Horton Journal of Canadian History ~ Papers
The History of Canadian Film Making
by Hayley MacPhee
When Thomas Edison and the Lumiere Brothers invented the first motion-picture camera in 1887, Canada became an immensely popular location for movies. There are many Canadians affiliated with the film making industry who have made it what it is today. Companies and organizations have been established to deal with the demand, yet the general public knows little about the history of film making in Canada. This paper will discuss an organization that deals with film making in Canada and actors, which contributed the "Golden Age" of film.
The National Film Board of Canada was created in 1939. It was established to increase the distribution of productions from the Canadian Government Motion Picture Bureau in England.
A British documentary filmmaker, John Grierson, was sent from England to assess the Canadian Film Industry. A law was passed and in 1939 the National Film Commission (later to be called the National Film Board) was named. Its original mandate was to make and distribute films in Canada and England. It was responsible for coordinating film activities of government departments. John Grierson became the first government film commissioner. The establishment of the National Film Board corresponded with World War II. During this war, the National Film Board focused on producing patriotic documentaries. From these films grew many documentaries which focused on current events like "Canada Carries On" and the French "Actualités Canadiennes" ("National Film Board-1940s").
When a Scotsman, Norman McLaren, arrived on the scene at the National Film Board in 1941, the productions stopped being so closely linked to government affairs. Norman McLaren produced a number of animated and comedic short films.
In the 1950s the Film Board moved from Ottawa to Montreal. There was an increase in the number of studios and in the number of French films. Films were being marketed broadly overseas, and in the sixties, the Film Board began making preparations for Expo ’67. The National Film Board had flourished and is now known all over the world ("National Film Board 1950s-1960s").
Mack Sennett was born Michael Sinnet on January 17, 1880 in Danville, Quebec. He studied under D.W. Griffith (regarded as the American film pioneer). Griffith made serious, dramatic films while Sennett became famous for his slapstick comedy shorts. He was a writer, director, producer and star-maker. One of his most famous creations was his "Bathing Beauties" women who wore skimpy bathing costumes in his films. Sennett had the ability to judge people’s comedic abilities and he was gave many famous comedians their starts. People such as Ford Sterling, Mack Swain, Fatty Arbuckle, Charlie Chaplin, Ben Turpin, Harry Langdon, Slim Summerville, Carole Lombard, Marie Dressler and Mabel Normand all began their careers at Mack Sennett’s "komedy kollege." Sennett’s films dominated the silent era and he created the very first feature length comedy film, "Tillie’s Punctured Romance" in 1914. Mack Sennett died on November 5, 1960 in Woodland Hills, California. (MacIntyre).
Mary Pickford (nee Gladys Louise Smith) was born on April 8, 1892 in Toronto. She made her stage debut in 1898 in a play called "The Silver King." Her family was in a state of near destitution at the time because her father had died. Mary’s mother became her stage manager and by 1902 she was in New York looking for work. She toured for a number of years under the name, "Baby Gladys."
Ms. Pickford continued to work in a number of productions, both on and off Broadway. She got her break in 1908 when she flirted her way on to the set of a D.W. Griffith movie as an extra. She was told to come back the next day. She caught the attention of D.W. Griffith and rather suddenly, she was a key actor of Biograph, D.W.’s production studio (Lucas).
Pickford's films were pirated in Europe, which earned her international fame. Streets became crowded when people heard the tiniest rumor that "Mary" was coming to their city. She commanded 10,000 dollars a week per film at the age of 20 and by the time she was 24, Pickford had become Hollywood’s first millionaire. Mary Pickford died on May 29, 1979 in Santa Monica, California. Before her death, she made over 110 films (Wittmann).
Walter Pidgeon was born on September 23, 1897 in East Saint John, New Brunswick. He had a very tumultuous youth. After graduating from high school, Pidgeon attended the University of New Brunswick. He soon dropped out to join the war effort. He moved to Ontario to begin training at Camp Petawawa. During his training, he was severely injured. He spent eighteen months in the hospital.
In 1919, he married Edna Pickles, a girl he had fallen in love with in high school. The Pidgeons moved to Boston so Edna could study art. She died very suddenly two years later, leaving Walter to care for their young son.
Walter began singing at clubs and parties and was noticed one evening by Fred Astaire. His career took off immediately because the "talkies" had just become popular and actor’s voices were extremely important. His first big role was with Jean Harlow and Clark Gable in "Saratoga" in 1937. He made eight films with Greer Garson, most of them thrillers or horror movies. Walter continued to make films until he was eighty. He died on September 25, 1984 after a series of strokes (Foster).
Jay Silverheels was born on May 26, 1919 in the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario. Silverheels was a wonderful athlete; he was the top boxer and lacrosse player on the Reserve. Had he not gone on to be an actor, he would perhaps be one of Canada’s greatest athletes. Jay’s lacrosse team visited Hollywood as part of a tournament in 1938. He was known for his big mouth and his witty nature. On the trip to Hollywood Joe E. Brown discovered him. Brown told him that he had a future in the movies. He joined the Actor’s Guild and began working as an extra.
He went on to make thirty movies and just as the fad of television dawned on the world, Jay Silverheels landed a role people would never forget. He was cast as Tonto in "The Lone Ranger." He founded the Indian Actor’s Workshop in 1963; he was personally involved with helping other Aboriginal actors get noticed in Hollywood (Lucas).
Ruby Keeler was born August 25, 1909 in Halifax, Nova Scotia to Irish-Canadian parents. She was one of Hollywood’s brightest stars from the "Golden Age" of filmmaking. Ruby was supported in her talents at an early age. Her talent was so obvious that she attended the Professional Children’s School in New York. At the age of twelve she enrolled at the Jack Blue School of Rhythm and Taps. She became a regular child performer in stage shows.
In the 1920s Ruby began dancing in clubs and theatres and was a favorite of the audiences. She danced for New York’s best society and was discovered by Texas Guinan. She was cast in "Bye Bye Bonnie" at the age of sixteen. She was later cast in the "Sidewalks of New York" along with Al Jolson, the star of the first "talkie" and an unknown comedian, Lester Hope, who would later be known as Bob Hope (Warren).
Ruby’s first film was a two-minute short called "42nd Street." Keeler signed a contract with Warner Brothers. Al Jolson was also under contract with Warner Brothers; soon he and Ruby were married. He was forty-six and Ruby was eighteen. After the release of "42nd Street," Ruby shied away from the public and little is known about her life for the next decade. However, her family did not hesitate to point out that Jolson never let her go anywhere without a chaperone from her family. He was regarded as jealous and possessive. In 1939, they divorced and Keeler's career was over after just nine films. Ruby died in 1993 at her home in California after a battle with cancer ("Britannica.com").
The Canadian film industry encompasses a large number of actors, writers, directors and organizations. There is a wealth of knowledge in the study of the talented affiliated with the growing, lucrative industry.
Bibliography
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