Biograph 20 Years -- January 7, 2015

Moving Picture World, 02-January-1915

The American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, which had lost the services of director DW Griffith, was in trouble in 1915, but it celebrated its 20th anniversary.  The American Mutoscope Company had been founded in December, 1895.  I like the simple design of the ad. 

Edison's Kinetoscope -- January 6, 2015

The earliest version of the Kinetograph/Kinetoscope used tiny images on a cylinder rather than on film.  The article is from Manufacturer and Builder, November, 1894. The image is from "The Edison Kinetoscope," The Electrical Engineer, 07-November-1894.

Edison's Kinetoscope

From Manufacturer and Builder / Volume 26, Issue 11, November 1894

The initial idea of Edison's kinetoscope, relating to the production of motion, is based upon the familiar toy known as the zoetrope, or wheel of life. This rude prototype contains a cylinder 10 inches in width and open at the top, around the lower half of whose interior a series of pictures is placed, representing any sequence of motion it may be desired to portray, such, for instance, as wrestling, jumping, or the swift progress of animals. These movements are seen through the narrow vertical slits in the cylinder during the rapid revolution of the little machine, and are designed to blend into one continuous impression. In the zoetrope, however, the pictures are wood cuts of rude execution, and the limited speed obtainable in the production of these militate against the lifelike effect, producing a series of jerks instead of the desired continuity of motion. When instantaneous photography, as evolved by Maddox and others, was utilized superior results were attained, but it seemed impossible to take pictures at sufficiently short intervals to secure the absolute blending of outline essential to a faithful portrayal of life. In Edison's latest form of kinetoscope the photographic film is in the shape of an endless band from 50 to 150 feet in length, which is passed through the field of the magnifying glass perpendicularly placed, and the photographic impressions pass before the eyes at the rate of 46 per second. Projected against a screen, or viewed through the magnifying glass, the pictures are eminently lifelike.  Antonio (Antonia? - JT) and W. K. L. Dickson in Cassier's Magazine.

Bessie Love -- The Glad Girl -- January 5, 2015

Moving Picture News, 29-June-1918

I have always been fascinated by the career of actress Bessie Love. She was born in Texas. Her name was Juanita Horton. Her family moved to Los Angeles and she went to Los Angeles High School. Looking for work, she met director DW Griffith and got a small part in Intolerance. She appeared in movies with William S Hart and Douglas Fairbanks. She was a 1922 WAMPAS (Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers) Baby Star. She played many leading roles, most famously in The Lost World, but never broke through until the talkies came, when she starred in The Broadway Melody. Her career was hot again for a few years, but then tailed off. She continued to appear in small parts in movies until the early 1980s.

Here she is called "The Glad Girl" in "the Happy Play," A Little Sister of Everybody. 

New Southern Film Company -- January 4, 2015

Moving Picture World, 30-January-1915

New Southern Film Company

 

Rene Plaisetty, a Young French-American, Will Produce for the Pathés With Studios in New Orleans.

Rene Plaisetty, the young French-American who had left war-ridden Franch to engage in the production of films in the country, has just concluded a contract with Pathé Freres to make pictures for that company on American soil.  To be specific the pictures are to be produced in New Orleans.  Mr. Malitz, the vice-president of the Pathé firm, with who Mr. Plaisetty made his arrangements, believes that New Orleans, with its quaint old-world backgrounds, with its romantic history and its marvelous light facilities, is especially adapted for the production of good subjects either taken from the great past or the picturesque present. 

Mr. Plaisetty is a French-American in the sense that he is French in his quick perception of dramatic values and in his good taste, and he is American in his spirit of initiative and his ability to gauge and please the taste of the American public.  He had been quite successful  as a director in Paris, but had always longed for the wider fields of the new world, which he knew really better than the old.  The war disgusted him with conditions in Europe and he came to this country establishing himself quickly in New Orleans.  He started to build a studio which is now near completion.  This studio with its technical departments will be large and modern in every respect.  The studio is located in the very heart of a big natural park, peculiarly suited for use in film plays.  Every variety of Southern scenery can be found there, a succession of charming landscapes greet the eye in every direction -- it is in short a director's paradise. 

