Chicago Silent Film Era Had Its Beginnings on the North Side

Chicago was a major influence during the silent film era producing movies with huge stars like Charlie Chaplin, Edna Mayo, and Max Linder, and the Uptown and Edgewater neighborhoods were the very epicenters.

Essanay Studios was located at 1333-45 W. Argyle Street (just east of Clark Street) in 1908.  The building today is part of St. Augustine College.

The name Essanay was a mashup of the first initial of the last names of the founders Spoor and Anderson, “S and A.”

Another production company Vogue Comedies was headquartered at 6225 N. Broadway where a McDonalds Hamburger is now located.

Film distributors, a number of cinemas and several smaller businesses that provided graphic arts and manufactured or provided projectors and other industry related equipment were also located in the area.

The south end of the Loop downtown housed many film industry sales and distribution people as well as talent agents and executive producers.

Wabash between Adams and Jackson, and particularly the Mahler Building were hubs of movie-related activity.

Nickelodians and arcades could be found on the south end of State Street while Randolph Street on the north end of The Loop had a bevy of movie houses. This area was sometimes referred to as “Chicago’s Rialto” which eluded to its being the very picture of human activity and opulence.

The motion picture trade journal “Motography” was published out of the Monadnock Building between Jackson and VanBuren Streets.

I assume the term “Motography” referenced Motion Picture Photography.

During World War One (WWI) motion pictures were just coming into their own and the war department was beginning to see the potential benefit as both an entertainment and education medium.

Eventually many in the film industry were pressed into military service.

Even Chicago’s own Essanay Studios employees organized themselves into a reserve troop who trained and drilled in-and-around the studio in preparation for potential combat service.

Chicago had advantages as a film distribution center because of its central location and access to transportation but in a few short years, the movie industry moved west to Los Angeles where there was plenty of much-needed sunshine and warm weather, as early film production required a lot of light which was difficult and costly to produce artificially.

Enjoy this trailer for Sherlock Holmes performed onscreen by William Gillette, the actor most associated with the role having performed it over one thousand times on stage by the time this version was produced at Essanay Studios in 1916 giving millions of individuals a chance to see his stunning interpretation.

A few of the remnants from this era have left their shadow in Chicago but it would be about sixty years before the city began once again producing movies in any meaningful way.

Look for our interview with Michael Corcoran a/k/a Mike Hollywood, co-author of “Hollywood on the Lake” Second Edition who talks about Chicago Cinema circa 1970’s and beyond.

Silent film era artifacts and exhibit at Chicago History Museum.