Key Industry Figures Flashcards
Thomas Edison
a
William Hodkinson
enterprising nonimmigrant businessman. Formed the Paramount Pictures Corporation in 1914. Learned through Aitken’s mistakes and stuck with just distributing and financing films and stayed away from production and exhibition. (p143).
He got Zukor to distribute the entire production of Famous Players studio:52 pictures a year and obtained the other half of his 104 picture commitment from independent producers and Paramount’s own production company.
Carl Laemmle
a
Adolph Zukor
a
William Fox
a
Thomas Ince
left vaudeville in 1910 to joint Imp. producer-director who directed Westerns; first movie figure to join the oil magnates when he built a mansion in the Spanish style–> luxurious lifestyle of outdoor sports, big cars and weekend parties.
p107-had studio organization where star performers were given considerable independent authority to direct and write/ improvise their own films.
Mack Sennett
p106- one Griffith protege who worked at Biograph as an actor and comedy director until 1912 when he left to become production head of his own comedy studio, Keystone. It has been said that the golden age of American movie comedy begins with Mack Sennett.
Sam “Roxy” Rothafel
p45- the first great showman of motion-picture exhibition. He had taken over Regent and made it successful showing features, and he was immediately hired to work his magic on the Strand.
His philosophy was “Don’t give the people what they want–give ‘em something better” => special lighting, orchestral music, uniformed ushers, rest rooms with royal splendor. Theaters run by “Roxy” were more memorable for their service than for their design.
Lee De Forest
9
The Warner Bros.
9
Will Hays
j
Joseph Breen
k
