Mutual Film
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Mutual Film Corporation was an early American motion picture conglomerate that originated with the Western Film Exchange founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in July of 1906 by Wisconsin natives John R. Freuler (1872-1958) and Harry E. Aitken (1877-1956).
In 1912 MFC included auxiliary units such as Keystone Comedies.
In 1912, the company acquired Thanhouser Studios. After consolidating its Majestic Motion Picture Company and Reliance Motion Picture Company into the Mutual Film Corporation in 1915, by 1917 the conglomerate operated as the distributor for four subsidiary studios in California, three of which were in the Los Angeles area and the other in Santa Barbara.
- Signal Film Corporation
- Vogue Films, Inc.
- Lone Star Film Company
- American Film Company
Vogue Films, Inc. operated a studio at Santa Monica Boulevard and Gower street in Los Angeles producing two-reel comedy film exclusively.
In 1915, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Mutual Film Corporation v. Industrial Commission of Ohio that motion pictures were a form of business, not an art form, and therefore not covered by the First Amendment.
Shortly after this decision, cities began to pass ordinances banning the public exhibition of "immoral" films, concerning the major studios that state or federal regulations would soon follow. This ruling remained in effect until Joseph Burstyn, Inc v. Wilson in 1952 which declared that film was a legitimate artistic medium with free speech protections.
Charlie Chaplin in 1916 became the highest paid entertainer in the world, when he signed a contract with the Mutual Film Corporation for a salary of $670,000. Mutual built Chaplin his very own studio and allowed him total freedom to make twelve two-reel films during this fruitful twelve-month period. Chaplin subsequently recognised this period of film-making as the most inventive and liberating of his career.
During 1916 and 1917, the Lone Star Film Company had Charlie Chaplin working at their studio at 1025 Lillian Way, in Hollywood. Charlie Chaplin moved on and by 1919 Mutual Film Corporation ceased production. Like many other companies established in the decade of WWI, MFC was eventually absorbed by larger corporations, in this case Film Booking Offices of America and later RKO.
After a 53 year absence, MFC distributed one film: Tears of Happiness in 1972.
Mutual Film Corporation:Distributor - filmography Listed at IMDB. http://www.imdb.com/company/co0172690/#productionX20company
Mutual Film 'Company'- current name of a production company with links to the older Mutual Film Corporation
Production Company revived older style corporate film ID card
The address of the current business is listed here: Mutual Film Company 650 N. Bronson Ave., Clinton Bldg Hollywood, CA 90004 323-871-5690 323-871-5689 fax Mark Gordon & Gary Levinsohn
Production company filmography
Lone Wolf and Cub (2008) ... Production Company Snakes on a Plane (2006) ... Production Company Tomb Raider: The Secrets of Lara Croft (2003) (V) ... Production Company The Patriot (2000) ... Production Company Wonder Boys (2000) ... Production Company Isn't She Great (2000) ... Production Company Man on the Moon (1999) ... Production Company Virus (1999) ... Production Company (as Mutual Film Company) A Simple Plan (1998) ... Production Company Saving Private Ryan (1998) ... Production Company Black Dog (1998) ... Production Company Paulie (1998) ... Production Company Primary Colors (1998) ... Production Company Hard Rain (1998) ... Production Company The Ripper (1997) (TV) ... Production Company The Jackal (1997) ... Production Company Treason (1918) ... Production Company Her Husband's Honor (1918) ... Production Company Who Loved Him Best? (1918) ... Production Company Her Second Husband (1917) ... Production Company American Maid (1917) ... Production Company (as Mutual Star) Daughter of Maryland (1917) ... Production Company (as Mutual Star) The Railroad Raiders (1917) ... Production Company The Girl from Rector's (1917) ... Production Company The Girl Who Can Cook (1917) ... Production Company (as Mutual Star) Queen X (1917) ... Production Company Rehabilitated (1917) ... Production Company Uncle Sam's Defenders (1916) ... Production Company Admirers Three (1916) ... Production Company His Uncle's Ward (1916) ... Production Company Grouchy (1916) ... Production Company When the Tide Turned (1916) ... Production Company His Guardian Angel (1916) ... Production Company Within the Lines (1916) ... Production Company The False Clue (1916) ... Production Company The Turn of the Wheel (1916) ... Production Company At Twelve O'Clock (1916) ... Production Company The Folly of Fear (1916) ... Production Company Father and Son (1916) ... Production Company Johnny's Romeo (1916) ... Production Company The Other Side of the Door (1916) ... Production Company Fighting the War (1916) ... Production Company The Deathlock (1915) ... Production Company (as Blazon Production) Father and Son (1915/I) ... Production Company The Life of General Villa (1914) ... Production Company An Accidental Clue (1913) ... Production Company The Grand Military Parade (1913) ... Production Company
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