Murdock, a mediocre actor, is nearing the end of his career. All his life he has had the ambition to play the part of Richelieu. He is now, in his old age, playing a small part with Edwin Irving, a star who is impersonating the great Cardinal Richelieu. Old Murdock's memory is beginning to fall him, and his heart has had "spells." He fails to turn up on time at rehearsal one day, and when he does get there, he can't recall his lines. A repetition of this sort o£ thing occurs, and he is discharged. He falls asleep in the "extra" dressing-room and dreams be is playing Richelieu. The other players dress for the street and depart. The electric lights are turned off. The old janitor comes around with a lantern to lock up. He discovers Murdock and throws him out. The old actor, bewildered and with his dreams still vividly before him, wanders back to the theater, gains entrance to the deserted stage through a coal chute, gets into the star's dressing-room, dons the Richelieu costume, turns on all the stage lights, and plays Richelieu grandiloquently and to his heart's content. His ambition is realized; but his feeble spark of vitality spends itself in the heroic effort and old Murdock falls back into the throne chair, dead. The next day at rehearsal they find him there, a sublime old figure clothed in the scarlet and ermine of Cardinal Richelieu. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis

• Plot Summary

• Short
• Drama