Mayfair Pictures was an American

film production 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, casti ...

and

distribution Distribution may refer to: Mathematics *Distribution (mathematics), generalized functions used to formulate solutions of partial differential equations * Probability distribution, the probability of a particular value or value range of a vari ...

company active between 1931 and 1934 during the early

sound era A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed before ...

. It grew out of Action Pictures, another low-budget studio location on

Poverty Row Poverty Row is a slang term used to refer to Hollywood films produced from the 1920s to the 1950s by small (and mostly short-lived) B movie studios. Although many of them were based on (or near) today's Gower Street in Hollywood, the term did n ...

. It was established by the producer

Ralph M. Like Ralph M. Like (1894–1955) was an American film producer. He was involved with several independent film companies producing low-budget releases on Poverty Row. In 1932 he established Mayfair Pictures.Pitts p.231 Other companies he was involved w ...

and was located at the former Charles Ray Studios in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

.Slide p.122

Filmography

* ''

Anybody's Blonde ''Anybody's Blonde'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code mystery film directed by Frank R. Strayer from an original screenplay by Betty Burbridge. The film stars Dorothy Revier, Reed Howes, and Edna Murphy, and was released by Action Pictures on Novemb ...

'' (1931) * ''

Chinatown After Dark ''Chinatown After Dark'' is a 1931 American pre-Code drama film directed by Stuart Paton and starring Carmel Myers, Rex Lease and Barbara Kent.Pitts p.240 Cast *Carmel Myers as Madame Ying Su *Rex Lease as James 'Jim' Bonner *Barbara Kent as Lo ...

'' (1931) * '' Night Beat'' (1931) * ''

The Sky Spider ''The Sky Spider'' (aka ''Spy Spider'') is a 1931 American "youth-oriented" adventure film.Farmer 1984, p. 327. Directed by Richard Thorpe, the film starred Glenn Tryon, Beryl Mercer, Blanche Mehaffey, Pat O'Malley and newcomer John Trent. P ...

'' (1931) * '' Soul of the Slums'' (1931) * ''

Dragnet Patrol ''Dragnet Patrol'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcem ...

'' (1931) * ''

Behind Stone Walls ''Behind Stone Walls'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code film directed by Frank R. Strayer and starring Edward J. Nugent, Priscilla Dean and Ann Christy (actress), Ann Christy.Pitts p.238 Cast *Edward J. Nugent as Bob Clay *Priscilla Dean as Esther C ...

'' (1932) * ''

Docks of San Francisco ''Docks of San Francisco'' is a 1932 American pre-Code crime film directed by George B. Seitz and starring Mary Nolan, Jason Robards Sr. and Marjorie Beebe. It was originally released by Mayfair Pictures, and later re-released by Commonwealt ...

'' (1932) * '' Love in High Gear'' (1932) * '' The Monster Walks'' (1932) * ''

Hell's Headquarters ''Hell's Headquarters'' is a 1932 American pre-Code "jungle adventure" film directed by Andrew L. Stone and starring Jack Mulhall, Barbara Weeks, and Frank Mayo. Set in contemporary Africa, it portrays the search by an American big-game hunter ...

'' (1932) * '' Tangled Destinies'' (1932) * '' Passport to Paradise'' (1932) * ''

The Widow in Scarlet ''The Widow in Scarlet'' (also known as ''Lady Raffles'') is a 1932 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code mystery film, mystery crime film directed by George B. Seitz and starring Dorothy Revier, Kenneth Harlan and Lloyd Whitlock . It was distri ...

'' (1932) * ''

Midnight Morals ''Midnight Morals'' is a 1932 American crime drama film directed by B. Reeves Eason and E. Mason Hopper and starring Alberta Vaughn, Rex Lease and Charles Delaney. It was distributed by the independent Mayfair Pictures.Pitts p.246 Plot A young po ...

'' (1932) * ''

Temptation's Workshop ''Temptation's Workshop'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code drama film directed by George B. Seitz and starring Helen Foster (actress), Helen Foster, Tyrell Davis and Dorothy Granger. It was released by the independent film, indepe ...

'' (1932) * ''

Alias Mary Smith ''Alias Mary Smith'' is a 1932 American mystery crime film directed by E. Mason Hopper and starring Blanche Mehaffey, John Darrow and Raymond Hatton.Langman & Finn p.6 It was released by the independent company Mayfair Pictures. Synopsis A youn ...

'' (1932) * ''

Her Mad Night ''Her Mad Night'' is a 1932 American pre-Code crime film directed by E. Mason Hopper and starring Conway Tearle, Irene Rich and Mary Carlisle.Pitts p.248 It is also known by the title ''Held For Murder''. Cast * Conway Tearle as Steven Kennedy ...

