Betty, the Boy and the Bird

On her way to rehearsal, chorus-girl Betty stops to rescue a bird from the clutches of a boy with a bean-shooter. Jim Derwent, son of the theater owner, is passing in his car and sees the girl boxing the boy's ears while her aunt looks about for a policeman, and he stops to see what's wrong. He recognizes Betty, and after explanations, Jim drives them to her home, where the bird is cared for. On her arrival at the theater the stage manager bawls her out and fires her, but Jim gets his dad to countermand the manager's decree. The next day Jim calls, more to see Betty than the bird, and a charming romance is soon underway. After a "night out," the leading lady calls in sick and Betty has the chance to take her place. She makes good, and the former leading lady is deposed. But Betty soon has the opportunity to become Jim's own leading lady, and when he promises to love her pets as well, she becomes his bride.

Directed by Tefft Johnson, Betty, the Boy and the Bird leans on a strong ensemble — Zena Keefe, Josephine Earle, Tefft Johnson — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1916.