The Vitagraph Co. of America’s purchase of motion picture rights for the 1912 novel, The Chalice of Courage by Cyrus Townsend Brady, was announced in the 4 July 1914 Motography. “By strange coincidence,” the adaptation of the screen version was assigned to the author’s brother, Colonel Jasper Ewing Brady. The 4 July 1914 and 11 July 1914 editions of the New York Clipper noted that production would take place at Vitagraph Studios in Hollywood, CA.
       An article in the 20 November 1915 Motion Picture News revealed that the company spent ten days in late 1914 on location in Bear Valley, CA, with no means of communicating with the “outside world.” Various sources have stated that many of the location scenes had to be reshot because of static on the film. The completion of principal photography was announced in the 8 May 1915 Motography. Cast member Otto Lederer was described in the 16 October 1915 Moving Picture World as a “make-up wizard” who portrayed seven characters in the film, although he is only credited as “Stephen Maitland.”
       The Chalice of Courage was released on 9 August 1915. The 9 October 1915 Moving Picture World reported a Los Angeles, CA, opening at the Superba Theatre in late Sep or early Oct ober1915, with personal appearances by lead actress Myrtle Gonzalez and several other members of the cast. That same issue noted that a New York City opening was to follow later that month at the Third Avenue Theatre. Favorable reviews for the film appeared in the 15 May 1915 Motion Picture News and 30 July 1915 Variety, although the latter publication argued that the story did not merit six reels.
       More than a year later, the title appeared in the 19 Aug 1916 Motography as a Universal release starring Cleo Madison. This was a misprint; the actual title of the film was A Chalice of Sorrow (1916, see entry).
       According to some modern sources, The Chalice of Courage is believed to be the first American film to portray assisted suicide.