page_title: Gnome Motion Picture Company
section_title: The Birth of the Gnomes
hierarchical_section_title: Gnome Motion Picture Company / Films / The Birth of the Gnomes
caption_attribution_description: English: A full page ad by the Gnome Motion Picture Company. The ad announces The Birth of the Gnomes. The animated film never saw an actual release.
context_page_description: The Gnome Motion Picture Company was a film production company that is credited with three productions between 1910 and 1911. The purpose of the company to was to produce stories about gnomes. Alice in Funnyland, The Birth of the Gnomes and Alice's New Year's Party were all productions that were most likely never released. Announcements in trade publications ceased in January 1911 and the company treasurer, Frederick Kalmbach, was later sued by the City of New York for taxes. Of the three planned productions, two official synopses were released in The Nickelodeon. Despite no evidence of an actual release, the American Film Institute still recognizes all three films as being released in January 1911.
context_section_description: A published synopsis in The Nickelodeon reads as follows, "An old fairy realizing that her span of life is rapidly drawing to a close, brings to life a new race of people, called the Gnomes, who are governed by a new fairy. When the Gnomes appear, the old fairy informs them that their duties will be to perform acts of kindness to all people of the world. After thus admonishing them, the old fairy disappears, and the Gnomes start upon their career of well doing. Many beautiful acts of kindness are performed in the course of their travels, which is through wonderful scenery and in strange places. In one scene the Gnomes discover an old man bemoaning his fate, and him they magically transform to a youth of great beauty. Many other acts of kindness are performed, all of great interest. Finally, the band of Gnomes discover a balloon, and the fairy queen being helped into the basket by the Gnomes, is last seen flying away watched by her adoring subjects." The film was billed at being 1000 feet in length and having a set release for December 12, 1910. Though an announcement stated that the release would be delayed to "Christmas week". No release was ever confirmed in any trade publication after it was delayed into January 1911.
caption: An advertisement for The Birth of the Gnomes.
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