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The Kalem Company was an early American
film studio A film studio (also known as movie studio or simply studio) is a major entertainment company or motion picture company that has its own privately owned studio facility or facilities that are used to make films, which is handled by the production ...
founded in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
in 1907. It was one of the first companies to make films abroad and to set up winter production facilities, first in Florida and then in California. Kalem was sold to
Vitagraph Studios Vitagraph Studios, also known as the Vitagraph Company of America, was a United States motion picture studio. It was founded by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith in 1897 in Brooklyn, New York, as the American Vitagraph Company. By 1907, ...
in 1917.


Formation and history

The Kalem Company was founded by
George Kleine George Kleine (1864June 8, 1931) was an American film producer and cinema pioneer. Biography Klein's father, Charles, was a New York optician who sold optical devices and stereopticons. Klein joined the family firm, moving to Chicago in 1893 ...
, Samuel Long, and
Frank J. Marion Frank Joseph Marion (July 25, 1869 – March 28, 1963) was an American motion picture pioneer. He was born in Tidioute, Pennsylvania. He had a wife named Florence and 4 daughters and a son. He was married to Florence until her death. Career ...
. The company was named for their initials K, L, and M. Kalem immediately joined other studios in the
Motion Picture Patents Company The Motion Picture Patents Company (MPPC, also known as the Edison Trust), founded in December 1908 and terminated seven years later in 1915 after conflicts within the industry, was a trust of all the major US film companies and local foreign-bran ...
that held a monopoly on production and distribution. Frank Marion had been the sales manager at
Biograph Studios Biograph Studios was an early film studio and laboratory complex, built in 1912 by the Biograph Company at 807 East 175th Street, in The Bronx, New York City, New York. History Early years The first studio of the Biograph Company, formerly ...
and Samuel Long was the manager of the Biograph production facility at
Hoboken, New Jersey Hoboken ( ; Unami: ') is a city in Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 60,417. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 58,690 i ...
. Needing to raise more capital, the two experienced
filmmaker Filmmaking (film production) is the process by which a motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, starting with an initial story, idea, or commission. It then continues through screenwriting, castin ...
s approached
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
businessman George Kleine to come in as a partner. Kleine, already a successful film distributor, was involved only a short time but it was a profitable investment for him as his partners were soon successful enough to buy out his shares at a considerable premium. The company began operations from a small office in a loft building at 131 West 24th Street in New York City. The partners were able to lure general manager and director
Sidney Olcott Sidney Olcott (born John Sidney Allcott, September 20, 1872 – December 16, 1949) was a Canadian-born film producer, director, actor and screenwriter. Biography Born John Sidney Allcott in Toronto, he became one of the first great direc ...
away from Biograph. Olcoltt eventually became the Kalem Company's president and was rewarded with one share of its stock. Kalem had no indoor studios, so most of its films were shot on location. In February 1907, the company made its first motion picture, titled ''The Sleigh Belle''. While Kalem scored successes in their first year, the rate of production at the once-powerful Biograph stagnated, hampered by the loss of important personnel.


