Tiffany Productions
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Tiffany Pictures, which also became Tiffany-Stahl Productions for a time, was a Hollywood motion picture studio in operation from 1921 until 1932. It is considered a
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 ...
studio, whose films had lower budgets, lesser-known stars, and overall lower production values than major studios.


History

Tiffany Productions was a movie-making venture founded in 1921 by star
Mae Murray Mae Murray (born Marie Adrienne Koenig; May 10, 1885 – March 23, 1965) was an American actress, dancer, film producer, and screenwriter. Murray rose to fame during the silent film era and was known as "The Girl with the Bee-Stung Lips" and "Th ...
, her then-husband, director
Robert Z. Leonard Robert Zigler Leonard (October 7, 1889 – August 27, 1968) was an American film director, actor, producer, and screenwriter. Biography He was born in Chicago, Illinois. At one time, he was married to silent star Mae Murray with the two formin ...
, and Maurice H. Hoffman, who made eight films, all released through
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 ...
. Murray and Leonard divorced in 1925. Starting in 1925 with ''Souls for Sables'', co-starring
Claire Windsor Claire Windsor (born Clara Viola Cronk; April 14, 1892 – October 24, 1972) was an American film actress of the silent screen era. Early life Windsor was born Clara Viola Cronk (nicknamed "Ola") in 1892 in Marvin, Phillips County, Kansas to ...
and Eugene O'Brien, Tiffany released 70 features, both silent and sound, 20 of which were
Westerns The Western is a genre set in the American frontier and commonly associated with folk tales of the Western United States, particularly the Southwestern United States, as well as Northern Mexico and Western Canada. It is commonly referred ...
. At one point, Tiffany was booking its films into nearly 2,500 theatres. To produce their films, Tiffany acquired the former Reliance-Majestic Studios lot at 4516
Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades east to Figueroa Street in Downtown Los Angeles. It is a major thoroughfare in ...
,
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
in 1927. From 1927 to 1930,
John M. Stahl John Malcolm Stahl (January 21, 1886 – January 12, 1950) was an American film director and producer. Life and work He was born Jacob Morris Strelitsky in Baku (Azerbaijan) to a Russian Jewish family. When he was a child, his family le ...
was the director of Tiffany and renamed the company Tiffany-Stahl Productions. Head of Tiffany was
Phil Goldstone Phil Goldstone (1893–1963) was a Polish-born American film producer and director. He was also a real estate developer in Palm Springs. Goldstone was involved with low-budget Poverty Row companies such as Majestic Pictures.Pitts p.223 Selected ...
with his vice president Maurice H. Hoffman, who later was president of Liberty Films that merged into Republic Pictures. Leonard A. Young who simultaneously ran the L. A. Young Spring and Wire Company bought into Tiffany from Hoffman in 1929. Tiffany lacked a profitable distribution network. The company filed for bankruptcy in 1932. Copyrights on most (if not all) of Tiffany's films were not renewed, and are now in the public domain. The studio complex was later bought by
Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...
and given to
Sam Katzman Sam Katzman (July 7, 1901 – August 4, 1973) was an American film producer and director. Katzman produced low-budget genre films, including serials, which had disproportionately high returns for the studios and his financial backers. E ...
and
Irving Briskin Irving Briskin (1903–1981), was an American film producer of more than 200 films during the 1930s and 1940s. He was the brother of Samuel J. Briskin and Murray Briskin, both also film producers. Career Briskin's film career began in 1923 as a ...
as base of operations for their film units.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 ...
purchased Tiffany's nitrate original film negative library and burned the collection during the burning of Atlanta sequence in ''
Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind may also refer to: Music * ''Gone with the Wind'' ...
''. In January 2012, the Vitaphone Project announced that the US premiere of a restored print of ''Mamba'' will be in March 2012 at Cinefest in Syracuse, New York.Vitaphone Project Newsletter (Vol. 10, Nr. 4)
/ref>


Partial list of Tiffany films

Some of Tiffany's later movies, such as ''
The Death Kiss ''The Death Kiss'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film starring David Manners as a crusading studio writer, Adrienne Ames as an actress, and Bela Lugosi as a studio manager. The thriller features three leading players from the previous yea ...
'' (1932), were released by
Sono Art-World Wide Pictures Sono Art-World Wide Pictures was an American film distribution and production company in operation from 1927 to 1933. Their first feature film was ''The Rainbow Man'' (1929), while one of their most prominent was '' The Great Gabbo'' (1929) starr ...
