Majestic Pictures was an American

film production Filmmaking (film production) is the process by which a motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, starting with an initial story, idea, or commission. It then continues through screenwriting, casti ...

and

distribution Distribution may refer to: Mathematics *Distribution (mathematics), generalized functions used to formulate solutions of partial differential equations *Probability distribution, the probability of a particular value or value range of a varia ...

company active during the 1930s. Under the control of

Larry Darmour Lawrence J. Darmour (1895–1942) was an American film producer, operator of Larry Darmour Productions from 1927, and a significant figure in Hollywood's Poverty Row. Career Darmour was born in Flushing, Queens. In September 1927 he released th ...

the company specialized in low-budget production, and was one of the more stable

Poverty Row Poverty Row is a slang term used to refer to Hollywood films produced from the 1920s to the 1950s by small (and mostly short-lived) B movie studios. Although many of them were based on (or near) today's Gower Street in Hollywood, the term did n ...

outfits during the period. It also gained a reputation for producing higher quality films than was common amongst similar firms, possibly due to a business arrangement the company had with the

major studio Major film studios are production and distribution companies that release a substantial number of films annually and consistently command a significant share of box office revenue in a given market. In the American and international markets, t ...

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...

History

The first film released by Majestic was the 1930 drama ''

Today Today (archaically to-day) may refer to: * Day of the present, the time that is perceived directly, often called ''now'' * Current era, present * The current calendar date Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Today'' (1930 film), a 1930 ...

''.Pitts p.223 In 1935, along with other studios such as

Monogram A monogram is a motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other graphemes to form one symbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbols or logos. A series ...

and Chesterfield, Majestic was absorbed into

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures Corporation (currently held under Melange Pictures, LLC) was an American motion picture production-distribution corporation in operation from 1935 to 1967, that was based in Los Angeles. It had studio facilities in Studio City an ...

. The larger combine led by

Herbert Yates Herbert John Yates (August 24, 1880 – February 3, 1966) was the founder and president of Republic Pictures, who had western stars John Wayne, Gene Autry, and Roy Rogers under contract. Between the years 1935 and 1959, Republic, under Yates' l ...

aimed to dominate the low-budget field. Darmour grew unhappy with the arrangement and soon departed to resume producing in his own right.

Filmography

* ''

'' (1930) * '' The Crusader'' (1932) * '' Law and Lawless'' (1932) * ''

The Phantom Express The Phantom Express is a 1932 American pre-Code mystery crime-drama directed by Emory Johnson and based on the Emory Johnson story. The film stars William Collier, Jr. as Bruce Harrington, Sally Blane as Carolyn Nolan and Hobart Bosworth as ...

'' (1932) * '' Hearts of Humanity'' (1932) * '' The Unwritten Law'' (1932) * ''

Gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile m ...

'' (1932) * '' Outlaw Justice'' (1932) * '' The Crusader'' (1932) * ''

The Vampire Bat ''The Vampire Bat'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code horror film directed by Frank R. Strayer and starring Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Melvyn Douglas, and Dwight Frye. Plot When the villagers of Kleinschloss start dying of blood loss, the town fathers ...

'' (1933) * ''

The World Gone Mad ''The World Gone Mad'' (also released as ''The Public Be Hanged'') is a 1933 American pre-Code crime film directed by Christy Cabanne and starring Pat O'Brien, Evelyn Brent and Neil Hamilton. It was made on a low-budget by the independent ...

'' (1933) * ''

The Sin of Nora Moran ''The Sin of Nora Moran'' is a 1933 American pre-code melodrama and proto-noir film directed by Phil Goldstone and based on the short story "Burnt Offering" by W. Maxwell Goodhue. The film is also known as ''Voice from the Grave'' (American reis ...

'' (1933) * ''

Curtain at Eight ''Curtain at Eight'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film directed by E. Mason Hopper and starring C. Aubrey Smith, Dorothy Mackaill and Paul Cavanagh.Pitts p.224 Plot summary Wylie Thornton is the star of "Isle of Romance" at the Edwin Bo ...

'' (1933) * ''

Sing Sinner Sing ''Sing Sinner Sing'' is a 1933 American pre-Code romantic drama film directed by Howard Christie. Plot summary Leila Hyams plays a singer who is accused of her husband's murder. Production notes At the time the movie was released, it was reco ...

'' (1933) * '' Via Pony Express'' (1933) * ''

Cheating Blondes ''Cheating Blondes'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film directed by Joseph Levering and starring Thelma Todd, Ralf Harolde and Inez Courtney.Handzo, p. 52 Cast * Thelma Todd as Anne Merrick / Elaine Manners * Ralf Harolde as Lawson Rolt ...

'' (1933) * '' Gigolettes of Paris'' (1933) * '' Trouble Busters'' (1933) * ''

Gun Law Gun laws and policies, collectively referred to as firearms regulation or gun control, regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification, and use of small arms by civilians. Laws of some countries may afford civilians a right to ...

'' (1933) * '' What Price Decency'' (1933) * '' High Gear'' (1933) * ''

She Had to Choose ''She Had to Choose'' is a 1934 American romantic comedy crime drama film directed by Ralph Ceder and starring Buster Crabbe, Isabel Jewell and Sally Blane. Distributed by Majestic Pictures, it is set in California during The Depression. Plo ...

'' (1934) * ''

Cheaters Cheater or Cheaters may refer to: Arts and entertainment Films * ''The Cheaters'' (1930 film), an Australian silent film * ''Cheaters'' (1934 film), an American film directed by Phil Rosent * ''The Cheaters'' (1945 film), directed by Joseph Ka ...

'' (1934) * '' Night Alarm'' (1934) * '' The Fighting Trooper'' (1934) * '' Enlighten Thy Daughter'' (1934) * '' Riding Speed'' (1934) * '' Unknown Blonde'' (1934) * ''

The Scarlet Letter ''The Scarlet Letter: A Romance'' is a work of historical fiction by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1850. Set in the Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony during the years 1642 to 1649, the novel tells the story of Hester Prynne, w ...

'' (1934) * ''

Fighting Lady ''Fighting Lady'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by Carlos F. Borcosque and starring Peggy Shannon, Jack Mulhall and Marion Lessing.Pitts p.329 The film was a low-budget Poverty Row production, distributed in some regions by Majestic Pi ...

'' (1935) * ''

Convention Girl ''Convention Girl, also known as Atlantic City Romance,'' is a 1935 American comedy film starring Rose Hobart and featuring Shemp Howard of the Three Stooges. The film was directed by Luther Reed. Plot Cast *Rose Hobart as Cynthia "Babe" Laval ...

'' (1935) * '' What Price Crime'' (1935) * ''

Dizzy Dames ''Dizzy Dames'' is a 1935 American musical film directed by William Nigh and written by George Waggner. The film stars Marjorie Rambeau, Florine McKinney, Lawrence Gray, Inez Courtney, Berton Churchill and Fuzzy Knight. The film was released on M ...

'' (1935) * '' Shadows of the Orient'' (1935) * '' Reckless Roads'' (1935) * '' Motive for Revenge'' (1935) * '' Mutiny Ahead'' (1935) * '' The Perfect Clue'' (1935)

References

Bibliography

* Balio Tino. ''Grand Design: Hollywood as a Modern Business Entertprise 1930-1939''. University of California Press, 1995. * Pitts, Michael R. ''Poverty Row Studios, 1929–1940: An Illustrated History of 55 Independent Film Companies, with a Filmography for Each''. McFarland & Company, 2005. American film studios Film production companies of the United States {{US-film-company-stub