Gaston Méliès
Encyclopedia
Gaston Méliès was the brother of the more-famous French
film director Georges Méliès
. He also produced and directed a large number of early films in the United States.
Gaston and the third and elder Méliès brother, Henri, ran the family shoe factory in Paris
. They landed a contract with the French War Ministry that looked to make them both wealthy. Unfortunately, the price of leather
increased sharply, and they were unable to meet their costs. The factory shut down and the Méliès lost their business.
Georges Méliès had produced films in France
, which had become popular around the world. Some distributors
began pirating
Méliès work, especially in the United States
. Méliès asked his brother Gaston to go the United States and guard Méliès copyright
s.
Gaston Méliès arrived in New York City
in 1902, formed the Star Film Company
and began distributing his brother's films . By 1903, Gaston began making films himself, mostly documentaries
. The films were not successful. In the summer of 1907, Gaston Méliès returned to France take care of some business with Georges. On September 11, 1907, he married Hortense-Louise de Mirmont, an elder sister of Lucien Reulos' wife, who was one of Georges Méliès' first collaborators.; The new couple left Paris a few days after their marriage and travelled from Le Havre to New York on the ship "La Savoie", where they arrived September 28, 1907.
In need of warmer winters to allow for year round film production, Méliès moved the Star Film Company to San Antonio, Texas
, and leased twenty acres including a two-story house and large barn that became the "Star Film Ranch" movie studio
. He acted in two of his movies playing a priest
in The Immortal Alamo
(1911) and The Kiss of Mary Jane (1911).
In April, 1911, Gaston moved the company to Santa Paula, California
, following the trend of other movie studios to relocate in California
.
In 1912 and 1913 Méliès travelled to the South Pacific
, New Zealand
, Australia
, Southeast Asia
, and Japan
in search of exotic subjects for his films. The films did not capture an audience and by 1913, Méliès stopped production and returned to California to shut down Star Film Company.
Méliès and his wife moved to Corsica
in the winter of 1913. He died in Corsica on April 9, 1915 of "shellfish poisoning." He was buried on April 14, 1915 in Saint-Vincent Cemetery in Montmartre
, Paris
, the tomb belonging to his second wife's family, De Mirmont.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
film director Georges Méliès
Georges Méliès
Georges Méliès , full name Marie-Georges-Jean Méliès, was a French filmmaker famous for leading many technical and narrative developments in the earliest cinema. He was very innovative in the use of special effects...
. He also produced and directed a large number of early films in the United States.
Gaston and the third and elder Méliès brother, Henri, ran the family shoe factory in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. They landed a contract with the French War Ministry that looked to make them both wealthy. Unfortunately, the price of leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
increased sharply, and they were unable to meet their costs. The factory shut down and the Méliès lost their business.
Georges Méliès had produced films in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, which had become popular around the world. Some distributors
Film distributor
A film distributor is a company or individual responsible for releasing films to the public either theatrically or for home viewing...
began pirating
Copyright infringement of audio-visual works
Copyright infringement of audio-visual works, often referred to as piracy or warez, occurs when unauthorized copies are made of music, movies and similar works. Incidence of copyright infringement has grown dramatically since the late 1970s, as technology has facilitated the unauthorized...
Méliès work, especially in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Méliès asked his brother Gaston to go the United States and guard Méliès copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
s.
Gaston Méliès arrived in New York City
New 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...
in 1902, formed the Star Film Company
Star Film Company
The Star Film Company was the American film production division of Georges Méliès' French company Star-Film. The company was managed by Méliès' older brother Gaston Méliès and produced films in New York City, San Antonio, Texas and Santa Paula, California. Star Film Company existed from 1902 to 1913...
and began distributing his brother's films . By 1903, Gaston began making films himself, mostly documentaries
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
. The films were not successful. In the summer of 1907, Gaston Méliès returned to France take care of some business with Georges. On September 11, 1907, he married Hortense-Louise de Mirmont, an elder sister of Lucien Reulos' wife, who was one of Georges Méliès' first collaborators.; The new couple left Paris a few days after their marriage and travelled from Le Havre to New York on the ship "La Savoie", where they arrived September 28, 1907.
In need of warmer winters to allow for year round film production, Méliès moved the Star Film Company to San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, and leased twenty acres including a two-story house and large barn that became the "Star Film Ranch" movie studio
Movie studio
A movie studio is a term used to describe a major entertainment company or production company that has its own privately owned studio facility or facilities that are used to film movies...
. He acted in two of his movies playing a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
in The Immortal Alamo
The Immortal Alamo
The Immortal Alamo was an American silent film produced by Star Film Company, directed by Gaston Melies, and released on May 25, 1911. The Immortal Alamo is the earliest film version of the events surrounding the 1836 Battle of the Alamo. No known copies of the film exist today, and it is...
(1911) and The Kiss of Mary Jane (1911).
In April, 1911, Gaston moved the company to Santa Paula, California
Santa Paula, California
Santa Paula is a city within Ventura County, California, United States. The population was 29,321 at the 2010 census, up from 28,598 at the 2000 census...
, following the trend of other movie studios to relocate in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
In 1912 and 1913 Méliès travelled to the South Pacific
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in search of exotic subjects for his films. The films did not capture an audience and by 1913, Méliès stopped production and returned to California to shut down Star Film Company.
Méliès and his wife moved to Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
in the winter of 1913. He died in Corsica on April 9, 1915 of "shellfish poisoning." He was buried on April 14, 1915 in Saint-Vincent Cemetery in Montmartre
Montmartre
Montmartre is a hill which is 130 metres high, giving its name to the surrounding district, in the north of Paris in the 18th arrondissement, a part of the Right Bank. Montmartre is primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on its summit and as a nightclub district...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, the tomb belonging to his second wife's family, De Mirmont.