Only reels 3-7 and 9-12 (8,047 feet) are known to survive in a silent version. There may also be an incomplete copy of reel 8. They are at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
Anne Nichols' play opened in 1922 to scathing reviews yet ran for six years, becoming the biggest hit on Broadway to that date. Paramount took notice and shelled out $500,000 + 50% of the profits--the highest price the studio had ever paid for screen rights. Produced as a part-talkie, the film was popular but, saddled with an unfavorable deal and huge production costs, it proved barely profitable. The pairing of Nancy Carroll and Charles 'Buddy' Rogers would prove fortuitous, however, and they would make three more successful pictures together.
The fourteenth highest grossing silent film in history.
The original Broadway production of "Abie's Irish Rose" by Anne Nichols opened at the Fulton Theater (later moving to the Theater Republic) on May 23, 1922, ran for 2317 performances and closed on October 1, 1927.
The play on which this film was based was phenomenally successful, running for five years on Broadway. It was revived twice, in 1937 and 1954. It was considered to be terrible by many contemporary critics.