First National Pictures is a defunct American motion picture production and distribution company. It was founded in 1917 as First National Exhibitors' Circuit, Inc., an association of independent theater owners in the United States, and became the country's largest theater chain. Expanding from exhibiting movies to distributing them, the company reincorporated in 1919 as Associated First National Theatres, Inc., and Associated First National Pictures, Inc. In 1924 it expanded to become a motion picture production company as First National Pictures, Inc., and became an important studio in the film industry. In September 1928, control of First National passed to Warner Bros., into which it was completely absorbed on November 4, 1929. A number of Warner Bros. films were thereafter branded First National Pictures until 1936, when First National Pictures, Inc., was dissolved.
History[]
The First National Exhibitors' Circuit was founded in 1917 by the merger of 26 of the biggest first-run cinema chains in the United States. It eventually controlled over 600 cinemas, more than 200 of them first-run houses (as opposed to the less lucrative second-run or neighborhood theaters to which films moved when their initial box office receipts dwindled).
First National was the brainchild of Thomas L. Tally, who was reacting to the overwhelming influence of Paramount Pictures, which dominated the market. In 1912, he thought that a conglomerate of theaters throughout the nation could buy or produce and distribute its own films. In 1917 Tally and J. D. Williams formed First National Exhibitors' Circuit.
The first film released through First National was the 1916 British film, The Mother of Dartmoor.[citation needed] Between 1917 and 1918, the company made contracts with Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin, the first million-dollar deals in the history of film. Chaplin's contract allowed him to produce his films without a set release schedule. However, the production of the feature film The Kid ran so long that the company started to complain. To address their concerns Chaplin invited the exhibitors to the studio, and they were so impressed by the project and charmed by the players, especially co-star Jackie Coogan, that they agreed to be patient. That patience was ultimately rewarded when The Kid became a major critical and box office success. First National's distribution of films by independent producers is credited with launching careers including that of Louis B. Mayer.
Adolph Zukor of Paramount Pictures was threatened by First National's financial power and its control over the lucrative first-run theaters, and decided to enter the cinema business as well. With a $10 million investment, Paramount built its own chain of first-run movie theaters after a secret plan to merge with First National failed.
First National Exhibitors' Circuit was reincorporated in 1919 as Associated First National Pictures, Inc., and its subsidiary, Associated First National Theatres, Inc., with 5,000 independent theater owners as members. In the early 1920s, Paramount attempted a hostile takeover, buying several of First National's member firms.
Associated First National Pictures expanded from only distributing films to producing them in 1924 and changed its corporate name to First National Pictures, Inc. It built its 62-acre (25 ha) studio lot in Burbank in 1926. The Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America and the Independent Producers' Association declared war in 1925 on what they termed a common enemy—the "film trust" of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Paramount, and First National, which they claimed dominated the industry not only by producing and distributing motion pictures but also by entering into exhibition as well.
Acquisition by Warner Bros.[]
The financial success of The Jazz Singer and The Singing Fool enabled Warner Bros. to purchase a majority interest in First National in September 1928. Warner Bros. held 42,000 shares of common stock out of 72,000 outstanding shares while Fox Pictures held 21,000 shares; 12,000 shares were publicly held. Warner Bros. acquired access to First National's affiliated chain of theaters, while First National acquired access to Vitaphone sound equipment. Warner Bros. and First National continued to operate as separate entities.
On November 4, 1929, Fox sold its interest in First National to Warner Bros. for $10 million.:66 The First National studio in Burbank became the official home of Warner Bros.–First National Pictures. Thereafter, First National Pictures became a trade name for the distribution of a designated segment of Warner Bros. product. Forty-five of the 86 Warner Bros. feature films released in 1929 were branded as First National Pictures.:66 Half of the 60 feature films Warner Bros. announced for release in 1933–34 were to be First National Pictures.
