Kalem Company

Kalem Company
Company type	Private
Industry	Film production
Founded	1907 in New York City, United States
Founder	George Kleine, Samuel Long, Frank J. Marion
Defunct	1917
Fate	Acquired by Vitagraph Studios
Successor	Vitagraph Studios
Headquarters	New York City, United States
Area served	United States, Ireland, Egypt, Palestine, Germany
Key people	Sidney Olcott (President), Frank J. Marion, Samuel Long, George Kleine
Products	Films, film serials

The Kalem Company emerged as one of the pioneering American film studio enterprises, established in New York City in 1907. It distinguished itself early on by producing films internationally and setting up seasonal production sites, initially in Florida and subsequently in California. In 1917, Kalem was absorbed by Vitagraph Studios.

Formation and history

The studio was created by business figures George Kleine, Samuel Long, and Frank J. Marion, with its name reflecting the initials K, L, and M from their surnames. Kalem became part of the Motion Picture Patents Company, a dominant force controlling film production and distribution at the time. Marion and Long brought prior experience from Biograph Studios, while Kleine, a Chicago-based film distributor, contributed financial backing before eventually selling his stake at a profit as the company expanded.

Operating out of a modest loft located at 131 West 24th Street in New York City, Kalem recruited Sidney Olcott—formerly of Biograph—as general manager and director. Olcott assumed the role of president and became a shareholder. Without investing in indoor studio facilities, Kalem specialized in shooting on location. Their inaugural film, The Sleigh Belle, released in February 1907, achieved early success during a period when Biograph's output was diminishing.

Olcott leadership

Under the guidance of Olcott, Kalem produced significant works such as the earliest film adaptation of Ben Hur and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Olcott also played a key role in launching actress Alice Joyce’s career with the 1910 release The Deacon's Daughter.

Kalem encountered legal difficulties after creating Ben Hur without obtaining proper rights, leading to a pivotal 1911 U.S. Supreme Court decision against them in Kalem Co. v. Harper Bros.. The resulting $25,000 settlement highlighted the growing necessity for securing intellectual property rights within the film industry.

In 1910, Kalem broke new ground by filming abroad in Ireland. Olcott led a small crew including lead actress and screenwriter Gene Gauntier and cameraman George Hollister. They produced A Lad from Old Ireland around Cork and other scenic films like The Irish Honeymoon, shot at prominent Irish landmarks. The group also completed shoots in Germany before returning to Ireland for numerous additional projects—earning the nickname "O'Kalems" for their prolific Irish productions totaling 22 films.

Plans to establish a permanent studio in Beaufort, County Kerry were interrupted by World War I after Olcott departed Kalem to pursue independent filmmaking ventures.

Building on their Irish accomplishments, Frank J. Marion spearheaded an ambitious filming expedition to Egypt and Palestine, creating approximately thirty films from their Luxor base. This included melodramatic titles such as An Arabian Tragedy alongside documentaries portraying life along the Nile.

Their most notable production was From the Manger to the Cross, the first five-reel feature portraying the life of Jesus Christ. This film is recognized as a landmark silent-era depiction of Christ’s story and was inducted into the U.S. National Film Registry in 1998.

Kalem further advanced year-round filmmaking by launching winter studios in Florida staffed by key personnel including Olcott, Hollister, Gauntier, Clark, Vignola, McGowan, Hollister, and Eastcourt—strengthening its market position through geographic diversification.

Expansion

During the autumn of 1910, Kalem initiated the development of new studio sites. In November, William Wright, the company's treasurer, was dispatched to the West Coast to assess a potential permanent facility for producing Western genre films. Upon receiving approval, he secured land in Verdugo Canyon, Glendale, California, and sent a production team under director Kenean Buel from New York City. This group featured prominent performers such as Alice Joyce, George Melford, Jane Wolfe, Frank Lanning, Howard Oswald, Frank Brady, Knute Rahmn, Francelia Billington, and Daisy Smith.

Due to the rising popularity of Western films, Kalem established a second Californian studio in Santa Monica in 1911. This location signed actors including Ruth Roland, Marin Sais, Ed Coxen, and Marshall Neilan. Over time, the Santa Monica studio shifted its focus primarily to comedy productions.

