Film year book (1941)

George Melies, French magician, uses motion pictures in his exhibition of magic in "Gulliver's Travels" and "A Trip to the Moon." The General Film Co.. an outgrowth oi the Patents Co., is formed by Jeremiah J. Kennedy, representing the Empire Trust Co., holder oi Biograph mortgage bonds, and soon has control oi most oi the 100 exchanges in the U. S. and Canada. D. W. Griffith starts a policy of producing in Los Angeles during the Eastern cold months. Watterson R. Rothacker starts production of industrial films in Chicago. Thanhouser formed to produce in New Rochelle. American Pathe starts production in Bound Brook, N. I. D. W. Griffith joins Mutual Film Corp. with the understanding he can do some producing on his own occount. I^^l^^ Under the leadership of W. W. Hodkinson, Western exchangeman, Paramount Pictures Corp. is formed by Hodkinson, Hiram Abrams of Boston, William L. Sherry of New York, Raymond Pawley of Philadelphia and lames Steele of Pittsburgh. Company to advance funds for production and release the product of Famous Players, Lasky and Bosworth. Zukor signs Mary Pickford to a $2,000 a week contract to make pictures for Famous. Strand Theater, New York, first "deluxe" house, opened. Mack Sennett produces "Tillie's Punctured Romance," with Charlie Chaplin and Marie Dressier — first feature length comedy. 1 OI 9 John R. Freuler ond Harry E. Aitken form Mutual Film Corp., taking in a number of independent exchanges. Universal Film Manufacturing Co. formed by Carl Laemmle and associates, and acquires an exchange system. These companies, along with William Fox and others, are the leaders in a strong iighl against the "trust" — the Patents Co. First signal victory of the independents is in the decision of Fox vs. the "trust," in which an injunction forcing the Patents Co. to give film to the Fox exchange is granted. Adolph Zukor, operating theaters in New York, imports "Queen Elizabeth," a four-reel picture starring Sarah Bernhardt. Outcome oi this move is the formation of Famous Players Film Co., which includes in its personnel: Zukor, Edwin S. Porter, Elek J. Ludvigh, Daniel Frohman and Al Lichtman. Famous distributes "Queen Elizabeth" as a road show, then on a state rights basis, and then goes into production for itself. Patent Co. members object to Famous' long featrues and the company is forced to go "independent." J^QJ^^ Box Office Attractions is formed by William Fox as a national distributor. George Kleine imports "Quo Vadis," an eight-reeler, from Italy and plays it at the N. Y. Astor at $1.00. George Loane Tucker, with the assistance Df Jack Cohn, Herbert Brenon, King Baggol and Bob Daily, produces "Traffic in Souls" — lirst "sex" picture — for Universal. Film costs SS,700 and grosses about $450,000. Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co., capital 526,500, formed by Arthur Friend, Samuel Goldwyn and Cecil B. deMille. First film produced by the new company is "The Squaw Man," starring Dustin Farnum, and produced at the famous Lasky barn (which still stands on the Paramount Coast lot). J^^J^^ "The Birth of a Nation," produced by D. W. Griffith, opens in Los Angeles under title "The Clansman"; March 3, the film opens at the Liberty, N. Y., at $2.00. William Fox starts production of his own pictures, releasing through his Box Office Attractions; one oi his early productions is "A Fool There Was," starring Theda Bara in her first film. Adolph Zukor, through Waybroad Film Co., leases the Broadway Theater as a "show window" for his Famous pictures. World Film Corp. formed, headed by Arthur Spiegel with Lewis J. Selznick, former Universal executive, as vice-president and general manager. Metro Pictures Corp. formed with Richard Rowland as president, Joseph Engel, treasurer and Louis B. Mayer, secretary. V. L. S. E. formed to distribute pictures of Vitagraph, Lubin, Selig and Essanay. Courts order the Patents Co. to desist from "unlawful acts." John R. Freuler succeeds H. E. Aitken as president of Mutual; Aitken withdraws Reliance-Majestic Pictures (including D. W. Griffith), while Kessel and Bauman and Keystone are withdrawn from the company. Triangle Film Corp. formed with D. W. Griffith, Thomas Ince and Mack Sennett as producers. One of the early Griffith pictures for this connection is "The Lamb," starring Douglas Fairbanks of the stage. 1Q1I* John R. Freuler, of Mutual, signs Charlie Chaplin to a contract at $10,000 a week, plus a bonus of $150,000, outbidding several other companies. Hiram Abrams succeeds W. W. Hodkinson as president of Paramount. Zukor re-signs Mary Pickford to a Famous contract for two years, with a guarantee of $1,040,000, plus a bonus up to $300,000 based on picture profits. 125