Léo-Ernest Ouimet facts for kids
Léo-Ernest Ouimet (born March 16, 1877 – died March 2, 1972) was a very important person in the early days of Canadian movies. He was a true pioneer! He owned movie theaters, made films, helped produce them, and even distributed them to other places. He helped bring the magic of movies to Canada.
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How Ouimet Started in Movies
Léo-Ernest Ouimet was born in Laval, Quebec, on March 16, 1877. He first wanted to work with electricity. But in 1901, he found his way into show business by accident. A theater in Montreal, called Le Theatre National, needed help rewiring their building.
Ouimet did the job super fast, in just two days! He also created a cool lighting system that amazed everyone watching the shows. Other theaters, like Le Cartier Theatre, soon asked him to do the same for them. He became very popular for his electrical skills.
Le Theatre National then asked Ouimet to come back as their lighting designer. This led to his movie career in a surprising way. Back then, the theater couldn't have shows indoors on Sundays. So, to get around this rule, they held performances at Sohmers Park outdoors.
Starting in 1902, the theater began showing short animated films during breaks. The person who ran the projector showed Ouimet how to use the theater's kinetoscope. A kinetoscope was an early device for viewing moving pictures, usually by looking into a peephphole. Ouimet was fascinated! He bought his own kinetoscope and started trying out new things with it.
Ouimet's First Steps in Filmmaking
Ouimet loved the products made by Thomas Edison, who invented many things, including early movie devices. Because of this, Ouimet became Edison's official helper in eastern Canada. He even started his own company, Ouimet Film Exchange, to help share movies around the area.
In 1904, during the Canadian federal election, Ouimet used his kinetoscope in a clever way. He projected the election results onto the front wall of the newspaper building, La Patrie. People could gather outside and see the news live!
In 1906, he turned an old cabaret into a nickelodeon. A nickelodeon was a small, simple movie theater where you could watch films for just a nickel! His nickelodeon had 500 seats.
Edison had rules for his kinetoscopes to control the movie market. But Ouimet was smart! He changed his kinetoscope and called it the 'Ouimetoscope'. In 1907, he opened a huge movie theater with 1200 seats, also named Ouimetoscope. His movies were shown all over Canada, and Quebec became a very important place for theaters in the country.
The Ouimetoscope and Its Success
The Ouimetoscope theater was a big hit! It showed many popular films and became a central spot for entertainment. Ouimet was very dedicated to making sure his audiences had a great time.
In 1911, some religious leaders in Montreal tried to stop movies from being shown on Sundays. This was similar to the old rule that affected theaters when Ouimet first started. This ban caused problems for Ouimet for a while and almost made him lose all his money. However, the Supreme Court soon said the ban was not allowed, and it was removed.
By the time World War I started, Ouimet had made over 80 very popular films. This made him one of the most successful filmmakers of that time. Unlike many other movie theater owners, Ouimet didn't have live shows between films. He believed the movie industry would last. But he did give out programs or showbills to his customers. This helped keep the feeling of a special theater experience alive.
Later Years and Legacy
Ouimet eventually grew tired of competing with big Hollywood film studios. These studios were sending many of their movies to Quebec. So, in 1922, he sold his famous Ouimetoscope theater and moved to Hollywood.
In Hollywood, he started a new film company called Laval Photoplays, named after his birthplace. However, his film Why Get Married? didn't sell well. After this, Ouimet decided to stop making commercial films.
He moved back to Montreal and tried to start his theater business again by renting another building. But he faced financial problems once more. He eventually retired and worked at a store for the Quebec Liquor Commission. Léo-Ernest Ouimet passed away on March 2, 1972, at the age of 94.
In 2018, the Canadian government recognized Ouimet's important contributions. He was named a National Historic Person. This means he is remembered as someone who played a big role in Canada's history, especially in the world of movies.
