1917 in film

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The year 1917 in film involved some significant events.

Events

• Foundation of Universum Film AG (UƒA), as a propaganda film company, in Berlin.
• Technicolor System 1, a two-color process, is introduced. The first film to use it was The Gulf Between.
• World's first feature-length animated film is made in Argentina by Quirino Cristiani (El Apóstol)
• Movette, another revision of the 17.5 mm film format, is made available.
• Buster Keaton makes his film debut.
• April 25 - Thomas Lincoln Tally, in a meeting in New York, co-founds the First National Exhibitors Circuit.

Top grossing films (U.S.)

Rank	Title	Gross
1.	Cleopatra
2.	Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
3.	The Poor Little Rich Girl

Films released in 1917

U.S.A. unless stated

• Golden Rule Kate, a Louise Glaum drama western feature
• The Man Without a Country, starring Florence La Badie
• The Adventurer, a Charlie Chaplin short.
• The Bad Boy, starring Robert Harron, Mildred Harris and Colleen Moore
• Big Timber
• Bucking Broadway, directed by John Ford.
• The Butcher Boy, a 'Fatty' Arbuckle / Buster Keaton short (Keaton's film debut).
• Camille, starring Theda Bara
• The Cinderella Man
• Cleopatra, starring Theda Bara
• Coney Island, a 'Fatty' Arbuckle / Buster Keaton short.
• The Cure, a Charlie Chaplin short.
• The Dying Swan (Umirayushchii Lebed) - (U.S.S.R.)
• Dombey and Son directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Hayford Hobbs - (Britain)
• Easy Street, starring Charlie Chaplin
• El Apóstol, animated by Quirino Cristiani - (Argentina)
• The Gay Lord Quex directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Ben Webster and Irene Vanbrugh - (Britain)
• Great Expectations, starring Jack Pickford
• The Gulf Between, All color movie.
• His Wedding Night, a 'Fatty' Arbuckle / Buster Keaton short.
• Her Right to Live, starring Peggy Hyland, Antonio Moreno, Mae Costello and John S. Robertson, directed by Paul Scardon
• The Immigrant, starring Charlie Chaplin
• Joan the Woman, starring Geraldine Farrar; directed by Cecil B. DeMille
• The Little American, starring Mary Pickford; directed by Cecil B. DeMille.
• A Little Princess, starring Mary Pickford, Norman Kerry and ZaSu Pitts, directed by Marshall Neilan.
• A Man There Was (Terje Vigen) - (Sweden)
• Oh Doctor!, a 'Fatty' Arbuckle / Buster Keaton short.
• One Law for Both directed by Ivan Abramson
• The Poor Little Rich Girl, starring Mary Pickford.
• Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
• A Reckless Romeo, a 'Fatty' Arbuckle short.
• The Rough House, a 'Fatty' Arbuckle / Buster Keaton short.
• Souls Triumphant
• Straight Shooting, directed by John Ford.
• Teddy at the Throttle, a Keystone comedy with Gloria Swanson.
• Tom Sawyer, starring Jack Pickford
• The Tornado, directed by John Ford (his debut)
• Wild and Woolly
• The Wild Girl, starring Eva Tanguay and Thomas J. Moore

Comedy film series

• Harold Lloyd (1913–1938)
• Charlie Chaplin (1914–1940)
• Lupino Lane (1915–1939)
• Buster Keaton (1917–1944)

Births

• January 5 - Jane Wyman, actress (died 2007)
• January 2 - Vera Zorina, dancer, actress (died 2003)
• January 10 - Hilde Krahl, actress (died 1999)
• January 24 - Ernest Borgnine, actor
• February 6 - Zsa Zsa Gabor, actress
• February 21 - Lucille Bremer, actress (died 1996)
• March 12 - Googie Withers, actress
• March 22 - Virginia Grey, actress (died 2004)
• April 14 - Valerie Hobson, actress (died 1998)
• April 29 - Maya Deren, experimental filmmaker (died 1961)
• May 1 - Danielle Darrieux, actress
• May 10 - Margo, actress (died 1985)
• May 21 - Raymond Burr, actor (died 1993)
• May 25 - Steve Cochran, actor (died 1965)
• June 7 - Dean Martin, singer, actor (died 1995)
• April 29 - Celeste Holm, actress
• June 30 - Lena Horne, singer, actress
• July 17 - Phyllis Diller, comedian, actress
• August 6 - Robert Mitchum, actor (died 1997)
• August 25 - Mel Ferrer, actor (died 2008)
• September 9 - Rolf Wenkhaus, actor (died 1942)
• September 11 - Herbert Lom, actor
• October 7 - June Allyson, actress (died 2006)
• October 7 - Helmut Dantine, actor (died 1982)
• October 17 - Alice Pearce, actress (died 1966)
• October 17 - Marsha Hunt, U.S. actress
• October 22 - Joan Fontaine, actress
• November 4 - Virginia Field, actress (died 1992)
• December 7 - Hurd Hatfield, actor (died 1998)
• December 22 - Frankie Darro, actor (died 1976)

Deaths

• January 17 - Matt Snyder, American actor,(*one of the oldest people acting in film at the time of his death)
• February 19 - Marshall Farnum, director, brother of Dustin and William Farnum
• February 21 - Fred Mace, actor & comedian
• April 26 - Dent Gilbert, cinematographer, 25 years old
• May 20 - Edward Mawson, American actor
• June 23 - Walter Hitchcock, stage & screen actor (born 1871 or 72)
• July 2 - Herbert Beerbohm Tree, stage & screen star
• October 13 - Florence La Badie, pioneer actress
• October 25 - Jack Standing, silent film actor, age 30, son of Herbert Standing and brother of Guy Standing & Wyndham Standing.
• December 20 - Eric Campbell, actor & a main member of Charles Chaplin's stock company.

Film Debuts

• Marion Davies
• Vittorio De Sica
• Richard Dix
• Elsie Ferguson
• John Ford - director
• Mary Garden
• Buster Keaton
• Stan Laurel
• Bela Lugosi
• ZaSu Pitts
• Marjorie Rambeau
• Loretta Young