Although both studios produced "A" and "B" budget pictures, generally the prestige productions, costume dramas, and musicals were made by Warner Bros., while First National specialized in modern comedies, dramas, and crime stories. Short subjects were made by yet another affiliated company, The Vitaphone Corporation (which took its name from the sound process).
In July 1936, stockholders of First National Pictures, Inc. (primarily Warner Bros.) voted to dissolve the corporation and distribute its assets among the stockholders in line with a new tax law which provided for tax-free consolidations between corporations.
From 1929 to 1958, most Warner Bros. films bore the combined trademark "A Warner Bros.–First National Picture".
Select filmography[]
Release Date | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
September 23, 1917 | The Fall of the Romanoffs | Distribution |
December 3, 1917 | Alimony | Distribution |
December 23, 1917 | Daughter of Destiny | Distribution |
March 10, 1918 | My Four Years in Germany | Distribution |
April 2, 1918 | Tarzan of the Apes | Distribution |
April 14, 1918 | A Dog's Life | Distribution |
June 1, 1918 | The Passing of the Third Floor Back | Distribution |
October 1, 1918 | The Romance of Tarzan | Distribution |
January 19, 1919 | Auction of Souls | Distribution |
May 11, 1919 | Daddy-Long-Legs | Distribution |
September 1, 1919 | The Hoodlum | Distribution |
September 29, 1919 | Back to God's Country | Distribution |
November 16, 1919 | A Virtuous Vamp | Distribution |
November 17, 1919 | Heart o' the Hills | Distribution |
December 15, 1919 | In Old Kentucky | Distribution |
December 28, 1919 | The Greatest Question | Distribution |
January 15, 1920 | Even as Eve | Distribution |
February 1, 1920 | The River's End | Distribution |
March 15, 1920 | The Family Honor | Distribution |
March 21, 1920 | The Idol Dancer | Distribution |
April 1, 1920 | Passion's Playground | Distribution |
July 18, 1920 | Go and Get It | Distribution |
August 16, 1920 | The Jack-Knife Man | Distribution |
September 26, 1920 | A Splendid Hazard | Distribution |
October 4, 1920 | The Branded Woman | Distribution |
November 22, 1920 | The Devil's Garden | Distribution |
January 1, 1921 | The Great Adventure | Distribution |
January 1, 1921 | Mama's Affair | Distribution |
February 6, 1921 | The Kid | Distribution |
March 1, 1921 | Scrambled Wives | Distribution |
April 1, 1921 | Jim the Penman | Distribution |
April 1, 1921 | The Passion Flower | Distribution |
April 1, 1921 | Sowing the Wind | Distribution |
May 1, 1921 | The Sign on the Door | Distribution |
May 1, 1921 | The Sky Pilot | Distribution |
July 1, 1921 | Salvation Nell | Distribution |
August 1, 1921 | A Midnight Bell | Distribution |
September 26, 1921 | Bits of Life | Distribution |
October 10, 1921 | The Invisible Fear | Distribution |
October 17, 1921 | Woman's Place | Distribution |
November 20, 1921 | Molly O' | Distribution |
November 21, 1921 | Tol'able David | Distribution |
November 27, 1921 | The Lotus Eater | Distribution |
December 26, 1921 | The Cave Girl | Distribution |
January 1922 | The Barnstormer | Distribution |
February 13, 1922 | Red Hot Romance | Distribution |
February 13, 1922 | Smilin' Through | Distribution |
February 27, 1922 | Kindred of the Dust | Distribution |
April 2, 1922 | The Infidel | Distribution |
May 1, 1922 | The Woman He Married | Distribution |
May 15, 1922 | The Primitive Lover | Distribution |
July 2, 1922 | Rose o' the Sea | Distribution |
September 1, 1922 | The Light in the Dark | Distribution |
October 1, 1922 | Lorna Doone | Distribution |
October 1, 1922 | White Shoulders | Distribution |
October 30, 1922 | Oliver Twist | Distribution |
November 1, 1922 | Brawn of the North | Distribution |
