Centaur Film Company

Centaur Film Company
Company type	Independent film production company
Industry	Film production
Founded	1907 in Bayonne, New Jersey, United States
Founder	William Horsley, David Horsley, Charles Gorman
Defunct	1912
Fate	Integrated into Universal Film Manufacturing Company
Headquarters	Bayonne, United States
Area served	United States
Key people	William Horsley, David Horsley, Charles Gorman, Francis Ford, Al Christie, Charles Rosher
Products	Motion pictures (including shorts and comedies)

The Centaur Film Company was an American film production enterprise established in 1907 in Bayonne, New Jersey by brothers William and David Horsley. It holds the distinction of being the first independent film production company in the United States. In 1909, the firm expanded by launching a West Coast division known as the Nestor Film Company, which, in 1911, created Hollywood's inaugural permanent film studio located in Hollywood, California. The company was ultimately integrated into the Universal Film Manufacturing Company in 1912.

History

Established in 1907 by entrepreneur David Horsley alongside his brother William Horsley and screenwriter Charles Gorman, Centaur was recognized as America's earliest independent motion picture producer. Their initial release was a one-reel short titled The Cowboy's Escape, which premiered on September 15, 1908. By 1910, Gorman divested his shares back to the Horsley brothers, with William Horsley assuming responsibility for the company's laboratory operations.

In 1909, cinematographer Charles Rosher became part of Centaur, describing it as a modest workshop-like setup that utilized bathtubs for developing film. Operating with makeshift equipment, the company challenged the dominance of the Motion Picture Patents Company, establishing the Horsleys as trailblazers among independent producers.

Among its prominent talent was actor Francis Ford, who joined around 1908 and inspired his brother John Ford to pursue a career in filmmaking. Additionally, industry innovator Al Christie began his professional journey at Centaur in 1909.

By 1910, Centaur was producing approximately three films each week, including well-received Mutt and Jeff comedy shorts.

West Coast unit

Seeking to overcome unreliable weather conditions on the East Coast and limitations posed by camera technology, David Horsley shifted production to California, facilitating consistent year-round filmmaking.

Nestor Motion Picture Company

Following this move, Centaur's West Coast branch was renamed the Nestor Motion Picture Company. In late 1911, it launched Hollywood’s first dedicated motion picture studio at the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street. Key personnel included David Horsley as general manager, Al Christie overseeing Christie Comedies, and Charles Rosher serving as the full-time cinematographer.

Merger with Universal Pictures

In 1912, the Horsley brothers allied with other independents such as Carl Laemmle’s IMP to establish Universal Pictures, effectively dismantling the Motion Picture Patents Company's monopoly amid disputes like the Latham Loop controversy. The Nestor Studio and Ranch were rebranded as Universal Studios and Universal Ranch (later known as Universal City).

Nestor Studios produced a total of 844 films distributed by Universal Film Manufacturing Company, ranging from The Blazed Trail (1910) through Ain't Nature Wonderful? (1920).

After selling his shares in Universal in 1913, David Horsley founded David Horsley Productions, releasing seventeen films between 1916 and 1919 with distribution handled by Mutual Film and Triangle Distributing Corporation.

By 1915, Universal had centralized its operations at the newly established Universal City (formerly Lankershim). The studio at Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street continued to serve as headquarters for Nestor Comedies. In 1916, the Oak Crest/Nestor/Universal ranch was leased to Lasky; this site remained active for filming under Famous Players/Paramount until 1926.

William Horsley Film Laboratory

In 1916, William Horsley departed from Universal to found the William Horsley Film Laboratory, which later became known as Hollywood Film Laboratory and subsequently Hollywood Film Enterprises. This company focused on processing and printing 35 mm film stock and eventually transitioned into Hollywood Digital Laboratory.

Between the 1930s and 1960s, Hollywood Film Enterprises broadened its scope to include the 16mm and 8mm home movie sectors. It held exclusive distribution rights for Walt Disney cartoons designed for home projection and also provided films from Walter Lantz, Hugh Harman-Rudolf Ising, along with reels featuring Laurel and Hardy, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Hal Roach, Al Christie comedies, and a silent-era Tarzan series. The company withdrew from the home movie market in the 1960s following Disney’s establishment of its own home entertainment division. Later on, it operated under the name Hollywood Film and Video, Inc.

David Horsley Productions

William acted as a silent partner alongside David in "David Horsley Productions" during 1916–1919. This venture produced 17 films listed on IMDb and is believed to have released up to 55 additional titles under "The Centaur Film Company" label within the same timeframe. The Centaur Film Company functioned as a studio based in Bayonne, New Jersey, prior to the launch of Nestor Studios in Hollywood in 1912. After divesting his Universal Pictures shares, David Horsley revived the Centaur brand between 1916 and 1919.

The Centaur Film Company Name

The "Centaur Film Company" brand is credited on 55 films produced from 1916 to 1919, with distribution handled by firms such as Mutual Film (1915–1916) and Triangle Distributing Corporation. Meanwhile, the "Nestor Film Company" name appears on 184 productions spanning 1910 to 1920, released through Universal Film Manufacturing Company. This label was also used for Universal Studios production units responsible for a total of 660 films between 1912 and 1920.

Filmography

Stanley in Darkest Africa, part of the Stanley the African Explorer collection
The Jungle Outcasts
A Kaffir's Gratitude
A Siren of the Jungle
The Rajaks Sacrifice

External links