The Shell Game poster
DRAMA . 1918 . 0h 50m

The Shell Game_

""What is a shell game?" In this case Almond shells enter into the plot which is concerned with the schemes of a confident man de luxe."

New York confidence man "Silk" Wilkins ingratiates himself with millionaire Lawrence Gray, knowing Gray’s wife and daughter Zelda were lost in a flood eighteen years earlier. After promising to find Gray's daughter, Silk returns to his boardinghouse, where he finds Alice Sheldon, broke and about to commit suicide. Silk convinces Alice to pose as Zelda Gray and then notifies Lawrence via a note placed in an almond shell that he has found the lost daughter. Lawrence treats Alice so kindly that when Silk demands payment from her on Christmas morning, she refuses. Lawrence, who has overheard the conversation, enters and laughingly reveals that he had known of the frame-up all along. Grateful to Silk for finding him a wife, Lawrence writes the confidence man a large check.

Starring Joseph Kilgour, Henry Kolker, Emmy Wehlen
0h 50m
Runtime
1918
Year
Updated Feb 16, 2026
The Shell Game poster
"What is a shell game?" In this case Almond shells enter into the plot which is concerned with the schemes of a confident man de luxe.

New York confidence man "Silk" Wilkins ingratiates himself with millionaire Lawrence Gray, knowing Gray’s wife and daughter Zelda were lost in a flood eighteen years earlier. After promising to find Gray's daughter, Silk returns to his boardinghouse, where he finds Alice Sheldon, broke and about to commit suicide. Silk convinces Alice to pose as Zelda Gray and then notifies Lawrence via a note placed in an almond shell that he has found the lost daughter. Lawrence treats Alice so kindly that when Silk demands payment from her on Christmas morning, she refuses. Lawrence, who has overheard the conversation, enters and laughingly reveals that he had known of the frame-up all along. Grateful to Silk for finding him a wife, Lawrence writes the confidence man a large check.

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Cast
Joseph Kilgour stars as 'Silk' Wilkins in The Shell Game.
Joseph Kilgour →
Year context
The Shell Game was released 108 years ago in 1918.
Overview
New York confidence man "Silk" Wilkins ingratiates himself with millionaire Lawrence Gray, knowing Gray’s wife and daughter Zelda were lost in a flood eighte...
The Shell Game is a Drama film with a runtime of 0h 50m.

CAST (9)

Joseph Kilgour
Joseph Kilgour
'Silk' Wilkins
Henry Kolker
Henry Kolker
Lawrence Gray
Emmy Wehlen
Emmy Wehlen
Zlice Sheldon
Ricca Allen
Ricca Allen
Landlady
Donald MacBride
Donald MacBride
Vocal Teacher
FC
Fanny Cogan
Mrs. Wentworth
HJ
Hugh Jeffrey
Headwaiter
RT
Richard Thornton
Hotel Manager
CH
Clarence Heritage
The Maestro

DETAILS

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

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is The Shell Game about?
New York confidence man "Silk" Wilkins ingratiates himself with millionaire Lawrence Gray, knowing Gray’s wife and daughter Zelda were lost in a flood eighteen years earlier. After promising to find Gray's daughter, Silk returns to his boardinghouse, where he finds Alice Sheldon, broke and about to commit suicide. Silk convinces Alice to pose as Zelda Gray and then notifies Lawrence via a note placed in an almond shell that he has found the lost daughter. Lawrence treats Alice so kindly that when Silk demands payment from her on Christmas morning, she refuses. Lawrence, who has overheard the conversation, enters and laughingly reveals that he had known of the frame-up all along. Grateful to Silk for finding him a wife, Lawrence writes the confidence man a large check.
How long is The Shell Game?
The Shell Game has a runtime of 50 minutes (0h 50m).
Who stars in The Shell Game?
The cast of The Shell Game includes Joseph Kilgour, Henry Kolker, Emmy Wehlen, Ricca Allen, Donald MacBride.

GENRES (1)

Drama
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