This mystery of the man who brings the hat seems to be deepening! ;-) I think the best guess is still the butler. Walking in a member of the film crew to a family scene seems unlikely to me. Has anyone published about what was really going on in this staged media event? It was a big deal, even in 1909, to have a film crew visit a celebrity at home and capture some moments-- it seems obvious to me that there was some 'stageing'. "Stand in the doorway" and "Walk around the corner here" -- b/c films demand motion. "Have tea with your daughters." So, who wanted/asked for the film to be created, and -- if it wasn't our boy's idea (I wouldn't rule that out)-- then who's idea was it, and what would SLC's motivation to cooperate be? Bottom line: The film capture is a window into a moment. Fortunely, an apparently happy moment, a good day. But the window hides more than it tells, I think. Some deconstruction seems called for -- and I wonder if anyone has already attended to that task? DDD