The Emerald Motion Picture Company

The Emerald City from Frank L. Baum’s Wizard of Oz was brought to the big screen for the first time in 1908 with The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays, directed by Francis Boggs and Otis Turner for the Selig Polyscope Company in Chicago. It is no surprise, then, that seven years later, a certain Frederick J. Ireland decided to name his new company the Emerald Motion Picture Company, also based in the same city.

Selig was one of the first film studios established on American soil in 1896 (and one of the most famous and powerful until the late 1910s). Chicago became home to several studios that, in turn, embarked on the cinematic adventure, making the Windy City the first capital of the 7th Art, long before Hollywood. Some of these companies, such as Selig and the Essanay Film Manufacturing Company—birthplace of Broncho Billy and Charlie Chaplin—have left their mark on history, while many others have been forgotten for various reasons.

Who remembers the Emerald Motion Picture Company, which lasted only a few years and produced just a handful of short films? No renowned directors, no major stars, no substantial budgets; in short, nothing to make headlines.

And yet, there is a fascinating story to be told—an artistic, economic, and human adventure. Above all, it is the story of a passionate man: Frederick J. Ireland.

1/ From stage to the screen

As his name suggests, Frederick J. Ireland was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1873. Before moving to the USA, he led a theater company that performed around the world, including in Australia, South Africa, and England. According to Motography, he was also a musician, « having composed many songs and musical selections.« 1

The earliest record of his presence on American soil dates back to 1904, when he appeared on the New York stage as Armand Duval in Camille, an adaptation of La Dame aux Camélias.

Ireland’s first major success was Enigmarelle, an automaton presented as a scientific and technical marvel, with Ireland credited as its designer and owner. A newspaper report from its 1908 presentation in San Francisco described it as follows: “The figure walks, seemingly of its own volition, turns corners, mounts stairs, sits down, rides a bicycle, and writes its name on a blackboard.”2 However, in reality, Enigmarelle was operated by a hidden human performer inside the automaton’s body.

Traveling across the country—and even around the world—with his peculiar puppet, Frederick J. Ireland secured a two-year contract in New York with a certain Oscar Hammerstein. He enjoyed success for several years before shifting his focus to the world of cinema.

Having amassed a small fortune, the showman bought the Star Theater in New York in 1911, where he staged plays and screened films, thus bringing cinema into his life.

2/ A big family

In 1915, Frederick J. Ireland decided to take the plunge and founded his own production company, the Emerald Motion Picture Company, located at 164-166 West Washington Street, Chicago. Ireland served as president, Mr. Deltwin as vice-president, and Samuel Quinn as secretary and treasurer. Initially, the company aimed to produce films « dealing with the history of prominent Irish-Americans »3, including a four-reel feature on the life of Patrick Henry Pearse, the renowned Dublin-born activist, poet, and writer, who was executed following the Easter Rising of 1916. »

The other major project was to produce a large number of one- or two-reel comedies, directed by Frederick J. Ireland himself, whose ambition was to stand apart from the so-called slapstick comedies. The company’s slogan was: « Clean comedy and nothing but the best. »

During a visit to the studios, a Motography journalist wrote : » The impression on going into the studio is of one great family with high ideals all working for a common cause—and the expression is always ‘we want to accomplish big things’, not ‘I want to become famous.’ This very spirit of working not for personal aggrandizement but for the accomplishments of the company as well as the actors, is going to be a decided factor in the success of this organization […]. »4

As noble as this mindset may have been, in reality, it would not last long. In such a ruthless industry, one had to stand out and rise above the competition to survive.

The studio quickly signed a contract with actress Dolores Cassinelli, nicknamed the “Sarah Bernhardt of the Moving Picture Stage.” Cassinelli began her film career in 1911 in Chicago with Essanay, starring in shorts opposite Francis X. Bushman, before joining Selig Polyscope in 1913, where she made only two films. After a two-year break, during which she used her « dramatic soprano voici of wonderful register »5 to perform opera, the actress joined the Emerald Company to star in their first production, The Voice of Freedom. Despite extensive research, no trace of this film has been found, though its release was announced by The Billboard on September 16, 1915.

