Vintage original 11 x 14 in. U.S. lobby card from the silent film comedy western, BY PROXY, released in 1918 by the Triangle Distributing Corp. and directed by Clifford Smith. 
 
The image features an interior long shot inside a saloon as Red Saunders (Roy Stewart) threatens "the ranch Chinaman," Ah Sing (portrayed by Japanese actor Harry Yamamoto), with his gun as the other men watch. It is unrestored in near-fine condition.
 
As was typical of Hollywood at the time and for many years thereafter, the Chinese character of "Ah Sing" was portrayed by a Japanese actor, although this was certainly a major step above having a white actor in "yellow" make-up portraying the role as was usually the practice.
 
*"Bashful ranch hand Aleck (Walter Perry) is in love. To help him get his girl, Red Saunders (Roy Stewart) goes to town and convinces Lindy (Maude Wayne), whom Red thinks is the object of Aleck's affections, to come to the ranch. Meanwhile, Ah Sing (Harry Yamamoto), "the ranch Chinaman," steals the cowboys' clothes and pawns them. Red and Lindy meet with Ah Sing and the pursuing half-clad cowboys at a gambling hall and regain the lost clothing. Red discovers he has brought the wrong girl but the situation brightens when she consents to his proposal."
*(source: Wikipedia)
 
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