ROMANCE OF FILMLAND

Southland Times, Issue 19435, 26 December 1924, Page 7

ROMANCE OF FILMLAND

BOY IMMIGRANTS SUCCESS. NOW A MILLIONAIRE. FOUNDER OF THE CINEMA. VISIT TO OLD HOME. A real romance of filmland is provided by the career of Mr Albert Edward Smith who left his native town of Faversham, Kent, 36 years ago, had emigrated to America with but a few pence in his pocket. A few weeks ago he returned to England a millionaire, and with the distinction of being the virtual founder of the film industry. The boy Smith was 14 years of age when he left the little cottage in Park R.oad, Faversham, with his father and six brothers and a sister. His father earned a precarious livelihood as a Whitstable oystennan, and it was to give his lads a chance to make good that he decided to immigrate. The entire family travelled for £3 a head. Albert Edward, the fourth son, returned to England in the Berengia, occupying the most luxurious suit the liner can afford. Mr Smith, senior, is too old to make the journey. He is 86, but still hale and hearty, and enjoying the affluence that has come to him as a result of his son’s wonderful success. The Smith family, including immediate descendants, now numbers over 80. WIFE AS LEADING LADY Other members of the family have shared in Albert’s rise to fortune. Three of them hold important posts in the Vitagraph Company, of which Mr Albert Edward Smith is president. Mr George Smith is managing director of the British branch, Victor is assistant-general manager in New York, while David is a producer, and directed “Captain Blood,” the Rafael Sabatini photoplay. Mrs Albert Smith is known on the screen as Jean Paige, and is the leading lady in the films produced by her husband. The story of their marriage is another romantic chapter in the life of the millionaire film magnate. Mrs Smith’s maiden name was Lucile O’Hara, and she was a typical Irish beauty. One day she was playing lead in a Vitagraph film, “Black Beauty.” Albert Smith was watching the filming of an outdoor scene, in which the leading lady gave a magnificent display of riding. Being keenly interested in riding himself, the president introduced himself to the fair rider, who in 1921 became his wife. GETTING RID OF “FLICKER.” As a'boy Mr Smith wanted to be a watchmaker. One of his first problems as a moving-picture producer was to find out how to eliminate “flicker” and to keep the film on the sprockets of the apparatus. His mechanical bent stood him in good stead, and, by dint of much experimenting and hard work, he was able to solve his great problem. Mr Smith’s first job in America was in a bookbinding firm; but in 1892 he forsook his occupation to become a music hall entertainer with Mr J. S. Blackton, who is vice-president of the Vitagraph Company. One day Mr Edison showed Blackton the first crude cinematograph machine, and in 1896 the partners started experimenting with films. Their first film which "told a story” was made in 1899. It was 100 ft. long, and lasted one and a half minutes. From that film sprang the Vitagraph Company.