The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923 film)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Wallace Worsley
Screenplay by	Edward T. Lowe, Jr. Perley Poore Sheehan
Based on	The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1831 novel by Victor Hugo
Produced by	Carl Laemmle Uncredited: Lon Chaney Irving Thalberg
Starring	Lon Chaney Patsy Ruth Miller Norman Kerry Brandon Hurst Raymond Hatton Ernest Torrence Nigel de Brulier
Cinematography	Robert Newhard Uncredited Effects Assistants: Tony Kornman Virgil Miller Stephen S. Norton Charles J. Stumar
Edited by	Edward Curtiss Maurice Pivar Sydney Singerman
Music by	Cecil Copping Carl Edouarde Hugo Riesenfeld Heinz Eric Roemheld
Production company	Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release dates	September 2, 1923 (1923-09-02) (Astor Theatre) September 6, 1923 (1923-09-06) (USA)
Running time	102 minutes 117 min (Director's cut) 98 min (cut edition)
Country	United States
Language	Silent (English intertitles)
Budget	$1,250,000 (estimated)
Box office	$3.5 million (worldwide rentals)[1]

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a 1923 American drama film^[2] starring Lon Chaney, directed by Wallace Worsley, and produced by Carl Laemmle and Irving Thalberg. The supporting cast includes Patsy Ruth Miller, Norman Kerry, Nigel de Brulier, and Brandon Hurst. Distributed by Universal Pictures, the film was the studio's "Super Jewel" of 1923 and was their most successful silent film, grossing $3.5 million.^[1] The film premiered on September 2, 1923, at the Astor Theatre in New York, New York, then went into release on September 6.

The screenplay was written by Perley Poore Sheehan and Edward T. Lowe Jr., based on Victor Hugo's 1831 novel, and is notable for the grand sets that recall 15th century Paris as well as for Chaney's performance and make-up as the tortured hunchback bellringer Quasimodo. This was the seventh film adaptation of the novel. The film elevated Chaney, who was already a well-known character actor, to full star status in Hollywood, and also helped set a standard for many later horror films, including Chaney's The Phantom of the Opera in 1925. Two classic stills showing Chaney as Quasimodo can be seen on the internet, highlighting the makeup job,^[3][4] as well as the film's program book.^[5]

In 1951, the film entered the public domain in the United States because the claimants neglected to renew its copyright registration in the 28th year after publication.^[6] Currently, the film is available on Blu-ray and DVD, although the existing prints (all copied from 16mm sources) are all missing at least 15 minutes of footage that was in the original 1923 35mm release print.