December 1, 1922 | Omar the Tentmaker | Distribution |
December 1, 1922 | The Woman Conquers | Distribution |
December 25, 1922 | The Hottentot | Distribution |
January 1, 1923 | Fury | Distribution |
January 2, 1923 | The Brass Bottle | Distribution |
February 12, 1923 | Mighty Lak' a Rose | Distribution |
February 25, 1923 | The Pilgrim | Distribution |
March 18, 1923 | The Isle of Lost Ships | Distribution |
March 26, 1923 | Daddy | Distribution |
April 9, 1923 | The Bright Shawl | Distribution |
April 9, 1923 | Her Fatal Millions | Distribution |
April 30, 1923 | Within the Law | Distribution |
May 3, 1923 | The Girl of the Golden West | Production and distribution |
June 11, 1923 | Slippy McGee | Distribution |
July 30, 1923 | Circus Days | Distribution |
August 27, 1923 | Dulcy | Distribution |
September 10, 1923 | The Fighting Blade | Distribution |
September 16, 1923 | Potash and Perlmutter | Distribution |
October 1, 1923 | Ashes of Vengeance | Distribution |
October 8, 1923 | The Bad Man | Distribution |
October 29, 1923 | Ponjola | Distribution |
November 12, 1923 | Flaming Youth | Production and distribution |
November 12, 1923 | Jealous Husbands | Distribution |
November 19, 1923 | The Dangerous Maid | Distribution |
November 26, 1923 | The Wanters | Distribution |
November 28, 1923 | Anna Christie | Distribution |
December 17, 1923 | The Eternal City | Distribution |
December 23, 1923 | Boy of Mine | Distribution |
December 29, 1923 | Black Oxen | Distribution |
January 21, 1924 | Abraham Lincoln | Distribution |
February 1, 1924 | The Love Master | Distribution |
February 25, 1924 | Torment | Distribution |
February 29, 1924 | Lilies of the Field | Distribution |
March 24, 1924 | The Enchanted Cottage | Production and distribution |
March 24, 1924 | Secrets | Distribution |
April 20, 1924 | The Woman on the Jury | Production and distribution |
April 27, 1924 | Those Who Dance | Distribution |
May 4, 1924 | Cytherea | Distribution |
May 11, 1924 | The White Moth | Distribution |
May 25, 1924 | The Perfect Flapper | Production and distribution |
June 14, 1924 | The Sea Hawk | Distribution |
June 29, 1924 | A Self-Made Failure | Distribution |
July 20, 1924 | The Girl in the Limousine | Distribution |
July 27, 1924 | Single Wives | Distribution |
September 1, 1924 | In Hollywood with Potash and Perlmutter | Distribution |
October 1, 1924 | Her Night of Romance | Distribution |
October 5, 1924 | The Silent Watcher | Distribution |
October 26, 1924 | The Only Woman | Distribution |
November 23, 1924 | Classmates | Distribution |
November 30, 1924 | Inez from Hollywood | Distribution |
December 28, 1924 | So Big | Production and distribution |
January 11, 1925 | As Man Desires | Production and distribution |
January 18, 1925 | A Thief in Paradise | Distribution |
February 1, 1925 | Enticement | Distribution |
February 2, 1925 | The Lost World | Production and distribution |
March 15, 1925 | Heart of a Siren | Distribution |
March 22, 1925 | Déclassée | Distribution |
March 29, 1925 | Sally | Production and distribution |
April 12, 1925 | His Supreme Moment | Distribution |
April 30, 1925 | Playing with Souls | Distribution |
May 3, 1925 | Soul-Fire | Distribution |
May 10, 1925 | Chickie | Production and distribution |
May 17, 1925 | The Necessary Evil | Production and distribution |
June 16, 1925 | Just a Woman | Production and distribution |
July 12, 1925 | The Lady Who Lied | Production and distribution |
July 26, 1925 | The Scarlet West | Distribution |
August 16, 1925 | The Half-Way Girl | Production and distribution |
August 16, 1925 | Winds of Chance | Production and distribution |
September 6, 1925 | Shore Leave | Distribution |
September 13, 1925 | What Fools Men | Production and distribution |
September 27, 1925 | The Dark Angel | Distribution |
