Centaur Film Company
Encyclopedia
Centaur Film Company - Nestor Studios
merged with Universal Studios
in 1912.
met a former employee of Biograph Studios
, Charles Gorman, and along with his brother William Horsley (1870–1956), they formed the Centaur Film Company in a converted store.
By 1910, their operation was producing three movies a week, including the Mutt and Jeff
comedies.
"Film Stars Silent: After brief stage experience, Francis Ford
, older brother of famed director John Ford
, joined the Centaur film company in 1908." (by Roy Liebman)
"Frustrated, and realizing that California afforded the opportunity to make films year round, David Horsley moved his operations to the west coast." Company name changed to Nestor Motion Picture Company.
and Gower Street
. With Horsley was Al Christie
who served as General Manager and in charge of Christie Comedies plus Charles Rosher
who lent his expertise as the studio's full-time cameraman.
and his Independent Motion Picture Company, known as IMPS, Swanson and Ed Porter) founded Universal Picture Company in 1912, and succeeded in defeating the monopolistic hold on the industry of the Patents Company and General Film Company (the famous Latham Loop controversy).
Nestor Studio and Nestor Ranch ranch location renamed by Carl laemmle. They become Universal Studios, and the Universal Ranch ( First Universal City
) see "Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills
Film History"
Nestor Studios name appeared on (844 films) - The Blazed Trail (1910) - Nestor Film Company to Ain't Nature Wonderful? (1920) distributor: Universal Film Manufacturing Company (1920)
1913, David Horsley - sold his Universal shares and started David Horsley Productions (17 films between) 1916 to 1919. Pictures released by different film distributors ( Mutual Film (1915-(1916 - Triangle Distributing Corporation)
until 1926.
, Christie Comedies leased part of the Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street property.
William was David's silent partner
in "David Horsley Productions" (1916 to 1919) 17 films between) 1916 to 1919 listed in the Internet Movie Data base (IMDB) and possibly the 55 films (1916 to 1919) released using "The Centaur Film Company" Name. "Centaur Film Company", as a film studio appears to have existed in Bayonne, New Jersey, until the opening of Nestor Studios Hollywood in 1912. The name used again (1916 to 1919, by David Horsley after he sold his shares in Universal Pictures
.
The "Nestor Film Company" name appears on 184 films (1910 to 1920) - Pictures released by Universal Film Manufacturing Company : Santa Monica Road Race
(1912)
The "Nestor Film Company" was used as the name of a UnIversal Studios Production units - 660 productions - Universal Film Manufacturing Company (1912–1920
William Horsley Papers (Collection Number 540). Department of Special Collections
, Charles E. Young Research Library
, UCLA.
Includes photographs of Horsley, Nestor Motion Picture Company staff, and the opening of Universal Studios. Journals, including Motive Power, feature biographical accounts of Horsley.
Nestor Studios
The Nestor Motion Picture Company was a motion picture studio/production company located in Bayonne, New Jersey, and Hollywood, California, which was owned and operated by David Horsley and his brother, William Horsley....
merged with Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
in 1912.
Formation
David HorsleyDavid Horsley
David Horsley was an English born pioneer of the movie industry who built the first movie studio in Hollywood....
met a former employee of Biograph Studios
Biograph Studios
Biograph Studios was a studio facility and film laboratory complex built in 1912 by the Biograph Company, formerly American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, at 807 E. 175th Street, in the Bronx, New York....
, Charles Gorman, and along with his brother William Horsley (1870–1956), they formed the Centaur Film Company in a converted store.
By 1910, their operation was producing three movies a week, including the Mutt and Jeff
Mutt and Jeff
Mutt and Jeff was a long-popular American newspaper comic strip created by cartoonist Bud Fisher in 1907 about "two mismatched tinhorns." It is commonly regarded as the first daily comic strip. The concept of a newspaper strip featuring recurring characters in multiple panels on a six-day-a-week...
comedies.
"Film Stars Silent: After brief stage experience, Francis Ford
Francis Ford (actor)
Francis Ford was a prolific film actor, writer, and director. He was the older brother of film director John Ford. He also appeared in many of John Ford's movies, including Young Mr. Lincoln and The Quiet Man.He starred in the 1912 two-reeler The Deserter by Thomas H. Ince and acted in over 400...
, older brother of famed director John Ford
John Ford
John Ford was an American film director. He was famous for both his westerns such as Stagecoach, The Searchers, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and adaptations of such classic 20th-century American novels as The Grapes of Wrath...
, joined the Centaur film company in 1908." (by Roy Liebman)
Move to The West Coast
"However, weather conditions on the east coast made filming an uncertain proposition because camera technology at the time relied on sunshine.""Frustrated, and realizing that California afforded the opportunity to make films year round, David Horsley moved his operations to the west coast." Company name changed to Nestor Motion Picture Company.
Nestor Studios Hollywood
In the fall of 1911, the Nestor Motion Picture Company opened the first motion picture studio in Hollywood in the Blondeau Tavern building at the corner of Sunset BoulevardSunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades...
and Gower Street
Gower Street
Gower Street may refer to:*Gower Street *Gower Street...
