Victor Studios

Last updated

The Victor Film Company was a motion picture company formed in 1912 by movie star Florence Lawrence and her husband, Harry Solter. The company established Victor Studios in Fort Lee, New Jersey, when early film studios in America's first motion picture industry were based there at the beginning of the 20th century. [1] [2] [3]

At a time when actors received no screen credits, Carl Laemmle of the Independent Moving Pictures Company (IMP) had begun promoting Lawrence's name and image, making her into America's "First Movie Star."

Harry Solter had already been directing Lawrence at IMP and with their own studio, he made a large number of film shorts starring his wife, many of which co-starred Owen Moore and King Baggot. In addition, the studio teamed Moore with Fritzi Brunette in several of its productions. However, with the amalgamation of several studios to create the colossal Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Lawrence and Solter had little choice but to sell out in 1913. With Solter no longer involved, Universal brought in young directors such as Allan Dwan and James Kirkwood, Sr. The Victor entity remained in use until 1917 when it was absorbed completely into Universal.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Universal Pictures</span> American film and distribution company

Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures, is an American film production and distribution company that is a division of Universal Studios, which is owned by NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florence Lawrence</span> Canadian-American actress (1886–1938)

Florence Lawrence was a Canadian-American stage performer and film actress. She is often referred to as the "first movie star", and was long thought to be the first film actor to be named publicly until evidence published in 2019 indicated that the first named film star was French actor Max Linder. At the height of her fame in the 1910s, she was known as the "Biograph Girl" for work as one of the leading ladies in silent films from the Biograph Company. She appeared in almost 300 films for various motion picture companies throughout her career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carl Laemmle</span> German-American film producer; founder of Universal Pictures (1867–1939)

Carl Laemmle was a German-American film producer and the co-founder and, until 1934, owner of Universal Pictures. He produced or worked on over 400 films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goldwyn Pictures</span> Former American motion picture production company

Goldwyn Pictures Corporation was an American motion picture production company that operated from 1916 to 1924 when it was merged with two other production companies to form the major studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was founded on November 19, 1916, by Samuel Goldfish, an executive at Lasky's Feature Play Company, and Broadway producer brothers Edgar and Archibald Selwyn, using an amalgamation of both last names to name the company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King Baggot</span> American actor and director (1879–1948)

William King Baggot was an American actor, film director and screenwriter. He was an internationally famous movie star of the silent film era. The first individually publicized leading man in America, Baggot was referred to as "King of the Movies," "The Most Photographed Man in the World" and "The Man Whose Face Is As Familiar As The Man In The Moon."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Independent Moving Pictures</span> American film studio

The Independent Moving Pictures Company (IMP) was a motion picture studio and production company founded in 1909 by Carl Laemmle. The company was based in New York City, with production facilities in Fort Lee, New Jersey. In 1912, IMP merged with several other production companies to form Universal Film Manufacturing Company, later renamed Universal Pictures Company with Laemmle as president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Solter</span> American actor (1873–1920)

Henry Lewis Solter was an American silent film actor and director.

The Spender is a 1913 American silent short romance film directed by Harry Solter and starring Earle Foxe, Florence Lawrence and Matt Moore in the lead roles.

<i>Broken Fetters</i> 1916 film

Broken Fetters is a 1916 American silent drama film written and directed by Rex Ingram. Violet Mersereau played the lead role. The film was shot in Fort Lee, New Jersey where Universal Studios and other early film studios in America's first motion picture industry were based at the beginning of the 20th century.

<i>An Unseen Enemy</i> 1912 American film

An Unseen Enemy is a 1912 Biograph Company short silent film directed by D. W. Griffith, and was the first film to be made starring the actresses Lillian Gish and Dorothy Gish. A critic of the time stated that "the Gish sisters gave charming performances in this one-reel film". The film was shot in Fort Lee, New Jersey where early film studios in America's first motion picture industry were based at the beginning of the 20th century. Consistent with practice at that time, the actors in the cast and their roles are not listed in the film..

<i>Polly of the Circus</i> (1932 film) 1932 film

Polly of the Circus is a 1932 American pre-Code MGM drama film directed by Alfred Santell and starring Marion Davies and Clark Gable.

<i>Friends</i> (1912 film) 1912 American film

Friends is a 1912 film written and directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Mary Pickford, Henry B. Walthall, Lionel Barrymore, and Harry Carey. Walthall and Barrymore portray two old friends who each wind up involved with a beautiful girl (Pickford) who lives above a mining camp saloon.

<i>Her Awakening</i> 1911 American film

Her Awakening is a 1911 American short silent drama film starring Mabel Normand and directed by D. W. Griffith. Normand portrays a vivaciously effervescent young woman ashamed to introduce her poorly dressed mother to her elegant suitor. This early drama helped launch Normand's career and is believed to have been her second film and first substantial role. The supporting cast features Harry Hyde, Kate Bruce, Donald Crisp and Robert Harron.

<i>The Curtain Pole</i> 1909 film

The Curtain Pole is a 1909 American comedy film directed by D. W. Griffith. A print of the film still exists. The film was made by the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company when it and many other early film studios in America's first motion picture industry were based in Fort Lee, New Jersey at the beginning of the 20th century.

The One She Loved is a 1912 American silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. The film, by the Biograph Company, was shot in Fort Lee, New Jersey when many early film studios in America's first motion picture industry were based there at the beginning of the 20th century.

<i>Balked at the Altar</i> 1908 film

Balked at the Altar is a 1908 American short comedy film directed by D. W. Griffith. A print of the film survives in the film archive of the Library of Congress. The film was made by the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company when it and many other early film studios in America's first motion picture industry were based in Fort Lee, New Jersey at the beginning of the 20th century.

<i>The Perils of Pauline</i> (1914 serial) 1914 film

The Perils of Pauline is a 1914 American melodrama film serial produced by William Randolph Hearst and released by the Eclectic film company, shown in bi-weekly installments, featuring Pearl White as the title character, an ambitious young heiress with an independent nature and a desire for adventure.

<i>For His Son</i> 1912 film by D. W. Griffith

For His Son is a 1912 American short silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Blanche Sweet. The film was shot in Fort Lee, New Jersey when Biograph Company and other early film studios in America's first motion picture industry were based there at the beginning of the 20th century. A print of the film survives today.

The Tavern Keeper's Daughter is a 1908 American silent action film directed by D. W. Griffith. The film was shot in Fort Lee, New Jersey when many early film studios in America's first motion picture industry were based there at the beginning of the 20th century.

The Angel of the Studio is a 1912 silent short romantic drama film directed by Harry Solter and starring Florence Lawrence and Owen Moore. It was produced by the Victor Film Company and distributed through IMP, soon-to-be Universal Film Manufacturing Company.

References

  1. Koszarski, Richard (2004), Fort Lee: The Film Town, Rome, Italy: John Libbey Publishing -CIC srl, ISBN   0-86196-653-8
  2. "Studios and Films". Fort Lee Film Commission. Retrieved 2011-05-30.
  3. Fort Lee Film Commission (2006), Fort Lee Birthplace of the Motion Picture Industry, Arcadia Publishing, ISBN   0-7385-4501-5