Christie brothers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles and Al Christie
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Charles (left) and Al (right) in 1920
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| Born |
Charles Herbert Christie
April 13, 1882 Alfred Ernest Christie November 23, 1886 London, Ontario, Canada (both)
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| Died | Charles Herbert Christie October 1, 1955 (aged 73) Alfred Ernest Christie April 14, 1951 (aged 64) Beverly Hills, California, U.S. (both)
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| Spouse(s) | Al: Shirley Collins (m. 1911) |
Charles Herbert Christie (born April 13, 1882) and Alfred Ernest Christie (born November 23, 1886) were two brothers from Canada who became very important in the early days of making movies. They were known as film producers and directors. They helped create many comedy films in Hollywood, especially during the silent movie era.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Charles Herbert Christie and Alfred Ernest Christie, known as Al, were both born in London, Ontario, Canada. Their father managed the local Opera House, and their mother handled the ticket sales and finances.
Charles was a very smart student. He finished school when he was 14 years old. By the age of 16, he had completed a four-year accounting course in just two years!
Starting in the Movie Business
When Charles was 23, he got a job offer as a stage manager for a company called Liebler and Company. He accepted the job only if his brother Al could also work there. They both worked for the company for three years.
Charles then joined the growing film industry. He was hired as an accountant for the Nestor Film Company. People said that Charles was very good at managing money, which helped the company a lot.
Al also started working in film. He wrote some comedy scripts and sold them for $15. In 1911, Al helped set up the Nestor Film Company in Los Angeles. By 1913, a big company called Universal Pictures started distributing all of their movies.
The Christie Film Company
On January 6, 1916, the brothers started their own company, the Christie Film Company. Al bought a building called the Blondeau Tavern for $15,000 to use as their studio.
Universal Pictures helped them get started by giving them $5,000. Al wanted to make both westerns and comedies, but Charles convinced him to focus mainly on comedies. Charles was the vice-president and general manager of the company.
In 1919, the Christie Film Company stopped working with Universal. They then signed a new deal with Educational Pictures. Later, from 1927 to 1928, their movies were distributed by Paramount Pictures. After Paramount canceled the contract, Columbia Pictures distributed their films.
Many famous actors starred in their movies, including Betty Compson, Dorothy Devore, Lloyd Hamilton, Al St. John, and Fay Tincher.
Charles's Leadership Role
Charles Christie was also involved in important organizations in the film industry. He served as a director for the Motion Picture & Television Fund, which helps people in the movie business.
In 1925, Charles became the president of the Association of Motion Pictures Producers. This group was part of the larger Motion Picture Association, which worked to promote and protect the film industry.
Challenges and New Beginnings
In the 1920s, the Christie brothers bought a studio called the Metropolitan Studio. They spent over $500,000 to make it soundproof, which was important for making movies with sound.
Their first sound film was Dangerous Females. In 1929, they produced more than fifty full-length sound films.
However, the brothers faced big financial problems after the Wall Street Crash of 1929. They had borrowed a lot of money for real estate, and by 1932, they owed $2.5 million. They had to sell their assets, but they were still $70,000 short. Luckily, the Horsley brothers helped them pay off the rest of their debts.
After this, Charles started selling real estate. Al moved to New York and started another film studio in 1932. He made 32 more films before leaving the movie industry in 1941.
The brothers later reunited. Al managed entertainment at the Douglas Aircraft Company's factory in Santa Monica during World War II. Many famous performers visited, including Lucille Ball, Milton Berle, Bing Crosby, Duke Ellington, Bob Hope, and James Stewart.
Al Christie once said that very few of their old movie negatives or prints survived. This was because they couldn't afford the special cold storage needed to preserve the old film. Before he retired, Al produced over 700 films.
Personal Lives and Later Years
Al Christie married Shirley Collins in 1911, but they later divorced. In 1925, the Christie brothers and their film company paid over $31,000 in income taxes.
Al retired after World War II, and Charles retired in 1950. Al passed away in Beverly Hills, California, on April 14, 1951, after a heart attack. His estate was worth about $2,597, and Charles inherited it.
Charles died in Beverly Hills on October 1, 1955. He left over $250,000 and his house to his housekeeper, who had worked for him for 30 years.
Filmography
