Edwin Thanhouser
Edwin Thanhouser | |
|---|---|
| File:Edwint.jpg | |
| Born | November 11, 1865 |
| Died | March 21, 1956 (aged 90) |
| Years active | 1910 - 1917 |
| Spouse | Gertrude Thanhouser |
Edwin Thanhouser (November 11, 1865 – March 21, 1956) was an actor, businessman, and film producer, most notable as a founder of the Thanhouser Company, along with his wife Gertrude Thanhouser and brother-in-law Lloyd Lonergan.
Biography
Thanhouser was born in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1893, he joined the traveling company of Alessandro Salvini. After Salvini's death, Thanhouser traveled around the United States and eastern Canada with various other companies.
On February 8, 1900, Thanhouser married actress Gertrude Homan.
In 1909, Thanhouser and his family moved to New Rochelle, New York, where he leased space in an old wooden skating rink to start the Thanhouser Company. This pioneering movie studio released its first commercial film on March 15, 1910.
Thanhouser brought actress Florence La Badie to the company in 1911. From 1911 to 1917, she was the company's most prominent star. In 1912, he sold the film company to group headed by Charles J. Hite. Early in 1915, after Hite's death in an accident, Thanhouser took charge of the company again, but was not as successful as he had been before. The Thanhouser Film Corporation was liquidated in 1918. [1]
Edwin Thanhouser engaged in securities investments and collected art in his later years. He died March 21, 1956.
External links
References
- ^ Thanhouser Films: An Encyclopedia and History, Q. David Bowers, Thanhouser Company Film Preservation, Inc., August 2001.