American cinematographer (Feb-Dec 1922)

20 THE AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER February 1, 1922 RUDOLPH J. BERGQUIST GEORGES BENOIT RUDOLPH J. BERGQUIST, A. S. C, started his photographic career when, a boy of fourteen, he received a small box camera with a suit of clothes, purchased for his graduation exercises. Since then, photography has always been an obsession with him. After ten years of professional photography, he entered the moving picture field in the employ of the Essanay Film Company in Chicago, having full charge of their laboratories for about two years. His one ambition at that time was to operate a motion picture camera, and within a short time opportunity came his way. Taking full advantage of the situation and through constant effort he soon became master of his art, and during his time with Essanay photographed many big features, mostly Francis X. Bushman productions. One production titled "Sparks of Fate" had in the cast F. X. Bushman, Beverly Bayne, Bryant Washburn and Ruth Stonehouse, who have all become stars in their own right since then. After five years with Essanay he received an offer fiom the Metro Pictures Corporation in New York to continue to photograph the Bushman productions, and did so for six years. At the end of that time he started with Harold Lockwood, photographing the Lockwood productions up to the time of Lockwood's death. Continuing with Metro he photographed Mary Miles Minter, Anna Q. Neilson, Ethel Barrymore, Viola Dana, May Allison, Hamilton Revelle, Marguerite Snow, Julius Steger and others. While with the Essanay Company in Chicago he photographed Viola Allen in her one production, "The White Sister"; Bryant Washburn, Ruth Stonehouse, Richard Travers, Wallace Beery, Edna Mayo, Nell Craig, Herbert Hayes, Gerda Holmes, Warda Howard and others. His most recent work has been done with Madame Nazimova and Gareth Hughes. He spent two and onehalf years with Nazimova, during which period he photographed the following productions: "Stronger Than Death," "Heart of a Child," "Madame Peacock," "Billions," and her last picture with Metro, "Camille." New York critics expressed their opinion on the photography in "Camille" as "gorgeous," which means a great deal. For Gareth Hughes he has photographed "Garments of Truth," "The Hunch," "Little Eva" and "Stay Home." At present he is working on the fifth production for Gareth Hughes under the direction of George D. Baker. 'J'HE handsome phiz which frowns at you in such a friendly way from the adjacent space is owned by Georges Benoit, A. S. C, a son of La Belle France and a nephew of Uncle Sam. It was in 1907, fifteen years ago, that Mr. Benoit began to take an interest in the photographing o f motion pictures, his first experience being with Gaumont in Paris where during the year he shot upwards of eighty one reel dramas and comedies. In 1909 he went to Africa for Gaumont and before the end of 1910 had shot 300,000 feet of jungle stuff from north of the French Congo to Capetown. These were the first African travel pictures exhibited in the United States. Mr. Benoit returned to Paris for a year and in 1912 came to the United States to take charge of the Eclair company's studios at Fort Lee. After a year there he went to Mutual for one year and then joined the William Fox Company where he filmed the first ten feature pictures made by that company at their eastern studios. These were "Regeneration;" "Carmen" with Theda Bara; "The Serpent" Bara: "Blue Blood and Red;" "The Honor System;" "The Scarlet Letter;" "The Derelict;" "The Broadway Sport;" "When False Tongue Speaks;" "A Rich Man Fantasy," with Valeska Surrat. After leaving Fox Mr. Benoit went to Buenos Aires where he produced several pictures on his own account, returning to New York via the Andes to Valparaiso, Chile, shooting on the way "A Trip Through the Andes" for his own company. Arrived in New York Mae Murray retained him for her great picture "On With the Dance" and this was followed by pictures with Gail Kane, Georges Carpentier, Mae Marsh and others, but Mr. Benoit's chef d'ouvre he considers to be "The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam," produced by Ferdinand Pinney Earle and now tied up in litigation so that its release is indefinitely delayed. At this writing Mr. Benoit is chief cinematographer for Richard Walton Tully Productions now filming "The Masquerader" at Brunton Studios. From 1899 to 1907 he was in the laboratory of the Gaumont Company in Paris, and is, therefore, a master of all branches of his profession.