When Mr. Plaisetty was in New York, in the course of the past week, he called at the offices of The Moving Picture World and told of plans and prospects. 

"I will devote myself especially to American subjects," he said in the course of an interesting chat with a World man.  "The facilities for making good pictures in Louisiana are exceptional and it will be my earnest endeavor to make the best possible use of them.  I have secured a very charming and capable young lady for my leading woman.  She is Miss Leatrice Zeidler, a native of New Orleans, a woman of the genuine Southern type of beauty and I think highly gifted as an actress.  With the little experience she has had she has shown remarkable aptitude for the screen.  She has long been a social favorite in New Orleans and has frequently distinguished herself in private theatricals.  I believe that the demand for pictures made in America is growing all the time and I want to make chiefly American subjects.  Louisiana is surely not the least interesting and picturesque part of our country.  I believe that the field is full of splendid opportunities and all my ambitions are centered on making some valuable contributions to the supply of American quality pictures." 
Mr. Plaisetty returned to New Orleans after making his arrangement with the firm of Pathé and will soon be ready to announce his first release.  He calls his company the Nola Film Company. 

Say it With Babies -- January 3, 2015

Glenn Tryon was a minor comedian who made many shorts for producer Hal Roach.  In "Say it With Babies," Tryon plays a baby expert who manages what we would call a child care center in a department store.  Oliver Hardy plays the floorwalker. 

A note at the bottom of this ad says that it is a cornerblock provided to theaters to use in newspaper advertising.

News of the Week January 2, 1915 -- January 2, 2015

The 02-January-1915 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels.

"Painters at work on the Brooklyn Bridge high above the river.  Copyright, 1914 by Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  Suspension bridges require regular painting to resist corrosion. 

"T. M. Osborne millionaire philanthropist, now Warden of Sing Sing.  Copyright, 1914 by Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  We saw this story last week from Universal.  Thomas Mott Osborne tried to reform the New York State prison, but was thwarted by enemies who tried to destroy his reputation. 

"German cruiser Leipsig sunk past week by British.  Copyright, 1914 by Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  We saw this story last week from Universal.  Light cruiser SMS Leipzig was sunk at the Battle of the Falkland Islands on 08-December-1914:
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-battle-of-falkland-islands-december.html

"Wreckage at Seabright, N. J. after big storm.  Copyright, 1914 by Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  We also saw this story last week from Universal.  A major storm on 07-December-1914 destroyed the seawall and flooded the New Jersey town of Sea Bright. 

I notice that the magazine used the same photo for all three repeated stories. 

"The Christmas ship 'Jason' arriving at Devonport, England.  Copyright, 1914 by Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  USS Jason, a collier, a ship which supplied the fleet with coal, was called the "Christmas Ship" because she carried Christmas gifts to the sailors of the US Mediterranean Fleet and European civilians.  I think I see Christmas trees on deck, but I could be imagining it. 

"Indian troops preparing their own food near the firing line.  Copyright, 1914 by Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  The British brought soldiers from India, but they did not do well in the European winter climate. 

One Year -- January 1, 2015

I launched this blog one year ago today, on 01-January-2014.  I split it from my other blog, The Pneumatic Rolling-Sphere Carrier Delusion. 

I participated in five blogathons.  In January I wrote "1916, A Funny Year" for the Classic Movie History Project Blogathon.  In March I wrote "Sherlock Holmes Looks Exactly Like William Gillette" for Sleuthathon, a Blogathon of Gumshoes.  In June I wrote "Batman vs Doctor Daka" for Snoopathon, a Blogathon of Spies.  In September I wrote "Patriotic Porkers and Other Propaganda Films" for the World War One in Classic Film Blogathon.  In November, I wrote "Nursery Favorites and the Early-Teens Talkie Boom" for the Fairy Tale Blogathon.  All of these blogathons were hosted or co-hosted by Fritzi at Movies Silently. Thank you for the opportunities, Fritzi.

