International photographer (Jan-Dec 1934)

Twelve The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER February, 1934 Hollywood Studios of the Early Days By W. Wallace Clendenin (Pinch Hitting This Month for Earl Theisen) ^ IOGRAPH produced pictures in Los Angeles in 1906, it being the first company to do so, but LO^Lffil it did not at that time build a studio. This honor goes to William N. Selig, who, in 1909, built the first moving picture studio on the Pacific coast. This was at the northeast corner of Clifford and Allesandro streets (this portion of Allesandro has since become a part of Glendale boulevard) in Edendale. Selig had faith in the The Biograph Studios were built at Cirard and Georgia Streets, 1911. future of the film industry and proved it by building a complete studio from the ground up — stucco buildings, a stucco wall around the property and most remarkable of all, a glass enclosed stage. Closely following Selig came the Bison Company. Their studio, three blocks south of the Selig lot, was of the type that became the standard locally for many years — flimsy frame buildings and an open air stage with muslin diffusers overhead to soften the rays of the sun. After Thomas H. Ince began producing at Santa Monica, the Edendale plant was left to Mack Sennett and his Keystone Company. Sennett remained there as long as the studio was in use; when he moved out the buildings were torn down, the only one still standing being the original concrete light stage. The third company to come to Edendale was Pathe ; producing westerns exclusively, their lot was a block south of Selig. Production there was discontinued in 1914; no trace of the studio now exists. The Norbig studio was erected by Norton and Biggy in 1913 on the west side of Allesandro near Aaron street. It is still in use. Maintained as a rental proposition it was at one time used by Hal Roach making the Harold Lloyd "Lonesome Luke" series. The Essanay Company never attempted to establish a permanent studio in the Los Angeles area. The western Essanay unit headed by G. M.Anderson (Broncho Billy), left Chicago in the summer of 1910, and headed toward the coast. They made a few pictures in Colorado, near Denver, then came on to Los Angeles. They made one picture at Santa Monica and one or two in Hollywood, working in a temporary setup on the site afterward used by Kalem. The town of Niles, near San Francisco, was finally chosen by Anderson as the location for a permanent studio. In the latter part of 1912, Thanhouser made a few pictures in Los Angeles, a studio being built by them on Fairview street in Boyle Heights. The most notable of their ensuing productions was a highly condensed version of "Carmen." When Thanhouser moved out about six months later, Majestic moved in and began turning out pictures in considerable quantity. They later moved to the Fine Arts studio, but the Boyle Heights property was always afterward known as the "Old Majestic Studio." Tn 1914, the newly formed Metro Company, headed by B. A. Rolfe (now of dance orchestra fame), followed Majestic. Louis Joseph Vance also used the studio for one picture, this being from his novel, "The Spanish Jade." Still later came Chaplin, making pictures for Essanay and again the studio was used for the filming another version of "Carmen", this being Chaplin's famous burlesque version. After Chaplin, various smaller companies used the studio from time to time ; it was finally destroyed by fire, there being nothing of it remaining now but the brick film vault and concrete stage foundations. Kinemacolor started their Los Angeles activities in 1912 at the rear of a house at 4500 Sunset boulevard. Kinemacolor needed all the light they could get and for that reason shot all their interior sets by direct sunlight. Theirs was about as rudimentary a studio as ever existed — a house, a scene shed and a board stage floor. However, it was around this primitive beginning that the famous old Fine Arts lot was built up, from which came "The Birth of a Nation", "Intolerance", and many another fine production. Fine Arts had a dark stage for using artificial lighting, probably the first one in California. Kalem opened a studio in Glendale in 1910, another one soon afterward in Santa Monica and one in Hollywood. George Melford and Alice Joyce were the leads for the Glendale unit; Ruth Roland and John Brennan made comedies in Santa Monica, while the Hollywood studio, after making an assortment of comedies under the "The Code of Honor," 1909. Note queer painted canvas sets. No artificial light was used in those days. Left to right: Anna Dodge, Hobart Bosworth, Robert Leonard, Betty Harte. direction of Marshall Neilan, finally settled down to the famous "Ham and Bud" series, featuring Lloyd Hamilton and Bud Duncan, with Ethel Teare as leading lady. In 1914 the Santa Monica lot was abandoned; two years later the Hollywood studio at 1425 Fleming St. was Please mention The International Photographer when corresponding with advertisers.