In late summer 1915, members of the Emerald Company— which  » has been making rapid strides in the first few weeks of its existence »6—began negotiations to purchase another site for a new studio. The « nice little family » dreamed of greatness and power, perhaps hoping to compete with Selig and Essanay. Thus, construction began at Crawford and Lawrence Avenue, where « ground has already been broken on the two-acre space to be occupied by the Emerald, and the cost of the plant is estimated at not less than $75,000. It is expected that the studio will be completed within sixty days, as the work is being rushed by a double crew of builders. »7

At the same time, Emerald officially launched production of a two-reel series of shorts entitled Tom and Jerry Comedy Series, which earned the company its first cinematic success.

3/ Tom and Jerry

Once again, Emerald embarked on an ambitious project—probably too ambitious. Frederick J. Ireland planned a series of twenty two-reel films, narrating the burlesque adventures of a comic duo played by Tom Keesey (as Tom) and Charles Huntington (as Jerry).

These two cheerful, « happy-go-lucky » and physically contrasting characters—foreshadowing the duo of Laurel and Hardy more than a decade later—are portrayed as having a « strong failing for pretty faces ».

A premise that, at first glance, seems rather at odds with the Emerald Company‘s stated aim of producing  » clean, clever comedy with no vulgarity. »8

Having been unable to view any of the films in this series, we are unfortunately unable to verify whether they adhered to this approach.

Instead of playing the lead role in the feature film The Voice of Freedom, which was originally intended for her, Dolores Cassinelli joined the Tom and Jerry Comedy Series in the role of Jerry’s wife—a definite disappointment for the actress.

By June 1916, the first six films were completed, and the first episode was scheduled for release on the 26th. A preview took place on the 22nd, and the reviews were quite complimentary : « The photography is excellent, and careful attention has been given to details in the way of settings and costumes. »9

But once again, contradiction rears its ugly head : while denying that the film is slapstick, critics cite « many exciting situations (…), a fast action »10 and « a number of amusing incidents, mostly chases and narrow escapes. »11 Although the duo seemed to work well together, and Frederick J. Ireland performed well with his first productions, in the end, he only produced ten episodes out of the twenty originally planned.

In the summer of 1916, Emerald took part in the Sixth National Exhibition and Convention/Cinematographic Exposition held in Chicago from July 10 to 18, alongside other major companies such as Pathé, Universal, Selig, Essanay, Vitagraph, and Méliès. For the occasion, a « modern motion picture plant will be erected, and the public shown how pictures are taken and developped, then projected on the screen the same day. »12

The Emerald is now in the big leagues—or, at least, a company that matters. So now it’s time to take things to the next level…

4. New Studios

At the end of 1916, Emerald moved into its new premises at 1717-1729 North Wells Street, in a studio that is « second to none in the country and not equaled by a number of studio manager ».13

A long description of the building and its equipment appeared in the Motography magazine in March 1917: « It is a three-story building containing 35,000 feet of working space. […]. ‘Economy and efficiency’ is the slogan of the organization. The stage floor of the studio is 125 feet by 70 feet, large enough to furnish working space for at least six companies. Twenty scene sets can be operated at one time. The height of the studio is fifty feet and the lighting system is arranged so that advantage may be taken of his unusual height. […] The dressing rooms, which are built to accommodate three hundred players and extras. […] For exterior scenes, the plant has an unusually fine location, close to a beautiful residence district, one block from Lincoln Park with its picturesque and varied scenery, and with Lake Michigan to provide background for sea pictures. […] The Emerald Company states that its laboratory, by its equipment and efficient arrangement, will save 33% to 40% of the cost of each film. A careful examination shows that the builders have made every effort to eliminate waste time and effort and that everything has been provided for swift, thorough work. The advantage in the close connection between laboratory and studio will be at once apparent, since the success or failure of a scene may be tested in record time and any necessary re-takes ordered at once. The laboratories are equipped to handle 40,000 feet of film a day […].« 14

