Broncho Billy's Christmas Deed

Set in a dust swept frontier town, the tale follows a poverty stricken father who longs to give his young child a Christmas worthy of fairy tales. With the wallet empty and hope fading, he faces a stark choice born of love and fear. He contemplates breaking the law to supply gifts, warmth, and a sense of dignity for the holiday. The story centers on the inner conflict between duty to family and the costs of bending the rules in a harsh town where survival comes cheap. The drama stays focused on character rather than sensational action, watching how a single decision can strain a family bond and test a man’s conscience under the bright glare of a western Christmas.

Directed by Gilbert M Anderson, this 1913 silent Western short features Anderson as Broncho Billy and Harry Todd as The Poor Husband. It emerges from the early Broncho Billy series and reflects the era's brisk, character driven storytelling.

Box office data for this 1913 short is not documented in surviving records. There was no widely cited worldwide gross, which is common for many early silent films that circulated locally in nickelodeons and itinerant theatres.

Awards: There are no known major awards or nominations associated with Broncho Billy's Christmas Deed. The film belongs to the infancy of cinema when formal recognition was limited and studios experimented with brief narratives. Its significance rests in its place within the Western short tradition.

Reception and themes: The work invites reflection on poverty, parental love, and moral choices. It blends frontier grit with a quiet emotional core, showing how holiday generosity pushes a man to weigh risk against family welfare and dignity in a rough landscape. The overall tone favors restraint over spectacle, a hallmark of early silent drama.