In December 1912, following successful aerial filming trials, Kalem deployed a troupe led by J. P. McGowan to Birmingham, Alabama. They took residence and utilized an outdoor stage at the Bluff Park Hotel on Shades Mountain, tapping into a market briefly explored earlier by Lubin Manufacturing Company.

Kalem maintained operations at both Glendale and Santa Monica studios until October 1913 when it purchased the Essanay Studios site at 1425 Fleming Street (currently Hoover Street) in East Hollywood.

Notable serials

In November 1914, Kalem introduced The Hazards of Helen, a serial comprising 119 episodes released weekly through February 1917. Each installment presented an independent narrative, resembling more a film series than a continuous serial. Helen Holmes starred as "Helen," performing most of her own stunts during the initial 26 episodes before departing alongside director J. P. McGowan to establish their own production company; their partnership eventually led to marriage. Directional responsibilities were then assumed by J. Gunnis Davis (credited as James Davis), with Elsie McLeod stepping in for episodes 27 through 49 until Helen Gibson took over the leading role for the remaining episodes.

Building on this achievement, Kalem produced another action-adventure serial titled The Ventures of Marguerite, consisting of 16 episodes released starting in October 1915 and featuring Marguerite Courtot in the lead.

Final changes

Sidney Olcott resigned in autumn 1912 to pursue opportunities with independent firms. Allan Dwan and Mary Pickford briefly collaborated with Kalem; Pickford even directed several films during 1913. Over subsequent years, Kalem engaged notable directors such as Robert Vignola, J. P. McGowan, George Melford, James W. Horne, William Beaudine, Harry F. Millarde, and Robert Ellis. By 1917, after producing close to 1,500 films, Kalem was acquired by Vitagraph Studios.

Notable figures of Kalem

Frank J. Marion
Samuel S. Long
George Kleine
Sidney Olcott
Robert G. Vignola
Joe Santley
Gene Gauntier
Jack J. Clark
Arthur Donaldson
J.P. McGowan
George K. Hollister
Alice Hollister
George Melford
Kenean Buel
Allen Farnham
Alice Joyce
Miriam Cooper
Carlyle Blackwell
Marshall Neilan
Helen Holmes
Agnes Mapes
Ruth Roland
Lloyd Hamilton
Marin Sais
Louis Kalem (deceased 1944 in Bologna, Italy)

Filmography

The Sleigh Belle (1907) – Kalem's inaugural production
Ben Hur (1907)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1909)
The Octoroon (1909)
The Seminole's Vengeance (1909)
A Florida Feud
A Poor Wife's Devotion (1909)
The Mystic Swing (1909)
A Pig in a Poke (1909)
The Little Angel of Roaring Springs (1909)
The Old Soldier's Story (1908)
A Priest of the Wilderness (1909), illustrating Father Jogues’ mission among the Iroquois
Mardi Gras in Havana (1998)
The Drummer Girl of Vicksburg (1912)
The Confederate Ironclad (1912)
The Deacon's Daughter (1910), marking Alice Joyce’s debut
A Lad from Old Ireland, filmed on location in Cork
The Irish Honeymoon
The Little Spreewald Maiden, shot in Germany
Rory O'More
The Vagabonds (1912)
You Remember Ellen
The Colleen Bawn
An Arabian Tragedy
Captured by Bedouins
Tragedy of the Desert
A Prisoner of the Harem
From the Manger to the Cross, depicting the life of Jesus Christ
The Hazards of Helen, serial production
The Ventures of Marguerite, serial production
The Japanese Invasion (1909), inspired by An Englishman's House
A Child of the Sea (1909)
The Omnibus Taxicab (1909)
$5000 Reward (1909)
Love's Triumphs (1909)
The Drunkard's Daughter'

References

Notes

Further reading

Tracy, Tony (2016) Outside the System: Gene Gauntier and the Consolidation of Early American Cinema, published in Film History, Vol. 28, No. 1, pages 71–106
Michel Derrien, Aux origines du cinéma irlandais: Sidney Olcott, le premier oeil, TIR 2013

Film

Première passion, a documentary from 2009 about From the Manger to the Cross, directed by Philippe Baron; France; duration: 55 minutes; produced by Vivement lundi!

External links