October 4, 1925 | The Pace That Thrills | Production and distribution |
October 11, 1925 | Classified | Distribution |
October 18, 1925 | Why Women Love | Distribution |
November 8, 1925 | Scarlet Saint | Production and distribution |
November 15, 1925 | We Moderns | Distribution |
November 25, 1925 | Clothes Make the Pirate | Distribution |
December 6, 1925 | The Splendid Road | Distribution |
December 13, 1925 | Joanna | Distribution |
January 10, 1926 | Just Suppose | Distribution |
January 13, 1926 | Bluebeard's Seven Wives | Production and distribution |
January 31, 1926 | The Girl from Montmartre | Distribution |
February 14, 1926 | The Far Cry | Production and distribution |
February 21, 1926 | Irene | Production and distribution |
February 28, 1926 | The Dancer of Paris | Production and distribution |
March 14, 1926 | High Steppers | Distribution |
March 21, 1926 | Mademoiselle Modiste | Distribution |
March 21, 1926 | Tramp, Tramp, Tramp | Distribution |
March 28, 1926 | Her Second Chance | Production |
April 4, 1926 | Kiki | Distribution |
April 11, 1926 | Old Loves and New | Distribution |
May 2, 1926 | The Greater Glory | Production and distribution |
May 23, 1926 | The Wise Guy | Distribution |
May 30, 1926 | Ranson's Folly | Distribution |
June 6, 1926 | Ella Cinders | Distribution |
June 17, 1926 | The Sporting Lover | Distribution |
June 27, 1926 | Miss Nobody | Production and distribution |
July 25, 1926 | Great Deception | Distribution |
July 26, 1926 | Mismates | Production and distribution |
August 8, 1926 | The Duchess of Buffalo | Distribution |
August 8, 1926 | Into Her Kingdom | Distribution |
August 15, 1926 | The Amateur Gentleman | Distribution |
September 4, 1926 | Don Juan's Three Nights | Distribution |
September 5, 1926 | The Strong Man | Distribution |
September 12, 1926 | Subway Sadie | Distribution |
September 26, 1926 | Paradise | Distribution |
October 17, 1926 | Prince of Tempters | Distribution |
October 25, 1926 | Midnight Lovers | Distribution |
October 31, 1926 | Syncopating Sue | Distribution |
November 20, 1926 | The Blonde Saint | Distribution |
November 28, 1926 | Twinkletoes | Distribution |
December 12, 1926 | Just Another Blonde | Distribution |
December 12, 1926 | The White Black Sheep | Distribution |
January 1, 1927 | The Lady in Ermine | Distribution |
January 16, 1927 | The Masked Woman | Production and distribution |
February 6, 1927 | McFadden's Flats | Production and distribution |
February 13, 1927 | An Affair of the Follies | Distribution |
February 20, 1927 | Easy Pickings | Production and distribution |
February 27, 1927 | The Sea Tiger | Production and distribution |
March 5, 1927 | Three Hours | Distribution |
March 6, 1927 | Orchids and Ermine | Distribution |
March 13, 1927 | High Hat | Distribution |
March 26, 1927 | Long Pants | Distribution |
March 27, 1927 | The Notorious Lady | Distribution |
April 21, 1927 | Camille | Distribution |
April 24, 1927 | Convoy | Distribution |
May 15, 1927 | Broadway Nights | Distribution |
May 22, 1927 | Babe Comes Home | Production and distribution |
June 5, 1927 | Sunset Derby | Production and distribution |
June 26, 1927 | Naughty but Nice | Distribution |
July 9, 1927 | The Prince of Headwaiters | Distribution |
July 31, 1927 | For the Love of Mike | Distribution |
August 14, 1927 | The Stolen Bride | Production and distribution |
September 1, 1927 | The Patent Leather Kid | Production and distribution |
September 3, 1927 | The Life of Riley | Production and distribution |
September 25, 1927 | The Drop Kick | Production and distribution |
September 25, 1927 | Rose of the Golden West | Production and distribution |
October 9, 1927 | American Beauty | Production and distribution |
October 23, 1927 | Breakfast at Sunrise | Distribution |
