The Old Actor on AllMovie

The Old Actor was produced by the Eclipse Company, one of the lesser film firms of the pre-1910 years. Unable to find work or to provide for his family, an elderly thespian decides to end it all. He heads to the river, where he is prevented from jumping in by the superimposed image of his wife and children. Given a new lease on life, the actor decides to create his own work by delivering Shakespearean recitations at a fancy restaurant. Noticed by a theatrical manager, the old actor is not only hired for a long-running show, but also given a huge cash advance, which he immediately turns over to his starving loved ones.