Bay Area Silent Roots

What are the roots of silent cinema in the Bay Area? How did it play an important role in early cinema history? What famous personalities made films here?

    The heart and birth of American filmmaking is often accredited to Los Angeles; however, the Bay Area also has a major role in the roots of silent cinema. Niles, now a neighborhood in Fremont, had been the home of Essany Film Manufacturing Company. It was a great location at the time because of the sunny weather and easy access to nearby railroads that led to both San Francisco and Chicago, some of the biggest locations for the exhibition of movies. This town and company played an important role in early cinema as it created one of the most well known silent film stars and producers today—Charlie Chaplin. During his time signed under the Essany Film Manufacturing Co., his role in the making of five films solidified his place as a movie star—having allowed him to transition from a minor supporting actor to a full out filmmaker, paving the way for him to create some of the most well known silent films.