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The Century Film Corporation was a film production company founded by brothers Julius and Abe Stern.

It was claimed that the company produced fifty-two films each year for Universal.[1]

Background[edit]

Longacre distribution: July 1917 to March 1918[edit]

In July 1917, Century sold exclusive distributing rights for the United States and Canada to the Longacre Distributing Company.[2]: 47  The company was to release twelve Century Comedies per year, with the Sterns promising ten films upfront.[2]: 47  On July 27, the first three Century Comedies were presented at a trade show in the Broadway Theatre.[2]: 47 

From September 1917 until Spring 1918, Century released seven films directed by John G. Blystone with Alice Howell in the leading role: Balloonatics (September), Automaniacs (October), Neptune's Naughty Daughter (November), Her Bareback Career (December), The Village Blacksmith (January), She Did Her Bit (March) and O' Baby (early Spring).[2]: 106–7 

Universal distribution: March 1918 to[edit]

In March 1918, Universal Studios announced that it would be taking over the release of the Century Comedies.[2]: 48 

They continued to release Blystone/Howell projects through Universal, with School Days, Her Unmarried Life, In Dutch, Choo Choo Love and Hey, Doctor! being released that year.[2]: 107–8 

In August 1918, they released the Howell-led projects Bawled Out and Hoot Toot with James D. Davis as director.[2]: 108  In September, they released Cupid vs. Art, which was directed by Bawled Out actor Vin Moore and starred Howell again.[2]: 108  They released a further two Howell films in 1918, being Untamed Ladies (October) and The Cabbage Queen (December).[2]: 108 

1919[edit]

In 1919, Century released the comedy A Pair of Deuces with Chai Hong in the leading role.[3]

1921[edit]

Playmates, starring Baby Peggy and Brownie the Wonder Dog (1921)

In 1921, Century released Playmates, their first film staring Baby Peggy (later known as Diana Serra Cary) alongside Brownie the Wonder Dog.[4] The previous year, at nineteen months old, Cary and her parents toured the Century studios and she was approached by director Fred Fishback to star in films for the company.[5] Peggy and Brownie starred in eight other shorts together,[4] including Brownie's Little Venus,[6]

In 1921, they released the animal comedy Dog Doings starring Brownie the Wonder Dog.[7] They also released A Bunch of Kisses with Brownie.[8]

They released Stuffed Lions the same year.[9]

They released Tough Luck in 1921.[10]

They also released On Account.[11]

They released Third Class Mail starring Baby Peggy.[12]

They released Stealing Home.[13]

1922[edit]

In 1922, they released The Touchdown starring Lee Moran.[14]

They released One Horse Town starring Harry Sweet.[15]

They released Little Miss Mischief starring Baby Peggy.[16]

They released Short Weight starring Johnny Fox and Brownie the Wonder Dog.[17]

They released Hello, Judge starring Lee Moran.[18]

They released Ladies First starring Lee Moran.[19]

1923[edit]

In 1923, they released Boyhood Days starring Buddy Messinger.[20]

They released All Over Twist starring Buddy Messinger as well as Fred Spencer, Jack Henderson and Sadie Campbell.[21]

They released Fare Enough.[22]

In August 1923, Century announced their first film with the Century Follies Girls.[23] With the working title of "Sea Girls", it was directed by Albert Herman.[23]

In December 1923, they released Hansel and Gretel starring Baby Peggy.[24]

1924[edit]

In 1924, the Century Follies Girls were fronted by Dorothy Dwan.[2]: 68  In September 1924, Yvonne Howell (daughter of Alice Howell) joined the Century Follies Girls.[2]: 68 

In December 1924, Century released Harem Follies, starring Bert Roach and the Century Follies Girls.[2]: 68 

1925[edit]

In January 1925, Julius Stern announced that Century would be releasing fifty-four films through the year: ten each starring Wanda Wiley, Edna Marion, Eddie Gordon and Al Alt, and six starring Arthur Trimble as Buster Brown.[25] They had purchased the rights to adapt the original Buster Brown comics from Richard F. Outcault in December 1922, with Brownie the Wonder Dog lined up to play the title character's dog Tige.[26]

