Harry E. Aitken (October 4, 1877August 1, 1956) was an American

film studio A film studio (also known as movie studio or simply studio) is a major entertainment company that makes films. Today, studios are mostly financing and distribution entities. In addition, they may have their own studio facility or facilities; how ...

executive and producer.

Life

He was born on October 4, 1877. He grew up on a family farm near

Goerke's Corners, Wisconsin Goerke's Corners (also spelled Goerkes Corner, Goerkes Corners or Goerke's Corner) is a former unincorporated community in the Town of Brookfield, in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. It is now the location of a major highway intersecti ...

. The brothers operated Keystone Studios and eventually Harry became a partner in the

Mutual Film Company Mutual Film Company, LLC is an American film production company based in Hollywood, California. The company was initially founded by financer Gary Levinsohn in 1989 as Classico Entertainment, before combining with The Mark Gordon Company in 1995 ...

. Along with his brother Roy Aitken (1882–1978), he helped pioneer the production and distribution of movies during the early

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

era in the United States. In 1906 they founded the Western Film Exchange with John R. Freuler. They moved to

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

in 1908 and in 1912 founded the Mutual distribution company. Within three years they were distributing movies to 45 towns and cities. Aitken worked with D. W. Griffith and

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered o ...

. He was involved with the Majestic and Reliance studios. With D. W. Griffith he co-founded Epoch Producing Company under the umbrella of which ''

The Birth of a Nation ''The Birth of a Nation'' is a 1915 American Silent film, silent Epic film, epic Drama (film and television), drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish. The screenplay is adapted from Thomas Dixon Jr.'s 1905 novel and ...

'' was produced. The profits from that film were used to set up the

Triangle Film Corporation Triangle Film Corporation (also known as Triangle Motion Picture Company) was a major American motion-picture studio, founded in July 1915 in Culver City, California and terminated 7 years later in 1922. History The studio was founded in Jul ...

in 1915, which was on a triangular plot in

Culver City Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. It is mostly surrounded by Los Angeles, but also shares a border with the unincorporated area of Ladera Heights to the ea ...

. This produced ''

Intolerance Intolerance may refer to: * Hypersensitivity or intolerance, undesirable reactions produced by the immune system * ''Intolerance'' (film), a 1916 film by D. W. Griffith * ''Intolerance'' (album), the first solo album from Grant Hart, formerly ...

'' but failed soon after due to over ambition and was sold to Goldwyn. He returned to in home town of

Waukesha, Wisconsin Waukesha ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 71,158 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located along the Fox River (Illinois River tributary), Fox River adjacent to th ...

around 1918 and died there on August 1, 1956, and is buried there in Prairie Home Cemetery.Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More than 14000 Famous Persons, Scott Wilson The

Wisconsin Historical Society The Wisconsin Historical Society (officially the State Historical Society of Wisconsin) is simultaneously a state agency and a private membership organization whose purpose is to maintain, promote and spread knowledge relating to the history of ...

has a collection of his papers.

Film productions

*'' Home Sweet Home'' (1914) as writer *'' The Surgeon's Experiment'' (short, 1914) *'' The Life of General Villa'' (1914) *'' The Electric Alarm'' (1915) *''

'' (1915) *''

'' (1916)

Portrayal

Aitken is portrayed by

Jim Broadbent James Broadbent (born 24 May 1949) is an English actor. A graduate of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in 1972, he came to prominence as a character actor for his many roles in film and television. He has received various accolades ...

in the 2003 HBO TV movie '' And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself''.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Aitken, Harry Silent film producers 1877 births 1956 deaths People from Waukesha County, Wisconsin

Life

Film productions

Portrayal

References

Further reading

External links