. With Horsley was Al Christie
Al Christie
Al Christie was a Canadian-born motion picture director, producer and screenwriter.-Career:Born Alfred Ernest Christie, in London, Ontario, Canada, he was one of a number of Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood who made their way to Hollywood, California, attracted by the newly developing motion...
who served as General Manager and in charge of Christie Comedies plus Charles Rosher
Charles Rosher
Charles Rosher, A.S.C. was a two-time Academy Award-winning cinematographer who worked from the early days of silent films through the 1950s...
who lent his expertise as the studio's full-time cameraman.
1912 Merged with Universal Pictures
He and his brother, along with other independents (notably Carl LaemmleCarl Laemmle
Carl Laemmle , born in Laupheim, Württemberg, Germany, was a pioneer in American film making and a founder of one of the original major Hollywood movie studios - Universal...
and his Independent Motion Picture Company, known as IMPS, Swanson and Ed Porter) founded Universal Picture Company in 1912, and succeeded in defeating the monopolistic hold on the industry of the Patents Company and General Film Company (the famous Latham Loop controversy).
Nestor Studio and Nestor Ranch ranch location renamed by Carl laemmle. They become Universal Studios, and the Universal Ranch ( First Universal City
Universal City, California
Universal City is a community in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, that encompasses the 415 acre property of Universal Studios...
) see "Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills
Hollywood Hills
The Hollywood Hills is an affluent and exclusive neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, in the southeastern Santa Monica Mountains. It is bound by Laurel Canyon Boulevard to the west, Vermont Avenue to the east, Mulholland Drive to the north, and Sunset Boulevard to the south.-Hollywood Hills...
Film History"
Nestor Studios name appeared on (844 films) - The Blazed Trail (1910) - Nestor Film Company to Ain't Nature Wonderful? (1920) distributor: Universal Film Manufacturing Company (1920)
1913, David Horsley - sold his Universal shares and started David Horsley Productions (17 films between) 1916 to 1919. Pictures released by different film distributors ( Mutual Film (1915-(1916 - Triangle Distributing Corporation)
Universal Moves "The Moving Picture World"
By 1915, Universal completed the moved its operations (Nestor/ Universal ranch and studio) to the new Universal City (Lankershism), The Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street studio continued as the production location for Nestor Comedies ( Nestor production unit). In 1916 the Oak Crest/Nestor/Universal ranch is leased by Lasky. The Lasky/Famous Players/Paramountl Ranch remained as filming locationFilming location
A filming location is a place where some or all of a film or television series is produced, in addition to or instead of using sets constructed on a movie studio backlot or soundstage...
until 1926.
Christie Comedies leases vacated Universal Hollywood Plant
Al Christie was employed at universal after the merger of Nestor Studios into Universal . Soon after, Al Christie became unhappy working for Uncle Carl, he left Universal to form his own production companyProduction company
A production company provides the physical basis for works in the realms of the performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, and video.- Tasks and functions :...
, Christie Comedies leased part of the Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street property.
Hollywood Film Enterprises- Bill Horsley Laboratory
In 1916 William Horsley withdrew from the Universal company and set up the Bill Horsley Laboratory, later known as Hollywood Film Enterprises, Inc., devoted exclusively to the developing and printing of 35 mm. films.William was David's silent partner
Partnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.Since humans are social beings, partnerships between individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments, and varied combinations thereof, have always been and remain commonplace...
in "David Horsley Productions" (1916 to 1919) 17 films between) 1916 to 1919 listed in the Internet Movie Data base (IMDB) and possibly the 55 films (1916 to 1919) released using "The Centaur Film Company" Name. "Centaur Film Company", as a film studio appears to have existed in Bayonne, New Jersey, until the opening of Nestor Studios Hollywood in 1912. The name used again (1916 to 1919, by David Horsley after he sold his shares in Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
.
The Centaur Film Company Name
The "Centaur Film Company" name appears on 55 films (1916 to 1919) - Pictures released by different film distributors ( Mutual Film (1915–1916 )- Triangle Distributing Corporation)The "Nestor Film Company" name appears on 184 films (1910 to 1920) - Pictures released by Universal Film Manufacturing Company : Santa Monica Road Race
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
(1912)
The "Nestor Film Company" was used as the name of a UnIversal Studios Production units - 660 productions - Universal Film Manufacturing Company (1912–1920
William Horsley Papers (Collection Number 540). Department of Special Collections
Special collections
In library science, special collections is the name applied to a specific repository or department, usually within a library, which stores materials of a "special" nature, including rare books, archives, and collected manuscripts...
, Charles E. Young Research Library
Research library
A research library is a library which contains an in-depth collection of material on one or several subjects . A research library will generally include primary sources as well as secondary sources...
, UCLA.
Includes photographs of Horsley, Nestor Motion Picture Company staff, and the opening of Universal Studios. Journals, including Motive Power, feature biographical accounts of Horsley.
- Motography, vol.13 no.1, January 2, 1915. pp. 17–18. Article describing William Horsley's role in the establishment of Universal City
- International Photographer, March-April 1934,
- National Photographic Dealer, August 1943. Issue features William Horsley on the occasion of his 36th year in business.