David Horsley

David Horsley

Known for: Production
Biography: 1873-03-11
Deathday: 1933-02-23 (59 years old)

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Biography

David Horsley (March 11, 1873 – February 23, 1933) was an English pioneer of the film industry. He founded the Centaur Film Company and its West Coast branch, the Nestor Film Company, which established the first film studio in Hollywood in 1911. Horsley was born in Stanley, County Durham in northern England.

In 1884, the family moved to Bayonne, New Jersey where as a young man he built a bicycle business and ran a pool hall. It was then that he met a former employee of Biograph Studios, Charles Gorman, and along with his brother William Horsley (1870–1956), they formed the Centaur Film Company. By 1910 their operation was producing three films a week, including the Mutt and Jeff comedies.

David and William Horsley, along with other film independents, succeeded in defeating the monopolistic hold on the industry of Thomas Edison's Motion Picture Patents Company. However, weather conditions on the East Coast made filming an uncertain proposition because camera technology at the time relied on sunshine. Frustrated, and realizing that California afforded the opportunity to make films year round, David Horsley moved his operations to the West Coast.

Among the first motion pictures ever filmed in Hollywood was taken on October 26, 1911 in the orchards of H J Whitley's estate (D.W. Griffith filmed Love Among the Roses at the studio of famed French floral painter, Paul de Longpre at his home and studio in Hollywood in 1909). Although the movie never really had a name it is a true piece of Hollywood history. In the fall of 1911, the Nestor Motion Picture Company opened the first motion picture studio in Hollywood in the Blondeau Tavern building at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street. With Horsley was Al Christie who served as general manager in charge of Christie Comedies plus Charles Rosher who lent his expertise as the studio's full-time cameraman. Other East Coast film companies recognized Horsley's advantage and quickly followed his lead.

In April 1912, the Universal Film Manufacturing Company was formed and David Horsley and other small studios merged, each accepting shares in Universal as payment for their business. Horsley received $175,000 in preferred stock and $204,000 in common stock in the new Universal Film Company and was also appointed the company's treasurer. However, the peaceful merger soon turned sour and in 1913 Horsley sold his interest to Carl Laemmle. A wealthy man, David Horsley travelled to his birthplace and around Europe.

After returning to California, and investing in a failed exotic animal show, David Horsley went back into the motion picture business with David Horsley Studios and using the animals from the failed show, established the Bostock Jungle Films Company. By the spring of 1917, he had outfitted his new operations in Los Angeles at Main and Washington streets however a series of setbacks cost Horsley his entire fortune and left him in debt.

David Horsley died in Los Angeles. He is interred in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood.

His son David Stanley Horsley (1906–1976) trained as a cinematographer and became an expert in special effects photography, working in the film industry for nearly thirty years.

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Filmography

all 40

Movies 40

Producer 40

Producer
Jerry and the Outlaws

Jerry and the Outlaws (1917)

Movie
Producer
That Doggone Baby

That Doggone Baby (1916)

Movie
Producer
The Father of Her Child

The Father of Her Child (1916)

Movie
Producer
Jerry's Perfect Day

Jerry's Perfect Day (1916)

Movie
Producer
The Bait

The Bait (1916)

Movie
Producer
A Little Puritan

A Little Puritan (1915)

Movie
Producer
Beached and Bleached

Beached and Bleached (1915)

Movie
Producer
You Can't Beat It

You Can't Beat It (1915)

Movie
Producer
A Hopi Legend

A Hopi Legend (1913)

Movie
Producer
The Lightning Bolt

The Lightning Bolt (1913)

Movie
Producer
Retribution

Retribution (1913)

Movie
Producer
The Girl Ranchers

The Girl Ranchers (1913)

Movie
Producer
The Girls and Dad

The Girls and Dad (1913)

Movie
Producer
Almost a Rescue

Almost a Rescue (1913)

Movie
Producer
On Cupid's Highway

On Cupid's Highway (1913)

Movie
Producer
Her Hero's Predicament

Her Hero's Predicament (1913)

Movie
Producer
The Country Cousin

The Country Cousin (1913)

Movie
Producer
Cupid's Assistants

Cupid's Assistants (1913)

Movie
Producer
The Regeneration of Worthless Dan

The Regeneration of Worthless Dan (1912)

Movie
Producer
Sharps and Chaps

Sharps and Chaps (1912)

Movie
Producer
Making a Man of Her

Making a Man of Her (1912)

Movie
Producer
The Lady Barber of Roaring Gulch

The Lady Barber of Roaring Gulch (1912)

Movie
Producer
Her Friend, the Doctor

Her Friend, the Doctor (1912)

Movie
Producer
Love and a Lemon

Love and a Lemon (1912)

Movie
Producer
His Only Son

His Only Son (1912)

Movie
Producer
Hearts and Skirts

Hearts and Skirts (1912)

Movie
Producer
Those Lovesick Cowboys

Those Lovesick Cowboys (1912)

Movie
Producer
The Girls and the Chaperone

The Girls and the Chaperone (1912)

Movie
Producer
A Stubborn Cupid

A Stubborn Cupid (1912)

Movie
Producer
When the Heart Calls

When the Heart Calls (1912)

Movie
Producer
The Dawn of Netta

The Dawn of Netta (1912)

Movie
Producer
The Belle of Bar-Z Ranch

The Belle of Bar-Z Ranch (1912)

Movie
Producer
Her Indian Hero

Her Indian Hero (1912)

Movie
Producer
A Brave Little Woman

A Brave Little Woman (1912)

Movie
Producer
The Law of the Range

The Law of the Range (1911)

Movie
Producer
Big Noise Hank

Big Noise Hank (1911)

Movie
Producer
Those Jersey Cowpunchers

Those Jersey Cowpunchers (1911)

Movie
Producer
A Desperate Remedy

A Desperate Remedy (1910)

Movie
Producer
A Daughter of the Mines

A Daughter of the Mines (1910)

Movie
Producer
A Daughter's Devotion

A Daughter's Devotion (1910)

Movie

Ratings

Average 1.1
Based on 156 movie and tv ratings over time
1910
1912
1912
1912
1917
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Information

Known For
Production

Gender
Male

Birthday
1873-03-11

Deathday
1933-02-23 (59 years old)

Birth Place
Stanley, United Kingdom

Siblings
William Horsley

Citizenships
United States of America


This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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William A. Carroll
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William A. Carroll worked together with David Horsley in:
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Wallace Reid
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Wallace Reid worked together with David Horsley in:
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Margaret Manners
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Margaret Manners worked together with David Horsley in:
3 Movies
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William Parsons worked together with David Horsley in:
3 Movies
Constance  Talmadge
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Constance Talmadge worked together with David Horsley in:
3 Movies
Sylvia Ashton
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Sylvia Ashton worked together with David Horsley in:
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Ed Brady
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Ed Brady worked together with David Horsley in:
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Tom Ricketts
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Tom Ricketts worked together with David Horsley in:
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