This month, we are going to be taking a look at the vibrant and pioneering Vitagraph film studio. Among the first film studios in America, Vitagraph led the charge in animation, special effects, domestic comedy and more. Unfortunately, they are well-known among silent movie nerds but pretty obscure to the general public these days.
The studio began in 1897 and was sold to Warner Bros. in 1925, the last survivor of the first wave of American movie brands. While I enjoy their early and late output, their real time to shine was in the mid-1900s to the 1910s, when new techniques and tropes seemed to be invented every day.
I can’t possibly cover all of Vitagraph in just a month, so I hope you will instead enjoy my small selection of films that showcase the studio’s distinct style. To whet your appetite, here are a few movies I have already reviewed:
And the Villain Still Pursued Her…; or, The Writer’s Dream (1906)
Enjoy!
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This is great! Thanks for highlighting Vitagraph. I had two family members and an in-law who worked at the Santa Monica studio.. The book Two Reels and a Crank by Smith and Koury is good source for background on Vitagraph.
Cheers!
Nick P.
I hope you enjoy!
Will look forward to viewing your list of Vitagraph films! I especially love Antonio Moreno and Edith Storey who were popular Vitagraph stars! I realize many of Moreno’s films have been lost, just like Colleen Moore, and so many others but IF you ever locate any of his work, PLEASE let us know! I think he was so very heartfelt and special on the screen! Could do it all, and went on to become a busy character actor as he aged, but gosh, it’s tragic so much of his work simply vanished!! Will cross my fingers anyway, you might uncover anything we don’t know about! Thanks so much for your wonderful work!
Sincerely,
Cheryl Monteiro
Hi there, Harpodeon has some surviving fragments of The Dust of Egypt with Moreno, which they have reassembled with stills for a ten-minute excerpt:
https://www.harpodeon.com/film/The_Dust_of_Egypt/649823054
Yes! Thanks for sharing. “Dust of Egypt” was a long film, originally! Tragic they only have a snippet, but it’s great fun, nonetheless. Antonio stated once he almost asked Edith to marry him, they were so close. She was another amazing artist. I literally grieve over all that’s been carelessly destroyed. My heart is so tender for those times and the early stars. *My former mother-in-law was Malvina Polo, Eddie Polo’s daughter! She was in Chaplin’s “A Woman of Paris” and several other films. So grateful to have known and loved her. Her memory was sharp and she too believed those days were incredibly exciting! Thanks so much for your time.
Hi Cheryl! It’s great to see another Masquer here.
i’ve been busy documenting the Taylor case and sooner or later, I will cover Antonio’s connection.
Cheers!
Nick
https://substack.com/@nicholaspinhey/note/p-206954489?r=ao47k