. Among the films produced by Tiffany were: * '' Peacock Alley'' (1922) * '' Broadway Rose'' (1922) * '' Fascination'' (1922) * ''
The French Doll ''The French Doll'' is a 1923 American silent comedy drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and starring Mae Murray, Orville Caldwell and Rod La Rocque. It was based on a French-language novel by Paul Armont and Marcel Gerbidon.Goble p.770 ...
'' (1923) * ''
Fashion Row ''Fashion Row'' is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and starring Mae Murray in a dual role, Earle Foxe, and Freeman Wood. The film involves two Russian sisters emigrate to America. One tries to hide her peasant or ...
'' (1923) * ''
Jazzmania ''Jazzmania'' is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and starring his then-wife Mae Murray. In keeping with Murray's previous films and a few of her succeeding films, the movie possesses some of the most provocative ...
'' (1923) * ''
Mademoiselle Midnight ''Mademoiselle Midnight'' is a 1924 American silent drama film starring Mae Murray and directed by Murray's then husband, Robert Z. Leonard. The film was written by Carl Harbaugh and John Russell. The film was the final release of Metro under ...
'' (1924) * ''
Circe, the Enchantress ''Circe, the Enchantress'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard. The film starred Leonard's then-wife Mae Murray. This was their last collaboration, and they divorced soon after. Considered to be a lost film for de ...
'' (1924) * '' Borrowed Finery'' (1925) * '' Morals for Men'' (1925) * '' Fools of Fashion'' (1926) * '' Lost at Sea'' (1926) * '' Josselyn's Wife'' (1926) * ''
Pleasures of the Rich ''Pleasures of the Rich'' is a 1926 American silent romantic drama film directed by Louis J. Gasnier and produced by Tiffany Pictures with a general distribution through Renown Pictures. The film featured several well known performers of the ti ...
'' (1926) * '' That Model from Paris'' (1926) * '' College Days'' (1926) * '' Out of the Storm'' (1926) * ''
Cheaters Cheater or Cheaters may refer to: Arts and entertainment Films * ''The Cheaters'' (1930 film), an Australian silent film * ''Cheaters'' (1934 film), an American film directed by Phil Rosent * ''The Cheaters'' (1945 film), directed by Joseph Ka ...
'' (1927) * '' The Princess from Hoboken'' (1927) * '' The Haunted Ship'' (1927) * '' Snowbound'' (1927) * ''
Once and Forever ''Once and Forever'' is a 1927 American silent film, silent drama film directed by Phil Goldstone and starring Patsy Ruth Miller, John Harron and Burr McIntosh.Munden p.567 The film's sets were designed by the art director George Sawley. Cast * ...
'' (1927) * ''
Streets of Shanghai ''Streets of Shanghai'' is a 1927 American silent drama film directed by Louis J. Gasnier and written by Harry Braxton and Jack Natteford. The film, starring Pauline Starke, Kenneth Harlan, and Eddie Gribbon, was released by Tiffany-Stahl Produ ...
'' (1927) * '' Husband Hunters'' (1927) * ''
The Cavalier ''Woodstock, or The Cavalier. A Tale of the Year Sixteen Hundred and Fifty-one'' (1826) is a historical novel by Sir Walter Scott, one of the Waverley novels. Set just after the English Civil War, it was inspired by the legend of the Good Devil ...
'' (1928), starring
Richard Talmadge Richard Talmadge (born Sylvester Alphonse Metz; 3 December 1892 – 25 January 1981) also known as Sylvester Metzetti, Ricardo Metzetti, or Sylvester Ricardo Metzetti, was a German-born actor, stuntman and film director. Early life Born ...
* '' A Woman Against the World'' (1928) * ''
Marriage by Contract ''Marriage by Contract'' is a 1928 American drama film directed by James Flood and starring Patsy Ruth Miller, Lawrence Gray and Robert Edeson. It was one of the first sound films produced by Tiffany Pictures, one of the largest independent stu ...
'' (1928) * '' Clothes Make the Woman'' (1928), starring
Eve Southern Eve Southern (born Elva L. McDowell; August 23, 1900 – November 29, 1972) was an American film actress. She appeared in 38 films from 1916 to 1936. In 1930 she was selected by portrait artist Rolf Armstrong as one of the film industry's ...