8750 square feet, 50 feet high, 40,000 feet of film per day… Numbers that make your head spin. The Emerald thinks big—really big. In May 1917, the studio hosted the annual ball of the Motion Picture Machine Operators’ Union. The basement was transformed into a cabaret, and a huge ballroom was set up on the second floor. During the evening, members voted for the most popular man and woman in the assembly, and Frederick J. Ireland directed them in a short film that was immediately developed, edited, and projected on the big screen the same day.

That’s all well and good, but now that Emerald has become a major studio, it’s time to make a film that lives up to its ambitions, not just a harmless one or two-reel comedy.
And here again, Frederick J. Ireland is going all out.

5. The Slacker’s Heart

For his first feature film, the Irish director chose to make a war film. Or, more precisely, a propaganda film about the United States’ recent entry into the world war. Originally titled The Slacker, the film tells the story of “a young man slacks his duty as an American and who has come under the influence of a German government agent.”15

Some sequences were shot in Wisconsin, in Milwaukee, where the studio obtained the participation of real American military units, including the Wisconsin Defense League and the Wisconsin National Guard, with whom Frederick J. Ireland filmed an impressive charge by Troop A. Additional sequences were also shot on the university campus in Ripon, Wisconsin.

Described as a “semi-official government proposition”16 The Slacker’s Heart clearly displays its status as a propaganda film, even going so far as to detail its program and intentions: “[The film] has three aims: first, it is produced to assist in the recruiting campaign ; to portray for educational purposes the real reasons why the United States went to war with Germany ; and third, to show the activities of German governments agents in the United States.”17

Actor Edward Arnold takes on the lead role of Frank Allen. The 26-year-old actor had just begun his career in 1916 with the rival Essanay studio, which he had recently left to join Frederick J. Ireland’s project. He went on to enjoy a long career until the mid-50s, working with prestigious directors such as Mervyn LeRoy, Victor Fleming, Clarence Brown, William A. Wellman, Josef von Sternberg, and Frank Capra.

Upon its release, The Slacker’s Heart received a positive reception from both audiences and critics, with the film “being shown with unexpected success in Illinois and Indiana.”18 The press praised the spectacular sequence in which an American ship is sunk by a German U-boat, and spoke of “well sustained interest [and a] climax that should bring the audience to its feet.”19

6. « The One and Only » Billy West

The anecdote (or legend?) is famous: in 1915, Charlie Chaplin entered a look-alike contest for his character The Tramp and came in… only 20th place. One of his most famous impersonators at the time was comedian Billy West, who specialized in copying Charlie Chaplin’s character in a series of films produced by King Bee Studios. His regular partners in these films included Oliver Hardy, Ethelyn Gibson (his wife), and Leatrice Joy.

After the Tom and Jerry duo, Emerald continued to produce two-reel comedies, capitalizing on Billy West’s success, which in turn was built on the popularity of Charlie Chaplin. Frederick J. Ireland declared: “In presenting Billy West under the banner of Emerald Motion Picture Company, I believe we are filling a long-felt want, and answering the call of thousands of progressive exhibitors. […] His artistic talent has been fully recognized, and I do not profess to be able to improve his artistry, but after seeing a number of pictures in which Mr. West was presented, I was convinced that he was never given the right embellishments or ensemble to justify his clever work. […] In producing pictures with Billy West as the star, the cost of production will be given no consideration by the Emerald Company.”20

It’s all about going all out, spending without counting the cost, as the saying goes. The scripts for the films are supplied by ‘Chuck’ Reisner, Frederick J. Ireland is behind the megaphone, and the Emerald crews work non-stop in a frenzy: “As each scene is struck another takes its place and rehearsals begin at once, reducing delays and lost motion to a minimum. […] West is here, there and everywhere, instructing members of his company how best to get certain effects.” The idea was to complete six of these films before starting distribution, and the first to be released was Mustered Out, on September 15, 1919.

