Ethel Clisbee

The Hazards of Helen is an American melodramatic adventure film serial of 119 twelve-minute episodes released between November 7, 1914 and February 24, 1917. Most episodes of this serial are presumed lost.

In the first entry in the popular Hazards of Helen series, Helen, the night telegraph operator at Lone Point, relieves Benton, the day operator, several hours ahead of time, because he is caring for his sick child. Receiving an order to sidetrack a freight until the fast mail passes, Helen mounts a horse, takes a short cut, leaps from a fifty foot cliff into a river

Helen, the telegrapher at Downing Junction, receives word that an engineer has been accidentally shot by a partridge hunter, and the runaway train will collide with the Eastbound Express. Helen jumps onto a nearby standing locomotive, opens it up full throttle, catches up the Express, warns the engineer of the impending danger

Blake, fireman of a light engine, receives a message that his wife is dangerously ill. Benton, his engineer, allows Blake to catch an eastbound passenger train. A hunter shooting as the light engine is passing, wounds Benton who drops unconscious. The sportsman reports the accident. Helen, a telegrapher, receives word of the runaway train. Climbing into the cab of a locomotive in a siding, Helen jerks the throttle wide open. The engine rushes after the endangered express. Discovering his train is being pursued, the conductor of the Eastbound Express gives the signal to stop. Helen slows her engine down and tells of the danger. While the Eastbound locomotive goes to meet the runaway, Helen's engine draws the cars to safety. The runaway is halted in the nick of time. Helen's superb heroism results in her being showered with offers of marriage. But she enjoys her hazardous adventure too much to marry anyone yet. —Moving Picture World synopsis