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| Moving Picture World, 02-January-1915 |
George Middleton, a San Francisco automobile dealer, married the beautiful and celebrated prima donna (that's how she was billed), musical comedy actress Beatriz Michelena in San Francisco in 1907. She left the stage for a while, then returned in 1910. In 1912, Middleton, son of a famous family in the lumber business, founded the California Motion Picture Company in San Rafael, north of San Francisco. At first he made promotional films for his auto business, but in 1914 he began to produce dramatic features starring his wife.
Salomy Jane still survives and is very impressive. Most of the CMPC movies were destroyed in a fire.
By the time of the ad above, the CMPC had moved its distribution from Alco, which was in financial trouble, to Lewis J Selznick's World Film Corporation. This ad touts Michelena's portrayals of
Salomy Jane,
Mignon and Lovey Mary in
Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch.
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| Moving Picture World, 02-January-1915 |
Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch was based on a popular novel by Alice Hegan Rice. It has been filmed at least four times. WC Fields appeared in the 1934 Paramount production.
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| Moving Picture World, 09-January-1915 |
Lewis J Selznick's World Film Corporation handled an ambitious number of movies. This ad has the CMPC productions of
Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch and
Mignon, along with a feature starring Clara Kimball Young, "The Most Popular Star in Pictures."
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| Moving Picture World 04-July-1914 |
The World Film logo featured an elephant.
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| Moving Picture World, 09-January-1915 |
Here is a closer view of the
Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch section of the ad. "A complete circus was used in one of the scenes of this great production."
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| Moving Picture World, 09-January-1915 |
And here is a closer view of the
Mignon section.
Mignon was a popular opera by Ambroise Thomas. Here the diva poses with a rabbit.
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| Moving Picture World, 09-January-1915 |
"The role of Lovey Mary is taken by Beatriz Michelena, the beautiful California opera star...The beauty and intelligence of Beatriz Michelena in the role of Lovey Mary make her very acceptable."
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| Moving Picture World, 16-January-1915 |
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| Moving Picture World, 16-January-1915 |
This week's World Film Corporation ad still had the Clara Kimball Young film and
Mignon, and adds a movie starring Lillian Russell, who had been a famous actress 20 years before.
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| Moving Picture World, 16-January-1915 |
This week's
Mignon section does not have Michelena or the rabbit.
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| Moving Picture World, 23-January-1915 |
"The Most Artistic Work Ever Seen on the Screen."
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| Moving Picture World, 23-January-1915 |
Here is a detailed view of Michelena and the rabbit. I like the CMPC logo with the California Grizzly.
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| Moving Picture World, 23-January-1915 |
This week's World Film Corporation ad still had Mignon and the Lillian Russell movie, along with Money, a United Keanograph production. I like the name United Keanograph.
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| Moving Picture World, 23-January-1915 |
This week's
Mignon section has Michelena and the rabbit, but the rabbit does not look well.
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| Moving Picture World, 23-January-1915 |
"The beautiful leading woman intelligently blocks out the part rather than distills its essence for us."
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| Moving Picture World, 30-January-1915 |
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| Moving Picture World, 30-January-1915 |
\"America's most beautiful prima donna in a film dramatization of a world famous grand opera." It must be nice when one's spouse owns the production company.
