Independent Moving Pictures

Independent Moving Pictures Company

Company type	Private
Industry	Film production
Founded	1909
Founder	Carl Laemmle
Defunct	1912
Fate	Merged into Universal Film Manufacturing Company
Headquarters	New York City , United States
Area served	United States
Key people	Carl Laemmle (founder and president)
Products	Films

The Independent Moving Pictures Company (IMP) was a film production and studio enterprise established in 1909 by Carl Laemmle. Headquartered in New York City with production operations located in Fort Lee, New Jersey, IMP combined forces in 1912 with several other firms to create the Universal Film Manufacturing Company, which eventually became Universal Pictures, appointing Laemmle as its president.

History

IMP was created by Carl Laemmle in 1909, operating from 573 11th Ave, New York City, and maintained a studio facility in Fort Lee, New Jersey.

The company’s debut film was Hiawatha, a one-reel drama featuring Gladys Hulette, inspired by Longfellow’s poem. During an era when actors remained unnamed publicly, IMP distinguished itself by promoting artists such as Florence Lawrence and King Baggot as the earliest movie celebrities, providing them with screen credits and marketing support, thereby playing a crucial role in the development of the star system.

IMP was instrumental among independent producers who opposed the dominance of the Motion Picture Patents Company (MPPC), commonly known as the Trust, which held control over patents and film distribution. Under Laemmle’s leadership, independents utilized unauthorized equipment and film stock to circumvent MPPC’s constraints. In 1910, IMP allied with other independents to establish the Motion Picture Distributing and Sales Company, with Laemmle serving as president. Despite facing legal disputes initiated by the Trust concerning patent violations, IMP emerged victorious.

By 1910, IMP had extended its reach to Los Angeles by setting up a Hollywood studio at the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street—later nicknamed "Gower Gulch" due to its association with Western-themed productions.

The Motion Picture Distributing and Sales Company ceased operations by mid-1912 as producers explored alternative distribution channels. On June 10, 1912, IMP’s holdings were incorporated into the newly formed Universal Film Manufacturing Company, which continued to resist the Edison Trust’s influence. Although IMP was formally dissolved as a corporation, its brand name persisted for productions overseen by Laemmle.

In 1913, Jack Cohn managed production activities at IMP’s New York facility; he and his brother Harry Cohn were responsible for producing Traffic in Souls. The Cohn siblings along with Joe Brandt eventually departed from IMP to found Columbia Pictures.

Selected filmography

• The Broken Oath (1910)
• You Saved My Life (1910)
• Their First Misunderstanding (1911)
• The Dream (1911)
• Artful Kate (1911)
• Pictureland (1911)
• Sweet Memories (1911)
• The Bridal Room (1912)
• A Millionaire for a Day (1912)
• Gold Is Not All (1913)
• Ivanhoe (1913)
• Traffic in Souls (1913)
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1913)

External links

• Fort Lee Film Commission
• Film History Before 1920
• Independent Moving Pictures Company at the Internet Movie Database
• IMP Film Archive at the Silent Film Channel