The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1914-04-04
The Big "a Of the
Esssnay Company
The Evolution That Has
Placed Anderson in the
Forefront of Filmdom
b@a Features President Carroll aod
Director Bob" DAILY are Getting
Under Way in the Sunny South. -
Nicholas Power Of on Extended Tour
Through Europe and the East.

To trace the evolution by which Gil
bert NJ. Anderson "Broncho Rily.' In
become one of the mast commanding
figures in the business Of producin!
moving picture films, AS well a. ih'
hest-known and most picturesque Of al
the actors whose deeds appear ia tho
celiuloid drama. is TO trace the hsiur.
of the motion picture OF course. wc al
know that he is the big "A" of The Es-
sansy Company. that he has made for
tune out Of il, that he personally man
ages the big studio at Niles. where sixty
high-salaried actors and operators are at
work all the time. putting new dramas
on the films. and we see his face night
fy as Broncho Billy but we want ia
know how he achieved his spectacular
success. II is worth while to see how a
Young fellow, who isn't quite 81 yet, has
done all this
We all know il takes business genius
10 handle opportunity Anderson has the
rare gift 10 know opportunity when h.
sees il. In the first place. he was not
born to the show business His folks
were merchants in Arkansas, largely in
terested in cotton buying As a matter
OF course. he was brought up in that
business. But his tastes did not rnn TO
trade Though he became good Judge
of cotton and acquired d business train
ing that later stood him in good stead.
his mind was elsewhere He was always
acting. Whenever there were amateur
dramatics he always took the leading
part
When he was eighteen the call Of the
stage became too strong to resist. iie
left his Arkansas home for New York
lis first professional engagement behind
hZ tffrl,t { r.. r
its brevity. His job was with minstrel |
show He was what is known as n dunn |
my-put in to fill the stage-and, strictly I
instructed not 10 let out cheep any |
where. But on the second night his en-
tnusiasm mpelled him to Join IN The
chorus He never could sing, ana his |
rtempt was disastrous. He was oif /
he hey and he threw the first icnorl
off lie was promptly mixed off the
stag and fired
Still Anderson stuck to the game He
got on wherever he could no matter in
how small a part and served q thorough
apprenticeship on the New \ ork stage.
Moving pictures were then in their in
fancy. The films then exhibited were 10
more than q taking novelty Sixty sec
ouds was about as long as a single reel
ever ran, and tie films were, Of course
limited TO brief glimpses Of things in
motion A piny III pictures was yet rol
Ne thought of Moving pictures seelned
hen L. have no particular future, and
were perh7pf threntened With extinction
rs an amusement feature as soon as the
iorcl.r wore of. Some one will Wis
on was necessary to put real life into
he business
Anderson had that vision hut he had
ict a cent OF capital He left the stage.
owevrr and took a chunee at odd jobs
osing IN moving picture scenes for the
ldisoT ps"pie The standard wage for a
ay's work was 81 Sometimes b. got
: rs sAaay ~ two days week. and
rbe'iInes zone. But the work put him
I least IL touch with the oGtski iris Of
ne business.
His chance came He made the &C.
unintapef ~ the manager. on him
e labored with his theories on put
ag real stnrieA inio the films in place Of
lcrely Illustrative views. Finally he
iceeeded He persuaded the Edison
eopie 10 prepare and pnt out The
rent Train Robbery" The FIRST attcnpt
f.li real connected story on the
,reen This film ran for fourteen min
fes on unheard Of length for a moving
ctare in those days.
However. what Anderson wanted was
chance for company Of his own He
'uld not break into the Edison concern.
NJ he left it Going to the American
iograpb Company. he helped pur on
Rallies for it. Then he went TO Har-
Davis ut Pittsburgh. Here he found
ensy Of opportunity 10 rise high in the
ecuiiye side Of the business. but still
chance TO get share Of ii for him
II. Davis owned string Of moving
ciure shows. for which be made films
e could see no farther than that
lough Anderson tried hard 10 make him
alize the opportunity for an ipdepend-
t producer Of films. Davis MAS con
nced that he could not market moro |
an bis Own theatres could use
SO Anderson moved on 10 Chicago and |
lied on George X. Spoor. who was then |
gagged III renting hutiHE piciur. ms-
mes to theatefs throughout The conn |
r Spoor saw The merit ~ Audersou
opposition to organize a dramatic corr
ny and put real plays nu the moving
'ture stag. lie liked iir Young mans
thusiasm snd appreciated his Du,nr~
use So the bargain was made SDs1r
iichea HE money with Aniersun's ir
,rity and business insight, aud Is 7
nay was born
Tho hqlf ,,.ri.r.,t .-fi..fc .r, ...f.i. ~