(under the Tiffany-Stahl banner) * '' The Grain of Dust'' (1928) * '' The Scarlet Dove'' (1928) * '' Nameless Men'' (1928) * '' Tropical Nights'' (1928) * '' Green Grass Widows'' (1928) * ''
Prowlers of the Sea ''Prowlers of the Sea'' is a 1928 American silent film, silent adventure film directed by John G. Adolfi and starring Carmel Myers, Ricardo Cortez and George Fawcett.Van Neste p.68 It is based on Jack London's story ''The Siege of the Lancashire ...
'' (1928) * ''
The Albany Night Boat ''The Albany Night Boat'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by Alfred Raboch and starring Olive Borden, Ralph Emerson and Duke Martin.Connelly p.7 It was produced and distributed by the independent Tiffany Pictures, one of the lar ...
'' (1928) * ''
Their Hour ''Their Hour'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by Alfred Raboch and starring John Harron, Dorothy Sebastian and June Marlowe.Sharot p.129 Premise A shipping clerk falls under the spell of a socialite, but eventually returns to ...
'' (1928) * '' The Naughty Duchess'' (1928) * ''
The Devil's Skipper ''The Devil's Skipper'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by John G. Adolfi and starring Belle Bennett, Montagu Love and Gino Corrado. It was based on a short story by Jack London.Goble p.736 It is now considered a lost film. Cast * ...
'' (1928) * ''
Domestic Meddlers ''Domestic Meddlers'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by James Flood and starring Claire Windsor, Lawrence Gray and Roy D'Arcy.Darby p.373 Cast * Claire Windsor as Claire * Lawrence Gray as Walter * Roy D'Arcy as Lew * Jed ...
'' (1928) * '' Border Romance'' (1929) * ''
Molly and Me ''Molly and Me'' is a 1945 American comedy film directed by Lewis Seiler and starring Monty Woolley, Gracie Fields, Reginald Gardiner and Roddy McDowall and released by 20th Century Fox. The screenplay was based on the novel written by Frances ...
'' (1929) * ''
Mister Antonio ''Mister Antonio'' is a 1929 love story based on a 1916 Booth Tarkington Broadway play of the same name. Leo Carrillo stars in the title role of Antonio Camaradino, originated on Broadway by Otis Skinner, as a hurdy-gurdy street artist who falls ...
'' (1929) * ''
Broadway Fever ''Broadway Fever'' is a 1929 American silent comedy film directed by Edward F. Cline and starring Sally O'Neil, Roland Drew and Corliss Palmer.Pitts p.408 It is now considered a lost film. Cast * Sally O'Neil as Sally McAllister * Roland Drew ...
'' (1929) * ''
Midstream The oil and gas industry is usually divided into three major components: upstream, midstream and downstream. The midstream sector involves the transportation (by pipeline, rail, barge, oil tanker or truck), storage, and wholesale marketing of crud ...
'' (1929) * ''
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
'' (1929) * '' The Devil's Apple Tree'' (1929) * '' Whispering Winds'' (1929) * '' Two Men and a Maid'' (1929) * ''
The Rainbow ''The Rainbow'' is a novel by British author D. H. Lawrence, first published by Methuen & Co. in 1915. It follows three generations of the Brangwen family living in Nottinghamshire, focusing particularly on the individual's struggle to growth ...
'' (1929) * '' Lucky Boy'' (1929) * ''
The Spirit of Youth ''The Spirit of Youth'' is a 1929 American silent drama film directed by Walter Lang. A complete print of the film exists. Cast * Dorothy Sebastian as Betty Grant * Larry Kent as Jim Kenney * Betty Francisco as Claire Ewing * Maurice Murphy ...
'' (1929) * ''
My Lady's Past ''My Lady's Past'' is a 1929 American drama film directed by Albert Ray and starring Belle Bennett, Joe E. Brown and Alma Bennett.Pitts p.409 After completing his first novel, a writer abandons his wife for his secretary. It is now considered a ...
'' (1929) * ''
The Lost Zeppelin ''The Lost Zeppelin'' is a 1929 sound adventure film directed by Edward Sloman and produced and distributed by Tiffany-Stahl. The film stars Conway Tearle, Virginia Valli and Ricardo Cortez. Tearle plays a navy officer modeled on U. S. Navy Com ...
'' (1929), an early Antarctic disaster film * '' Extravagance'' (1930), with
June Collyer June Collyer (born Dorothea Heermance, August 19, 1906 – March 16, 1968) was an American film actress of the 1920s and 1930s. Early life Born in New York City, Collyer chose to use her mother's maiden name when she decided to pursue acti ...