'' (1932) * '' Gorilla Ship'' (1932) * ''

Malay Nights ''Malay Nights'' is a 1932 American drama film directed by E. Mason Hopper and starring Johnny Mack Brown, Dorothy Burgess and Raymond Hatton. It was produced on Poverty Row as a second feature for release by Mayfair Pictures.Pitts p.251 It is a ...

'' (1932) * ''

No Living Witness ''No Living Witness'' is a 1932 American pre-Code crime film directed by E. Mason Hopper and written by Norman Houston. The film stars Gilbert Roland, Noah Beery Sr., Barbara Kent, Carmel Myers, Otis Harlan, Dorothy Revier, J. Carrol Naish ...

'' (1932) * ''

The Midnight Warning ''The Midnight Warning'' is a 1932 American mystery film directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet and starring William "Stage" Boyd, Claudia Dell and Huntley Gordon. The film is also known as ''Eyes of Mystery'' (new American title). Plot A sister & b ...

'' (1932) * '' Trapped in Tia Juana'' (1932) * '' Dynamite Denny'' (1932) * ''

Behind Jury Doors ''Behind Jury Doors'' is a 1932 American pre-Code mystery film directed by B. Reeves Eason and starring Helen Chandler, William Collier Jr. and Blanche Friderici.Pitts, p. 329 Cast * Helen Chandler as Elsa Lanfield * William Collier Jr. as S ...

'' (1932) * '' The Heart Punch'' (1932) * ''

Sister to Judas ''Sister to Judas'' is a 1932 American drama film directed by E. Mason Hopper and starring Claire Windsor, Holmes Herbert and John Harron.Pitts p.250-51 Cast * Claire Windsor as Anne Fane * Holmes Herbert as Bruce Rogers * John Harron as Ronni ...

'' (1932) * '' Secret Sinners'' (1933) * ''

Riot Squad Riot control measures are used by law enforcement, military, paramilitary or security forces to control, disperse, and arrest people who are involved in a riot, unlawful demonstration or unlawful protest. If a riot is spontaneous and irrati ...

'' (1933) * ''

Her Forgotten Past ''Her Forgotten Past'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film directed by Wesley Ford and starring Monte Blue, Barbara Kent and Henry B. Walthall.Pitts p. 253 Synopsis Without telling her wealthy father, Doris Maynard marries the family chauffe ...

'' (1933) * ''

Dance Hall Hostess ''Dance Hall Hostess'' is a 1933 American drama film directed by B. Reeves Eason and starring Helen Chandler, Jason Robards Sr. and Alberta Vaughn.Fetrow p.135 Cast * Helen Chandler as Nora Marsh * Jason Robards Sr. as Jerry Raymond * Edward ...

'' (1933) * ''

Her Resale Value ''Her Resale Value'' is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film directed by B. Reeves Eason and starring June Clyde, George J. Lewis and Noel Francis.Pitts, p. 253 The film's sets were designed by the art director Paul Palmentola. Bored of her lif ...

'' (1933) * '' Justice Takes a Holiday'' (1933) * ''

Alimony Madness ''Alimony Madness'' is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film directed by B. Reeves Eason and starring Helen Chandler, Leon Ames, and Edward Earle.Pitts p. 329 The film's sets were designed by the art director Paul Palmentola. Plot A man's greed ...

'' (1933) * ''

Mystery at Monte Carlo ''Revenge at Monte Carlo'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film directed by B. Reeves Eason and starring June Collyer, José Crespo and Wheeler Oakman.Pitts, p. 329 It is also known by the alternative title of ''Mystery at Monte Carlo''. Th ...

'' (1933) * ''

What's Your Racket? ''What's Your Racket?'' is a 1934 American Pre-Code crime film directed by Fred Guiol and starring Regis Toomey, Noel Francis and J. Carrol Naish. It was produced on Poverty Row by independent studio Mayfair Pictures.Pitts p.239 Synopsis Mae Co ...

'' (1934) * ''

Badge of Honor The Badge of Honor novel series is a series of novels written by W.E.B. Griffin about the Philadelphia Police Department. Although the books were originally set in the 1970s and early 1980s, and the characters have only aged a few years (Matt Payn ...

'' (1934) * '' The Fighting Rookie'' (1934) * '' The Oil Raider'' (1934) * '' Calling All Cars'' (1935, released by another company) * ''

Get That Man ''Get That Man'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet, from a screenplay by Betty Burbridge. It stars Wallace Ford as Jack Kirkland, a taxi driver who discovers he closely resembles of a murdered heir to a fortune. Ford ...

'' (1935, released by another company}

References

Bibliography

* Pitts, Michael R. ''Poverty Row Studios, 1929–1940: An Illustrated History of 55 Independent Film Companies, with a Filmography for Each''. McFarland & Company, 2005. * Slide, Anthony. ''The New Historical Dictionary of the American Film Industry''. Routledge, 2014. American film studios Film production companies of the United States {{US-film-company-stub