June Mathis had a prolific and storied career as a female screenwriter during the prime years of silent era film. She was the screenwriter for ''THE TRAIL TO YESTERDAY", based on a Charles Seltzer novel (1913).
In April of 2025, The University of Kentucky Press published "June Mathis: The Rise and Fall of a Silent Film Visionary" by Thomas J. Slater who is a professor emeritus of English at Indiana University of Pennsylvania; and who has written several other books and authored publications on the history of film.
Professor Slater's book contains two chapters on Ms. Mathis's time at METRO PICTURES and other women writer at Metro when The Trail to Yesterday was produced in 1918.
I have this book on order and look forward to gleaning any insights that may advance knowledge into the production of The Trail to Yesterday for the purposes of understanding more about this history.
For more information on the book release, author Thomas J. Slater, and to order a copy, see the link below:
Below is a brief description of Ms. Mathis from the University of Kentucky's website page for the book:
"Along with thousands of other girls who hoped to escape tedious employment and domesticity, June Mathis (1887–1927) started acting as a young teen. After more than a decade of stepping onto stages across the US, she moved into the burgeoning film business and behind the camera to begin a prolific career as a screenwriter and producer for profound movies like The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921) and Blood and Sand (1922). With her expert use of melodrama and masterful technique, Mathis would eventually become the first female head writer at Metro Pictures.
In June Mathis: The Rise and Fall of a Silent Film Visionary, Thomas J. Slater illuminates Mathis's important and complicated life and work, not only detailing her discovery of the silent movie superstar Rudolph Valentino and her involvement on the original screenplay for Ben-Hur (1925) but also her prowess in all aspects of production."
For an interview with the author, see this link below to the NitrateVille Podcast: Episode 119: "First Women of Hollywood • The Visionary June Mathis"
Note: The interview with Professor Slater begins at 44:40-min into the podcast. Click on the timeline to skip to that portion of the interview (below).
There is also a recent YouTube video interview with Thomas J. Slater on the 'Ira's Everything Bagel' podcast, titled: "Noshing With Thomas J. Slater, Author, "June Mathis: The Rise and Fall of a Silent Film Visionary"
Finally, See our blog post of June Mathis back in 2021, that provided a short bio piece from available literature (link below).
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