Fred J. Balshofer
Encyclopedia
Fred J. Balshofer was an American
pioneer silent film
director
, producer
, screenwriter
, and cinematographer
.
, New York
, Balshofer became interested in the photography business at an early age and eventually worked as a stereoscopic-slide photographer. Drawn to the fledgling motion picture business, from 1905 to 1908 he worked at Lubin Studios
in Philadelphia.
Hired by Adam Kessel of the New York Motion Picture Company, in 1909 Fred Balshofer directed his first film called "Disinherited Son's Loyalty" on which he also served as cinematographer. That same year he directed Davy Crockett - In Hearts United, believed to be the first Davy Crockett
movie ever made. Filming at the time centered mainly around facilities and locations in the Fort Lee, New Jersey
area but within a few years Balshofer moved to the West Coast
as General Manager of the New York Motion Picture Company, directing western films for their subsidiary, Bison Motion Pictures until Thomas H. Ince
joined the studio. By 1916, Balshofer had left Kessel's operation to become president and general manager of the Yorke-Metro studios at 1329 Gordon St. in Hollywood. In the 1920s, he produced and directed films for his own production company.
During his career, Fred Balshofer produced and/or directed more than eighty silent films then, after an unsuccessful attempt at age fifty directing a Spanish language
talkie, he spent the better part of his remaining career working as a studio executive. In 1967 he teamed up with friend and acclaimed cinematographer Arthur C. Miller
to write a significant book on the film industry under the title "One Reel a Week." Published by the University of California Press
, the book chronicled the early history of the motion picture industry, including the shift in location and facilities from the East Coast
to Southern California and the rise of the western film genre.
Fred J. Balshofer died in Calabasas, California
in 1969 and was interred in the Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pioneer silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, and cinematographer
Cinematographer
A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
.
Biography
Born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Balshofer became interested in the photography business at an early age and eventually worked as a stereoscopic-slide photographer. Drawn to the fledgling motion picture business, from 1905 to 1908 he worked at Lubin Studios
Lubin Studios
The Lubin Manufacturing Company, was an American motion picture production company that produced silent films from 1902 to 1916. Lubin films were distributed with a Liberty Bell trademark.-History:...
in Philadelphia.
Hired by Adam Kessel of the New York Motion Picture Company, in 1909 Fred Balshofer directed his first film called "Disinherited Son's Loyalty" on which he also served as cinematographer. That same year he directed Davy Crockett - In Hearts United, believed to be the first Davy Crockett
Davy Crockett
David "Davy" Crockett was a celebrated 19th century American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier and politician. He is commonly referred to in popular culture by the epithet "King of the Wild Frontier". He represented Tennessee in the U.S...
movie ever made. Filming at the time centered mainly around facilities and locations in the Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 35,345. Located atop the Hudson Palisades, the borough is the western terminus of the George Washington Bridge...
area but within a few years Balshofer moved to the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
as General Manager of the New York Motion Picture Company, directing western films for their subsidiary, Bison Motion Pictures until Thomas H. Ince
Thomas H. Ince
Thomas Harper Ince was an American silent film actor, director, screenwriter and producer of more than 100 films and pioneering studio mogul. Known as the "Father of the Western", he invented many mechanisms of professional movie production, introducing early Hollywood to the "assembly line"...
joined the studio. By 1916, Balshofer had left Kessel's operation to become president and general manager of the Yorke-Metro studios at 1329 Gordon St. in Hollywood. In the 1920s, he produced and directed films for his own production company.
During his career, Fred Balshofer produced and/or directed more than eighty silent films then, after an unsuccessful attempt at age fifty directing a Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
talkie, he spent the better part of his remaining career working as a studio executive. In 1967 he teamed up with friend and acclaimed cinematographer Arthur C. Miller
Arthur C. Miller
Arthur Charles Miller, A.S.C. was an acclaimed American cinematographer.-Early life:Born in Roslyn, New York, Arthur Miller began his career at the age of 13, working as an assistant to filmmaker Fred J. Balshofer...
to write a significant book on the film industry under the title "One Reel a Week." Published by the University of California Press
University of California Press
University of California Press, also known as UC Press, is a publishing house associated with the University of California that engages in academic publishing. It was founded in 1893 to publish books and papers for the faculty of the University of California, established 25 years earlier in 1868...
, the book chronicled the early history of the motion picture industry, including the shift in location and facilities from the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
to Southern California and the rise of the western film genre.
Fred J. Balshofer died in Calabasas, California
Calabasas, California
Calabasas is an affluent city in Los Angeles County, California in the western United States. It is located in the hills in the southwestern San Fernando Valley and the Santa Monica Mountains between Woodland Hills, Agoura Hills, West Hills, and Malibu, California. As of the 2010 census, the city...
in 1969 and was interred in the Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery
Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Hollywood Forever Cemetery, originally called Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery, is one of the oldest cemeteries in Los Angeles, California. It is located at 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard in the Hollywood...