Weber

Lois Weber, the preeminent woman film director of the silent era, signed a contract with Paramount Pictures to make four feature length films. At the Brunton studio on the morning of the first day of the shooting schedule for the series, it was discovered that the leading lady had skipped town during the night. Undaunted by the news, Weber was determined to find a suitable replacement immediately within the confines of the studio lot. At this point, there are differing published accounts of the story. Either Weber discovered Ola Cronk completely on her own at the studio cafeteria or Allen Dwan knew just the kind of actress she was looking for and led Weber to the cafeteria to find the girl who had recently played an "extra" in several of his films. In any case, Weber was impressed with what she saw and invited Ola to her table for an interview. Ola confessed that she had only done "extra" work and was currently working in a Holubar film. (Could she have been playing a dance hall waitress in Allen Holubar's film "Pain in Advance" which was released Sept. 1, 1919? Some accounts of the cafeteria meeting have Ola working as a waitress.)

On January 12, 1921, Ola Cronk signed a one year contract with Lois Weber Productions at $150.00 a week with an option to extend the contract for a second year at the sum of $350.00.