California Motion Picture Corporation

Still from Who's Your Servant? (1920) with Yukio Aoyama and Lois Wilson

California Motion Picture Corporation was a film company based in San Rafael, California, in Marin County during the silent film era. The company lasted from 1914 until January 1916 when it went bankrupt. It was subsequently renamed and lasted until 1920. It produced at least 15 films. The film company is known for its feature-length films about early California history.[1] Alex E. Beyfuss managed the company.[2][3]

The Marin County Library has a digital collection related to the studio.[4] Their productions included Salomy Jane (1914), Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1914), Mignon (1915), and Who's Your Servant? (1920). Frank Erlanger was one of the actors who worked for the studio. Salomy Jane survives in its entirety. George E. Middleton was a director with the studio and Beatriz Michelena a leading actress.[4] Harold Entwistle and William Nigh also directed films for the company.

An announcement of the company's incorporation gives a San Francisco main office address at 356 Pine Street and lists the board of directors as: James Woods, manager of the St. Francis Hotel; Baldwin Wood, attorney; Charles Payne, President Payne Real Estate Company; Thomas B. Eastland, President Coast Realty Co.; A. M. Johnson, Attorney; and Robin Y. Hayne, Capitalist as well as officer from a steamship company and Pacific Telephonen and Telegraph. It was billed as the largest film company in the west.[5]

  1. ^ "Sun Valley, San Rafael, Once Home to Early Motion Picture Studio". Anne T. Kent California Room – Sun Valley, San Rafael, Once Home to Early Motion Picture Studio.
  2. ^ "AFI|Catalog".
  3. ^ "Moving Picture World and View Photographer". 1916.
  4. ^ a b "CONTENTdm". contentdm.marinlibrary.org.
  5. ^ "The Moving Picture World". 1914.