In March, Eddie Gordon, Wanda Wiley and Edna Marion signed long-term contracts with the company.[27]

In 1925, Sigmund Neufeld worked as the production manager for Century.[25]

Century studios[edit]

In 1908, the studio was built on a plot of land in between Sunset Boulevard, Gower Street and El Centro Avenue.[28] The area, known as Gower Gulch, was the site of several low-budget studios which contributed to the group of Poverty Row film companies.[29]: 142 

The address was 6100 Sunset Boulevard.[citation needed]

It was roughly 250 feet (76 m) by 150 feet (46 m) in size and had a frame construction.[28]

The studio once housed the Universal Film Company.[28]

In 1926, the land was owned by Marie Blondeau, who lived in a cottage at the studio's rear.[30] It was leased by the Sterns.[30]

The studio was also used as an event space by Julius Stern, with prominent Century stars appearing as performers. In 1925, Julius Stern hosted a Shriners convention there with Wanda Wiley performing for the guests.[31]

1926 fire[edit]

The 1926 fire at Century Studios viewed from Sunset Boulevard.

At 3pm on August 15, 1926, a fire was discovered in the southwest corner (El Centro Avenue side) of the Century studio building.[28] The majority of the studio was destroyed by the fire within an hour, with the exception of a small office block.[28] Several explosions occurred due to the amount of chemicals, gunpowder and film rolls located within the site.[28] The damages on the Century studio were reported to reach $400,000.[28]

The fire spread beyond the Century lot, threatening other nearby studios: the Christie Film Company studio was set alight before being extinguished, the Chadwick Pictures studio was damaged and the Centaur Film Company was at risk of catching fire.[28] Several homes nearby were destroyed or damaged,[28] and the fire threatened the Southern California Telephone Company plant on Gower Street, but it was protected by its fireproof construction.[28]

Representatives and cameramen of other companies were present at the fire, filming footage for their own productions.[28] Cullen Landis, dressed in makeup and a firefighter's uniform, was burned while attempting to extinguish the Christie studio roof.[30] Several others were hospitalised due to injuries from the fire, including four firefighters.[28]

Legacy[edit]

Century Comedies were often criticised in the press,


In a 1983 article, former child actor True Boardman recounted a legend about the company and its low-budget films:

"The story is that during a sneak preview of one of their comedies the audience began to laugh at the ridiculous ineptness of the film, obviously at the wrong places. One of the Stern brothers was sitting directly behind a particularly loud offending guffawer. Having stood the insult to his creation long enough, he leaned forward, tapped the man on the shoulder, and said sternly, 'My friend, I'll have you know the Stern Brothers Comedies are not the be laughed at'".[29]: 142 

The 1926 studio fire was responsible for destroying a portion of Century's back catalogue of films, including several starring Baby Peggy.[32]

List of Century films[edit]

