Showing posts with label Niles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Niles. Show all posts

Saturday, April 7, 2018

5000 Theaters Play Broncho Billy -- April 7, 2018

Moving Picture World, 06-April-1918
Gilbert M Anderson, Broncho Billy, was the first western star. With George K Spoor, he had founded Essanay (S and A). In 1918, Essanay began rereleasing his one-reel westerns.

Moving Picture World, 06-April-1918
"The Broncho Billy dramas ... are reported to be doing an unprecedented business.  Already there has been a call for more prints."

The Snakeville Comedies mentioned above were produced at the same time and in the same locations, often around Niles, California.  They starred Augustus Carney as Alkali Ike, Harry Todd as Mustang Pete and Margaret Joslin as Sophie Clutts.

Moving Picture World, 20-April-1918
 There's that word "revivified" again.  "...they stack up splendidly with present-day stuff..."

Moving Picture World, 27-April-1918
George Kleine System distributed the movies.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Mr Charles Chaplin is Presented in His First Essanay Release -- February 24, 2015

Moving Picture World, 06-February-1915
"We Make Money for You -- The 'A=B=C' of Film Finance."  Note the coins flowing out of the camera lenses. 

January and February, 1915 were busy times for Charlie Chaplin.  He made and released his first movies for Essanay. 

Moving Picture World, 06-February-1915

A detail from the same ad announced Chaplin's first film for Essanay, "His New Job," which was an appropriate title.  Essanay usually referred to him as "Charles" rather than "Charlie." 

Moving Picture World, 06-February-1915
Another detail shows that the "A=B=C" is GM (Broncho Billy) Anderson, "The face known all around the world," Francis X Bushman, "The man voted the world's most popular photoplayer," and Charles Chaplin, "The world's funniest comedian." 

Moving Picture World, 06-February-1915
An article in the same issue carries on the "A=B=C" with a photo of the big three. 

Moving Picture World, 06-February-1915
A review quotes Chaplin as saying "It is the funniest comedy I ever produced."  "Mr Chaplin was ably assisted in his work by Ben Turpin, one of the oldest comedians in time of service in the motion picture business." 

Motography, 06-February-1915
Motography's review is nearly the same as the beginning of Motion Picture World's, which tells me that both originated from a press release.  "This comedy is declared by critics who have seen it..." tells me the magazine's writers had not seen the movie at that point.  This was because the February 6 issue was probably printed before the movie was released on February 1. 


Moving Picture World, 13-February-1915
This two page spread features Francis X Bushman more prominently than Chaplin.  It mentions that Chaplin's next film, "One Night Out" will be released on February 11.  It was released as "A Night Out." 

Motography, 13-February-1915
Motography, 13-February-1915
The next issue of Motography included an actual review of "His New Job."  "All the familiar Chaplin antics, made famous when he was with the Keystone Company, are again to be witnessed I this Essanay burlesque drama." 

Motography, 13-February-1915
Another still from the film appeared with a brief summary. 

Moving Picture World, 20-February-1915
Francis X Bushman's name is at the top of the page and it is larger than Chaplin's. 

Moving Picture World, 20-February-1915
But Chaplin gets the facing page all to himself, with an ad that reproduces the Chicago Daily Tribune's review of "His New Job." 

Motography, 20-February-1915

A small item mentions that Broncho Billy and Chaplin are both working in Niles, California. 

Moving Picture World, 27-February-1915
Francis X Bushman's name is at the top of the page, but Chaplin and Ben Turpin get a photo. 

Moving Picture World, 27-February-1915

The review of Chaplin's second Essanay, "A Night Out," has a photo of Chaplin and Leo White.  Drunken Chaplin and Ben Turpin "manage to zig-zag their way up to their rooms where they are horrified by running across a woman in pajamas, with a poodle."  This was the first appearance of Edna Purviance. 

Moving Picture World, 27-February-1915
This dealer offers photocards of stars.  Notice whose picture he used in the ad. 

Moving Picture World, 27-February-1915
The Davis Brothers of San Francisco offered a variety of advertising items.  They also featured a photo of Chaplin. 

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Essanay's Studio at Niles, California -- July 6, 2014


The 11-July-1914 Moving Picture World had an article about Essanay's new studio in Niles, California, which is now part of Fremont.  Broncho Billy Anderson produced his movies there.  Essanay's popular Snakeville Comedies were produced there.  The bungalows still survive. 


An Essanay ad from the same issue inclues "Broncho Billy and the Gambler."  I would love to see a biopic about GM Anderson.  It also sells a Snakeville Comedy, "Slippery Slim's Inheritance." 


An ad from the same issue for the western Snakeville Comedies promises that they "WILL INSURE YOU AGAINST LOSS."  Augustus Carney, Alkali Ike, the biggest star in the series, had already left. 

Late in 1914, Essanay signed Charlie Chaplin.  After making one movie in Chicago, he moved to Niles and shot several films, including "The Tramp."  Niles still commemorates his time there.