Olcott leadership

Under the direction of Sidney Olcott, Kalem made a number of significant films, including the first adaptation of '' Ben Hur'' and the following year, '' Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde''. In 1910 Olcott gave actress
Alice Joyce Alice Joyce Brown ( Joyce; October 1, 1890 – October 9, 1955) was an American actress who appeared in more than 200 films during the 1910s and 1920s. She is known for her roles in the 1923 film '' The Green Goddess'' and its 1930 remake of ...
her first acting job in his production of ''The Deacon's Daughter''. The one-reel version of ''Ben Hur'' – in which
Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn Manhattan Beach is a residential neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the south and east, by Sheepshead Bay on the north, and Brighton Beach to the west. Traditionally known as an Italian a ...
was used as the location for
the Holy Land The Holy Land; Arabic: or is an area roughly located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Bank of the Jordan River, traditionally synonymous both with the biblical Land of Israel and with the region of Palestine. The term "Holy L ...
 – was made without obtaining the rights to the book, the usual procedure in the industry at the time, and Kalem was sued by the estate of the author,
Lew Wallace Lewis Wallace (April 10, 1827February 15, 1905) was an American lawyer, Union general in the American Civil War, governor of the New Mexico Territory, politician, diplomat, and author from Indiana. Among his novels and biographies, Wallace is ...
. After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Kalem in 1911 in '' Kalem Co. v. Harper Bros.'', they reached a settlement which paid the estate $25,000 – an extremely large amount for the time. The action helped to establish the necessity of film studios obtaining motion picture rights to the properties they used for their stories. p.12 In 1910 the company shot a film in
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, making Kalem the first movie studio to travel outside the United States to film on location. As director, Olcott headed a small team in Ireland: Kalem's leading lady and principal screenwriter,
Gene Gauntier Gene Gauntier (born Genevieve Gauntier Liggett, August 26, 1885 – December 18, 1966) was an American screenwriter and actress who was one of the pioneers of the motion picture industry. A writer, director, and actress in films from mid 1906 ...
and cameraman,
George Hollister George K. Hollister (March 7, 1873 – March 28, 1952) was an American pioneer cinematographer. Biography Born in New York City, New York, little is known of his background. In 1905 he married a nineteen-year-old girl named Alice Hollister from ...
. There, they notably filmed ''
A Lad from Old Ireland ''The Lad from Old Ireland'', also called ''A Lad from Old Ireland'', is a one-reel 1910 American motion picture directed by and starring Sidney Olcott and written by and co-starring Gene Gauntier. It was the first film appearance of prolific ac ...
'' in
Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
area plus a scenic film ''
The Irish Honeymoon ''The Irish Honeymoon'' is a 1911 American silent film produced by Kalem Company and distributed by General Film. It was directed by Sidney Olcott with himself and Gene Gauntier in the leading roles. Cast * Gene Gauntier - Maggie McClusky * Sidne ...
'' shot in
Blarney Castle Blarney Castle ( ga, Caisleán na Blarnan) is a medieval stronghold in Blarney, near Cork, Ireland. Though earlier fortifications were built on the same spot, the current keep was built by the MacCarthy of Muskerry dynasty, a cadet branch of the ...
,
Glengarriff Glengarriff () is a village of approximately 140 people on the N71 national secondary road in the Beara Peninsula of County Cork, Ireland. Known internationally as a tourism venue, it has a number of natural attractions. It sits at the norther ...
,
Gap of Dunloe The Gap of Dunloe (), also recorded as ''Bearna an Choimín'' (meaning "gap of the commonage" or "gap of the little hollow"), is a narrow mountain pass running north-south in County Kerry, Ireland, that separates the MacGillycuddy's Reeks mounta ...
, the