Release date Title Cast Notes Ref.
September 1, 1917 Balloonatics Alice Howell [2]: 106 
October 1, 1917 Automaniacs Alice Howell
  • Directed by John G. Blystone.
 [2]: 106 
November 1, 1917 Neptune's Naughty Daughter Alice Howell
  • Directed by John G. Blystone.
  • Had the working titles Alice of the Sawdust and The Honor of the Sawdust.
 [2]: 106 
December 1, 1917 Her Bareback Career Alice Howell
  • Directed by John G. Blystone.
 [2]: 107 
January 1918 The Village Blacksmith Alice Howell
  • Directed by John G. Blystone.
 [2]: 107 
March 1918 She Did Her Bit Alice Howell
  • Directed by John G. Blystone.
  • Also known as Doing Her Bit.
 [2]: 107 
Spring 1918 O' Baby Alice Howell
  • Directed by John G. Blystone.
  • Also known as Oh, Baby!
 [2]: 107 
Spring 1918 School Days Alice Howell
  • Directed by John G. Blystone.
 [2]: 107 
May 29, 1918 Her Unmarried Life Alice Howell
Hughie Mack
  • Directed by John G. Blystone.
 [2]: 107 
June 19, 1918 In Dutch Alice Howell
  • Directed by John G. Blystone.
 [2]: 107 
July 17, 1918 Choo Choo Love Alice Howell
Hughie Mack
Billy Armstrong
Neal Burns
  • Directed by John G. Blystone.
 [2]: 108 
July 31, 1918 Hey, Doctor! Alice Howell
Neal Burns
Eddie Barry
Billy Armstrong
  • Directed by John G. Blystone.
 [2]: 108 
August 14, 1918 Bawled Out Alice Howell
Hughie Mack
Vin Moore
Helen Gibson 		[2]: 108 
August 28, 1918 Hoot Toot Alice Howell
  • Directed by James D. Davis.
 [2]: 108 
September 11, 1918 Cupid vs. Art Alice Howell
Hughie Mack
  • Directed by Vin Moore.
 [2]: 108 
October 9, 1918 Untamed Ladies Alice Howell [2]: 108 
December 18, 1918 The Cabbage Queen Alice Howell
Hughie Mack
Phil Dunham 		[2]: 108 
1919 A Pair of Deuces Chai Hong [3]
1921 Playmates Baby Peggy
Brownie the Wonder Dog 		[4]
1921 Dog Doings Brownie the Wonder Dog [7]
1921 Stuffed Lions [9]
1921 A Bunch of Kisses Brownie the Wonder Dog [8]
1921 Tough Luck [10]
1921 On Account [11]
1921 Third Class Mail Baby Peggy [12]
1921 Stealing Home [13]
1921 Brownie's Little Venus Baby Peggy
Brownie the Wonder Dog 		[6]
1922 The Touchdown Lee Moran [14]
1922 One Horse Town Harry Sweet [15]
1922 Little Miss Mischief Baby Peggy [16]
1922 Short Weight Johnny Fox
Brownie the Wonder Dog 		[17]
1922 Hello, Judge Lee Moran [18]
1922 Ladies First Lee Moran [19]
1923 Boyhood Days Buddy Messinger [20]
1923 All Over Twist Buddy Messinger
Fred Spencer
Jack Henderson
Sadie Campbell 		[21]
1923 Fare Enough [22]
December 1923 Hansel and Gretel Baby Peggy [24]
December 1924 Harem Follies Bert Roach
Century Follies Girls 		[2]: 68 

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Studio Anniversary". Los Angeles Times. June 29, 1922. Part II, p. 11.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad Slide, Anthony (2016). She Could Be Chaplin!: The Comedic Brilliance of Alice Howell. University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 978-1-4968-0844-8. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "New Pictures on the Screen". Los Angeles Times. July 13, 1919. Part III, p. 13.
  4. ^ a b c Bergan, Ronald (February 25, 2020). "Baby Peggy obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  5. ^ King, Susan (March 19, 2011). "Highs and lows of child star Baby Peggy". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Frank Mayo in Fighting Parson Role". Los Angeles Times. October 16, 1921. Part III, p. 1.
  7. ^ a b "Harry Carey Plus Early Pickford Film". Los Angeles Times. March 14, 1921. Part II, p. 9.
  8. ^ a b "Frank Mayo Lightly Brutish at Superba". Los Angeles Times. April 4, 1921.
  9. ^ a b "Gladys Walton Film". Los Angeles Times. March 27, 1921. Part III, p. 17.
  10. ^ a b "Harry Carey in Congenial Role". Los Angeles Times. April 19, 1921. Part III, p. 4.
  11. ^ a b "Carmel Myers Star in Cheated Love". Los Angeles Times. June 13, 1921. Part II, p. 7.
  12. ^ a b "Starlet in Person". Los Angeles Times. August 3, 1921. Part III, p. 4. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  13. ^ a b "Hoot Gibson Whangs Hit Over Superba". Los Angeles Times. September 19, 1921. Part II, p. 12.
  14. ^ a b "Many Things Come to Superba Theatre". Los Angeles Times. February 5, 1922. Part III, p. 31.
  15. ^ a b "Four Stars All Told in Superba Feature". Los Angeles Times. March 5, 1922. Part III, p. 33.
  16. ^ a b "High Life and Low in Superba Feature". Los Angeles Times. March 19, 1922. Part III, p. 36.
  17. ^ a b "Matrimony and a Flapper". Los Angeles Times. August 4, 1922. Part II, p. 11.
  18. ^ a b "'Under Two Flags' Returns". Los Angeles Times. November 12, 1922. Part III, p. 27.
  19. ^ a b "'Herb' at Superba". Los Angeles Times. December 3, 1922. Part III, p. 35.
  20. ^ a b "Hillstreet Has Boy Scout Week". Los Angeles Times. February 9, 1923. Part II, p. 11.
  21. ^ a b "Buddy's Third Ready". Los Angeles Times. March 25, 1923. Part III, p. 33.
  22. ^ a b "'What Wives Want' Heads Tally's Bill". Los Angeles Times. May 28, 1923.
  23. ^ a b "To See Girls in 'Sea Girls', Says Century". Los Angeles Times. August 14, 1923. Part II, p. 11.
  24. ^ a b "Loew Holds Dance Team Second Week". Los Angeles Times. December 21, 1923. Part II, p. 11.
  25. ^ a b "Large Program is Planned for Century Films". Los Angeles Times. January 18, 1925. Part III, p. 33. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  26. ^ "Buster Brown in Films". Los Angeles Times. December 30, 1922. Part I, p. 6.
  27. ^ "Century Films Give Contracts to Hold Stars". Los Angeles Times. March 22, 1925. Part III, p. 19.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Flames Raze Film Studio". Los Angeles Times. August 16, 1926. Part II, p. 1. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  29. ^ a b Boardman, True (1983). "When Hollywood and I Were Young". The Quarterly Journal of the Library of Congress. 40 (2). ISSN 0041-7939. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  30. ^ a b c "Film Landmark Razed by Fire". Los Angeles Times. August 16, 1926. Part II, p. 2. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  31. ^ "Century Chief Will Entertain Shrine Friends". Los Angeles Times. April 20, 1925. Part II, p. 9. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  32. ^ McFadden, Robert D. (February 25, 2020). "Diana Serra Cary, Child Star 'Baby Peggy' of Silent Films, Dies at 101". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 25, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2023.

