FREMONT, Calif. — About the same time the movie industry was taking off in Los Angeles, hundreds of silent films were being produced in the hills above the San Francisco Bay in the little town of Niles. Its affectionately known as the "Hollywood of the Bay Area."
Long before Clint Eastwood and John Wayne dominated the Western genre, Bronco Billy was the top cowboy. His real name was Gilbert Anderson and not only was he a silent film star, but also co-owner of Essanay Film Manufacturing Company, the largest production company in Northern California from 1912 to 1916.
“It was pretty rare to have a co-owner be the producer, the writer, director and the star, too.” said David Kiehn, president of the Essanay Silent Film Museum, which preserves the bygone era of movie memorabilia.
“Every week they would make a Broncho, Billy Western and a Snake field comedy, which was a Western comedy series.” Kiehn added.
► See an interactive map of everywhere John has visited on the backroads
► Watch all of the Backroads videos
► Follow John on Facebook
The Essanay Film Company produced most of their movies just outside of Fremont, California in the small town of Niles because it was always sunny, and the canyons were the perfect backdrop for westerns.
“$52,000 they spent on a state-of-the-art studio, built 10 houses for cast and crew people,” Kiehn said.
Essanay shot hundreds of films in Niles, some of which included rising stars like Charlie Chaplin who made 5 films there, including his wildly popular comedy “The Tramp.”
“Unfortunately, the talkies starting with the Jazz Singer in 1927 were the beginning of the end for silent films,” Kiehn said.
Like many production companies, the Essanay Film Company never made the transition to films with sound and by the 1930’s the company faded away and their studio was torn down.
“Essanay as a whole made 2,000 films and only about 260 survive,” Kiehn said.
The good news is many of the remaining Essanay films and about 5,000 other silent films have been preserved at the museum along with old movie props and old cameras which are still used by Hollywood today.
“We actually rented out one of our historic cameras to the filmmakers of Amsterdam. Margo Robie shot with this camera in the film. She's holding it and cranking at the same time,” Kiehn said.
The movie industry has come a long way from the flickering silent film, but if you ask Kiehn, there’s still a lot to learn from them.
“I think it gives you a little bit of insight into how things may change but people stay the same,” Kiehn said.
The Essanay Silent Film Museum regularly shows screenings of their silent films inside their theater. Check out their show times HERE.
WANT MORE BARTELL'S BACKROADS ADVENTURES? Discover Calaveras County’s Natural Bridges: A Hidden Cave Worth Protecting