* ''
Journey's End ''Journey's End'' is a 1928 dramatic play by English playwright R. C. Sherriff, set in the trenches near Saint-Quentin, Aisne, towards the end of the First World War. The story plays out in the officers' dugout of a British Army infantry c ...
'' (1930), the first film directed by
James Whale James Whale (22 July 1889 – 29 May 1957) was an English film director, theatre director and actor, who spent the greater part of his career in Hollywood. He is best remembered for several horror films: ''Frankenstein'' (1931), '' The O ...
* '' Kathleen Mavourneen'' (1930) * ''
The Love Trader ''The Love Trader'' is an early talkie pre-Code American romantic drama film preserved at the Library of Congress.''Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress'', pg. 1 ...
'' (1930) * '' She Got What She Wanted'' (1930) * ''
The Swellhead ''The Swellhead'' is a 1930 American pre-Code sports film directed by James Flood and starring James Gleason, Johnnie Walker, and Marion Shilling. It is also known by the alternative title of ''Counted Out''. Cast * James Gleason as Johnny Tru ...
'' (1930) * ''
Hot Curves ''Hot Curves'' is a 1930 American pre-Code comedy-drama film produced and distributed by Tiffany Pictures and directed by Norman Taurog. A print is held by the Library of Congress.''Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and ...
'' (1930) * '' Paradise Island'' (1930) * ''
Borrowed Wives ''Borrowed Wives'' is a 1930 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Frank R. Strayer. It stars silent performers Vera Reynolds, Rex Lease, and Sam Hardy. It was distributed by Tiffany Pictures. Plot Peter Foley (Rex Lease) is a beneficia ...
'' (1930) * '' Peacock Alley'' (1930) * '' Troopers Three'' (1930) * ''
Party Girl A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often feature ...
'' (1930) * ''
Oklahoma Cyclone ''Oklahoma Cyclone'' is a 1930 American pre-Code Western film directed by John P. McCarthy that is a forerunner of the singing cowboy genre. It stars Bob Steele in his second talking picture playing the title role and singing. The film was re ...
'' (1930) * '' Sunny Skies'' (1930) * ''
The Third Alarm ''The Third Alarm'' is a 1930 American pre-Code drama film directed by Emory Johnson. The film is based on the original story by Emilie Johnson and is set in San Francisco, California. The photoplay stars Anita Louise, James Hall (actor), James ...
'' (1930) * ''
Mamba Mambas are fast moving highly venomous snakes of the genus ''Dendroaspis'' (which literally means "tree asp") in the family Elapidae. Four extant species are recognised currently; three of those four species are essentially arboreal and green ...
'' (1930), claimed to be the first full-
Technicolor Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...
drama * '' The Medicine Man'' (1930), starring
Jack Benny Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky, February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success playing violin on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century wit ...
* ''
Near the Rainbow's End ''Near the Rainbow's End'' is a 1930 American Western film directed by J. P. McGowan for Tiffany Productions. The film stars Bob Steele in his talking picture debut as a singing cowboy, Lafe McKee and Al Ferguson and was commercially released i ...
'' (1930), with Bob Steele and
Louise Lorraine Louise Lorraine (born Louise Escovar; October 1, 1904 – February 2, 1981) was an American actress. Life and career Louise Lorraine was born Louise Escovar in San Francisco, California. One day, a photography salesman knocked on the door of t ...
* ''
Branded Men ''Branded Men'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Western comedy film directed by Phil Rosen and starring Ken Maynard. It was produced and distributed by Tiffany Pictures.Caught Cheating ''Caught Cheating'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code comedy film directed by Frank R. Strayer from a screenplay by W. Scott Darling. The film stars Charles Murray, George Sidney, and Nita Martan, and it was released by Tiffany Productions on January ...
'' (1931) * '' Morals for Women'' (1931) * '' Arizona Terror'' (1931) * '' The Drums of Jeopardy'' (1931) * '' Salvation Nell'' (1931), directed by
James Cruze James Cruze (born James Cruze Bosen; March 27, 1884 – August 3, 1942) was a silent film actor and film director. Early years Cruze's middle name came from the battle of Vera Cruz. He was raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...
