Public Be Damned is a 1917 American silent drama film directed by Stanner E.V. Taylor and starring Mary Fuller, Charles Richman and Chester Barnett. The film's negative portrayal of food hoarding at a time of increased shortages due to the American entry into World War I led to it being publicly endorsed by Herbert Hoover, who shot a prologue to introduce the film. It was followed shortly afterwards by a similarly-themed production The Food Gamblers by Allan Dwan. Cast Mary Fuller as Marion Fernley Charles Richman as John Black Chester Barnett as Robert Merritt Joseph W. Smiley as Bill Garvin Russell Bassett as David Higgins Herbert Hoover as Himself References Bibliography Frederic Lombardi. Allan Dwan and the Rise and Decline of the Hollywood Studios. McFarland, 2013. External links 1917 films 1917 drama films Silent American drama films Films directed by Stanner E.V. Taylor American silent feature films 1910s English-language films American black-and-white films Selznick Pictures films 1910s American films