In January I started this blog, moving some series over from my old blog, including Bessie Love, movie theaters, Oz Films and Grauman's Chinese.  We marked the 100th birthday of George Reeves and the 75th birthday of Susannah York.  I reviewed DVDs Lost and Found: American Treasures From the New Zealand Film Archive and Accidentally Preserved.  We marked Chinese New Year, the Year of the Horse, with Rex, King of the Wild Horses. 

In February I started a new series on movie studios.  We marked the 100th anniversary of the release of Charlie Chaplin's first two movies.  I reviewd one DVD: The Big Parade.  Philip Seymour Hoffman, Shirley Temple and Sid Caesar died.  We marked the 100th anniversary of the release of Cecil B DeMille's first movie.  I started to add additional images to the Grauman's Chinese series. 

In March I wrote about the Academy Awards.  Harold Ramis and Alain Resnais died.  We marked the 125th birthday of Pearl White and the 100th birthday of Ward Kimball.  I reviewed one DVD: Accidentally Preserved, Volume 2.  I started a new series on the Mexican Revolution.  I started a series on the Mutoscope by rerunning one from my other blog. 

In April we celebrated Charlie Chaplin's 125th birthday, Alec Guiness and María Félix's 100th birthdays and Francis Ford Coppola's 75th.  Mickey Rooney and Mary Anderson died.  I reviewed Steve Massa's excellent book Lame Brains & Lunatics/The Good, the Bad and the Forgotten of Silent Comedy. 

In May Bob Hoskins, Herb Jeffries and Gordon Willis died.  We celebrated the 100th birthdays of Joe Louis and Tyrone Power, Jr. 

In June, Carla Laemmle and Eli Wallach died.  I started new series about baseball, Jack London, the Mexican Revolution and The Million Dollar Mystery.  Around this month I started to concentrate on items from the same month in 1914. 

In July, Paul Mazursky and James Garner died.  We celebrated the 125th birthdays of Jean Cocteau and Erle Stanley Gardner.  I started new series about Giovanni Pastrone's Italian feature Cabiria and the California Motion Picture Company. 

In August I reviewed a DVD, The Mishaps of Musty Suffer. I made several posts to mark the 100th anniversary of World War One.  Lauren Bacall, Robin Williams and  Sir Richard Attenborough died. 

In September we celebrated the 100th birthdays of Robert Wise and Clayton Moore.   I started a new series of cornerblock Hal Roach ads.  I started a new series of Majestic Motion Picture Company (love the name) ads.  I also started a short series of ads for the early Renfax sound film process. 

In October The San Francisco Giants won the World Series.  I ran a series of articles about rumors that Max Linder had been killed during World War One.  Elizabeth Peña and Mike Nichols died.  We celebrated the 75th birthday of John Cleese and the 100th birthday of Richard Widmark.  We celebrated the 100th anniversary of the release of Winsor McKay's "Gertie the Dinosaur" and Mack Sennett's Tillie's Punctured Romance.  We marked the 100th anniversary of the completion of DW Griffith's The Clansman, later called Birth of a Nation.  I started a series called "News of the Week" based on a 1914 Motography series showing images from newsreels.  I tried to explain each item. 

In December I started a series on the Thanhouser serial Zudora and Pearl White's The Exploits of Elaine.  Actress Luise Rainer died at 104 years old.  Edward Herrmann died on the last day of the year.  We celebrated the 150th birthday of William S Hart and the 100th birthday of Dorothy Lamour.  We observed the 75th anniversary of Douglas Fairbanks' death.  We marked the 100th anniversary of Charlie Chaplin signing with Essanay. 

Throughout the year, I printed some items about Universal touting its new studio, Universal City. 
 
The image is from the 07-September-1918 Moving Picture World.   Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.