Volume I: Narrative History

Chapter 9: 1916 A Tour of the Studio

In Jacksonville The Sunday Times-Union treated the readers of its January 16th edition to a tour of the new studio: Note

Some interesting sidelights in the Thanhouser plant at Jacksonville were revealed during a personally conducted tour of the buildings with W. Ray Johnston. That Jacksonville is destined to become the mecca for the moving picture industry is evident from the fact that within the past few months several important companies have established studios in this city, among them being the Thanhouser Company, which has established a permanent plant at 33 and 37 East Eighth Street, where they have fitted out one of the most up-to-date moving picture factories to be found anywhere in the South.

Having received a cordial reception to inspect the Jacksonville studios of the Thanhouser Film Corporation, a representative of the Times-Union, accompanied by the paper's official photographer, visited the plant, which is only a short walk off Main Street. There the newspaper men found a group of brick and glass buildings, and a step inside took them to the office of George A. Grimmer, manager, and W. Ray Johnston, in charge of finance. These two gentlemen were as busy as bees in a tar bucket, Mr. Grimmer consulting with his directors and Mr. Johnston signing a stack of checks, while outside of the doors a swarm of players chatted in pleasant anticipation of "seeing the ghost walk."

Back at the offices the newspapermen were ushered into a large glass covered building where scenes were laid for various plays and where the actors and actresses in their stage attire were jumping at the call of their directors. With the Thanhouser companies in action there could be nothing more interesting to the general public; at least, the newspapermen were enthused at what was being done in the big plant. Mr. Johnston personally conducted the scribes over the large studio, showing them every nook and corner and explaining the art of picture making.

Entering the enclosed stage, Director W. Eugene Moore and company and Director Leo Wirth were busy directing Harris Gordon in a big dramatic scene in a forthcoming Mutual Masterpicture to be known as The Oval Diamond. Mr. Gordon will be remembered by Jacksonville fans who saw him playing the lead in The Mill on the Floss, shown at the Prince Theatre last week. The Oval Diamond is to be a five-reel play. On the opposite end of this large glass-covered stage, Director William A. Howell was at work on a one-reel Falstaff comedy entitled Perkins' Peace Party.... The picture features popular Louise Emerald Bates, better known as the Falstaff Girl, and funny Fatty (Walter) Hiers, who will remembered by the Jacksonville citizens as having been connected with the Majestic and Lubin companies in Jacksonville. From the appearance of Fatty, who was playing as a chef in the ship's galley as a hose was being plied on him by co-director Billy Sullivan, your scribe became of the opinion that playing in the movie comedies is not all joy, and that he did not care to become a Falstaff funmaker. The picture, which was started in New York, is now nearing completion, a large number of the scenes having been taken aboard the Clyde Line's Mohawk while the company was enroute from New York to Jacksonville.

At the side of the enclosed stage the newspapermen were shown the large prop room for the storage of props, furniture, etc.; also they were shown the modern electrical department. There they had the pleasure of meeting Mr. William McNulty, the stage director, formerly with the Kalem Company. In the scenic department the artists were at work painting rocks to look like a cellar wall. Paperhangers were on the job papering sets for pictures to be taken soon. Mr. Greenburg was in charge there. The carpenter shop presented a busy scene with a group of carpenters busy on stairs, windows, doors, fireplaces and scenery of all kinds. To the rear of the glass-covered stage was found an open court for the parking of the company's automobiles while not in use. Here also are five darkrooms where the cameramen load their cameras.

Next came the garage containing two large seven-passenger Winton cars and a truck for delivering props. Carpenters were at work there extending the garage to accommodate six cars. To the rear of this garage is a large open-air stage, which Mr. Johnston declares is large enough to accommodate eight large sets. Here the newspapermen had the pleasure of meeting Director George Foster Platt and his assistant, James Dunne. Miss Doris Grey, the prize beauty of New England, who was selected by the Thanhouser Company from among 38 contestants in a beauty contest conducted by The Boston American, was busy preparing for a big scene. Mr. Bert Delaney, her leading man, was also introduced to the scribes. Morgan Jones, a character actor, and William Burke, the villain, were busy with their respective parts, while Director Platt was working on a five-reeler, entitled What Doris Did.

On the upper floor of the large plant was found the actors' quarters, a large spacious room off of which, on all sides, were the dressing rooms. Each room has a window, which makes it very light, airy and cheerful, and each room is equipped with running water. In the large comfortable lounging room were Violet Hite, Boyd Marshall, Inda Palmer, Arthur Bauer, Sully Guard, Barbara Gilroy, Riley Chamberlin, George Welsh, and Leo Post, the latter being the company stuntman (who was gowned as a girl ready to double Miss Grey in a stunt scene). Opening off the front of this big green room is a porch which will greatly add to the comfort of a player during the summer months. "Mr. Grimmer believes in making his players as comfortable as possible," stated Mr. Johnston, "and our studio is just like one big happy family, all working together for the benefit of their pictures."

They are doing things on a big scale at the Thanhouser plant. Eleven directors are kept busy at the New Rochelle studios, in addition to the directors located in Jacksonville. Director Warde and his company are expected in Jacksonville next week, which will make four Thanhouser companies located in this city, where several thousand dollars are being expended weekly for the movies. The company has leased their present quarters for several years, and the click of the Thanhouser cameras will continue merrily on in Jacksonville the year round.

"We are greatly pleased with conditions in Jacksonville," said Mr. Johnston. "The lights here are better and we have more clear, clean-cut days than on the West Coast. Our Jacksonville studio is a model in every respect; in fact, we are better situated here that at the New Rochelle plant, for we have plenty of sunshine and flowers, instead of snow and ice."

While the newspapermen were looking through the plant, the various directors courteously lined their companies up, and cameramen and all proceeded with action, so the Times-Union photographer could get some pictures "in action." The company "extra" register, which is kept in the main office, shows the names of thousands of Jacksonville people who are called quite often to fill in when the company is making some big scenes. These extras are paid well and treated in the most courteous manner. On this register will be found several society women and girls anxious to get on the movie screen. The Thanhouser Company is here to stay, and they are being given the glad hand by the Jacksonville public. The official family is made up of courteous gentlemen who are bound to succeed in this field.