November 13, 1927 | The Gorilla | Production and distribution |
December 4, 1927 | A Texas Steer | Production and distribution |
December 4, 1927 | The Valley of the Giants | Production and distribution |
December 9, 1927 | The Private Life of Helen of Troy | Production and distribution |
December 10, 1927 | French Dressing | Production and distribution |
December 18, 1927 | The Love Mart | Production and distribution |
December 25, 1927 | Her Wild Oat | Production and distribution |
January 22, 1928 | Sailors' Wives | Production and distribution |
January 29, 1928 | The Noose | Production and distribution |
February 5, 1928 | The Whip Woman | Production and distribution |
April 15, 1928 | Chinatown Charlie | Production and distribution |
May 6, 1928 | Lady Be Good | Production and distribution |
May 20, 1928 | Yellow Lily | Production and distribution |
June 10, 1928 | Three-Ring Marriage | Production and distribution |
June 24, 1928 | Happiness Ahead | Production and distribution |
July 22, 1928 | Heart to Heart | Production and distribution |
August 19, 1928 | Out of the Ruins | Production and distribution |
August 26, 1928 | Oh, Kay! | Production and distribution |
September 9, 1928 | Night Watch (1928 film) | Production and distribution |
September 16, 1928 | Waterfront | Production and distribution |
September 23, 1928 | Show Girl | Production and distribution |
October 14, 1928 | Do Your Duty | Production and distribution |
October 18, 1928 | Lilac Time | Production and distribution |
October 21, 1928 | Companionate Marriage | Distribution |
November 4, 1928 | The Haunted House (1928 film) | Production and distribution |
November 11, 1928 | Outcast | Production and distribution |
December 2, 1928 | Adoration | Production and distribution |
December 5, 1928 | The Barker | Production and distribution |
December 16, 1928 | Naughty Baby | Production and distribution |
December 29, 1928 | Scarlet Seas | Production and distribution |
January 6, 1929 | Synthetic Sin | Production and distribution |
February 10, 1929 | Weary River | Production and distribution |
February 17, 1929 | Seven Footprints to Satan | Production and distribution |
March 3, 1929 | Children of the Ritz | Production and distribution |
March 12, 1929 | Why Be Good? | Production and distribution |
March 24, 1929 | Love and the Devil | Production and distribution |
March 31, 1929 | The Divine Lady | Production and distribution |
April 2, 1929 | His Captive Woman | Production and distribution |
April 28, 1929 | House of Horror (1929 film) | Production and distribution |
May 5, 1929 | Hot Stuff | Production and distribution |
May 8, 1929 | The Squall | Production and distribution |
May 12, 1929 | Two Weeks Off | Production and distribution |
June 2, 1929 | Careers | Production and distribution |
June 21, 1929 | Broadway Babies | Production and distribution |
July 7, 1929 | The Man and the Moment | Production and distribution |
July 20, 1929 | Drag | Production and distribution |
July 28, 1929 | Smiling Irish Eyes | Production and distribution |
August 4, 1929 | Hard to Get | Production and distribution |
August 25, 1929 | Her Private Life | Production and distribution |
August 31, 1929 | The Girl from Woolworth's | Production and distribution |
September 15, 1929 | The Great Divide (1929 film) | Production and distribution |
October 1, 1929 | Young Nowheres | Production and distribution |
October 25, 1929 | The Isle of Lost Ships (1929 film) | Production and distribution |
November 4, 1929 | Paris | Production and distribution |
Films as a Warner Bros. subsidiary[]
As a subsidiary of Warner Bros., First National Pictures, Inc., continued to be a copyright claimant and trademark on motion pictures through 1936. Notable examples of First National Pictures titles are listed below.