Lakes of Killarney The Lakes of Killarney are a scenic attraction located in Killarney National Park near Killarney, County Kerry, in Ireland. They consist of three lakes - Lough Leane, Muckross Lake (also called Middle Lake) and Upper Lake. Surroundings The l ...
and
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
. After the team went to Germany to film
The Little Spreewald Maiden ''The Little Spreewald Maiden'' is an American silent film produced by Kalem Company and directed by Sidney Olcott with him and Gene Gauntier in the leading roles. Cast * Gene Gauntier - Frieda, the Spreewald maiden * Sidney Olcott Sidney ...
, a love story in the
Spreewald The Spree Forest (German: ''Spreewald'', ; Lower Sorbian: ''Błota'', i.e. 'the Swamps') is a large inland delta of the river Spree, and a historical cultural landscape located in the region of (Lower) Lusatia, in the state of Brandenburg, Ge ...
with Gauntier and Olcott in the lead characters.''Sidney Olcott le premier oeil'', by Michel Derrien, TIR Editions, page 18, c.2013 Olcott and others from the studio -
Alice Hollister Alice Hollister (born Rosalie Alice Amélie Berger, September 28, 1886 – February 24, 1973) was an American silent film actress who appeared in around 90 films between 1910 and 1925. She is known for her roles in movies such as '' From the Ma ...
, Agnes Mapes,
Jack J. Clark Jack J. Clark (September 23, 1879 – April 12, 1947) was an American director and actor of the early motion picture industry. Biography Clark was born on September 23, 1879, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was persuaded to enter motion pictur ...
,
Robert G. Vignola Robert G. Vignola (born Rocco Giuseppe Vignola, August 7, 1882 – October 25, 1953) was an Italian-American actor, screenwriter, and film director. A former stage actor, he appeared in many motion pictures produced by Kalem Company and later mov ...
,
J.P. McGowan John Paterson McGowan (February 24, 1880 – March 26, 1952) was a pioneering Hollywood actor and director and occasionally a screenwriter and producer. McGowan remains the only Australian to have been made a life member of the Screen Directo ...
, Arthur Donaldson - returned to Ireland for most of the summer in the next two years. The ''O'Kalems'', as the American entourage were affectionately dubbed, made such Irish films as ''
Rory O'More Rory O'More, also known as Rory Oge O'More ( ga, Ruairí Óg Ó Mórdha) (died 1578), was the Irish lord of what became Laois. Family background Rory O'More was the second son of Ruairí Ó Mórdha, Captain of Leix, and Margaret, daughter of ...
'', '' The Vagabonds'', ''
You Remember Ellen ''You Remember Ellen'' is a 1912 American silent film produced by Kalem Company and distributed by General Films. It was directed by Sidney Olcott with Gene Gauntier and Jack J. Clark in the leading roles. It was one of more than a dozen films pr ...
'', ''
The Colleen Bawn ''The Colleen Bawn, or The Brides of Garryowen'' is a melodramatic play written by Irish playwright Dion Boucicault. It was first performed at Laura Keene's Theatre, New York, on 27 March 1860 with Laura Keene playing Anne Chute and Boucicau ...
'', one of the first American three-reels (40 minutes). 22 films in total for Kalem. Later on, the outbreak of
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
prevented Olcott, who had resigned from Kalem and shot films for himself, from following through with his plans to build a permanent studio in Beaufort,
County Kerry County Kerry ( gle, Contae Chiarraí) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and forms part of the province of Munster. It is named after the Ciarraige who lived in part of the present county. The population of the co ...
. Galvanized by the success of Irish films,
Frank J. Marion Frank Joseph Marion (July 25, 1869 – March 28, 1963) was an American motion picture pioneer. He was born in Tidioute, Pennsylvania. He had a wife named Florence and 4 daughters and a son. He was married to Florence until her death. Career ...
decides on a more ambitious expedition: send a crew to
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
and
Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...
to shoot films, about thirty or so. Company stayed in
Luxor Luxor ( ar, الأقصر, al-ʾuqṣur, lit=the palaces) is a modern city in Upper (southern) Egypt which includes the site of the Ancient Egyptian city of ''Thebes''. Luxor has frequently been characterized as the "world's greatest open-a ...
