Reliance Film Company (1910–1915) was an early movie production studio in the United States. It was established in 1910 in

Coney Island Coney Island is a neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Brighton Beach to its east, Lower New York Bay to the south and west, and Gravesend to ...

by Adam Kessel Jr. and Charles O. Baumann.

Harry Aitken Harry E. Aitken (October 4, 1877August 1, 1956) was an American film studio executive and producer. Life He was born on October 4, 1877. He grew up on a family farm near Goerke's Corners, Wisconsin. The brothers operated Keystone Studios and ...

purchased the Reliance Film Company in 1911 from Charles O. Baumann. It also went by the name the Reliance Motion Picture Company.

History

Reliance Film Company was founded in 1910 by Adam Kessel Jr. and Charles O. Baumann in

in Brooklyn, New York City. It was a subsidiary of the

New York Motion Picture Company The New York Motion Picture Company was a film production and distribution company from 1909 until 1914. It changed names to New York Picture Corporation in 1912. It released films through several different brand names, including 101 Bison, Kay ...

. They were also the founders of the

Bison Film Company Bison Film Company, also known as 101 Bison Film Company, was an American film studio established in 1909 and disestablished in 1917. It partnered with Miller Brothers 101 Ranch to lease 20,000 acres to build a Western town set and an Indian vil ...

on the West Coast. In 1911, Baumann stepped down from leadership at the company in order to focus more time at the Bison Film Company; control and management was succeeded by J. V. Ritchey and J. C. Graham. From 1910 until 1912, Kessel and Baumann were joined at the company by

Phillips Smalley Wendell Phillips Smalley (August 7, 1865 – May 2, 1939) was an American silent film director and actor. Biography Born in Brooklyn, New York (state), New York, he was the grandson of Wendell Phillips; he was the son of George Washburn Smalle ...

and

Lois Weber Florence Lois Weber (June 13, 1879 – November 13, 1939) was an American silent film director, screenwriter, producer and actress. She is identified in some historical references as among "the most important and prolific film directors in the e ...

, both were actors and filmmakers. The studio took over the offices of the Sanford White studio in Manhattan. It also operated a 10,000 sq ft factory on

. It published ''The Film'', a weekly. Actor

Max Davidson Max Davidson (May 23, 1875 – September 4, 1950) was a German-American film actor known for his comedic Jewish persona during the silent film era. With a career spanning over thirty years, Davidson appeared in over 180 films. Career Born i ...

portrayed the character 'Izzy' in a series of Reliance films shorts in 1914.

Filmography

*'' A Brass Button'' (1911) *''

Her Son ''Her Son'' is a 1920 British silent drama film directed by Walter West and starring Violet Hopson, Stewart Rome and Mercy Hatton. It was based on the 1907 novel ''Her Son'' by Horace Annesley Vachell. Cast * Violet Hopson - Dorothy Fairfax ...

'' (1911) * ''Jealousy'' (1912 film) *'' Votes for Women (film)'' (1912), about women's suffrage produced in partnership with the National American Woman Suffrage Association *'' The Rose Bush of Memories'' (1914) *'' The Huron Converts'' (1915) with Joseph Henabery *'' Man (1913 film)'', a Reliance film directed by Oscar Apfel starring James Ashley, Gertrude Robinson *'' Before the White Man Came'' *'' At Cripple Creek'' *'' The Victoria Cross (1912 film)'' (''

The Charge of the Light Brigade The Charge of the Light Brigade was a military action undertaken by British light cavalry against Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean War, resulting in many casualties to the cavalry. On 25 October 1854, the Light Br ...

''), directed by Hal Reid *'' Duty and the Man'' (1913) *'' A Man's Duty'' *'' The Secret Service Man'' *'' Curfew Shall Not Ring Tonight'' (1912) *'' His Mother's Son'' (1913) *'' Kaintuck'' (1912), a Kaintuck is a native of Kentucky *'' Virginius (film)'' (1912), based on the play by

James Sheridan Knowles James Sheridan Knowles (12 May 1784 – 30 November 1862) was an Irish dramatist and actor. A relative of Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Knowles enjoyed success writing plays for the leading West End theatres. Later in his career he also produced ...

*'' The Second Mrs. Roebuck'' (1914) *''

The Great Leap; Until Death Do Us Part ''The Great Leap; Until Death Do Us Part'' is a 1914 silent American drama film, directed by Christy Cabanne. It stars Mae Marsh, Robert Harron, and Ralph Lewis, and was released on March 26, 1914. Plot Cast * Mae Marsh as Mary Gibbs * Rob ...

'' (1914) *'' The Three Brothers (1915 film)'' (1915) *'' Station Content (1915 film)'' (1915) *'' The Craven'' (1915) *''Runaway June'' (1915), serial film starring Norma Phillips *'' Sympathy Sal'' (1915) *'' The Outlaw's Revenge'' (1915) *''

Macbeth ''The Tragedy of Macbeth'', often shortened to ''Macbeth'' (), is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, estimated to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the physically violent and damaging psychological effects of political ambiti ...

'' *'' Rosanna's Dream'' *'' Solomon's Son'' *'' When Men Love'' *'' Invasion of the Wilderness'' *''

The Girl Who Waited "The Girl Who Waited" is the tenth episode of the sixth series of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', and was first broadcast on BBC One and BBC America on 10 September 2011. It was written by Tom MacRae and was directed ...

'' *'' The Reckoning''

References

Mass media companies established in 1910 Mass media companies disestablished in 1915 Silent film studios Defunct American film studios Mass media companies based in New York City Companies based in Brooklyn {{US-company-stub