Sources to use[edit]

<https://www.jstor.org/stable/41552476> <https://www-newspapers-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/article/the-los-angeles-times-1922-0614-la-times/26673046/> (Peggy's scoop/Kid Reporter) <https://archive.org/details/hollywoodpossest0000cary/mode/2up> (book by Diana Cary)

Other films[edit]

  • Lonesome Hearts and Loose Lions (1919)
  • The Mischievous Monk (1919) dir Fred Fishback, Jimmy Adams, Esther Wood
  • A Lion in the House (1919) Century Lions
  • Daring Lions and Dizzy Lovers (1919) Century Lions
  • Weak Hearts and Wild Lions (1920) Century Lions
  • Naughty Lions and Wild Men (1920) Century Lions
  • Good Little Brownie (1920)
  • Loose Lions and Fast Lovers (1920)
  • A Lion's Alliance (1920) dir Fred Fishback
  • Lion's Jaws and Kitten's Paws (1920)
  • Bear Skinned Beauties (1920)
  • The Lyin' Tamer (1920)
  • Tin Crooks (1920)
  • Their First Tintype (1921)
  • Firebugs (1921)
  • His Fearful Finish (1921)
  • Fresh From the Farm (1921) Harry Sweet
  • Her Circus Man (1921)
  • Seeing is Believing (1921)
  • A Dollar's Worth (1921) Harry Sweet
  • The Smart Alec (1921) Harry Sweet
  • Third Class Mail (1921) Baby Montgomery
  • In Again (1921) Harry Sweet
  • Alfalfa Love (1921) Brownie
  • Hold Your Breath (1921)
  • Sea Shore Shapes (1921) Baby Peggy, Sea Shore Shapes
  • Tin Cans (1921)
  • Brownie's Baby Doll (1921)
  • A Muddy Bride (1921) Baby Peggy
  • The Dumb Bell (1921/2) Harry Sweet
  • Chums (1922)
  • Two Of A Kind (1922) Harry Sweet
  • You and Me (1922)
  • The Kicking Fool (1922)
  • The Cabby (1922) Maudie the Mule
  • Jinger Face (1922)
  • Tattle Tail (1922) Brownie
  • Peg O' The Movies (1923) Baby Peggy
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