, shot melodramas with titles such as ''
An Arabian Tragedy ''An Arabian Tragedy'' is a 1912 American silent film produced by Kalem Company and distributed by General Film Company. It was directed by Sidney Olcott with Gene Gauntier, Robert Vignola and Alice Hollister in the leading roles. Plot Ayub ...
'', ''
Captured by Bedouins ''Captured by Bedouins'' is a 1912 American silent film produced by Kalem Company and distributed by General Film Company. It was directed by Sidney Olcott with Gene Gauntier and Jack J. Clark in the leading roles. Cast * Gene Gauntier - Do ...
'', ''
Tragedy of the Desert ''Tragedy of the Desert'' is a 1912 American silent film produced by Kalem Company and distributed by General Film Company. It was directed by Sidney Olcott with Gene Gauntier and Jack J. Clark in the leading roles. Cast * Gene Gauntier * J ...
'', ''
A Prisoner of the Harem ''A Prisoner of the Harem'' is a 1912 American silent film produced by Kalem Company and distributed by General Film Company. It was directed by Sidney Olcott with himself, Gene Gauntier and Jack J. Clark in the leading roles. Cast * Gene Gaunt ...
'' and documentaries the pulsing life on the Nile. But the great ambition of Kalem's expedition is the shooting of the first five-reel film. Titled ''
From the Manger to the Cross ''From the Manger to the Cross or Jesus of Nazareth'' (often shortened to simply ''From the Manger to the Cross'') is a 1912 American drama film directed by Sidney Olcott, written by Gene Gauntier (who also portrays Virgin Mary), and stars Rober ...
'', it told the life story of
Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
. According to
Turner Classic Movies Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie channel, movie-oriented pay television, pay-TV television network, network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcasti ...
, it is considered the most important silent film to deal with the life of Christ. In 1998 the film was selected for the
National Film Registry The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) collection of films selected for preservation, each selected for its historical, cultural and aesthetic contributions since the NFPB’s inception i ...
of the United States
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...
. Kalem was also one of the first studios to regularly film year-round by setting up facilities in
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
during the winter. The Florida company consisted of Sidney Olcott,
George Hollister George K. Hollister (March 7, 1873 – March 28, 1952) was an American pioneer cinematographer. Biography Born in New York City, New York, little is known of his background. In 1905 he married a nineteen-year-old girl named Alice Hollister from ...
, cameraman; Allen Farnham, scenic artist; Arthur Clough, property man;
Gene Gauntier Gene Gauntier (born Genevieve Gauntier Liggett, August 26, 1885 – December 18, 1966) was an American screenwriter and actress who was one of the pioneers of the motion picture industry. A writer, director, and actress in films from mid 1906 ...
scenarist and leading actress;
Jack J. Clark Jack J. Clark (September 23, 1879 – April 12, 1947) was an American director and actor of the early motion picture industry. Biography Clark was born on September 23, 1879, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was persuaded to enter motion pictur ...
, leading male actor;
Robert Vignola Robert G. Vignola (born Rocco Giuseppe Vignola, August 7, 1882 – October 25, 1953) was an Italian-American actor, screenwriter, and film director. A former stage actor, he appeared in many motion pictures produced by Kalem Company and later m ...
, the bad guy;
J.P. McGowan John Paterson McGowan (February 24, 1880 – March 26, 1952) was a pioneering Hollywood actor and director and occasionally a screenwriter and producer. McGowan remains the only Australian to have been made a life member of the Screen Directo ...
, another leading actor;
Alice Hollister Alice Hollister (born Rosalie Alice Amélie Berger, September 28, 1886 – February 24, 1973) was an American silent film actress who appeared in around 90 films between 1910 and 1925. She is known for her roles in movies such as '' From the Ma ...
and Ethel Eastcourt.


