeping Lion
The Sleeping Lion
Directed by	Rupert Julian
Written by	Elliott J. Clawson; Bernard McConville;
Starring	Monroe Salisbury; Pat Moore; Rhea Mitchell;
Cinematography	Edward A. Kull
Production; company	Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	June 23, 1919;
Running time	60 minutes
Country	United States
Languages	Silent; English intertitles

The Sleeping Lion is a 1919 American silent Western film directed by Rupert Julian and starring Monroe Salisbury, Pat Moore and Rhea Mitchell.^[1] Location shooting for the film was completed at Keen Camp in the San Jacinto Mountains in Riverside County, and in San Bernardino County, CA.^[2]

The film held openings in New York City at the New York Theatre and in Los Angeles at the Superba Theatre.^[2]

Synopsis

Tony, an Italian American from New York buys a ranch out West to start a new life with his adopted son, but soon gets in bad with the local bully. Both Tony and the bully, Durant, are fighting over a girl, and when Tony learns to shoot in case of a future fight. Tony marches over to Durant and challenges him, they give their guns to the bystanders and engage in a battle royal. Tony's son rides for help and leads some cowboys to his father's aid.^[3]

Cast

Monroe Salisbury as Tony
Pat Moore as Little Tony
Rhea Mitchell as Kate Billings
Herschel Mayall as Durant
Alfred Allen as Col. Doharney
Alice Claire Elliott as Carlotta
Marian Skinner as Her Mother
Sidney Franklin as Her Father

Reception

The Variety review was positive, describing the film as having "excellent fights" and that the suspense was "first class."^[3]

Preservation

The Sleeping Lion is currently presumed lost.^[4] In February of 2021, the film was cited by the National Film Preservation Board on their Lost U.S. Silent Feature Films list.^[5]

References

^ Langman, p. 291
^ ^a ^b "AFI Catalog of Feature Films: The Sleeping Lion". afi.com. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
^ ^a ^b Variety. New York: Variety Publishing Co. June 27, 1919. p. 45.
^ "The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database: The Sleeping Lion". memory.loc.gov. January 5, 2017. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
^ "7,200 Lost U.S. Silent Feature Films (1912-29)" (PDF). National Film Preservation Board. February 4, 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2026.

Bibliography

Langman, Larry. American Film Cycles: The Silent Era. Greenwood Publishing, 1998. ISBN 978-0-313-30657-0.

External links

The Sleeping Lion at IMDb

This article related to an American film of the 1910s (which would be a silent film) in the Western genre is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information.

[1] Langman, p. 291

[afi-2] "AFI Catalog of Feature Films: The Sleeping Lion". afi.com. Retrieved May 1, 2026.

[:0-3] Variety. New York: Variety Publishing Co. June 27, 1919. p. 45.

[4] "The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database: The Sleeping Lion". memory.loc.gov. January 5, 2017. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2026.

[Lost_U.S._Silent_Feature_Films-5] "7,200 Lost U.S. Silent Feature Films (1912-29)" (PDF). National Film Preservation Board. February 4, 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2026.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]