BLOG QUESTION: BAY AREA SILENT ROOTS

What are the roots of silent cinema in the Bay Area? How did it play an important role in early cinema history? What famous personalities made films here?

San Francisco was a popular location choice for movie shoots, but the cold and foggy weather led at least one filmmaker to settle in Niles, California instead. “Broncho Billy” Anderson, who was partly in charge of the Essanay Film Manufacturing Co., had been traveling around the United States for three years, looking for the perfect weather and filming location for the Westerns that he was making. Essanay was the most successful silent film company in the Bay Area. One of the biggest movie stars of the time, Charlie Chaplin, had been working in LA at the Keystone Film Co. for $150 a week, and his contract was almost up. Broncho Billy’s righthand man, Jess Robbins, signed him at Essanay for $1,250 a week, with a $10,000 signing bonus. Chaplin didn’t really like Niles compared to Los Angeles, but he made five films in Niles that cemented his standing as a movie star. Essanay allowed Chaplin to transition from being an actor to a filmmaker himself. Many believe that this was the true beginning to Chaplin and his rise to popularity.