The Thanhouser Studio and the Birth of American Cinema

7.5 / 10

(2 votes)

One-hour documentary recounts the untold story of the remarkable rise and fall of the Thanhouser Studio, one of American’s pioneering motion picture studios during the first decade of the twentieth century. It traces the evolution of one family’s career as it transitioned from producing live theater to establishing one of the most successful independent silent motion picture studios. The Thanhouser Studio produced and released over 1,000 silent motion pictures that were acclaimed by critics and seen by audiences around the world. Set against a background of the industry playing out in New York, Florida and California, it is a compelling story of fame and fortune, twisted by the vagaries of fate and ending on a bittersweet note.

Country:
Genre:

Documentary

Duration:

53 minutes

Year:

2014

Director:

Ned Thanhouser

Cast:
Judith Buchanan

David Robinson

Shelley Stamp

Paul Spehr

Crew:
Ned Thanhouser

Director

Melissa Steineger

Writer

Edwin Thanhouser Jr.

Writer

Ray Brubacher

Music Score Producer

Philip Carli

Music Score Producer