Conquest Pictures
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film production |
| Predecessor | Thomas A. Edison, Inc. |
| Founded | 1917 |
| Defunct | 1918 |
| Fate | Discontinued; holdings sold to Lincoln and Parker Film Company |
Key people | Anna M. Callan |
| Parent | Thomas A. Edison, Inc. |
Conquest Pictures was established in 1917 as a film production division within Thomas A. Edison, Inc., focusing on content tailored for children and family audiences. The studio specialized in adapting literary works by authors such as Robert Louis Stevenson and Richard Harding Davis. Under the leadership of Anna M. Callan, its movies were circulated through the George Kleine System. The production unit was discontinued in 1918 when Edison withdrew from the motion picture business, leading to the sale of its holdings.
Background
The inaugural release from Conquest premiered on July 14, 1917. Its operational strategy featured weekly distributions comprising seven reels: a principal 4-reel feature, a 1-reel comedic short, a travelogue segment, and a newsreel. These programs were promoted primarily to educators and family groups, with endorsement from women's clubs that supported morally sound entertainment.
In February 1918, Conquest placed advertisements in the Boy Scouts of America publication Boys Life, branding its productions as "Every Boy's Library of the Motion Picture World," highlighting its focus market and marketing approach.
During World War I, Edison's film branch encountered significant financial challenges amid fierce competition. In 1918, the Lincoln and Parker Film Company based in Worcester, Massachusetts purchased Edison’s film properties and footage, including those produced by Conquest, signaling Edison’s strategic exit from the industry.
Conquest Program #2
- Knights of the Square Table, cinematic rendition of a story by James A. Wilder
- Farmer Al Falfa & His Wayward Pup, an animated short featuring a farmer who smokes a pipe and his mischievous puppy
- Your Flag and My Flag, brief film visualizing the poem "Your Flag and My Flag"
- What Form Means to an Athlete, documentary focusing on musculature and physical fitness
- The Story of the Willow Plate, based on a traditional Chinese legend
Conquest Program #4
- The Half Back, adaptation of a tale by Ralph Henry Barbour
- The Boy Who Cried Wolf, narrative about a youth uncovering espionage activities by a German spy
- Playing in Florida, feature highlighting affluent travelers relocating to Florida
- Crystals in Formation, film exploring the process of crystal development
- Joy Riders of the Ocean, documentary covering remora fish and turtle fishing practices in the West Indies
- In Love's Laboratory, story depicting the invention of the safety match alongside a romantic subplot
Conquest Program #7
- T. Haviland Hicks, Freshman, portraying freshman year antics and hazing attempts
- Gallegher, adaptation from Gallegher, and other stories about a newspaper copy boy detective inspired by Sherlock Holmes
- Turning Out Silver Bullets, short documentary detailing coin minting processes
- Young Salts, feature on daily life at Culver Military Academy
- The Holy Land, travelogue presenting local landscapes and customs
Conquest Program #9
- Kidnapped, film version of Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Kidnapped
- Friends, Romans and Leo, comedic piece set in ancient Rome’s lion arenas
- Quaint Provincetown on Cape Cod, feature showcasing this historic village with its monuments and pilgrim heritage
- Microscopic Pond Life, brief documentary examining microscopic organisms found in ponds
- Little Red Riding Hood, silhouette animation retelling the classic children’s story
Stop motion shorts
At least three stop motion short films were created by Willis O'Brien for Conquest Pictures:
- The Dinosaur and the Missing Link: A Prehistoric Tragedy, a 3-minute comedic stop motion piece involving caveman suitors, a dinosaur, and an ape-like creature
- Prehistoric Poultry: The Dinornis or Great Roaring Whiffenproof, a 2-minute stop motion short featuring interactions between cavemen and a dinosaur
- R.F.D. 10,000 B.C., a 4-minute stop motion film illustrating everyday life of cavemen
Other
- Gold and Diamond Mines of South Africa, part of the Edison films collection housed in the Library of Congress
An advertisement promoting wholesome story submissions showcased examples adapted by Conquest, including:
- Jack Ballister's Fortune by Howard Pyle
- A cinematic rendition of Mary Shipman Andrews' story The Star Spangled Banner from her collection Old Glory
- Works authored by Kirk Munroe
A separate promotional piece targeting libraries equipped with film apparatus or cinema affiliations featured further Conquest productions such as:
- A Vanishing Race, filmed on location at the Blackfoot Indian Reservation (1917)