Expansion

In the fall of 1910, Kalem began organizing other studio locations. In November 1910, William Wright, company treasurer, was sent to the
West Coast West Coast or west coast may refer to: Geography Australia * Western Australia *Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia * West Coast, Tasmania **West Coast Range, mountain range in the region Canada * Britis ...
to assess the feasibility of a permanent studio for the making of
Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
style films. Wright saw the potential and after given the go-ahead from head office he acquired a property in Verdugo Canyon in
Glendale Glendale is the anglicised version of the Gaelic Gleann Dail, which means ''valley of fertile, low-lying arable land''. It may refer to: Places Australia * Glendale, New South Wales ** Stockland Glendale, a shopping centre *Glendale, Queensland, ...
and a permanent crew was dispatched from New York City. Headed by director
Kenean Buel Kenean J. Buel (c.1873 – November 5, 1948) was an American film director. Biography Born in Kentucky, Buel became involved in theater and eventually made his way to New York City where he was hired by the Kalem Company in 1908 as a film direct ...
, his crew consisted of star actress
Alice Joyce Alice Joyce Brown ( Joyce; October 1, 1890 – October 9, 1955) was an American actress who appeared in more than 200 films during the 1910s and 1920s. She is known for her roles in the 1923 film '' The Green Goddess'' and its 1930 remake of ...
,
George Melford George H. Melford (born George Henry Knauff, February 19, 1877 – April 25, 1961) was an American stage and film actor and director. Often taken for granted as a director today, the stalwart Melford's name by the 1920s was, like Cecil B. DeMil ...
,
Jane Wolfe Sarah Jane Wolfe (March 21, 1875 – March 29, 1958) was an American silent film character actress who is considered an important female figure in magick. She was a friend and a colleague of Aleister Crowley and a founding member of Agape Lodg ...
,
Frank Lanning Frank Lanning (August 14, 1872 – June 17, 1945) was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 84 films between 1910 and 1934. He was born in Marion, Iowa and died in Los Angeles, California. Lanning's film debut came in ''The Me ...
, Howard Oswald, Frank Brady, Knute Rahmn,
Francelia Billington Francelia Billington (February 1, 1895 – November 24, 1934) was an early American silent-screen actress, and an accomplished camera operator. Early life On February 1, 1895, Billington was born in Dallas, Texas, the daughter of James Billingt ...
and Daisy Smith. With films from the Western genre much in demand, in 1911, a second California studio was opened in
Santa Monica Santa Monica (; Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 U.S. Census population was 93,076. Santa Monica is a popular resort town, owing to ...
with actors
Ruth Roland Ruth Roland (August 26, 1892 – September 22, 1937) was an American stage and film actress and film producer. Early life and career Roland was born in San Francisco, California to Elizabeth Lillian Hauser and Jack Roland. Her father managed a t ...
,
Marin Sais Marin Sais (born Mae Smith; August 2, 1890 – December 31, 1971) was an American actress whose career was most prolific during the silent film era of the 1910s and 1920s. Sais' acting career spanned over four decades and she is possibly best ...
,
Ed Coxen Albert Edward Coxen (8 August 1880 – 21 November 1954) was an English-born American actor. He appeared in over 200 films during his career. Personal life Coxen was born in London, England. He came to the United States as a child and lived mu ...
, and
Marshall Neilan Marshall Ambrose "Mickey" Neilan (April 11, 1891 – October 27, 1958) was an American actor. Early life Born in San Bernardino, California, Neilan was known by most as "Mickey." Following the death of his father, the eleven-year-old Mickey N ...
taken under contract. The Santa Monica facility eventually would be used to make comedies. Kalem operated in these Southern California locations until October 1913 when they took over the
Essanay Studios The Essanay Film Manufacturing Company was an early American motion picture studio. The studio was founded in 1907 in Chicago, and later developed an additional film lot in Niles Canyon, California. Its various stars included Francis X. Bushman, ...
property at 1425 Fleming Street (now, Hoover Street) in the east Hollywood.


Notable serials

In November 1914, Kalem released the first of 119 episodes of the serial ''
The Hazards of Helen ''The Hazards of Helen'' is an American adventure film serial (or possibly a film series) of 119 twelve-minute episodes released over a span of slightly more than two years by the Kalem Company between November 7, 1914, and February 24, 1917. At 2 ...
'', releasing a new segment every Saturday until February 1917. Each segment had a self-contained story, so it was more of a
film series A film series or movie series (also referred to as a film franchise or movie franchise) is a collection of related films in succession that share the same fictional universe, or are marketed as a series. This article explains what film series are ...
than a serial. Helen Holmes played the lead character "Helen" and did most of her own stunts in the first 26 episodes until she and director J. P. McGowan left to set up their own film production company. The two began a relationship while working on the serial that led to marriage. Director
J. Gunnis Davis James Gunnis Davis (21 December 1873 – 23 March 1937) was a British-born American actor and director who had a career in films in the US. Early life He was born as Joseph Gunnis Davis on 21 December 1873 in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, Sun ...
(billed as James Davis) took over and Elsie McLeod substituted in episodes 27–49 until a permanent "Helen" could be found for the remainder in the form of
Helen Gibson Helen Gibson (born Rose August Wegner; August 27, 1892 – October 10, 1977) was an American film actress, vaudeville performer, radio performer, film producer, trick rider, and rodeo performer; and is considered to be the first American profess ...
. On the heels of the immediate success of ''The Hazards of Helen'', Kalem Studios simultaneously produced another 16-episode action/adventure series they released in October 1915 called ''The Ventures of Marguerite'' starring
Marguerite Courtot Marguerite Gabrielle Courtot (August 20, 1897 – May 28, 1986) was an American silent film actress. Early life Marguerite Gabrielle Courtot was born in Summit, New Jersey, on August 20, 1897 to Gustave Courtot, who was born in France, and Char ...
.


