Starting with snow white

SNOWWHITE
in a new 
context—the American stage—allowed Merington to reach American children especially, 
per the intention of the work (“to elevate and educate a child audience”), this new stage 
also worked to her detriment, disabling her range of influence, in spite of her innovative 
content (“Marguerite Clark” 5). Further, although there was an insertion or 
embellishment of significant values and ideals which contributed to the play’s American 
quality and surrounding culture, these elements were not dwelt upon in a way that would 
facilitate storytelling or, more importantly, retelling. In addition, while some insertions 
resonated with Merington’s cultural moment, these were subject to losing their impact 
over time. And finally, select newly embedded characteristics, such as romance and 

---

91
humor, fell away from her, instead understood as originating in Disney’s American 
“classic.” As ownership passed through her hands to those of Winthrop Ames, 
Merington’s American extensions would either be revised or re-deployed, her name and 
authorship forgotten, left behind in favor of the 
Snow White 
tale’s new owner and 
influence.
 
Snow White 
Changes Hands: The Merington/White/Ames Version
41
Even though Merington’s audience proved to be a sticking point for her continued 
success, her play’s carefully woven tapestry of American cultural elements blended with 
those of the traditional fairy tale genre—a cast of non-specific characters and a near- 
“classic” episodic structure—proved to be the strengths of the work. However, the 
strengths of this nuanced version which extended the tale’s folkloric footprint onto 
American soil were either overly embellished or negated altogether in light of 
White’s/Ames’ new vision of 
Snow White.
While I see where Karen Merritt might argue 
that through these revisions to the play, Ames “rewrote it completely,” for my part, I find 
a new—though not entirely different—extension of 
Snow White
within White’s/Ames’ 
development of Merington’s American attributes
.
I agree with Merritt’s assertions that 
“Ames recreated the story by adding characters and incidents, by writing more natural, 
child-like sounding dialogue, and by sharpening the contrasts between comedy and 
41
Given that Winthrop Ames wrote both the 1912 and 1913 versions of his play under the female 
pseudonym “Jessie Braham White,” I cite the play under “White” and use White/Ames in the analysis that 
follows. (For all textual analysis, the 1913 print edition has been used.) In the analysis Famous Players 
film, with screenplay by Ames (immediately following), I then use “Ames.” In maintaining, “Ames’” 
name throughout the full scope of this analysis, I aim to overtly display the continuity of ownership 
(overwriting that of Merington). 

---

92
suspense. Notably, he shaped distinctive personalities for the key characters” 
(“Marguerite Clark” 5). To these adjustments, however, I would further add that with 
this supplemented cast of characters, in which flat personae became individuated, new 
characters were venerated still further through significant roles. Nevertheless, when 
drawing Merington’s and White’s/Ames’ dramatic scripts into consideration together, 
one might easily have difficulty recalling, “Was it Merington’s or Ames’ which 
embellished this facet of the tale?” It is this very confusion which promotes the 
recognition of both plays’ contributions to an American storytelling tradition that evinces 
amplifications or variation, as opposed to one “completely” overwriting or “recreat[ing]” 
that which came before (“Marguerite Clark” 5).
Thus, where Merington’s dramatic version enhanced the Grimms’ European 
classic, I would argue that White’s/Ames’ revisions use Merington’s play as the folkloric 
bedrock to build or reframe the narrative to address a wider audience. Even as he 
produced