* '' X Marks the Spot'' (1931), starring
Lew Cody Lew Cody (born Louis Joseph Côté; February 22, 1884 – May 31, 1934) was an American stage and film actor whose career spanned the silent film and early sound film age. He gained notoriety in the late 1910s for playing "male vamps" in films ...
and
Sally Blane Sally Blane (born Elizabeth Jane Young; July 11, 1910 – August 27, 1997) was an American actress who appeared in over 100 movies. Early life Blane was born in Salida, Colorado. She was the sister of actresses Polly Ann Young and Loretta Young ...
* '' Murder at Midnight'' (1931) * '' Range Law'' (1931) * ''
The Single Sin ''The Single Sin'' is a 1931 American Pre-code drama film directed by William Nigh and starring Kay Johnson, Bert Lytell and Paul Hurst. It was produced and released by the independent company Tiffany Pictures. Synopsis Struggling actress Ka ...
'' (1931) * '' The Nevada Buckaroo'' (1931) * '' Women Go on Forever'' (1931) * ''
The Death Kiss ''The Death Kiss'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film starring David Manners as a crusading studio writer, Adrienne Ames as an actress, and Bela Lugosi as a studio manager. The thriller features three leading players from the previous yea ...
'' (1932), starring
Bela Lugosi Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó (; October 20, 1882 – August 16, 1956), known professionally as Bela Lugosi (; ), was a Hungarian and American actor best remembered for portraying Count Dracula in the 1931 horror classic ''Dracula'', Ygor in ''S ...
,
David Manners David Joseph Manners (born Rauff de Ryther Duan Acklom; April 30, 1900 – December 23, 1998) was a Canadian-American actor who plays John Harker in Tod Browning's 1931 horror classic ''Dracula'', which stars Bela Lugosi in the title role.Pace ...
, and
Edward Van Sloan Edward Van Sloan (born Edward Paul Van Sloun; November 1, 1882 – March 6, 1964) was an American character actor best remembered for his roles in the Universal Studios horror films such as '' Dracula'' (1931), ''Frankenstein'' (1931), and ''T ...
, filmed on location at Tiffany Studios and one of the last films made at Tiffany * ''
Sunset Trail ''Sunset Trail'' is a 1939 American Western film directed by Lesley Selander, written by Norman Houston, and starring William Boyd, George "Gabby" Hayes, Russell Hayden, Charlotte Wynters, Jan Clayton, Robert Fiske and Kenneth Harlan. It was ...
'' (1932) * '' Lena Rivers'' (1932) * '' Texas Gun Fighter'' (1932) * ''
Hell Fire Austin ''Hell-Fire Austin'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code film directed by Forrest Sheldon. Plot Expert horseman Austin and O'Brien are in prison when Brooks announces that she plans to run Tarzan (a champion horse) in an upcoming race. Rancher Edmond ...
'' (1932) * '' Strangers of the Evening'' (1932) * ''
The Man Called Back ''The Man Called Back'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code film directed by Robert Florey. This film was independently produced for the bargain-basement price of $68,000, partly because Florey was allowed to re-use the tropical set constructed for the ...
'' (1932) * '' Hotel Continental'' (1932) * A series of eight films featuring and produced by movie star
Mae Murray Mae Murray (born Marie Adrienne Koenig; May 10, 1885 – March 23, 1965) was an American actress, dancer, film producer, and screenwriter. Murray rose to fame during the silent film era and was known as "The Girl with the Bee-Stung Lips" and "Th ...
* Eight singing cowboy Westerns starring Bob Steele * Ten Westerns starring Ken Maynard * A series of short subjects called ''The Voice of Hollywood'' * A series of short subject comedies featuring voices dubbed over chimps chewing
bubble gum Bubble gum or bubblegum is a type of chewing gum, designed to be inflated out of the mouth as a bubble. Bubble gum flavor While there is a bubble gum "flavor" – which various artificial flavorings including esters are mixed to obtain – it ...
, produced by
Jack White John Anthony White (; born July 9, 1975), commonly known as Jack White, is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the duo the White Stripes. White has enjoyed consistent critical and popular success and is widely c ...
They were sued by Tiffany & Co. for trademark infringement, as they used slogans such as "Another Gem from Tiffany".


References

;Citations ;Bibliography *


External links


List of Tiffany-Stahl Productions at IMDBList of Tiffany Productions at IMDB
{{Authority control 1921 establishments in California 1932 disestablishments in California American film studios Companies based in Los Angeles Defunct American film studios Film distributors of the United States Film production companies of the United States Mass media companies disestablished in 1932 Mass media companies established in 1921 Tiffany Pictures films American companies disestablished in 1932 American companies established in 1921