Canadian Influences in Early Hollywood

Ever pick up a dusty book or piece of antique that you thought to be
unimportant, only to discover its inherent value? That's how naughty
history
can be sometimes. There's never a dull moment when one rediscovers
pieces of
history. I can just imagine how Italian humanists felt just before they
nurtured the Renaissance in Europe.

Canadians are not generally regarded as a people attached to their
heritage,
so the opportunity to dust off pieces of Canadian history is there for
us to
discover. Indeed, we have seen this with the Heritage Series vignettes
aired
on television, highlighting Canadian historical achievements and
contributions.

I recently stumbled upon one of those lost relics of Canadiana I never
knew
existed; which surprised me since I do take an active interest in this
country's past. Reading about Canadian history has introduced me to the
innovative spirit of Canadians through the years. In the realm of
Hollywood,
Canadians were rugged individualists who roamed the continent giving
unique
Canadian imprints to the North American film experience.

What was supposed to be a night researching Buster Keaton led to the
discovery of several Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood. While going
through the list of Canadian names on various web sites dedicated to
the
silent film era, the one thing that caught my attention was how this
presence and influence seemed disproportionate to Canada's tiny
population,
which grew from 7 million in 1910 to 10 million in 1930. It was like
discovering a long lost relative.

Some quotes from The Grove Book of Hollywood anthology edited by
Christopher
Silvester helps to put things in historical perspective. Dancer and
choreographer Agnes DeMille (niece of Cecil B. DeMille) once said
"Hollywood
was merely a country town, like many in the East, with palms instead of
maples and chestnuts. The hills, though steep, were plain colored. The
people were just ordinary." She even described how there were still
cowboys
who, "kept largely to themselves."

British actress Constance Collier added "Hollywood was still a village,
with
farms that had not yet been built over, and the surly farmers were
furious
at the advent of the picture folk." In a similar vain, screenwriter
Lenore
Coffee wrote "In 1919 Hollywood was a village. Hollywood Boulevard
could
have been any Main Street in America."

With this, Hollywood was hardly a romantic and opulent place in its
infancy.
Such was the character of Hollywood in its formative years. There were
no
agents and it was normal for employees to offer their insights to the
director. What Hollywood lacked in panache it made up in the family
surroundings it fostered. In many ways, this unassuming and humble
reality
resonated well with a Canadian mindset.

And so it is with DeMille's ,Collier's and Coffee's Hollywood,
Canadians
were poised to leave their mark; earn their stars they did.

Notable figures during this time included the tragic lives of Marie
Prévost
and Florence Lawrence 'America's First Movie Star.' This period brought
Canada's only three female Academy Award Winners: Norma Shearer in 1930
and
Marie Dressler in 1931. Mary Pickford - 'arguably the most famous
person who
ever lived' - won this country's first award in 1929. A powerful figure
and
co-founder of United Artists, Pickford was known as 'America's
sweetheart.'

On the director's chair, Canadian influence was felt through the
slapstick
director Mack Sennett, who introduced the 'Keystone Kops' to film
audiences,
now regarded as an American institution. Sidney Olcott, among the first
true
great directors, was a founding member of what is known today as the
Director's Guild of America. In business, Jack Warner was the driving
force
behind his co-founding of Warner Brothers Studios. Other notable names
include Raymond Massey, Nell Shipman (The Girl From God's Country), Al
Christie and Fay Wray, famous for her role as the blonde captive in
'King
Kong.'

With this list, it should not surprise anyone Canadians brought to
Hollywood
a distinctly Canadian flavor to film audiences everywhere. Ironically,
while
Hollywood is singled out by cultural protectionists for its threat to
the
Canadian identity, it is interesting to note that Canadians themselves
had a
role to play in this development. But that is another story altogether.

From the dusty streets of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Streets in the
early
20th century, to the modern glitz of 21st century Hollywood, Canadians
have
been an integral part of the process every step of the way. Dusting can
be a
rewarding and therapeutic exercise.