1929[]
1930[]
- Back Pay
- The Bad Man
- Bride of the Regiment
- Bright Lights
- College Lovers
- The Dawn Patrol
- The Flirting Widow
- The Furies
- The Girl of the Golden West
- Going Wild
- The Gorilla
- In the Next Room
- Kismet
- The Lash
- Lilies of the Field
- Loose Ankles
- Mothers Cry
- Murder Will Out
- No, No, Nanette
- A Notorious Affair
- Numbered Men
- One Night at Susie's
- The Other Tomorrow
- Playing Around
- Road to Paradise
- Scarlet Pages
- Show Girl in Hollywood
- Son of the Gods
- Song of the Flame
- Spring Is Here
- Strictly Modern
- Sunny
- Sweet Mama
- Sweethearts and Wives
- Top Speed
- The Truth About Youth
- The Way of All Men
- The Widow from Chicago
1931[]
- The Bargain
- Big Business Girl
- Broadminded
- Chances
- Compromised
- Father's Son
- The Finger Points
- Five Star Final
- Her Majesty, Love
- Honor of the Family
- The Hot Heiress
- I Like Your Nerve
- Kiss Me Again
- The Lady Who Dared
- The Last Flight
- Little Caesar
- Local Boy Makes Good
- Men of the Sky
- Misbehaving Ladies
- The Naughty Flirt
- Party Husband
- Penrod and Sam
- The Reckless Hour
- The Right of Way
- The Ruling Voice
- Safe in Hell
- Too Young to Marry
- Woman Hungry
1932[]
- Alias the Doctor
- Cabin in the Cotton
- Central Park
- The Crash
- Crooner
- The Dark Horse
- Doctor X
- The Famous Ferguson Case
- Fireman, Save My Child
- The Hatchet Man
- It's Tough to Be Famous
- Life Begins
- Love Is a Racket
- The Match King
- Miss Pinkerton
- The Rich Are Always with Us
- Silver Dollar
- The Strange Love of Molly Louvain
- The Tenderfoot
- They Call It Sin
- Three on a Match
- Tiger Shark
- 20,000 Years in Sing Sing
- Two Seconds
- Union Depot
- Week-End Marriage
- The Woman from Monte Carlo
- You Said a Mouthful
1933[]
- Blondie Johnson
- Bureau of Missing Persons
- Central Airport
- Convention City
- Elmer, the Great
- Employees' Entrance
- Female
- Frisco Jenny
- Goodbye Again
- Grand Slam
- Havana Widows
- Heroes for Sale
- I Loved a Woman
- Lilly Turner
- The Little Giant
- The Mind Reader
- She Had to Say Yes
- Son of a Sailor
- Wild Boys of the Road
- The World Changes
1934[]
- Babbitt
- Bedside
- The Big Shakedown
- British Agent
- The Church Mouse
- The Circus Clown
- Dark Hazard
- The Dragon Murder Case
- Fashions of 1934
- Flirtation Walk
- Fog Over Frisco
- Gentlemen Are Born
- Happiness Ahead
- I Sell Anything
- Journal of a Crime
- A Lost Lady
- The Man with Two Faces
- Mandalay
- Massacre
- The Merry Frinks
- Midnight Alibi
- Murder in the Clouds
- Registered Nurse
- Return of the Terror
- Side Streets
- 6 Day Bike Rider
- Twenty Million Sweethearts
- A Very Honorable Guy
- Wonder Bar
1935[]
- Black Fury
- The Case of the Curious Bride
- G Men
- The Girl from 10th Avenue
- Go into Your Dance
- Gold Diggers of 1935
- In Caliente
- The Irish in Us[1]:156
- Living on Velvet
- Maybe It's Love
- Oil for the Lamps of China
- Red Hot Tires
- Traveling Saleslady
- While the Patient Slept
- The Woman in Red
1936[]
References[]
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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