Final changes

In the fall of 1912, Sidney Olcott resigned to work for independent companies.
Allan Dwan Allan Dwan (born Joseph Aloysius Dwan; April 3, 1885 – December 28, 1981) was a pioneering Canadian-born American motion picture director, producer, and screenwriter. Early life Born Joseph Aloysius Dwan in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Dwan, was ...
joined Kalem for a short time, as did
Mary Pickford Gladys Marie Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American stage and screen actress and producer with a career that spanned five decades. A pioneer in the US film industry, she co-founde ...
, who also directed films in 1913. Over the years, Kalem contracted various other directors such as actor-turned-directors
Robert Vignola Robert G. Vignola (born Rocco Giuseppe Vignola, August 7, 1882 – October 25, 1953) was an Italian-American actor, screenwriter, and film director. A former stage actor, he appeared in many motion pictures produced by Kalem Company and later m ...
and J. P. McGowan,
George Melford George H. Melford (born George Henry Knauff, February 19, 1877 – April 25, 1961) was an American stage and film actor and director. Often taken for granted as a director today, the stalwart Melford's name by the 1920s was, like Cecil B. DeMil ...
, as well as James W. Horne, Rube Miller,
William Beaudine William Washington Beaudine (January 15, 1892 – March 18, 1970) was an American film actor and director. He was one of Hollywood's most prolific directors, turning out films in remarkable numbers and in a wide variety of genres. Life and car ...
,
Harry F. Millarde Harry F. Millarde (November 12, 1885 – November 2, 1931) was a pioneer United States, American silent film actor and film director, director. Biography Millarde was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and began his acting in film in 1913 with Kalem Stu ...
, and Robert Ellis. In 1917, after having made close to 1500 motion pictures, the Kalem Company was sold to
Vitagraph Studios Vitagraph Studios, also known as the Vitagraph Company of America, was a United States motion picture studio. It was founded by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith in 1897 in Brooklyn, New York, as the American Vitagraph Company. By 1907, ...
.


