Volume I: Narrative History

Chapter 7 (1914): A Memorable Anniversary

Gordon Trent, movie columnist for the New York Morning Telegraph, shared his impressions of a visit to New Rochelle: Note

I went out to the Thanhouser Company the other day to see if all Bert Adler said about it was true. I find that he has been as truthful as George Washington himself, and the Ananias Club would refuse to admit him with the rest of the press agents. A large glass studio has just been completed, and it looked so sunny and inviting that I almost felt like applying for a job as their office boy, but calmer reflection impressed me with the thought of how humiliating it would be if they refused to employ me, so I kept silent about my wishes. I met Jean Darnell just as I was about to drag myself off for the train, which made it all the harder to leave. Frank Grimmer, who can paint cats on the set so realistically that no dogs can be kept in the place, sent his regards to New York fillum-ites.

In New Rochelle plans were being laid to observe the first anniversary of the January 13, 1913 fire. The New Rochelle Pioneer reported: Note

Unique memorial services are announced by President C.J. Hite, of the Thanhouser Motion Picture Company, to take place next Tuesday at the new Thanhouser studio on Main Street. The services...will include a large ball, which will be the conclusion of an entire day given over to jollification. The day's events will take place in the large all-glass 'daylight' studio, which is six times the size of the one that was destroyed by the flames. The ball will be held in the 'electric' Thanhouser studio, which is even larger than the first. A vaudeville performance which will be part of the festivities is remarkable inasmuch as the complete program will be given by the Thanhouser players. Marguerite Snow and James Cruze, Mignon Anderson and Harry Benham, Dave Thompson, Morgan Jones, the Thanhouser Kid, and the Thanhouser Twins are among the "headliners" who will be seen on the bill.

In The Morning Telegraph, January 4, 1914, Thanhouser President Charles J. Hite was quoted concerning progress since the 1913 fire:

"Now, after one year has gone by, we have made great improvements and have gone way ahead of the point we had reached before the big fire burned us out. Our buildings formerly took up 13,000 square feet of space. Today," he waved his hand toward the window, through which could be seen the glistening roof of the new studio just completed, "we cover 40,000 feet. The Thanhouser Company is manufacturing three times as much film as they were a year ago and twice as much building is done in the manufacturing of sets for the plays. Thanhouser and other brands of the Mutual Film Corporation are paying such good dividends on the stock that I had such a hard time inducing the exchange men to take as payment for their services. We never borrowed and we have gone ahead with great strides right from the jump. I know all this sounds somewhat conceited, but I am so wrapped up in the success we have had that I can't help but speak of it in somewhat enthusiastic terms.

"One of the big items in our advancement, I think, has been the fact that all of us have worked as a unit. I made no changes in the staff that was working for Mr. Thanhouser before we bought him out, and we all feel that the success of the Thanhouser Company is intimately bound up with our own. We have added to it but have taken nothing away from the company as it was under its former management.

"It has been a fascinating business - one in which something new turns up every minute. One that has additional interest because, unlike other industries, there is an unlimited territory for experiment. Its youth means that there are many improvements that can yet be made, and many discoveries lie in wait for those who care to look. In an older and more established field everything has been gone over with a fine tooth comb and little remains to be changed. The ball which we are going to give on January 13 is more than an anniversary of a fire. It is the first milestone in the progress of a company that has met great difficulties and prospered in spite of them."

What happened at the ball was recounted in The New York Dramatic Mirror: Note

C.J. Hite, president of the Thanhouser Company, had his ability as a host stretched to the limit at the ball held last week to celebrate the opening of the company's new studio, built to replace the one destroyed a year ago by fire. Close to 700 persons from every rank in the motion picture game braved the cold journey to the New Rochelle studio. To say that the "brave 700" enjoyed themselves is putting it mildly.

James Cruze was chairman of the reception committee that met the guests at the New Rochelle station. His assistants were Billy Noel, Al Mayo, Frank Grimmer, and Claude Seixas. Miss Jessie Bishop was in charge of the arrangements, and others on the committee were David Thompson, Charles Gercke, Harry Benham, and Bert Adler. A pleasing and varied entertainment was given by the members of the Thanhouser Company, David Thompson and Bert Adler acting as the announcers. Dancing was enjoyed until the early hours, a special train arranged for by Miss Jessie Bishop taking the New Yorkers back to the big city at 2:06.

The program of the entertainment follows: 1. Mrs. Morgan Jones in violin selections, with Boyd Marshall at piano. 2. Film presenting leading Thanhouser players in bits from their best releases. 3. Alice Turner, girl comique, in songs. 4. Slides of C.J. Hite and the Thanhouser department heads. 5. Roy Hauck, boy comedian, in songs accompanied by Boyd Marshall. 6. Thanhouser film, Coals of Fire. 7. The Thanhouser Twins, in dances and recitations. 8. The Thanhouser Illustrated Song, posed by Muriel Ostriche and Boyd Marshall, photographed by Carl Gregory, words by Claude Seixas, music by Sid Bracy, sung by Boyd Marshall, with Sid Bracy at the piano. 9. Harry Benham's own illustrated song, a burlesque by Harry Benham. 10. David Thompson in a monologue. 11. The Thanhouser Kid and little Leland Benham in songs and dances.

In the audience were players and officials from almost every prominent producing company around New York.... Note "Congratulatory wires were received from [many film luminaries]. Note "The prominent Thanhouserites present were Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Hite, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Lonergan, the full staff of directors, Marguerite Snow, Maude Fealy, Flo LaBadie, Mignon Anderson, Muriel Ostriche, Adele Rey, Lila Chester, Catherine Webb, Carey L. Hastings, Riley Chamberlin, Justus Barnes, Arthur Bauer, Al H. Moses, Jr., Henry Cronjager, William Zollinger, Theodore Heise, and Frank Zimmerman. Beribboned Kewpie dolls were the souvenirs.