Legal problems soon arose. Just before signing with Emerald, Billy West had signed a contract with Bulls Eye Film Corporation, which he prematurely broke in February 1919. Bulls Eye then took legal action, seeking to prohibit Billy West from making films with Frederick J. Ireland’s company. The comedian was obliged to issue a statement to the press to avoid tarnishing his reputation: “[The Bulls Eye Company] has released four pictures bearing the title ‘Billy West Comedies’ in which I do not appear, and by so doing, they wilfully defraud the public. For ten years I have worked earnestly and incessantly, both on stage and screen, to make my name a valuable trade-mark, and I do not intend to allow others to profit by my labor. I am now under contract to the Emerald Motion Picture Company to produce genuine Billy West Comedies, and I positively declare that no other company has right or title to my name.”21

While the comedian is well within his rights, one could still argue that it’s a bit daring for an actor, whose fame is based on copying another, to take offense at someone else profiting from his work. The irony is at its peak in the advertising posters below, where Billy West, in the guise of Charlie Chaplin’s Tramp, is described as « the one, the only, and original »!

The legal battle lasted a long time, with the two companies accusing each other at regular intervals for several months through press releases. In the end, the Bulls Eye injunction was rejected by the federal court, but this had consequences for relations with Emerald : Billy West and Ethelyn Gibson left Chicago in 1920 to found Billy West Productions in the new Eldorado of the 7th Art—Hollywood.

7. Alice Howell, the Female Chaplin

In October 1919, a note in the trade press announced that Alice Howell, the « famous star of L-Ko and known as the female Charlie Chaplin »22, had been added to the Emerald Company‘s roster of stars. Frederick J. Ireland seemed keen to dig deeper into the comedy genre, and Chaplinesque comedy at that, given that Alice Howell had shared the screen with the real Charlie Chaplin in several comedies produced by Keystone.

While she toured extensively between 1914 and 1918, the actress was at a low ebb in 1919, appearing in just three short films that year.

Alice Howell’s arrival at Emerald was announced with great fanfare and superlative slogans, referring to her as the « world’s greatest comedienne.” And that’s just what they needed, after welcoming the man who was humbly described as “the funniest man on earth”: that opportunist Billy West.

Here again—as if Frederick J. Ireland hadn’t learned from past mistakes!—the plan was to box no less than 26 two-reel films with Alice Howell. And once again, the reality was quite different: only ten of these films were produced by Emerald by 1920, including three directed by Frederick J. Ireland himself (Cinderella Cinders, Her Bargain Day, Rubes and Romance).

8. Cropper, Reelcraft, and a Nanny

At the end of 1919, the Cropper Distributing Corporation bought the worldwide distribution rights to two-reel comedies starring Billy West and Alice Howell: “It is understood that Mr. Cropper will cover all foreign markets with the product handled by him. He has been in the film business for the past fourteen years, both as exhibitor and exchangeman, and has a large, loyal following throughout the country.”23

A contract was signed with the Consolidated Film Corporation of San Francisco and Los Angeles, which, in a letter addressed to Ross C. Cropper, congratulated him on the success of the project. Cropper praised the quality of the films with Alice Howell, “both in story and production.”24

In 1920, a new company was born, named Reelcraft Pictures Corporation, which, with a capital of $5,000,000, absorbed the Emerald Motion Picture Company, Bulls Eye Film Corporation (New York), Bee Hive Film Corporation (Chicago), Cropper Distributing Corporation, and Interstate Film Company (New York), with the aim of “producing and distributing exclusively short comedies.”25 Frederick J. Ireland was named Vice President, announcing that “the present intention and aim is to identify Reelcraft to the exhibitors and the public as well, as the indelible mark of perfection and quality for all short subjects.”26

