Snow White (1916) / Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp (1917)

Since the dawn of cinema, fairy tales have been a popular source of material for filmmakers. In the silent era, these adaptations were not meant to be exclusively for children, leading to a wide range of creative interpretations.

SNOW WHITE (1916): The Grimm brothers' tale of a beautiful princess and her wicked stepmother is brought to life by the prolific J. Searle Dawley, who also directed Edison Studios' Frankenstein (1910). Dawley used as his blueprint the popular 1912 Broadway stage version, written by famed playwright Winthrop Ames. Lovely Marguerite Clark had previously starred in the play, and was 33 at the time of the film's release. Her youthful looks would lead to a long screen career in films such as Uncle Tom's Cabin (1918) and Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1919). The New York Times would eventually name her as one of the "Big Four" of silent movie stars along with Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, and Mary Pickford. Future Oscar nominee Richard Barthelmess appears in an early uncredited role as the Pieman. Snow White was the first movie Walt Disney ever saw at the age of 15. He would incorporate many of the film's original concepts into his 1937 animated version, including the Queen's rhyming magic mirror. The appearance of Santa Claus in the film's prologue is due to its release date: December 25, 1916. Starring Marguerite Clark, Creighton Hale, Dorothy Cumming and Richard Barthelmess. Directed by J. Searle Dawley.

ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP (1917): This adaptation of the Middle Eastern folk tale about a poor urchin who discovers a magic lamp was part of a series of fairy tale films called the "Fox Kiddie Burlesques." Studio head William Fox felt that children were the best choices to bring a fairy tale to life, so almost all of the actors who appear in the film are under the age of 10. Some of them would go on to greater success in adulthood. Gertrude Messenger became a popular Western leading lady in the talkie era with films such as The Rider of the Law (1935) and Blazing Justice (1936), and Lewis Sargent would star in the original versions of both Huckleberry Finn (1920) and Oliver Twist (1922). Elmo Lincoln, who plays the Genie of the Lamp, is one of the few adult actors to appear. The following year, he would become the screen's first Lord of the Jungle when he starred in Tarzan of the Apes (1918). Starring Francis Carpenter, Gertrude Messenger, Lewis Sargent and Elmo Lincoln. Directed by Chester M. Franklin.

• silent