James Dixon Williams
Encyclopedia
James Dixon Williams was an early film producer
who started First National Pictures Corporation in 1917 with Thomas L. Tally. He signed a $1,000,000 contract with Charles Chaplin for 8 pictures, the largest dollar contract signed at the time.
Williams was born in Ceredo, West Virginia
most likely to and Harriett and O. H. Williams. He worked in live theater, selling tickets and later playing the house organ. He then worked as a traveling picture showman. From around 1897 until 1908 he toured with his show across the United States, ending up in Spokane
, Seattle, and Vancouver
. He went to Australia in 1910, and in 1912, he opened Luna Park
in Melbourne (illuminated by 15,000 electric lights, 22,300 people came on the first night). Live entertainment was the main attraction with high wire artists, trick cyclists, unicyclists and others. He married Ethel Hope in 1916. Williams started First National Pictures Corporation in 1917.
He died in Manhattan Hospital in 1934.
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...
who started First National Pictures Corporation in 1917 with Thomas L. Tally. He signed a $1,000,000 contract with Charles Chaplin for 8 pictures, the largest dollar contract signed at the time.
Williams was born in Ceredo, West Virginia
Ceredo, West Virginia
Ceredo is a city in Wayne County, West Virginia, along the Ohio River. The population was 1,675 at the 2000 census. Ceredo is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 288,649.The city is also near the location of...
most likely to and Harriett and O. H. Williams. He worked in live theater, selling tickets and later playing the house organ. He then worked as a traveling picture showman. From around 1897 until 1908 he toured with his show across the United States, ending up in Spokane
Spokane
Spokane is a city in the U.S. state of Washington.Spokane may also refer to:*Spokane *Spokane River*Spokane, Missouri*Spokane Valley, Washington*Spokane County, Washington*Spokane-Coeur d'Alene-Paloos War*Spokane * USS Spokane...
, Seattle, and Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. He went to Australia in 1910, and in 1912, he opened Luna Park
Luna Park, Melbourne
For other amusement parks of the same name, see Luna Park; for other uses of the phrase, see Luna Park Melbourne's Luna Park is a historic amusement park located on the foreshore of Port Phillip Bay in St Kilda, Victoria, an inner suburb of Melbourne, Australia...
in Melbourne (illuminated by 15,000 electric lights, 22,300 people came on the first night). Live entertainment was the main attraction with high wire artists, trick cyclists, unicyclists and others. He married Ethel Hope in 1916. Williams started First National Pictures Corporation in 1917.
He died in Manhattan Hospital in 1934.