Volume III: Biographies

SEERY, R.C.

Business associate, investor (1911-1913)

Thanhouser Career Synopsis: Roy C. Seery was affiliated with Charles J. Hite in the formation of the Majestic Film Service Company in Chicago. In 1912 he became an investor in the Thanhouser Film Corporation.

Biographical Notes: Roy C. Seery graduated from the University of Michigan in 1903 with a degree in civil engineering. "He became interested in the exhibiting business and owned and managed a number of amusement enterprises previous to his connections in the film renting field," noted an article in The Moving Picture World, February 10, 1912. Seery entered the field of motion pictures around 1908 when he became manager of the Calumet Film Exchange in Chicago. After his stint there, he served two years as manager of the Standard Film Exchange in the same city. On January 1, 1912 he joined Charles J. Hite in the formation of the Majestic Film Service Company, having laid plans for the venture in 1911. In 1912 he became an investor in the Thanhouser Film Corporation. On December 20, 1912, as manager of the Majestic Film Service, 216 North 5th Avenue, Chicago, he held a preview of the Thanhouser film, The Star of Bethlehem, for nearly 100 exhibitors and churchmen.

Motography, September 6, 1913, printed a biographical sketch: "R.C. Seery, the subject of this little sketch, was born in Allegan, Michigan and obtained his early schooling there. After the completion of his high school course R.C. went to the University of Michigan, graduating from the engineering department in 1903. For two years he was in the employ of D.H. Burnham & Company as a civil engineer, and was assistant superintendent in the construction of the Cook County Court House. Some six years later the film game attracted him and he entered the field of motion pictures via the exchange end. For more than a year he was manager of the Calumet Film Exchange, located in the Masonic Temple. He left that position to become assistant manager of Joseph Hopp's Standard Film Exchange. On January 1, 1912, Mr. Seery, with C.J. Hite, bought out the Globe Film Exchange and formed the Majestic Film Service Company, of which Mr. Seery became manager.

"In March of the same year this exchange was sold to the Mutual Film Corporation, and became one of the Mutual series of exchanges. Last week when the Majestic was moved from Fifth Avenue over the Mallers Building on Wabash Avenue the name was again switched and is now known as the Mutual Film Corporation, Majestic Branch. Mr. Seery, who is a stockholder in the Mutual Film Corporation and the Thanhouser Film Corporation, is known as a live-wire in the trade and is ever endeavoring to better the service he is able to offer his customers, with the result that more and more exhibitors are becoming patrons of the Majestic branch."

In its August 28, 1915 issue The Moving Picture World noted that Seery, who had been the special representative of Mutual and had been connected with Mutual ever since it started operations in 1912, resigned on August 14, 1915 to become manager of the distributing office for the Triangle Film Corporation in Chicago. At the time he was a stockholder in the Thanhouser Film Corporation and the Syndicate Film Corporation. He was also an original investor in The Million Dollar Mystery. Later, he became a partner in Chicago with Balaban & Katz, theatre operators, in the franchise rights there to First National pictures. After selling his share of that partnership, he operated the First National Exchange in the same city. In the 1930s he became ill and moved to California, where he lived in retirement. Following two years' hospitalization, he died on May 5, 1939 in Santa Monica, California. He was survived by his widow, a son, and a daughter.

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