Volume I: Narrative History

Chapter 9: 1916 Thanhouser Classics

An article in Reel Life, April 29, 1916, told of a new Thanhouser film category:

Important announcements, issuing from the offices of the Thanhouser Film Corporation during the past week involve the names of Frederick Warde, famous Shakespearean star, and Miss Florence LaBadie, well known to Mutual followers for her many appearances in feature productions released through the Mutual.

Of great interest to exhibitors and followers of the best in motion pictures is the announcement, made by Edwin Thanhouser, that he had secured the signature of Mr. Warde to a contract calling for his exclusive services. During the course of the next 12 months Mr. Warde will appear as the featured star in a number of exceptionally unique photoplay productions to be released through the Mutual under the title of Thanhouser Classics. These Classics, it is said, will include several of the productions in which Mr. Warde starred while a member of the legitimate stage.

Miss LaBadie, it was announced by Mr. Thanhouser, will also be the star in a series of Classic releases, two of which, The Fugitive and Woman, Saint and Devil, Note have already been completed. Announcement of their release dates will be forthcoming in a few days. Present plans call for the appearance of Mr. Warde in eight of these classic productions during the first year. Miss LaBadie, it is believed, will also be the star in a similar number. The signing of Mr. Warde is one of the biggest achievements of its kind of the year. Mr. Warde, a member of the famous old school of players, has naturally always had a more or less of a disposition to keep away from the studios. Note His work, however, as the featured player in Silas Marner, the Mutual Masterpicture, DeLuxe Edition, released in seven parts, occasioned such a storm of commendation in all sections of the country that Mr. Thanhouser, after much dickering, was finally successful in inducing Mr. Warde to sign a long term contract calling for his exclusive services.

Immediately after the completion of Silas Marner, Mr. Warde went on an extensive lecture tour, but wherever he journeyed he found Silas Marner a step ahead of him. Each mail brought a batch of letters from admirers forwarded from New Rochelle. All this, together with the combined efforts of Mr. Thanhouser and Ernest Warde, induced Mr. Warde to sign the contract.

Mr. Warde is perhaps the foremost living authority on Shakespeare, and it is planned to have him immortalize the famous successes of the old stage school of Booth and Barrett and McCullough, of which he is the sole surviving member. It is certain that the plays in which he has had the greatest success will be adopted for screen presentation. As with Silas Marner, Mr. Warde's son Ernest will direct, and the standard they set in George Eliot's novel will ever be in view.

While other companies have been announcing their so called startling plans, Mr. Thanhouser has been keeping very quiet and watching developments in the ever changing picture industry. The time has now arrived, he believes, for him to announce his determination to have Thanhouser multiple reel productions set the pace.

All Classics will have in the leading role a star of national prominence, and each production will be advertised directly to the public. Classics will be picturizations of well known plays or books, Note or an original story by an author of wide repute. Miss LaBadie will appear in modern dramas. Each of the stars already selected will have their own supporting company, and an extraordinary service of advertising helps will be issued direct to the exhibitor.

Frederick Sullivan, who has directed Miss LaBadie in many of her most successful efforts, will continue to work with her, and it is possible that W. Eugene Moore, who made The Mill on the Floss, will on his return from Florida be assigned as a Classic director. A list of plays for the three stars to work in is being carefully selected, and these will be announced in sufficient time to permit the exhibitor to reap the maximum benefit.

Mr. Thanhouser spoke of the plan as follows: "In my opinion we are nearing the day when a performance in films will lay the heaviest burden on the star. Today it is possible to distribute the work so that a good play will ride on its own motive power, and while this must certainly remain a most important element in the fabric of a production, the popular conception of the successful film play seems to base itself more on the individual performance of the leading player. It is to meet this tendency on the part of the people who pay to see the pictures that my efforts will be turned. It is the intention of our company to feature stars of the first magnitudes, to provide them with suitable vehicles for their talents, and to back the productions with the best kind of advertising material that money can buy." Thanhouser Classics are destined to take their place in the motion picture hall of fame.