Notable figures of Kalem

*
Frank J. Marion Frank Joseph Marion (July 25, 1869 – March 28, 1963) was an American motion picture pioneer. He was born in Tidioute, Pennsylvania. He had a wife named Florence and 4 daughters and a son. He was married to Florence until her death. Career ...
* Samuel S. Long *
George Kleine George Kleine (1864June 8, 1931) was an American film producer and cinema pioneer. Biography Klein's father, Charles, was a New York optician who sold optical devices and stereopticons. Klein joined the family firm, moving to Chicago in 1893 ...
*
Sidney Olcott Sidney Olcott (born John Sidney Allcott, September 20, 1872 – December 16, 1949) was a Canadian-born film producer, director, actor and screenwriter. Biography Born John Sidney Allcott in Toronto, he became one of the first great direc ...
*
Robert G. Vignola Robert G. Vignola (born Rocco Giuseppe Vignola, August 7, 1882 – October 25, 1953) was an Italian-American actor, screenwriter, and film director. A former stage actor, he appeared in many motion pictures produced by Kalem Company and later mov ...
*
Joe Santley Joe or JOE may refer to: Arts Film and television * ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle * ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage * ''Joe'' (TV series), a British TV series airing from 1966 to 1971 * ''Joe'', a 2002 Canadian animated ...
*
Gene Gauntier Gene Gauntier (born Genevieve Gauntier Liggett, August 26, 1885 – December 18, 1966) was an American screenwriter and actress who was one of the pioneers of the motion picture industry. A writer, director, and actress in films from mid 1906 ...
*
Jack J. Clark Jack J. Clark (September 23, 1879 – April 12, 1947) was an American director and actor of the early motion picture industry. Biography Clark was born on September 23, 1879, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was persuaded to enter motion pictur ...
* Arthur Donaldson *
J.P. McGowan John Paterson McGowan (February 24, 1880 – March 26, 1952) was a pioneering Hollywood actor and director and occasionally a screenwriter and producer. McGowan remains the only Australian to have been made a life member of the Screen Directo ...
*
George K. Hollister George K. Hollister (March 7, 1873 – March 28, 1952) was an American pioneer cinematographer. Biography Born in New York City, New York, little is known of his background. In 1905 he married a nineteen-year-old girl named Alice Hollister from W ...
*
Alice Hollister Alice Hollister (born Rosalie Alice Amélie Berger, September 28, 1886 – February 24, 1973) was an American silent film actress who appeared in around 90 films between 1910 and 1925. She is known for her roles in movies such as '' From the Ma ...
*
George Melford George H. Melford (born George Henry Knauff, February 19, 1877 – April 25, 1961) was an American stage and film actor and director. Often taken for granted as a director today, the stalwart Melford's name by the 1920s was, like Cecil B. DeMil ...
*
Kenean Buel Kenean J. Buel (c.1873 – November 5, 1948) was an American film director. Biography Born in Kentucky, Buel became involved in theater and eventually made his way to New York City where he was hired by the Kalem Company in 1908 as a film direct ...
*Allen Farnham *
Alice Joyce Alice Joyce Brown ( Joyce; October 1, 1890 – October 9, 1955) was an American actress who appeared in more than 200 films during the 1910s and 1920s. She is known for her roles in the 1923 film '' The Green Goddess'' and its 1930 remake of ...
*
Miriam Cooper Miriam Cooper (born Marian Cooper; November 7, 1891 – April 12, 1976) was a silent film actress who is best known for her work in early film including ''The Birth of a Nation'' and ''Intolerance'' for D. W. Griffith and ''The Honor System'' a ...
*
Carlyle Blackwell Carlyle Blackwell (January 20, 1884 – June 17, 1955) was an American silent film actor, director and producer. Early years Blackwell was born in Troy, Pennsylvania. He studied at Cornell University before J. Stewart Blackton discovered him an ...
*
Marshall Neilan Marshall Ambrose "Mickey" Neilan (April 11, 1891 – October 27, 1958) was an American actor. Early life Born in San Bernardino, California, Neilan was known by most as "Mickey." Following the death of his father, the eleven-year-old Mickey N ...
* Helen Holmes * Agnes Mapes *
Ruth Roland Ruth Roland (August 26, 1892 – September 22, 1937) was an American stage and film actress and film producer. Early life and career Roland was born in San Francisco, California to Elizabeth Lillian Hauser and Jack Roland. Her father managed a t ...
*
Lloyd Hamilton Lloyd Vernon Hamilton (August 19, 1891 – January 19, 1935) was an American film comedian, best remembered for his work in the silent era. Career Having begun his career as an extra in theatre-productions, Hamilton first appeared on film in ...
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Marin Sais Marin Sais (born Mae Smith; August 2, 1890 – December 31, 1971) was an American actress whose career was most prolific during the silent film era of the 1910s and 1920s. Sais' acting career spanned over four decades and she is possibly best ...


References

Notes Further reading * Tracy, Tony (2016) ''Outside the System: Gene Gauntier and the Consolidation of Early American Cinema,'' ''Film History'', Vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 71–106 * Michel Derrien, ''Aux origines du cinéma irlandais: Sidney Olcott, le premier oeil'', TIR 2013. Film
passion''
a documentary on ''From the Manger to the Cross'', directed by Philippe Baron, France, 2009, 55 minutes, produced by Vivement lundi !


External links


Kalem Company filming in Ireland
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Sidney Olcott, le premier oeil
American companies established in 1907 American companies disestablished in 1917 Mass media companies established in 1907 Mass media companies disestablished in 1917 Defunct American film studios Articles containing video clips Silent film studios 1907 establishments in New York City 1917 disestablishments in California Film production companies of the United States 1917 mergers and acquisitions