Reelcraft produced and distributed the last film series worked on by Frederick J. Ireland before retiring from the business, entitled The Little Home Nurse. The production of this series, based on the articles of Dr. J. Maximilian Schowalter and starring French-born actress Cecelia Jacques, perhaps stems from the interest in industrial and educational films shown by M. E. Oberdorfer, secretary and treasurer of Emerald a few years earlier: “The value and the need of high class educational pictures for schools and colleges as well as for the general public is generally appreciated but in many respects not fully met by present output.”27

The episodes of The Little Home Nurse straddle the line between fiction and documentary, containing both a love story spanning all five films and, in each of them, advice on the proper care of flu patients, setting up sick rooms, taking temperatures, sterilizing instruments, and dressing sprained and broken arms and legs. For his last film direction, Frederick J. Ireland’s work was hailed by critics as “well made [and] excellently cast.”28

After that, it was time for Frederick J. Ireland to retire from the business…

9. Back on Stage

At the dawn of his fifties, the Irish-born director-writer-producer left the film industry after a short but intense five-year adventure to return to his first love : the stage and music. In 1921, he worked for T. Dwight Pepple, specializing in “musical revues, ballets, prologues, and presentations.”29 He signed a contract with Lubliner and Trintz, owners of a large Chicago theater with a capacity of 1,500, to write and direct their “great musical and fashion revues.”30

He then joined Chicago-based Fabric Studios Incorporated, where he advised theaters managers « on any idea which they may have in mind relative to prologues, lighting effects and novelty presentations. »31

The last trace we have of Frederick J. Ireland dates back to 1922, when he and Frances Rowena Anderson founded Anderson and Ireland Studios, a school of drama and dance, with which he staged Syncopated Baseball, an “novelty dance number played by twenty girls wearing wooden shoes.”32 Quite a program!

He married dancer Nema Catto and died on June 22, 1939, in Detroit, Michigan, at the age of 66.

CONCLUSION

Like the Emerald City of The Wizard of Oz, the cinematic adventure of Frederick J. Ireland and his Chicago-based Emerald Motion Picture Company was all about smoke and mirrors. Like the Wizard of Oz, Frederick J. Ireland rose to fame by animating a (fake) automaton, then built a country movie studio that, while trying to sell the dream, never really achieved its goals.

Finally, like Dorothy in Frank L. Baum’s book, Frederick J. Ireland returned to his own Kansas—the stage—because, after all, “there’s no place like home.”

---

1 Motography – 06-24-1916 – p.1457
2 The San Francisco Dramatic Review – 12-05-1908 – p.5
3 Motography – 08-28-1915
4 Motography – 06-24-1916 – p.1457
5 Motography – 09-04-1915 – p.446
6 The Billboard – 09-04-1915
7 The Billboard – 10-02-1915
8 Motography – 06-10-1916 – p.1324
9 Billboard – 07-01-1916 – p.84
10 Motography – 07-15-1916 – p.156
11 Motography – 07-22-1916 – p.217
12 Billboard – 06-24-1916 – p.58
13 Billboard – 12-16-1916
14 Motography – 03-24-1917 – p.616
15 Motography – 05-05-1917 – p.955
16 Motography – idem – p.955
17 Motography – idem – p.955
18 Exhibitors Herald – 08-18-1917 – p.22
19 Exhibitors Herald – idem – p.27
20 Exhibitors Herald – 05-24-1919 – p.38
21 Exhibitors Herald – 06-7-1919 – p.10
22 Motion Picture News – 10-25-1919 – p.3149
23 Moving Picture World – 12-20-1919 – p.956
24 Moving Picture World – 02-07-1920 – p. 898
25 Exhibitors Herald – 03-27-1920 – p.43
26 Exhibitors Herald – idem – p.43
27 Motography – 03-24-1917 – p.616
28 Exhibitors Herald – 10-23-1920 – p.66
29 The Billboard – 09-24-1921 – p.43
30 The Billboard – 09-24-1921 – p.43
31 Exhibitors Herald – 12-24=1921 – p.57
32 Variety – 08-25-1922 – p.28