Comments on: Selig Polyscope Studios

By: Paul K. Sholar

Paul K. Sholar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:19:42 +0000

Do you have any research on the short stretch of time around 1910 when Selig and others shot silent films at Sycamore Grove Park in today’s Highland Park neighborhood? Evidently Boggs’s and Selig’s “Monte Christo” (all prints later destroyed) was partially shot there. Between shoots the actors were known to stay at the newly constructed Mt. Washington Hotel, now used as HQ of the Self-Realization Fellowship.
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Hi Paul, I have no information on that but it’s very interesting. If anyone knows anything they can post it here or contact me. I will also see if I can find anything and if so, let you know.

By: Giovanni Di Simone

Giovanni Di Simone — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:09:35 +0000

Thank you so much for this incredible piece of hollywood history, do you have regular meetings or reunions discussing these findings, projects , please keep me updated, I would love to contribute,
sincerely

Giovanni Di Simone

By: Steve Goldstein

Steve Goldstein — Tue, 26 May 2009 22:21:07 +0000

How far is this site from the former Mixville, also on Glendale Blvd and built by Selig for Tom Mix? It is so sad to see how this man is mostly forgotten now. His niche at the Chapel of the Pines is about an inch and a half long and when we found it, his nameplate had been removed and was in a nearby flower vase. Thanks, as always, Allan for the great research and for sharing with those of us who love this stuff.

A. — Thanks Steve. Mixville is about a mile away from this site. I’ll be doing a post on Mixville in the next couple of weeks. I’ve already been there.

By: Jim Lacy

Jim Lacy — Tue, 26 May 2009 04:19:27 +0000

Wonderful research and pictures Allan, as always. I can easily lose myself reading about this era in film history. There’s another book with a number of pictures of both the Chicago and Edendale studios, with even more film stills, in Kalton Lahue’s 1973 “Motion Picture Pioneer–the Selig Polyscope Company.” But you probably already have it…

A. — Thanks Jim. No, I don’t have that book but it sounds interesting. I’ll try and look for it.

By: Andre

Andre — Mon, 25 May 2009 19:58:12 +0000

Thanks, Allan.
So, that’s what happened to the Selig studio…
I was actually expecting another parking lot, but no, just an empty one.

By: Ginny M

Ginny M — Mon, 25 May 2009 14:21:07 +0000

Two Edendale references within 3 days.! Was reading “The Parade’s Gone By…” and film editor William Hornbeck tells the tale: “My mother was running a hotel in Los Angeles, around 1909, and some movie people came there to take rooms. They told her they were looking for a place to build a studio.
‘Well,’ she said, ‘the nicest place in Los Angeles, where the sun always shines, is out where we live – a place called Edendale. We own some land there.’
Unconsciously, she directed them right to where we lived. They bought some land from us, and eventually built studios there at Allesandro Street……Later, Mack Sennett took them over, and they became the studios of the Keystone Company.”
Now I need a thried reference to keepe the universe in order.

By: Mary

Mary — Sun, 24 May 2009 07:44:25 +0000

Interesting post. You have obviously done the research on this. It can be hard to find decent information about selig. i will bookmark this site and check it out again in the future. thanks

By: Harry Martin

Harry Martin — Sun, 24 May 2009 06:46:32 +0000

*Most* interesting post of something I knew nothing about. As always, you give me insight and information I can find no where else. The postcard and “now” photos (as always) were a wonderful bonus.

Harry

A. — Thanks Harry, Allan

By: Ginny M

Ginny M — Sat, 23 May 2009 11:42:53 +0000

I always wondered where the original studio was. Thanks! Great card – do you happen to know the publisher – so I can add it to my checklist?

A. — Hi Ginny, sorry I don’t know the publisher but perhaps someone does and will post it here. Thanks. — Allan