DRAMA . 1920 . 0h 50m

A Beggar in Purple_

"A virile drama of the whirlpool of Wall Street, a man's faith, a woman's trust, and a revelation"

Poverty-stricken John Hargrave is forced to beg employment from rich mill owner Roger Winton in order to save his sick mother's life. Winton refuses to help, and when Hargrave's mother dies, he swears revenge. Eighteen years pass and Hargrave is now owner of a large paper mill, in competition with Winton. Hargrave and Winton's son, Roger Jr., are also rivals for the same woman, Irene Foster, who desires Winton's love but Hargrave's money. Winton, Sr., in an attempted takeover of Hargrave's stock, bribes labor agitators to create turmoil in Hargrave's plant. Hargrave discovers the plot, foils the scheme and discovers Irene's disloyalty. Although stricken with blindness because of the agitation in his life, Hargrave finds true love with his secretary, Margaret Carlisle. Once his sight is restored, he marries Margaret.

Starring Lee Shumway, Charles Arling, Stanhope Wheatcroft
0h 50m
Runtime
1920
Year
Updated Feb 16, 2026
A Beggar in Purple poster
A virile drama of the whirlpool of Wall Street, a man's faith, a woman's trust, and a revelation

Poverty-stricken John Hargrave is forced to beg employment from rich mill owner Roger Winton in order to save his sick mother's life. Winton refuses to help, and when Hargrave's mother dies, he swears revenge. Eighteen years pass and Hargrave is now owner of a large paper mill, in competition with Winton. Hargrave and Winton's son, Roger Jr., are also rivals for the same woman, Irene Foster, who desires Winton's love but Hargrave's money. Winton, Sr., in an attempted takeover of Hargrave's stock, bribes labor agitators to create turmoil in Hargrave's plant. Hargrave discovers the plot, foils the scheme and discovers Irene's disloyalty. Although stricken with blindness because of the agitation in his life, Hargrave finds true love with his secretary, Margaret Carlisle. Once his sight is restored, he marries Margaret.

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DROPTHE_ GOSSIP

Cast
Lee Shumway stars as John Hargrave in A Beggar in Purple.
Lee Shumway →
Year context
A Beggar in Purple was released 106 years ago in 1920.
Overview
Poverty-stricken John Hargrave is forced to beg employment from rich mill owner Roger Winton in order to save his sick mother's life. Winton refuses to help,...
A Beggar in Purple is a Drama film with a runtime of 0h 50m.

CAST (12)

Lee Shumway
Lee Shumway
John Hargrave
Charles Arling
Charles Arling
Winton Sr.
Stanhope Wheatcroft
Stanhope Wheatcroft
Roger Winton Jr.
Betty Brice
Betty Brice
Irene Foster
Ruth King
Ruth King
Margaret Carlisle
Stanton Heck
Stanton Heck
Grogan
Dorothea Wolbert
Dorothea Wolbert
Mrs. Grogan
EB
Ernest Butterworth
Danny Grogan
LF
Louis Fitzroy
Calvin Reed
WF
William F. Moran
Secretary
FC
Fred C. Jones
Paul Lambert
AM
Arthur Millett
Dr. Sinclair

DETAILS

Release
Status
Released
Runtime
50 min (0h 50m)
Country

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is A Beggar in Purple about?
Poverty-stricken John Hargrave is forced to beg employment from rich mill owner Roger Winton in order to save his sick mother's life. Winton refuses to help, and when Hargrave's mother dies, he swears revenge. Eighteen years pass and Hargrave is now owner of a large paper mill, in competition with Winton. Hargrave and Winton's son, Roger Jr., are also rivals for the same woman, Irene Foster, who desires Winton's love but Hargrave's money. Winton, Sr., in an attempted takeover of Hargrave's stock, bribes labor agitators to create turmoil in Hargrave's plant. Hargrave discovers the plot, foils the scheme and discovers Irene's disloyalty. Although stricken with blindness because of the agitation in his life, Hargrave finds true love with his secretary, Margaret Carlisle. Once his sight is restored, he marries Margaret.
How long is A Beggar in Purple?
A Beggar in Purple has a runtime of 50 minutes (0h 50m).
Who stars in A Beggar in Purple?
The cast of A Beggar in Purple includes Lee Shumway, Charles Arling, Stanhope Wheatcroft, Betty Brice, Ruth King.

GENRES (1)

Drama
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